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SEYMOUR    DURST 


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"When  you  leave,  please  leave  this  book 

Because  it  has  been  said 
"Sver'thing  comes  t'  him  who  waits 

Except  a  loaned  book." 


Avery  Architectural  and  Fine  Arts  Library 
Gii  i  of  Seymour  B.  Durst  Old  York  Library 


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OF 


NEW  YORK  LIFE 


AND   ITS 


CRIMINAL  CLASSES 


from  Fifth  Avenue  down  to  the  Five  Points. 


A  COMPLETE  NARRATIVE 


OF    THE 


NEW  YORK: 

1873. 


In 


Entered,  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1873  by  Fmdk.  Giehard,  in  the  Office  of  the 
Librarian  of  Congress  at  Washington. 


INTRODUCTION. 


Whoever  has  not  yet  lived  for  some  years  in  the  Metro- 
polis of  the  World  or  had  at  the  same  time  an  oppor- 
tunity to  tal  :ep  insight  into  the  innermost  recesses  of 
New  York  lite,  and  who  has  not  made  it  his  business  dili- 
gently to  follow  up  the  vices  and  crimes  that  are  ever  occur- 
ring, and  to  penetrate  to  the  causes  that  give  rise  to  them, 
has  no  conception,  and  can  have  no  conception  how  terribly 
the  whole  social  life  of  this  city-world  is  cankered ;  how  in 
one  shape  or  another  temptation  and  crime  lurk  about  to 
draw  into  their  toils  the  unwary  and  confiding,  and  to  un- 
dermine and  destroy  all  peace,  honor,  decency,  and  every 
happiness  of  life;  how  too,  shame  and  infamy  have  their 
home  not  only  in  the  dens  of  the  "Five  Points"  and  other 
such  notorious  quarters  of  the  town,  but  how  they  sit  en- 
throned even  in  the  mansions  of  the  rich  on  Fifth  Avenue, 
there  to  celebrate  their  orgies,  and  to  fatten  on  Deceit, 
Swindling,  Robbery,  Theft  and  Murder.  The  scenes  which 
present  themselves  in  a  single  week  in  New  York,  would, 
if  they  were  exposed  in  all  their  details  instead  of  being  for 
the  greater  part  hidden  in  the  records  of  the  police  and 
the  detectives,  fill  the  reader  with  astonishment,  fright  and 
horror.  The  newspapers  supply  only  isolated  and  selected 
data,  and  give  besides  but  a  very  feeble  and  imperfect  pic- 
ture which  hardly  gives  the  truth,  still  less  touches  it. 

London  and  Paris  contain  within  their  limits  much  that 
is  bad,  but  they  are  far  exceeded  by  New  York;  although 
this  ought  not  to  excite  much  wonder  since  in  New  York 
peculiar  circumstances  exist  from  which  those  cities  do  not 


INTRODUCTION. 


suffer.  First  there  is  the  wretched  misgovernment  under 
which  this  city  has  for  so  many  years  labored;  a  police 
which  in  the  first  place  is  not  sufficient  in  number,  but  then 
also — as  the  penalties  imposed  almost  weekly  upon  police 
officers  for  offences  against  the  regulations  show — made  up 
for  the  greater  part  of  people  who  do  not  care  to  know 
their  duties;  then  the  bad  administration  of  justice  in  the 
courts  through  in  part  incompetent  or  corrupt  judges;  and 
again  the  circumstance  that  immigration  brings  every  year 
to  our  port  a  number  of  people,  of  whom  the  greater  part 
remains  in  New  York,  and  among  whom  there  are  so  many 
of  doubtful  character,  who  would  rather  fish  in  the  troubled 
waters  of  a  great  city,  than  attain  respectability  by  founding 
for  themselves  a  home  in  the  West  upon  diligence  and  labor. 
Lastly  it  must  also  be  taken  into  consideration  that  in  no 
other  city  in  the  world  exists  such  a  comglomeration  of  all 
nationalities  as  in  New  York.  According  to  the  last  census 
of  the  United  States,  taken  in  1870,  there  lived  then  in  this 
city  942,292  persons.  Of  this  number,  there  were  born  here 
510,553  white,  and  12,645  colored.  There  were  from  Ger- 
many, including  Austria  and  Switzerland,  148,213;  from 
England  24,985,  Scotland  7,551,  Ireland  201,999,  France 
8,240,  Belgium  328,  Italy  2,789,  Spain  453,  Portugal  90, 
Russia  1,139,  Poland  2,392,  Bohemia  1,847,  Sweden  1,569, 
Norway  373,  Denmark  680,  Turkey  ^8,  Canada  3,450,  Me- 
xico 56,  Central  America  16,  South  America  202,  The  West 
Indies  1,595,  China  103.  Then  there  were  still  10,898  white 
persons,  born  in  other  countries  and  parts  of  the  world  not 
defined,  and  lastly  448  colored  people  belonging  to  different 
nationalities  of  the  colored  race  in  other  parts  of  the  world. 
This  is,  in  very  truth,  a  mixed  population  such  as  nowhere 
else  exists. 

In  the  present  work  everything  will  be  set  forth  which 
belongs  to  the  dark  side  of  New  York  life  or  which  stands 
in  any  relation  to  it  whatever.  This  information  will  be 
given  under  the  following  heads: 


INTRODUCTION.  5 

Pauperism  —  The  Street  Children— The  New  York  Police— The  New  York  De- 
tective Force  —  The  United  States  Secret  Service  —  The  Private  Detectives  —  The 
Thieves,  (Pickpockets,  Shoplifters,  Sneak  Thieves,  Burglars,  Bond  and  Bank  Rob- 
bers, Safe  Operators,   Railway  and   Stage  Thieves,   River   and    Dock  Thieves) The 

Rogues  Gallery— The  "Fences"— The  Garrotters— The  Swindlers  (73  different  classes) 
— Prostitution,  (Street  Walkers,  Houses  of  Prostitution,  Houses  of  Assignation,  Panel- 
houses,  Colored  Prostitutes)  —  The  Concert  Saloons  —  Dance  Houses  —  Picnics The 

Gambling  Houses,  (Faro,  Roulette,  Keno,  Monte,  &c.)  —  Abortionists— Quacks — Lu- 
natic Asylums — Counterfeiters  and  Counterfeit  Money  Speculators  —  Check  and  Not* 
Forgers — The  Prisons — The  Police  Courts — The  Criminal  Courts — Tombs  Shysters  — 
Fortune  Tellers — The  Mediums — Lottery  and  Policy — Pawnbrokers — The  'Personals' 
in  the  Newspaper  Press — Bogus  Intelligence  Offices — Bogus  Ticket  Offices — Emigrant 
Boarding  Houses  and  Emigrant  Svindlers — Matrimonial  Bureaux  —  Adventurers  and 
Cheats — Black  Mailing — Mock  Auctions  —  The  Trade  in  Obscene  Literature — News* 
paper    Advertisements — The    Theatres    of   the    Lower    Classes — The   Baar-rooms    and 

their  Visitors — Loafers  and  Rowdies — Prize-fighters — Dog-fights  and  Cocking-mains 

Public  Conveyances  —  The  Tenement  Houses  —  Professional  Beggars  —  Murders  and 
Suicides — Missed  and  Lost  Persons — The  Morgue. 

The  work  will  give  a  description  of  the  dark  side  of 
New  York  life  as  it  really  is;  it  will  confine  inself  strictly  to 
the  truth,  and  will  present  a  number  of  the  most  interesting 
cases  which  bear  upon  the  subject  of  which  the  work  treats 
and  which  are  taken  from  the  records  of  the  courts,  of  the 
notes  of  the  detectives,  and  from  other  authentic  sources. 

Besides  the  observations   of  the  author  made  during- 

o 

many  years,  other  sources  have  been  drawn  upon  for  this 
work.  First  among  these  are  the  communications  of  an 
old  member  of  the  New  York  Detective  force  (Mr.  Geo 
S.  Waiters)  and  then  the  following  additions  to  an  Ameri- 
can literature  which  during  the  past  years  have  treated 
upon  the  subject;  namely:  "The  dangerous  classes  of 
JMew  York  and  twenty-five  years  among  them,"  by  Chas. 
.L.  Brace;  "Memoirs  of  the  United  States  secret  service,,, 
by  Captain  G.  P.  Burnham  ;  "The  Nether  Side  of  New 
York,  or  the  vice,  crime  and  poverty  of  the  great  Metropo- 
lis," by  Edward  Crapsey;  "Light  and  Shadows  of  New 
York,  Life,"  by  J.  D.  McCabe,  Jr. ;  "Sunshine  and  Shadow 
in  New  York,"  by  M.  H.  Smith;  the  most  recent  annual 
reports  of  the  authorities,  and  other  authentic  publica- 
tions. To  all  of  the  above  authors  we  express  our  obliga- 
tions. 


6  INTRODUCTION. 

Thus  this  book  will  prove  a  book  of  the  highest  interest, 
and  a  perfect  picture  of  the  Night  Side  of  New  York  life, 
not  only  to  those  who  live  in  the  city,  but,  since  New  York 
is  the  Metropolis  of  the  country,  to  all  the  inhabitants  of  the 
United  States;  and  not  interesting  only,  for  since  it  is  at 
the  same  time  instructive,  it  must  also  be  useful.  Only  a 
few  even  of  those  who  live  in  New  York  know  the  dangers 
which  daily  and  hourly  surround  them  and  theirs.  How 
many  are  there  who,  living  at  a  distance,  come  here  on 
business,  and  who  have  not  already  been  the  victims  of  crime 
of  every  kind,  because  they  knew  not  the  traps  that  were 
set  for  them !  And  how  many  in  distant  states  who  have 
never  set  foot  in  New  York  and  never  intend  coming  hither, 
have  not  been  already  robbed  of  their  money  and  their  pro- 
perty by  the  hundreds  of  swindlers,  who,  residing  here,  cast 
out  their  nets  hence  over  the  whole  country.  ■ 

Whoever  reads  this  book,  will — we  hope — not  lay  it 
aside  dissatisfied;  it  will  not  only  afford  him  interesting 
reading,  but  through  it  he  will  obtain  an  accurate  knowledge 
of  New  York  and  the  doings  of  its  dangerous  classes,  and 
thus  be  safe  against  all  their  machinations  and  evil  designs. 


PAUPERISM. 

In  all  large  cities  the  contrast  between  wealth  and  poverty  must  strike 
the  attention  of  a  careful  observer.  Although  sometimes,  as  in  Paris,  the 
interference  of  the  police  is  invoked  to  exclude  the  mendicant  from  fash- 
ionable quarters,  the  fact  remains  that  every  large  centralization  of  people 
gives,  to  those  who  seek  it,  extreme  pictures  of  indigence  and  opulence, 
of  misery  and  wealth.  But  from  various  circumstances  the  contrast  which 
such  pictures  afford  is  nowhere  greater,  Dor,  on  this  continent,  anywhere 
as  great,  as  in  New  York.  In  most  cities  of  the  "  old  world"  the  poor  have 
their  chosen  locality,  and  the  rich  theirs.  The  districts  of  the  strugglers 
are  indisputably  their  own.  Nor  do  hovels  or  tenement  houses  usually 
exist  in  glaring  proximity  to  the  residences  of  the  more  highly  favored. 
But  here  it  is  otherwise.  In  the  Metropolis  of  America  the  most  abject 
misery  and  the  most  exuberant  wealth  may  be  seen  dwelling  side  by  side. 
Luxury  and  starvation  are  near-by  neighbors.  While  the  servants  of  the 
merchant  are  wasteful  of  his  abundance,  want  may  be  feeding  on  the  vitals 
of  the  poor  in  their  garret  a  few  doors  away.  In  any  part  of  our  city  a 
few  steps  will  suffice  to  move  the  inquirer  from  the  mansion  of  opulence  to 
the  dreary  abode  where  starvation  and  squalor  reign  ;  from  the  home  where 
life  is  burdened  only  with  pleasure,  to  the  bare  shelter  where  existence  can 
hardly  be  esteemed  a  blessing.  No  city  could  more  easily  be  made  to 
deceive  the  transient  observer,  or  to  belie  first  impressions.  It  would  be 
possible  to  give  to  a  visitor  the  idea,  formed  atter  a  long  ramble  through 
our  streets,  that  we  are  indeed  a  poverty  stricken  people.  It  would  be 
equally  possible  to  convey  to  another  the  impression  that  New  York 
abounds  in  wealth,  in  luxury,  even  in  magnificence  ;  and  that  poverty  is 
unknown  amongst  us.  And  yet  the  scenes  to  which  each  of  those  persons 
would  have  to  be  presented  lie  close  together.  No  wide  space  separates 
them.  No  gradation  of  comfort  or  discomfort  lies  between.  It  is  but  a 
step  from  the  merchant's  mansion  to  the  pauper's  hovel.  Wealth  is  every- 
where elbowed  by  poverty,  and  being  sternly  told  that  social  equality  is 
not  among  the  theories  yet  realized.  Cities  in  the  old  world  may  surpass 
us  in  riches,  it  is  no  exaggeration  to  say  that  none  amongst  them  can  pro- 
duce more  terrible  illustrations  of  the  results  of  indigence,  idleness,  and 
dissipation. 

There  are  various  phases  in  which  New  York  presents  her  pauperism  to 
us.     We  propose  in  the  present  chapter  to  treat  of  it  in  its  worst  form 


8  TIIE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

only,  those  extreme  examples,  which  bad  as  they  are,  unfortunately  are 
not  exceptional.  There  is  a  large  class  amongst  us  leading  a  precarious, 
and  by  no  means  an  enviable  life,  in  tenement  houses.  These  we  shall 
notice  in  a  future  page.  They  do  not  concern  us  now.  They  are  too 
affluent,  too  happy.  We  have  to  deal  here  with  a  class  far — very  far 
beneath  them  ;  a  class  which  sets  us  at  once  face  to  face  with  poverty  in 
her  most  repulsive,  most  degrading  form  ;  as  we  see  her  in  the  professional 
city  vagrant ; — the  wretchedly  depraved  and  objectless  being  who  night 
after  night  finds  his  lodging  in  the  tramp  room  at  the  police  station,  and 
who  lives  from  day  to  day  and  from  year  to  year — he  knows  not  how. 
The  loathsome  atmosphere  in  which  these  people  move,  the  utter  idleness 
and  disgusting  dissipation  that  mark  their  career,  rank  them  at  once  among 
the  lowest  of  the  race.  And  they  form  a  numerous  tribe.  Scattered  by 
day  through  the  streets,  they  assemble  at  nightfall  in  the  neighborhood 
where  they  expect  to  sleep,  crouching  in  doorways,  or  guzzling  poisonous 
spirits  in  the  dram  shops.  In  the  summer  they  may  often  find  a  shelter  in 
places  more  or  less  exposed,  but  in  winter  the  police  station  is  their  favored 
resort.  And  thus  collected  they  form  a  goodly  band,  saturated  with  whis- 
key and  eaten  into  with  filth  and  vermin.  Degraded  by  every  vice,  dis- 
sipation and  immorality,  the  stamp  of  debauchery  ground  into  their  very 
being,  they  seem  to  have  lost  all  semblance  of  humanity,  and  to  have  sunk 
far  below  the  brutes  in  their  animal  indulgences — and  in  their  physical 
appearances. 

How  many  of  us  read,  from  week  to  week,  that  paragraph  in  some  of  the 
papers  which  tells  us  how  many  arrests  were  made,  and  how  many  lodgings 
were  given,  at  the  station  houses  of  the  city  on  the  previous  seven  days  ; 
and  how  little  do  we  heed  the  full  force  of  that  simple  statement ! 

The  station  '  houses  thus  referred  to  number  thirty-two.  In  each  of 
these  are  two  departments  devoted  to  visitors.  One  belongs  to  those  who 
having  been  arrested  are  forcibly  deprived  of  their  liberty,  the  other  is 
devoted  to  the  class  we  are  about  to  depict,  who  voluntarily  seek  a  friendly 
shelter  wherein  to  find  a  night's  rest.  Those  houses  which  the  most  marked 
specimens  of  New  York  paupers  chiefly  patronage,  are  in  Oak  and  Mercer 
Streets.  In  either  of  these,  as  evening  approaches,  may  be  seen  a  long 
string  of  candidates  for  a  lodging.  They  come  mysteriously  together  as 
the  day  departs,  and  wait  about  till  the  time  to  rest  arrives.  Their  appli- 
cations are  rarely  refused,  although  it  was  not  for  vagrants  such  as  these 
that  the  accommodation  was  originally  intended  ;  and  if  refusals  are  made 
it  is  either  upon  that  ground,  or  else  because  the  rooms  are  already  filled. 
There  are  usually  two  of  these,  built  over  the  prisoners  cells  and  separated 
from  the  main  building  by  a  small  yard.  One  is  devoted  to  males  and  the 
other  to  females.  Upon  the  stone  floor  are  a  number  of  deal  boards. 
These  constitute  the  most  luxurious  couches,  and  the  first  arrivals  appro- 
priate and  keep  them  with  jealous  care.     Those  who  arrive  later  are  con- 


PAUPERISM.  9 

tent  with  the  stones  to  lie  upon.  But  here  it  is  well  to  notice  the  apparent 
horror  which  the  filthy  creatures  have  for  fresh  air.  The  room  is  about 
eighteen  feet  square,  and  may  be  calculated  generally  to  contain  about  thirty 
tramps,  although  sometimes  that  number  is  doubled.  One  would  think 
that  under  such  circumstances  alone,  to  pay  nothing  of  the  dirty  condition 
of  the  occupaut*  and  the  foul  odours  that  arise  from  their  often  wet  clothes 
and  steaming  bodies,  a  little  ventilation  would  be  a  blessing.  But  no  ; 
these  miserable  people  can  no  more  endure  pure  air  than  they  can  com- 
prehend the  value  ot  healthy  labor  ;  and  so  every  crevice,  every  hole  where 
-a  little  good  air  might  enter,  or  a  little  of  the  poisoned  atmosphere  of  the 
room  might  escape,  is  most  scrupulously  closed.  Enter  that  room  a  couple 
of  hours  after  the  arrivals  for  the  night  have  begun,  and  the  stench  is 
sickening.  Look  into  it,  and  what  a  scene  presents  itself!  It  is  a  reeking 
mass  of  humanity  and  filth.  Men  huddled  together  in  a  heterogeneous 
mass  ; — some  sleeping,  some  stupid  with  drink,  some  picking  the  vermin 
from  their  clothes  and  distributing  them  among  their  neighbors,  some  stark 
naked,  others  in  all  the  rags  that  belong  to  them  and  still  uncovered  ;  and 
all  dissipated,  brutal,  and  depraved.  Nor  is  the  sight  that  meets  us  in  the 
woman's  room  much  better.  If  the  occupants  are  less  numerous,  the  infamy 
seems  more  thorough.  Hags,  such  as  no  imagination  ever  pictured,  are 
there  to  be  met  in  full  reality  ;  drunken,  obscene,  vicious,  the  very  personi- 
fication of  all  impurity. 

And  there  they  sleep  in  a  surrounding  of  fermenting  squalor  till  daylight 
comes  and  a  police  constable  warns  them  to  the  streets  again.  And  what 
to  do?  Two  things  only  are  they  certain  of,  idleness  and  drink.  Perhaps 
if  they  knew  anything  of  the  doctrine  of  chances  they  might  attain  to  some 
kind  of  comprehension  as  to  the  probabilities  of  getting  a  breakfast.  But 
they  are  content  to  leave  calculations  of  that  kind  severely  alone.  They 
rarely  work.  If  the  temptation  be  very  great,  some  may  now  and  then  be 
induced  to  earn  an  honest  dollar  ;  but  such  cases  are  exceptional.  They 
prefer  to  exist  by  mendicancy  and  "  cadging."  They  beg,  and,  unfortu- 
nately for  them,  begging  usually  pays.  When  it  does  not,  they  are  not 
reluctant  to  pilfer.  Not  that  they  are  prone  to  habitual  stealing.  Indeed 
theft  is  no  part  of  their  programme.  But  the  appropriation  of  very  uncon- 
sidered trifles  as  a  means  of  sustaining  the  little  life  that  is  in  them,  they 
do  not  object  to.  Any  money  that  they  obtain  goes  into  the  till  of  the 
dram  shop.  Drink  is  their  main  support,  and  if  ever  they  work,  it  is  that 
drink  may  be  procured.  Offer  them  work  and  they  will  not  take  it. 
Direct  them  to  where  it  can  be  procured  and  they  will  not  go.  Get  them 
to  do  some,  and  they  will  take  a  few  cents  "  on  account"  just  to  get  "  a 
i)ite  of  victuals,"  then  go  away  and  never  more  return.  Yet  in  a  sense 
they  flouiish.  There  are  hundreds  of  these  vagrants  who  have  been  known 
to  the  police  for  years.  What  they  were  once,  they  are  now — neither  bet- 
ter nor  worse  ;  just  as  poor,  just  as  depraved,  not  more  healthy  nor  more 


10  .  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK   LIFE. 

diseased,  but  quite  as  incorrigible  and  perhaps  more  confirmed  in  their 
career  of  indolence  and  depravity.  Their  filth  and  dissipation,  and  the 
obnoxious  atmosphere  in  which  they  pass  so  much  of  their  time,  instead  of 
killing,  as  by  every  rule  of  propriety  they  ought,  seem  rather  to  shield 
them  against  sickness  ;  although  it  must  be  added  that  when  disease  does 
overtake  them  in  any  active  form,  it  rarely  leaves  them  a  chance  to  tempt 
it  again. 

During  the  twelve  months  ending  on  April  5th,  1871,  the  number  of 
lodgings  granted  at  the  several  station  houses,  according  to  the  returns  of 
the  police,  was  147,780  or  about  4,618  at  each  station.  Later  reports 
than  this  we  have  not  been  able  to  obtain,  but  the  numbers  are  subject  to 
a  slight  annual  increase.  The  accommodations,  however,  are  by  no  means 
equalized  over  the  several  stations.  For  instance  at  some,  specially  the 
1st,  2d,  3d,  9th,  11th,  14th,  16th  and  28th,  there  is  but  limited  room  ;  then, 
the  12th,  30th,  31st  and  32d  are  so  farv  removed  from  the  haunts  of  the 
vagrants,  that  their  applications  are  less  frequent.  The  great  burden  of 
this  business  falls  upon  the  4th,  5th,  6th,  7th,  8th,  10th,  13th,  15th,  17th, 
18th,  19th,  20th  and  22d  stations,  and  we  are  assured  that  in  many  of 
these  it  is  not  uncommon  in  winter  time  to  supply  shelter  to  as  many  as  a 
hundred  people  on  one  night. 

But  we  must  here  caution  the  reader  against  supposing  that  all  who  thus 
have  recourse  to  the  police  stations  are  of  the  same  character.  The  police 
themselves  have  by  experience  divided  them  into  three  classes.  The 
147,780  lodgings  represent  about  37,800  people*  Of  these,  7,500  are 
classed  as  casuals.  It  is  these  for  whom  the  accommodation  was  originally 
intended, — and  who  are  the  greatest  sufferers  by  the  intrusion  of  the  pro- 
fessional vagrant.  Of  the  remainder,  all  of  whom  sleep  habitually  in  the 
station  houses,  30,000  change  from  place  to  place,  sleeping  for  a  few  nights 
in  one,  then  moving  off  for  a  few  nights  to  another,  and  so  making  the 
round  of  the  city.  These  are  known  as  "  repeaters."  The  other  300  are 
recognized  as  "  bummers,"  and  as  such  may  often  be  found  figuring  in  the 
police  reports  on  a  charge  of  drunkenness.  These  300  seldom  change  their 
lodging.  Their  names  may  be  found  almost  nightly  in  the  records  of  the 
same  office,  and  they  represent  more  than  three-fourths  of  the  lodgings  that 
are  granted.  Four-fifths  of  the  remainder  belong  to  the  repeaters,  and  of 
the  whole  number  of  casuals  it  is  probable  that  very  few,  if  any  of  them 
sought  the  refuge  more  than  once. 

Whoever  has  had  occasion  to  come  in  contact  with  the  professional  vag- 
rants and  to  convince  himself  how  utterly  irreclaimable  they  are,  must, 
however  favorably  inclined  he  may  feel  towards  the  poor,  have  his  heart * 
steeled  against  them.  The  truly  unfortunate  are  the  casuals.  For  these 
genuine  pity  should  be  due.  They  are  easily  known.  If  they  accept  the 
accommodation  offered  them,  they  never  succeed  in  concealing  the  loathing 
that  they  feel  for  their  miserable  associations.     But  as  often  the  disgust 


PAUPERISM.  II 

that  strikes  them  as  the  friendly  policeman  shows  them  into  the  apartment 
alloted  to  them,  with  its  reeking,  stifling,  atmosphere  and  its  repulsive 
occupants,  makes  them  prefer  the  open  streets  and  fresh  air,  even  without 
a  resting  place  and  exposed  to  the  weather,  before  such  an  alternative. 

What  then  are  the  materials  and  the  causes  that  go  to  make  a  casual? 
The  materials  may  be  of  the  best ;  the  causes  may  be  quite  beyond  control. 
New  York  is  infested  with  a  class  of  people  who  prey  upon  their  fellows,, 
sometimes  in  the  shape  of  landlords,  sometimes  as  lodging-house  keepers, 
They  are  the  curse  of  the  city.     They  know  no  limit  to  their  demands  for 
money,  no  pity  for  the  difficulties  of  their  victims.     Many  a  young  man  of 
respectable  connection,  high  probity,  unflinching  integrity,  has  been  driven 
from  his  home  as  the  award  made  him  by  one  of  these  harpies,  for  a  tempo- 
rary pressure  which  may  have  delayed  the  payment  of  his  rent  or  his  board 
bill.     He  is  turned  adrift  into  the  streets.     His  trunks  and  all  he  possesses 
are  detained.     If  the  night  be  cold  or  stormy  the  landlord  rejoices  over 
his  opportunity.     If  it  be  both  cold  and  stormy  the  landlord  chuckles  with 
glee  at  the  sufferings  of  his  debtor.     Ladies  and  even  children  are  often 
made  to  bear  these  marks  of  unchristian  cruelty.     We  could  detail  many 
instances  of  the  kind.     Sometimes  mayhap  the  victims  have  friends  who 
will  succor  them,  but  often  not.     New  York  is  a  city  of  strangers.     Thou- 
sands are  there  constantly  in  it  who  have  no  friends  to  fall  back  upon  in 
an  emergency.     These  are  generally  the  greatest  sufferers.     Ignorant  of" 
the  moralities  of  the  place,  they  meet  with  some  of  the  multitude  of  shar- 
pers who  infest  the  city  and  thus  are  swindled  out  of  their  means ;  or  per- 
haps have  labored  hard  for  some  adventurer  or  some  dishonest  employer, 
who,  when  the  time  for  payment  comes,  disappears  from  the  scene  or  snaps 
his  fingers  at  their  just  demands.     They  have  thus  no  money,  no  friends, 
no  immediate  resource.     A  few  days  might  enable  them  to  recover  them- 
selves, or  to  see  the  prospect  of  better  fortune,  but  the  landlord,  or  the  ele- 
gant lady  who  "  runs"  the  boarding-house  will  not  wait.     These  cormo- 
rants must  have  their  money.     If  it  does  not  come  when  due,  the  "  guest" 
finds  his  room  locked,  his  possessions  seized,  and  himself  or  herself,  as  the 
case  may  be,  in  the  street.     He  may  think  that  an  appeal  to  some  hotel 
manager  with  a  true  statement  of  his  case  will  at  least  procure  him  a  shel- 
ter.    In  some  cities  it  might,  but  not  in  New  York.     "  Money  or  bajrgage," 
says  the  "  gentlemanly  clerk  ;"  and  as  the  unhappy  applicant  happens  at  the 
moment  to  have  neither,  he  is,  without  too  much  politeness,  shown  into  the 
street  again.     Wearied  possibly  l>y  the  failure  of  many  such  application^ 
convinced  at  last  that  there  is  no  pity  for  the  crime  of  being  without  money, 
no  sympathy  in  our  great  city  for  the  deserving  poor,  he  applies  for  advice 
to  a  police  officer,  he  is  directed  to  the  police  station,  and  there  begging  for 
a  shelter  he  becomes  a  police  casual.     Temporary  misfortune  coupled  with 
the  hardened  indictiveness  of  another  have  driven  him  to  a  fate  which 
neither  industry  nor  good  intentions  could  prevent,  while  the  "  repeater'" 


12  .  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

and  the  '•  bumnier"  owe  their  lot  to  their  incurable  indolence,  drunkenness, 
-and  depravity. 

The  casual  deserves  commiseration  and  he  gets  none.  The  "bummer" 
deserves  extermination  and  he  gets  encouragement  instead.  New  York  so 
admires  the  breed  that  it  henceforth  intends  to  cultivate  it.  A  special 
domicile  has  been  procured  and  devoted  to  the  interesting  tribe.  The  police 
and  the  commissioners  of  charity  finding  the  evil  growing  upon  them,  have 
sought  to  give  it  wider  room  for  growth.  Instead  of  crushing  it  out  of 
existence,  as,  for  the  credit  of  the  city,  they  ought  to  do,  they  propose  to 
■cultivate  it  in  richer  soil.  Instead  of  asking  for  legislation  which  would 
have  complied  with  the  dictates  of  moral  sense,  and  which  would  have 
abolished  a  race  that  subsists  only  in  idleness,  drunkenness,  and  dirt,  they 
have  aspired  to  perpetuate  a  blot  on  our  social  life  by  fostering  the  most 
inveterate  vagabondage.  The  remedy  was  easy  and  they  did  not  give  it  a 
hearing.  But  it  still  remains  available,  and  it  ought  to  be  tried.  It  is 
simple,  and  would  certainly  be  effectual.  The  bummer  dreads  nothing 
that  you  can  do  with  him,  nothing  that  you  can  impose  upon  him,  if  only 
he  be  allowed  to  remain  idle.  Work  is  torture  to  him,  labor  unendurable. 
So  long  as  he  can  roam  the  streets  by  day,  turn  into  the  whiskey  saloons 
when  he  chooses,  and  find  a  shelter  in  the  station  house  at  night,  he  is 
happy  enough.  His  ambition  is  satisfied,  he  asks  for  no  more.  Offer  him 
a,  job  and  he  grows  disdainful.  Give  him  bread  instead  of  whiskey,  and 
he  spurns  it.  Make  him  work  and  he  is  miserable.  Yet  that  is  the  true 
secret  which  should  be  put  in  force  in  our  dealings  with  him.  He  is  a 
disgrace  to  our  boasted  civilization,  and  if  we  would  remove  him,  he  must 
be  made  to  labor,  made  to  earn  his  sustenance,  made  to  do  as  honest  men 
have  to  do.  Pay  for  the  food  and  shelter  that  he  cannot  dispense  with. 
It  is  time  that  his  existence  were  taken  earnestly  in  hand  by  the  legisla- 
ture, if  his  multiplication  is  to  be  stopped ;  and  it  assuredly  is  due  to  the 
rest  of  society  that  so  worthless,  so  disgusting  a  parasite  be  destroyed, 
rather  than  encouraged  by  a  mistaken  and  dangerous  policy. 

A  shade  higher  in  the  social  scale  brings  us  to  a  multitude  of  people 
who  rank  not  with  the  repeaters  and  bummers,  only  because  they  pay  a 
few  cents  for  accommodation  which  the  latter  gets  gratuitously.  They  are 
to  be  found  in  the  cellar  lodgings,  which,  if  they  have  improved  since  the 
enactment  of  Sanitary  regulations  and  the  establishment  of  the  Board  of 
Health,  are  still  dens  of  disease,  filth,  and  indecency,  such  as  the  mind 
unused  to  enquiries  of  this  kind  cannot  conceive.  Situated  generally  under 
ground,  devoid  almost  of  light,  and  quite  of  ventilation,  reeking  with  dirt, 
and  filled  with  a  foul  and  pestilential  atmosphere,  they  constitute  the  most 
fertile  sources  of  disease  in  every  shape.  The  people  who  frequent  them 
are  hardly  less  degraded  than  those  we  have  been  considering.  But  they 
earn  a  livelihood  by  more  reputable  means  and  they  pay  for  their  "  beds." 
Some,  probably  many,  are  beggars.     But  very  many  make  a  living  by 


TAUrERISM. 


13 


selling  trifling  articles  in  the  streets,  or  by  sundry  little  jobs  clone  for  others. 
They  comprise  people  of  both  sexes,  and  of  all  ages.  Filth  and  vermin 
are  their  constant  companions  ;  drink  is  their  certain  failing  :  and  disease 
and  ruin  the  price  they  have  to  pay  for  their  folly.  They  herd  together 
indiscriminately.  Men  and  women,  boys  and  girls,  crowd  into  the  miser- 
able damp  and  foetid  dens,  reckless  of  all  decency,  so  long  as  they  can  pro- 
cure a  shelter  and  a  few  hours  sleep  for  the  small  pittance  they  have  paid. 
These  people  seldom  occupy  the  same  cellar  habitually.  They  know  all 
the  many  places  where  their  needs  can  be  supplied,  and  they  go  from  one 
to  another,  night  after  night,  so  that  each  oue  is  constantly  changing  his 
or  her  companions.  On  the  ground  of  morality,  this  system  is  worse  than 
that  connected  with  the  station  houses,  but  bad  as  it  is,  and  impossible  as 
the  fact  seems,  it  is  much  better  than  it  used  to  be.  Indeed,  the  improve- 
ment of  the  cellar  lodgings,  and  the   change  for  the  better  that  has  been 

©         ©      >  © 

effected  in  the  condition  of  their  occupants,  is  one  of  the  reforms  upon 
which  the  Metropolitan  Board  of  Health  is  said  to  feel  much  pride. 

Ascendiug  yet  a  step  in  the  social  scale,  we  come  to  a  class,  where  begins 
to  open  out  a  little  space  for  our  sympathy.  It  is  made  up  of  these  poor, 
who  have  not  yet  fallen  irrecoverably  iuto  the  meshes  of  absolute  idleness  ; 
who  have  still  left  a  spark  of  self-respect,  and  who,  rather  than  submit  to 
the  infamy  of  those  next  beneath  them,  are  willing  to  labor,  in  order  to 
provide  themselves  with  a  separate  room,  and  the  amenities  of  an  inde- 
pendent home.  They  occupy  most  wretched  places,  it  is  true,  but  they 
pay  for  them,  and  they  have  the  exclusive  use  of  them.  How  the}r  con- 
trive to  pay  for  them,  is  not  always  easy  to  understand.  But  assistance 
from  the  public  purse  is  usually  bestowed  upon  them,  and  hence  they  rank 
in  the  official  returns  as  the  "  out-door  poor."  The  balance  needed  for- 
their  maintenance  is  obtained  by  no  defmite  occupation  probably,  but  accu- 
mulated in  the  many  ways,  which  stern  necessity  teaches  to  its  victims, 
ways  that,  to  the  more  favored  amongst  us,  are  unfathomable.  The  rooms 
occupied  by  these  "  out-door  poor"  are  rarely  ventilated.  No  water,  no 
drainage.  If  air  and  water  enter  at  all,  the  way  is  by  the  roof,  or  through 
the  walls.  In  1871  the  number  of  families  in  this  class  was  5,051,  com- 
prising 1,710  adult  males,  4,405  adult  females,  aid  13,042  children,  iu  all 
19,157  people.  The  amount  expended  upon  these  during  the  year  was 
$64,910,  all  of  which  was  given  to  relieve  absolute  necessities.  Amid  the 
corruption  that  has  eaten  into  our  political  institutions,  it  is  gratifying  to 
be  able  to  think,  that,  in  this  distribution  of  money  to  the  outside  poor, 
there  is  no  speculation.  AVe  have  reason  to  believe  that  it  is  honestly  and 
judiciously  expended  ;  that  it  gets  where  it  is  intended  to  go,  and  not  iuto 
the  pockets  of  political  adventurers.  If  there  be  any  gleam  of  light  that 
comes  upon  the  picture  of  New  York  poverty,  it  is  to  be  fouud  in  this  one 
exceptional  occurrence  of  administrative  honesty. 

But  let  us  glance  again  for  a  moment  at  the  figures  we  have  just  recorded.. 


14:  TIIE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK   LIFE. 

Note  the  undue  proportion  between  males  and  females.  Two-thirds  of 
the  families  are  without  any  male  head,  and  in  many  of  the  remainder,  he 
is  only  a  diseased  and  decrepit  old  man.  Too  often  also  the  women  and 
children  are  worn  down  by  poverty  and  starvation,  to  a  point,  where  they 
have  hardly  left  them  the  strength  to  procure  ordinary  sustenance  ;  and  in 
the  cold  of  winter  they  suffer  indescribably,  depending  often  for  any  little 
warmth  they  have,  upon  such  sticks  and  cinders  as  they  can  find  in  the 
streets,  or  dig  out  of  the  ash  barrels.  The  scenes  presented  often  to  the 
visitors  of  the  Commission  of  Charity,  are  truly  heartrending.  In  many 
instances  death  is  found  already  to  have  overcome  the  faint  sparks  of  life, 
that  for  many  weeks  have  been  flickering  out,  and  in  others,  life  is  only 
maintained  by  vigorous  remedies,  immediately  applied.  Nor  are  the  cir- 
cumstances of  these  unhappy  people  much  improved  in  summer.  Then 
the  intense  heat  enfeebles  them  to  the  utmost  verge  of  endurance  ;  and  the 
putrefying  atmosphere  that  surrounds  them,  soon  engenders  those  diseases 
which  under  such  combination  of  circumstances  are  most  deadly.  Very 
frequently,  when  these  families  come  under  the  notice  of  the  Commis- 
sioners, their  rooms  are  found  to  be  emptied  of  every  stick  of  furniture,  all 
of  which  has  gone,  from  time  to  time,  to  satisfy  the  greed  of  the  landlord. 
Often,  indeed,  it  is  found  that  the  clothes  of  the  poor  people  have  served  a 
similar  end,  and  children  stark  naked,  adult  men  and  women  with  barely 
enough  to  cover  them,  are  huddled  together  on  a  heap  of  rags,  as  the  only 
contents  of  the  deplorable  apartment.  While,  to  their  shame  be  it  said, 
the  owners  of  these  rooms,  the  men  and  women  who  ring  the  rent  from 
these  starving  wretches,  are  often  people,  who  claim  to  belong  to  the  upper 
ranks  of  New  York  society,  and  who,  a  few  blocks  away,  are  leading  a 
life,  if  not  of  debauchery,  at  least  of  reckless  extravagance. 

As  further  evidence  of  the  immense  world  of  poverty  which  this  city  con- 
tains, it  has  been  found  that  not  less  than  a  quarter  of  million  of  people, 
or  in  other  words  more  than  one-fourth  of  the  entire  population  of  New 
York,  are  leading  this  miserable  kind  of  existence  in  some  18,000  tene- 
ment houses,  the  mortality  in  which  in  the  year  1871  was  06  per  cent,  of 
all  the  deaths  that  happened  in  the  city.  Besides  which  there  are  on  an 
average  10,000  children  wandering  the  streets.  Such  facts  as  these  speak 
for  themselves.  They  indicate  the  enormous  prevalence  of  poverty 
amongst  us,  and  how  much  need  there  is  for  the  attention  of  those,  who 
can  do  aught  to  alleviate  it.  Happily,  and  to  the  honor  of  the  city  it  must 
be  said,  the  efforts  of  private  charity  are  well  exerted.  A  hundred  and 
five  institutions,  supported  by  private  contributions,  lend  their  aid  to  the 
cause  of  relief.  Many  of  these,  such  as  the  Five  Points  Mission,  the 
Children's  Aid  Society,  the  hospitals  and  homes  for  the  indigent,  are  ever 
at  work  seeking  out  poverty  and  relieving  it ;  so  that  in  truth  the  official 
returns,  which  tell  us  of  22,783  starving  people,  represent  but  a  fraction  of 
the  actual  necessities  of  the  poor.     The  money  expended    annually  by 


PAUPERISM.  15 

private  charities  is  greater  than  that  distributed  by  the  Commissioners  of 
Charity  and  Correction,  and  it  is  so  expended,  that  it  often  affords  relief 
before  the  last  extremity  is  reached.  It  is  certain,  therefore,  that  to  the 
number  stated,  at  least  50,000  must  be  added  ;  and  even  the  total  thus 
obtained  will  not  reach  the  actual  number  of  the  "  out-door  poor,"  who 
every  year  have  to  depend  for  their  existence  upon  the  help  of  charity. 
That  a  city  like  ours,  young,  opulent,  with  a  population  considerably  less 
than  a  million  ;  the  Metropolis  too  of  a  territory,  but  thinly  peopled,  with 
abundant  natural  resources,  and  seeking  ever  for  new  currents  of  immi- 
gration ;  should  be  weighted  with  such  an  incubus  of  pauperism  in  its  very 
worst  form,  is  a  circumstance,  not  less  remarkable  than  important.  Nay, 
it  is  more  than  this,  i*  is  serious.  When  we  remember  that  our  laws  and 
public  institutions  are  in  competent  to  remedy  the  evil;  when  we  recollect 
that  if  the  hand  of  prr  ic  c-li  irity  were  for  one  day  to  be  withheld,  a  cry 
for  food  would  rise  up  ii  in  .nidst  from  tens  of  thousands  of  starving  men, 
women,  and  children ;  we  laust  recognize  the  depth  of  the  precipice  upon 
whose  brink  we  stand. 

It  wonld  be  dangerous  to  ignore  it.  Those  who  have  not  cared  to  turn 
their  eyes  in  that  direction,  may  tell  us  that  they  cannot  see  it.  But  it  is 
there,  nevertheless.  Any  one  may  see  it,  who  chooses.  The  sight  may 
not  be  agreeable.  It  may  not  be  flattering  to  our  vanity  ;  but  still  it  is 
there.  If  any  one  does  not  care  to  visit  the  dens  it  has  become  our  duty 
to  describe,  he  may  form  some  idea  of  the  misery  that  surround  him,  by 
merely  going  with  eyes  of  observation  through  the  streets  at  night.  Let 
him  learn  the  history  and  circumstances  of  the  unhappy  venders  of  corn 
and  other  trifles  ;  of  the  many  importunate  beggars,  whom  he  will  meet  in 
any  number  ;  of  the  women  and  children,  who,  with  death-like  faces  and 
skeleton  hands,  solicit  alms  ;  of  the  wearied  sleepers,  who  are  to  be  found 
on  door-steeps,  or  among  the  lumber  that  is  bestrewed  upon  the  wharves  ; 
and  he  will  learn  lessons,  that  too  many  of  us  perhaps  would  prefer  not  to 
know. 

Or,  if  he  would  limit  his  investigations  yet  further,  and  abstain  from 
entering  a  course  of  enquiry,  which  is  repulsive  to  the  delicate  frame  that 
is  wont  to  languish  only  in  the  perfumed  atmosphere  of  "  society,"  let  him 
visit  the  Hospital  on  BlackwelTs  Island  or  Bellevue  Hospital  in  Twenty- 
sixth  Street.  At  these,  in  the  year  1871,  there  were  1G,522  patients 
healed  at  the  public  expense  ;  and  the  vast  majority  of  these  were  people 
who  lived  a  precarious  and  poverty  stricken  existence.  Again,  at  the 
Bureau  for  the  relief  of  out-door  sick,  not  less  than  17,717  persons  were 
relieved  in  the  same  space,  and  1865  more  obtained  assistance  from  the 
Hospital  for  Contagious  Diseases.  Add  to  these  1,190  permanent  occu 
pants  of  the  public  almshouses,  and  we  have  5G,451  persons,  who  in  one 
year  were  dependent  upon  public  funds  for  their  support,  which,  with  the 
50,000  who  recceived  relief  from  private  sources,  make  a  total  of  106,451 


16 


THE    DARK    SIDE    OF     NEW    YORK    LIFE. 


people,  who  in  1871  were  classed  as  paupers  receiving  charitable  aid. 
Nor  is  this  all.  To  make  the  picture  more  complete,  we  must  add  yet  the 
50,314,  who  during  the  year  applied  for  work  at  the  Labor  Bureau  of  the 
Commissioners  of  Charities,  and  then  the  75,016,  who  became  inmates  of 
the  prisons  and  reformatories.  Thus  the  fact  confronts  us,  that  in  a  total 
population  of  about  1,000,000,  no  less  than  230,000,  or  nearly  one-fourth 
of  the  whole,  were  dependent  upon  the  rest  for  their  support.  Nor  do  the 
statistics  of  successive  years  evidence  any  improvement  in  the  record  thus 
given. 

That  there  must,  and  even  will,  be  poor  in  our  midst,  is  to  be  expected. 
Poverty  is  one  of  the  necessary  evils  of  our  existence.  It  always  has  been, 
and  always  will  be.  Equality  or  communism,  call  it  by  what  name  we 
will,  is  not  a  realization.  And  we  must  be  prepared  to  deal  with  poverty,, 
and  to  alleviate  it  so  that  it  shall  be  reduced  to  a  minimum.  But  it  is 
surely  not  at  that  state  yet  in  New  York.  On  the  other  hand  it  prevails 
to  a  degree  that  is  altogether  disproportionate  to  the  extent  of  our  popula- 
tion, and  startling  probably  too,  when  exposed  before  those  who  aie  too- 
prone  to  content  themselves  with  the  self-assurance,  that  New  York  pos- 
sesses none  of  the  miseries  and  squalor  that  are  apt  to  be  associated  only 
with  older  cities. 

The  causes  for  this  terrible  state  of  things  are  probably  two-fold.  First 
stands  out  the  fact  that  we  have  one  drink-shop  for  every  130  of  the  popu- 
lation, and  that  in  most  of  these  places  the  most  poisonous  liquids  are  sold 
and  drunk  ;  and  then  comes  the  superabundance  of  unskilled  labor.  Out 
of  these  two  influences,  no  results,  other  than  poverty  and  crime,  can  be 
looked  for.  When,  too,  it  is  noted  that  one-half  of  the  population  is  herded' 
together,  without  any  attention  to  common  decency,  in  tenement-houses  ;. 
that  one-ninth  gets  into  the  gaols ;  that  one-eighth  is  dependent  upon 
charity ;  that  tens  of  thousands  have  no  occupation ;  and  that  such 
depravity  as  we  have  even  thus  far  depicted  prevails,  and  is  in  a  measure 
sustained,  we  are  justified  in  the  assertion,  that  the  coudition  of  our  city  is 
one  that  should  fill  with  anxiety  every  one  who  aspires  to  the  develope- 
ment  of  moral  and  social  progress. 

Thus  far  in  this  chapter  we  have  conducted  the  reader  through  a  night 
visit  to  the  station  house  lodging-rooms  ;  we  will  now  lead  him  to  some  of 
the  abodes  of  poverty  and  wretchedness,  as  we  find  them  in  Baxter  and 
Park  Streets,  in  Okonovam  Lane,  and  other  places  of  a  similar  kind.  Let 
us  step — in  company  of  course  with  a  police  officer,  for  without  such  escort 
it  would  not  be  advisable  for  any  respectable  person  to  undertake  a  visit  of 
the  kind — first  into  a  cellar  iu  Baxter  Street.  We  descend  about  twelve 
steps  and  come  to  a  cellar-door,  in  which  is  a  broken  window,  covered  up 
with  paper.  We  kuoek,  the  door  opens,  and  before  us,  made  visible  by 
the  lantern  of  our  companion,  stands  a  perfectly  naked  little  urchin  of  from 
ten  to  twelve  years  of  age.     An  Irishman,  older,  but  quite  as  naked,  with 


PAUPERISM.  17 

hardened  feature?,  sits  upright  in  bed,  and  at  his  side  lies  a  woman.  This 
cellar  is  scarcely  eight  feet  high,  and  the  floor  is  broken  through  and  grimed 
in  with  dirt.  It  served  once  as  a  boarding  place,  held  by  a  colored  man, 
who  had  been  sent  to  Sing-Sing.  The  atmosphere  of  the  room  |eomed 
deathly  ;  and  yet,  as  we  soon  convinced  ourselves,  this  cellar  was  one  of" 
the  best  that  we  visited  ;  for  since  the  negro  no  longer  occupied  it,  it  was 
a  private  dwelling,  and  not  a  lodging-house. 

We  reach  the  street  again,  go  along  the  broken  pavement  a  couple  of 
houses  further,  and  pass  through  an  entrance  that  is  devoid  of  door.  By 
aid  of  the  feeble  light  of  our  lantern,  the  floor  all  the  while  cracking  and 
creaking  under  us  at  every  step,  we  grope  our  way  along  and  come  to 
another  entrance,  which  is  partly  blocked  up  with  casks  and  rags  ;  then 
descending  some  more  stairs,  we  find  ourselves  in  a  wretched  cellar  with 
bare  stone  walls.  In  this  hole,  which  at  the  most  is  fifteen  feet  long,  and 
ten  wide,  there  are  huddled  together  more  than  twenty  people  of  both  sexes, 
and  of  every  age.  The  floor  seems  to  be  but  one  bed,  consisting  of  dirty 
straw  ;  the  boards  are  black  and  filthy,  and  the  numberless  holes  visible  in. 
it,  show  it  to  be  as  much  the  residence  of  rats,  as  of  men.  Squatted  down 
by  the  light  of  a  candle  end,  we  see  three  creatures  who  seem  to  be  sorting 
rags.  The  light  from  our  lantern  falls  upon  the  oldest  of  these,  and  shows 
us  a  wrinkled,  weather  beaten  face,  hardly  like  that  of  a  human  being,  and 
of  which  we  could  not  determine  whether  it  belonged  to  a  man  or  a  woman. 
The  other  two,  to  judge  at  least  from  their  size,  are  children,  their  visages 
sunken  and  dirty,  and  their  hair  full  of  shreds  and  flecks  of  cotton.  During 
the  day  they  dodge  about  here  and  there  on  the  wharf,  where  cotton  bales 
are  exported,  to  snatch  a  handful  of  the  cotton  when  they  are  unobserved. 
Most  of  those  lying  on  the  floor  appear  to  be  sleeping,  and  the  emanations 
which  arise  from  the  snoring  sleepers  are  truly  horrible.  Now,  a  child 
begins  to  cry.  and  as  our  police  companion  lets  the  light  fall  upon  it,  we 
see  a  little  colored  child  shivering  with  cold.  "  Cover  up  the  child,"  says 
our  friend  with  a  voice  of  authority  ;  another  sack  is  thrown  over  it  by  an 
invisible  hand,  and  it  disappears  under  the  apparently  inexplicable  mass 
which  covers  the  ground.  A  night's  lodging  in  this  den  costs  eight  to  ten 
cents.  The  building — if  so  we  may  term  it — belongs  to  a  rich  man,  a 
broker. 

We  go  now  to  John  Lane's  whiskey  shop.  It  is  thronged  with  white 
men  and  prostitutes  of  both  races  ;  Irish  and  Negroes,  black  and  white,  in 
close  friendship.  As  we  enter  and  the  women  catch  sight  of  the  police 
uniform,  many  of  them  hurry  away  to  a  back  door,  when  our  companion 
calls  to  them  :  uYou  need  not  run,  I  am  not  going  to  hurt  you."  To  our 
enquiry  of  the  officer,  why  the  women  were  so  alarmed  at  the  sight  of  him, 
he  answered:  "  Oh,  they  have  good  reason  to  know  me,  I  have  already 
sent  many  of  them  to  the  Island/' 

This  drinking  place  is  one  of  the  lowest  and  most  frequented,  ana"  is  also 


18  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

one  of  the  best  established  of  the  kind.  Of  the  forty  or  fifty  people  whom 
we  see  here,  the  most  are  thieves,  who  live  in  a  lane,  or  alley,  near-by. 
The  white  people  are  mostly  Irish. 

Fitzgerald's  saloon  is  on  the  corner  of  Baxter  and  White  Streets.  Six 
brutish,  brazen  faced  prostitutes,  with  blotched  faces  and  black  eyes,  sit 
around  the  stove,  and  one  lies  totally  drunk  on  a  bench  near  the  door. 
Five  young  fellows  stand  at  the  bar  and  drink  the  poisonous  spirit  that  is 
here  retailed  ;  and  more  than  once  has  the  whole  company  been  to  the 
stand. 

Drinking  saloons,  in  this  miserable  quarter  of  the  city,  lie  close  together. 
At  the  corner  opposite  is  that  of  Tom  Lane.  It  is  far  larger  than  the  two 
first  named,  and  as  a  resort  of  thieves,  beggars,  and  prostitutes  of  the  low- 
est classes,  it  is  notorious.  Here  we  find  about  forty  men  and  women. 
The  men  are  of  a  brutal  description,  with  repulsive  faces,  and  most  of  them 
are  partly  or  altogether  drunk.  The  prostitutes,  who  hang  about  the  place, 
belong  to  the  worst  specimens  of  their  kind,  and  are  sunk  so  deep  in 
infamy,  that  to  sink  deeper  would  be  impossible.  Sick  and  dirty,  with 
bloated  and  loathsome  faces,  with  lowering  and  blood  stained  eyes,  they 
have  reached  a  depth,  below  which  they  cannot  sink,  nor,  out  of 
which  can  they  extricate  themselves.  As  we  are  on  the  point  of  going, 
one  of  the  young  rowdies  makes  a  derisive  remark  at  our  companion.  To 
a  whistle  from  him,  another  instantly  answers,  and  a  second  police  officer 
makes  his  appearance.  "Bring  the  fellow  out,"  says  our  companion. 
The  order  is  immediately  put  into  execution,  and  the  crowd,  partly  under 
the  direction  of  his  baton,  moves  out.  The  women,  meanwhile,  well  nigh 
explode  with  laughter. 

We  proceed  a  little  further  ;  always  over  a  broken  pavement,  often  no 
pavement  at  all,  and  the  street-way  a  deep  bed  of  mud.  We  go  now  into 
a  house  with  the  windows  mostly  broken.  Through  a  dark  passage  we 
come  upoa  a  low,  small  room,  in  which  we  find  more  negroes,  and  half 
naked  white  women.  Three  of  the  negroes  are  sitting  on  a  bench,  and  a 
young  white  girl  is  lying  across  the  laps  of  the  three.  Adjoining  this  is 
another  room  without  windows,  but  with  a  most  horrible  atmosphere.  In 
this  there  is  an  old  bedstead,  in  which  are  four  naked  men,  a  colored  man, 
a  white  lad  of  about  sixteen  years,  and  two  white  women. 

In  another  room  of  the  same  building  lies  an  old  negro  in  bed,  while  his 
wife  sits  near  him.  The  only  window  is  nailed  up  with  boards,  the  plaster 
of  the  ceiling  has  partly  fallen  down,  and  on  the  floor  are  several  pools  of 
water  which  has  flowed  down  from  the  roof. 

We  enter  another  house  which,  although  it  scarcely  has  the  height  ot  a 
good  first  floor  room,  nevertheless,  has  two  stories.     The  whole  building " 
leans  as  though  it  would  any  moment  fall  down.     In  one  room,  about  six- 
teen or^seventeen  feet  square,  eighteen  persons  are  sleeping.     The  room  is 
divided  by  wooden  partitions,  three  feet  high,  into  four  compartments — 


PAUPERISM.  19 

reminding  one  of  how  in  Voigtland,  so-called  at  Berlin,  four  families  in 
one  room  divide  themselves  off  by  a  chalkmark  drawn  upon  the  floor.  A 
drunken  old  woman,  with  whom  two  young  fellows  are  making  obscene 
sport,  lies  upon  a  mattress.  Here  ten  cents  are  paid  for  a  nights  lodging, 
and  men,  women,  and  children,  sometimes  hardly  covered,  sometimes 
without  any  covering  at  all,  lie  in  a  confused  heap  together. 

In  the  adjoining  house  are  a  number  of  white  women,  who  are  living 
with  negroes,  and  all  more  or  less  drunk.  Three  of  the  colored  men  are 
lying  with  two  white  young  ladies  in  one  bed.  On  a  bench  sits  a  fourth 
colored  man,  and  a  fifth  lies  on  the  ground.  A  peep  into  the  next  room 
shows  only  a  similar  picture. 

AVe  now  step  across  to  a  tumble-down  building  opposite.  In  a  small 
room  we  find  three  women.  In  the  middle  stands  a  pan  with  charcoal  in 
it,  and  one  woman  sits  buuehed  up  near  it,  warming  her  hands.  Another 
woman  is  sleeping  on  a  dirty  mattress.  No  bedstead,  no  trunk,  no  table, 
no  chair  is  to  be  seen.  The  filth  of  the  room  is  not  to  be  described.  The 
gas  from  the  charcoal  is  suffocating.  An  abandoned  looking  woman,  only 
half  dressed,  opens  to  us  the  door  of  the  neighboring  room.  Two  men  are 
there  lying  in  one  bed,  a  third  in  another.  Here,  too,  everything  is  thick 
with  dirt.  We  ascend  a  broken  staircase,  in  which  at  every  step,  one  is 
momentarily  afraid  of  falling  through.  A  pestilential  effluvium  meets  us. 
In  one  of  the  garrets  lives  a  colored  woman  with  four  boarders.  She  pays 
for  this  a  dollar  a  week  rent.  In  another  garret  we  find  six  women, 
squatting  together  at  a  stove,  and  under  a  heap  of  rags  lies  a  man  by  the 
side  of  a  woman.  All  the  women  in  this  house  are  prostitutes  ;  one  of 
them  is  ill,  and  smells  so  horribly,  that  the  stench,  coming  from  her  like 
the  vapour  from  the  charcoal,  seems  to  overcome  even  all  the  other  bad 
smells  in  the  room,  and  is  almost  to  be  felt. 

In  the  opposite  garret  a  man  had  died  in  the  morning,  and  there  with 
the  corpse,  in  the  same  filthy  and  infected  room,  lie,  still  asleep,  the  widow 
and  her  children,  together  with  the  boarders  of  the  couple. 

Again,  in  another  house,  an  old  colored  beggar,  in  his  shirt,  opens  the 
door  to  us.  Dirt,  and  nothing  but  dirt.  On  the  floor  lies  a  young  negro 
boy,  and  a  colored  woman  on  a  mattress.  A  flight  higher  we  find  standing 
in  the  middle  of  the  room  a  pot  with  hot  coals  in  it,  and  squatting  around 
it,  four  dissolute  women,  buried  in  filth.  On  a  mattress  near  the  fire,  lie, 
with  their  arms  together,  two  men  without  any  covering,  except  an  overcoat 
thrown  over  them. 

But  enough  of  poverty  and  wretchedness.  As  before  remarked,  the  pro- 
pensity for  drink,  and  the  great  number  of  people  who  have  no  settled 
occupation,  are  the  two  important  causes  of  poverty,  and  this  again  is  the 
principal  cause  of  vice  and  crime,  whilst  as  a  condition  of  poverty  the 
crowding  together  of  many  people  in  confined  and  often  impure  rooms,  is 
at  the  same   time  constantly  fraught  with  danger  to  the  healthy  condition 


20  THE    DARK    SIDE    OP    NEW    YORK   LIFE. 

of  the  city.  There  are  houses  in  New  York,  which,  notwithstanding  all 
the  pains  taken  by  the  Sanitary  Commission,  are  never  free  from  fever  the 
whole  year  through,  and  where  the  cholera  has  a  rich  soil  to  nourish  in? 
as  soon  as  only  the  smallest  germs  of  the  disease  get  into  the  atmosphere. 
And  the  pauperism,  under  which  so  many  thousands  here  languish,  con- 
ceals yet  another  great  and  threatening  danger.  Those  thousands  upon 
thousands  who  live  in  New  York,  and  find  a  poor  shelter  to-day  in  a 
garret,  to-morrow  in  a  cellar ;  those  thousands,  whose  daily  business  is 
devoted  to  obtaining  a  precarious  maintenance  ;  those  sixty  thousand  per- 
sons living  in  New  York,  above  ten  years  of  age,  who,  notwithstanding  our 
many  excellent  free  schools,  are  without  all  education,  and  are  not  even 
in  a  position  to  write  their  names  ;  and  lastly  the  great  number  of  criminals, 
or  people  prone  to  acts  of  violence  and  crime,  which  New  York  harbors  ; 
these  form  a  very  numerous  class,  which  is  accustomed  to  contemplate  with 
eyes  of  envy  the  condition  of  any  one  more  favorably  situated  than 
itself,  and  to  regard  capital  as  its  enemy.  This  class  is  made  up  of  the 
same  elements  as  that  which  in  1871  brought  about  the  frightful  outbreak 
in  Paris.  Whoever  smiles  incredulously  at  this  monition,  or  shakes  his 
head  over  our  remarks,  let  him  remember  only  the  bloody  revolt  of  1863, 
when  our  militia  was  at  the  seat  of  war,  and  the  safety  of  the  city  was  pro- 
tected only  by  civil  authority. 


THE  STREET  CHILDREN. 

It  is  extremely  difficult  to  determine  with  accuracy  the  number  of  these- 
unfortunate  children,  who  are  continually  tramping  the  streets.  Mr.  Chas. 
L.  Brace,  who  for  twenty  years  has  labored  in  the  Children's  Aid  Society, 
and  who  is  the  heart  and  soul  of  that  admirable  institution,  has  set  it  down 
in  his  work  on  "  The  dangerous  classes  of  New  York,"  as  varying  from 
20,000  to  30,000.  Other  observers  have  estimated  it  at  ten,  twelve  and 
fifteen  thousand  respectively.  We  are  willing  to  accept  the  lowest  calcula- 
tion, namely  from  ten  to  twelve  thousand.  Of  this  number,  at  least  four- 
fifths  are  veritable,  and  confirmed  vagrants  ;  children  growing  up  in  the 
most  profound  ignorance  of  all  that  is  right  and  necessary,  but  well 
educated  in  the  impurities  of  degraded  life,  and  well  prepared  for  the 
developement  of  those  characters  which  sustain  the  continuance  of  crime, 
and  whose  presence  make  life  and  property  in  the  city  insecure.  Boys  and 
girls  alike  are  here,  starting  from  the  same  goal,  learning  in  the  same 
school,  and  hurrying  on  in  the  same  career  to  infamy,  drink   and   vice~ 


THI    BTBBBI    CHILDREN.  21 

The  majority  are  boys,  "with  the  gallows  at  the  end  of  the  road  they  are 
hastening  along.  But  a  vast  number,  too,  are  jrirls,  whose  career  of  pros- 
titution is  no  great  distance  in  the  future.  Let  us  imagine  this  army  of 
so  many  thousands  of  the  youth  of  the  city  drawn  together  for  inspection. 
Associate  with  the  sight  a  thought  that  every  individual  in  those  twelve 
thousand  children  is  doomed  to  a  fate  of  the  lowest  debauchery  and  wicked- 
ness ;  that  society  will  be  powerless  to  save  them  from  their  infamy,  and 
will  only  hold  out  her  hand  to  punish  them  for  their  crimes.  Can  a  more 
painful  spectacle  be  presented?  Imagine  then  the  power  for  good,  which 
lies  in  its  germs,  in  that  same  mass  of  children,  if  only  they  could  be  placed 
under  sufficient  guidance  ;  and  we  may  be  able  to  realize  what  society  loses 
by  leaving  them  to  grow  up  uncared  for  and  unheeded. 

It  is  terrible,  indeed,  to  think  that  so  many  thousands  of  poor,  friendless 
little  creatures,  who  have  never  known  the  joys  of  a  genuine  childhood, 
should  thus  be  wandering  through  the  streets  of  the  rich  Metropolis  of  this 
Western  Hemisphere,  not  knowing  how  they  are  to  live  through  the  day, 
or  where  they  shall  rest  their  wearied  bodies  and  lie  down  to  sleep  at  its 
close.  The  hardest  heart  must  soften  at  the  thought.  Police  officers  are 
not  more  hardened  than  the  rest  of  us,  but  their  occupation,  their  constant 
proximity  to  poverty,  suffering,  and  crime,  in  all  their  forms,  may  make 
them  callous  to  scenes  that  would  shock  those  less  experienced  in  the  dark 
side  of  human  nature  ;  but  it  is  no  uncommon  thing  to  find  policemen  sub- 
dued by  genuine  pity  for  the  poor  little  unfortunates  whom  they  have  to 
take  into  their  keeping.  In  truth,  we  know  no  more  sorrowful  sight  than 
that  of  a  helpless  child,  with  all  the  materials  of  an  honest  man  or  a  vir- 
tuous woman  in  it,  being  carried  headlong  down  into  the  whirlpool  of  per- 
dition without  a  friendly  hand  in  reach  to  save  it. 

For  in  truth  the  means  we  have  for  rescuing  these  children  are  very  few. 
And  yet  it  is  with  them,  that  the  beginning  should  be  made,  if  we  would 
kill  corruption,  lessen  crime,  and  close  our  gaols.  If  the  criminal  classes 
were  reduced  to  those  only  who  take  to  crime  in  their  adult  age,  they 
would  trouble  us  comparatively  little.  It  is  the  professional  criminals,  the 
men  and  women  who  have  lived  in  an  atmosphere  of  crime  from  their 
childhood,  who  have  been  brought  up  in  no  other,  who  were  born  in  infamy 
and  never  stepped  out  of  it, — it  is  these  who  fill  our  prisons,  and  whose 
existence  endangers  life  and  property.  Save  them  in  their  childhood,  and 
we  should  have  no  need  to  imprison  or  hang  them  in  their  maturity.  But 
if  we  would  help  them  effectually,  we  must  not  stop  to  calculate  the  degree 
of  their  necessities.  The  child  who  is  only  naked,  is  certainly  better  off 
than  he  who  is  both  naked  and  hungry  ;  but  neither  of  them  is  in  a  better 
condition  than  the  other  to  supply  his  wants.  Cynics  are  very  apt  to 
attribute  the  worst  characters  to  these  street  children  ;  and  in  such  matters 
there  are  no  more  ignorant,  no  more  egotistical  cynics  than  the  people  who 
do  not  know  what  necessity  means.     But  it  is  tolerably  certain  that  human 


22  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK   LIFE. 

nature  is  not  originally  as  bad  as  such  persons  would  have  us  believe.  The 
first  impulse  of  the  little  waif,  whose  destiny  may  indeed  be  bad  enough  , 
is  not  theft.  He  begs  before  he  steals.  He  knows  no  home,  he  has 
enjoyed  none  of  the  affections  of  parents.  He  is  the  offspring  of  a  dissipa- 
ted, degraded  couple,  who  would  probably  drive  him  forever  from  them,, 
if  they  dare  ;  who  cursed  him  as  an  infant,  and  felt  his  presence  a  burden 
to  them  in  their  idleness.  As  soon  as  he  can  walk,  he  is  turned  adrift  into 
the  streets,  and  well  nigh  as  soon  as  he  can  speak,  he  is  instructed  in  the 
art  of  soliciting  alms.  If  he  attains  any  degree  of  success  in  that  direction, 
as  he  almost  certainly  does,  a  greater  success  is  demanded  of  him.  If  he 
brings  home  five  cents  to-day,  he  is  told  to  make  it  ten  to-morrow,  or  be 
punished  unmercifully  as  the  alternative.  For  a  time  he  works  to  the  end, 
and  under  these  conditions.  His  form,  his  infancy,  his  appearance,  strike 
pity  in  the  hearts  of  the  passers  by,  and  he  succeeds.  His  naked  feet,  half 
frozen  with  the  cold,  bleeding,  mayhap  from  cuts  received  on  the  rough 
streets  or  by  the  broken  ice  ;  his  cheeks  pale  and  haggard,  his  hands  almost 
fleshless,  his  whole  body  wan  and  starved,  his  eyes  wide  and  glaring  from 
continuous  want ;  he  presents  a  picture  of  misery  and  distress,  that  attracts 
public  sympathy,  and  on  that  very  account,  becomes,  to  his  infamous 
parents,  a  portion  of  their  stock  in  trade.  Little,  indeed,  of  the  money  he 
takes  home,  goes  to  supply  him  with  nourishment.  He  has  only  enough 
to  keep  him  alive,  the  greater  part  of  the  remainder  goes  to  the  whiskey 
shop.  He  is  ever  hungry,  sometimes  ravenous,  and  the  food  that  he  is 
denied  "  at  home,"  he  is  often  forced  to  dig  out  of  the  heaps  of  garbage 
that  are  thrown  from  the  houses,  and  then  left  as  worthless  by  the  prowl- 
ing curs,  whose  lives  are  not  unlike  his  own.  A  very  brief  career  of  this 
kind  gives  him  a  spirit  of  independence.  After  his  life  has  a  few  times 
been  nearly  thrashed  out  of  him  by  his  parents,  for  his  not  being  able  to 
supply  them  with  all  the  money  they  want  to  satisfy  their  greed  for  drink, 
he  turns  philosopher.  He  begins  to  realize  the  fact  that  the  money  he 
gets  would  provide  him  a  sustenance,  better  than  his  parents  award  him, 
and  that  there  are  plenty  of  holes  and  dens  in  the  town  where  he  could 
sleep,  as  well  as  in  the  den  which  he  has  hitherto  called  his  home.  In  the 
streets  of  New  York  he  finds  fifteen  hundred  other  children,  like  himself — 
all  under  ten  years  of  age — whose  experiences  he  can  study.  Nay,  there 
are  more,  probably  seven  or  eight  hundred  more,  who  may  be  classed  in 
the  same  list.  All  these  children  are  practically  turned  adrift  to  shift  for 
themselves,  an  army,  truly,  that  has  beeen  drilled  only  in  association  with 
perpetual  filth,  taught  to  regard  depravity  as  a  norma1  condition  of  life, 
and  to  talk  the  language  of  blasphemy  and  obscenity  Half  stripped  of 
clothing,  never  half  fed,  ill-used  by  parents,  whose  drunkenness  is  the  con- 
stant feature  of  their  life,  it  is  not  to  be  wondered  if  children,  placed  in 
such  circumstances,  are  at  a  very  early  age  glad  and  able  to  cut  themselves 
adrift  from  all  ties,  to  gather  the  means  for  their  own  existence,  to  trust  to 


<  HILDR]  v  23 

luck  in  finding  Bome  empty  barrel,  some  friendly  door  step,  some  unused 
wagon,  some  Bheltered  nook  on  the  river  Bide,  where  they  can  rest  at  night. 
But  they  do  not  generally  go  into  the  world  to  steal. 

They  beg  with  all  the  energy  of  necessitous  life,  knowing  at  present  no 
other  way  to  live.  They  are  to  be  found  in  the  evening,  outside  of  theatre?, 
concert  rooms,  and  loitering  about  the  doors  of  hotels  and  public  places  of 
.  kind,  even  to  a  late  hour  at  night.  If  they  are  still  in  the  service  c>f 
their  parents,  it  is  not  unlikely  that  their  mother  is  somewhere  near  at 
hand,  directing  their  movements,  urging  them  to  importunity,  and  threaten- 
ing them  if  they  fail  to  gratify  her  demands.  AVe  remember  an  interesting 
little  girl  who,  in  the  evening,  was  in  the  habit  of  way-laying  persons  on 
their  way  to  and  from  one  of  the  large  hotels,  near  Union  Square.  She 
was  generally  clean,  but  badly  clad,  and  her  feet  bare.  In  the  summer  she 
sold  flowers.  In  the  winter  she  begged.  She  was  seven  years  of  age. 
She  would  never  tell  where  she  lived,  but  always  protested  that  her  mother 
never  whipped  her.  Her  face,  though  haggard  and  pale,  was  full  of 
childish  beauty,  and  her  ways  won  for  her  many  a  compliance  with  her 
request  for  a  penny.  One  evening  she  seemed  lame  and  stiff.  She  sat 
upon  a  step  and  cried.  The  little  brightness  she  sometimes  had  was  gone, 
and  then,  on  being  closely  questioned,  she  had  to  admit  that  her  mother 
had  cruelly  beaten  her  the  night  before  for  not  having  taken  enough  monev 
home  ;  and  that  she  often  beat  her,  but  she  dared  not  tell  people  so,  because 
her  mother  had  threatened  to  kill  her,  if  she  did.  And  there  was  the 
history  of  many  of  the  children  who  frequent  places  of  public  resort. 

For  a  long  time  they  suffer  the  penalties  of  their  existence.  But  can  we 
wonder  if  their  patience  becomes  at  last  exhausted  ;  and,  whether  it  be  to 
spare  themselves  the  punishment  they  know  will  await  them  from  their 
parents  ;  or,  whether  it  be  to  satisfy  the  cravings  of  hunger  when  they  are 
shifting  for  themselves  ;  that  they  at  last  are  driven  to  supplement  mendi- 
cancy with  theft?  Pity,  rather  than  condemnation;  protection,  rather 
than  punishment,  should  be  their  award.  When  they  are  starving  and 
struggling  against  physical  suffering,  amid  all  the  impurities  of  the  terrible 
atmosphere  in  which  they  began  their  existence,  society  should  save  them. 
If  the  opportunity  be  lost,  and  they  are  left  unnoticed  till  they  force  them- 
selves into  notoriety  in  the  police  courts,  society  should  at  least  spare  them 
a  little  of  her  pity.  If  neither  ba  done,  we  have  to  pay  the  penalty  which 
crime  inflicts  upon  the  community. 

It  would  be  impossible  to  detail  all  the  forms  in  which  street  mendi- 
cancy, as  it  comes  into  notice  through  these  children,  makes  its  appearance 
in  our  city.  Some  few  of  the  little  beggars  that  we  meet  with,  are  the  off- 
spring of  people  so  well  trained  in  the  art  of  mendicancy,  that  it  has  become 
to  them  a  tolerably  lucrative  profession,  and  they  live  in  the  midst  of  more 
enjoymeut,  and  in  a  sphere  of  a  little  more  comfort  ;  and  a  little  less  impuritv, 
than  we  have  described.      Sympathy  for  the  parents  would,  in  such  cases, 


21  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

be  misplaced,  but  it  ought  not  even  then  to  be  withheld  from  the  childrer, 
who,  in  all  they  do,  are  still  acting  under  compulsion.  In,  by  far  the  great 
majority  of  instances,  however,  the  circumstances  are  such  as  we  have 
sketched,  and  we  now  come  to  note  the  next  step  in  the  progress. 

The  point  where  mendicaucy  merges  into  crime,  may  be  at  a  very  early 
age.-    Children  as  young  as  six  or  seven  years  old,  who  must  be  ranked  as 
juvenile  thieves,  are  numerous.     According  to  sex,  they  now  take  different 
roads,  but  nothing  is  too  insignificant  to  merit  their  attention,  nothing  too 
trifling  to  deserve  appropriation.       The  girls   take,   possibly,    to    selling 
matches,  or  flowers,  sometimes  thread,  needles,  laces,  and   sundry  little 
articles  of  needle  work.     The  basket  in  which  their  stock  is  carried,  is 
far  in  excess  of  the  requirements  of  the  articles  they  offer  for  sale,  but  not 
for  the  business,  to  which  the  other  is  only  a  blind.     They  frequent  areas,  ' 
back   entrances,   and  sometimes  boldly  ring  the  bell  df  the  front  door. 
Plausible  and  well  versed  in  all  the  arts  of  their  calling,  they  seldom  fail 
to  win  the  attention  of  the  servant,  sometimes,  too,  of  the  female  head  of 
the  family.     It  is  of  secondary  importance  to  them,  whether  they  make  a 
sale  or  not.     They  are  looking  for  plunder,  and  are  ready  to  snatch  any- 
thing that  comes  within  their  reach,  which  is  at  once  secreted  at  the  bottom 
of  the  capacious  basket,  and  taken  away  with  as  much  celerity,  as  seems 
safe.     If  these  young  girl  thieves  are  good  looking  and  shrewd,  there  is 
yet  another  resource  in  store  for  them,  as  they  grow  older.     The  eyes  of 
the  community  were  first  opened  to  this,  about  three  years  ago,  by  a  case, 
which  is  sufficiently  valuable  as  an  illustration  to  bear  a  new  relation  here. 
A  gentleman  of  unquestionable  reputation,  and  holding  a  prominent  mer- 
cantile position    in  the   city,   invoked   the   assistance    of  Police    Captain 
Thorne.     He  stated  that,  lor  some  time  past,  he  had  been  annoyed  l>y  the 
importunities  of  a  flower  girl,  who  had  succeeded  in  obtaining  from  him 
various  sums  of  money,  which  he  had  given  her,  often  to  get  rid  of  her, 
and  in  the  anticipation  that  every  time  she  came  would  be  the  last.     But 
the  effect  of  these  contributions  had  been  the  reverse  of  that  desired.     The 
girl  came  more  frequently  than  ever,  watching  her  opportunity  when  the 
office  was  free  from  visitors  and  her  victim  was  alone,  then  going  in  and 
levying  black  mail,     Captain  Thorne  promised  his  assistance,  choosing  a 
day  when  the  girl  was  expected  to  make  one  of  her  customary  visits,  he 
secreted  himself  in  the  office,  having  first  instructed  the  merchant  upon  the 
line  of  conversation  he  was  to  adopt.     As  expected,  the  girl  came.     After 
a  few  moments  of  introduction,  the  gentleman  asked  her  her  motives  for 
thus  annoying  him  ;  why  she   was  so  persistent ;  reminding  her  that  he 
had  never  taken  liberties  with  her,  nor  ever  spoken  an  improper  word  to 
her  ;  "  I  know  that,"  said  the  girl  boldly,  "  but  who  will  believe  you  if  I 
say  you  have?"     "  I  will,"  said  Captain  Thorne,  stepping  from  his  hiding 
place.     The   astonishment    of  the  girl  at  finding  herself  not  alone   with 
her  victim,  but  in  the  presence  of  a  police  officer  in  full  uniform,  may  well 


THE    STREET    CHILDREN.  25 

be  imagined.  She  admitted  that  she  had  been  black-mailing,  that  there 
was  no  truth  in  her  allegations,  and  that  henceforth  she  would  stop  her 
importunities.  The  right  tiling  in  her  case  would  have  been  a  prosecution, 
and  it  might  have  redeemed  the  girl  from  an  infamous  life.  Captain 
Thorne  urged  it,  but  the  merchant,  more  intent  upon  his  own  convenience 
and  the  making  of  dollars,  positively  refused  to  prosecute  ;  and  so  the  girl 
was  sent  adrift,  again,  to  do  worse.  But  it  led  to  a  remarkable  discovery. 
The  girl  made  further  confessions,  which  were  proved  to  be  true,  and  from 
which  it  became  apparent  that  the  system  was  regularly  organized,  and 
that  there  was  a  band  of  girls  all  working  at  the  same  game  and  success- 
fully black-mailing  respectable  men,  by  making  charges  against  them  of 
having  taken  improper  liberties,  and  then  demanding  hush  money.  The 
practice  was  not  abolished.  It  still  prevails.  These  girls  are  attractive, 
well  made  up  for  the  object  they  have  before  them,  unscrupulous,  danger- 
ous, and  if  occasion  demands  it,  profane  and  desperate  ;  any  numbers  of 
them,  under  the  pretence  of  selling  flowers  or  fruit,  are  now  daily  plying 
their  more  lucrative  vocation  among  the  business  places  of  our  city. 

The  male  children  take  necessarily  a  different  course.  Endowed  with 
the  same  boldness  and  depravity  as  their  sisters,  they  become  burglars  and 
thieves,  in  what  we  may  call  the  elementary  branches  of  their  future  pro- 
fession. Landlords,  who  prefer  to  have  their  houses  lie  empty,  rather 
than  let  them  at  honest  rentals,  suffer  from  their  depredations,  and  so  do 
people  who  leave  their  residences  empty,  rather  than  help  the  needs  of 
others  by  placing  them  in  charge  of  somebody,  while  they  take  their 
country  trip  in  the  summer  months.  The  boys  are  well  adapted  to  their 
calling.  Semi-starvation  has  so  attenuated  their  bodies  and  stunted  their 
growth,  that  they  can  pass  through  a  space,  which  apparently,  only  a  cat 
could  enter.  Accustomed  to  be  little  encumbered  with  clothes,  their  move- 
ments are  stealthy  and  inaudible,  and  they  can  secrete  themselves  in  the 
smallest  space  that  any  human  being  of  their  age  can  occupy.  Moreover, 
necessity  makes  them  reckless.  They  run  risks  that  more  experienced 
thieves  would  shun,  and  although  often  they  pay  the  penalty  for  it  by 
falling  into  the  hands  of  the  police,  they  fully  as  often  reap  its  reward  in 
a  successful  raid.  The  blunders  that  they  sometimes  commit,  may  be 
illustrated  in  a  case  that  lias  been  recorded  by  Mr.  Crapsey.  Three  boys, 
none  of  them  more  than  twelve  years  of  age,  contrived  to  enter  the  pre- 
mises at  the  corner  of  "West  Broadway  and  Franklin  Street.  They  secreted 
themselves  unperceived  until  the  place  was  closed  in  the  evening  and  the 
doors  were  locked.  They  then  began  their  depredations,  and  made  great 
havoc  in  the  office.  But  it  was  summer  time.  Daylight  still  reigned,  and 
their  work  was  plainly  seen  by  the  neighbors. 

Information  was  given  to  the  police.  The  building  was  entered,  and 
nobody  was  to  be  seen.  Captain  Feltz  and  his  officers  looked  long  for  the 
bovs  in  vain.     At  last,  after  an  hours  search,  he  found  them  in  a  corner  of 


*26  TTLK    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

the  coal  cellar,  under  the  side-walk.  The  next  case  we  shall  mention  is  of 
a  different  kind,  and  illustrates  what  we  have  said  on  the  other  side.  It 
happened  in  October  of  last  year.  Two  women  entered  a  shop  on  Third 
Avenue,  leaving  the  door  open  behind  them.  A  youngster  of  some  seven 
years,  who  was  standing  close  at  hand,  saw  this,  and  went  up.  He  took 
a  hurried  glance  around  him,  crept  in  at  the  door  on  all  fours  and  quickly 
came  out  again  with  a  parcel  in  his  hands,  which  he  presently  laid  down 
not  far  from  the  door.  The  action  was  seen  by  a  man  from  the  window 
on  the  third  floor  of  an  opposite  house.  He  hurried  down,  but  before  he 
reached  the  street,  both  thief  and  parcel  had  disappeared. 

The  boys  are  in  fact  constantly  on  the  watch  for  any  opportunity  that 
will  place  anything  in  their  hands  by  which  a  few  cents  can  be  raised. 
But  their  favorite  and  probably  their  most  lucrative  field  is  among  the 
empty  houses.  These  they  enter  wherever  they  have  a  chance,  sometimes 
travelling  into  the  suburbs  for  the  purpose.  Everything  that  they  can  take 
away  is  then  taken.  Brass  and  copper  taps,  lead  pipes,  gasoliers,  and  gas 
fittings,  copper  cisterns,  even  the  fastenings  of  the  doors  and  windows,  if 
made  of  brass,  and  door  keys,  are  all  to  them  valuable  acquisitions.  For 
the  removal  of  some  of  these  they  must  have  older  associates,  but  all  the 
smaller  articles,  which  they  can  carry  away,  are  generally  first  cleared  out 
to  their  own  account.  Articles  exposed  upon  the  side-walks,  outside  of 
stores,  and  even  the  goods  exhibited  in  glass  cases  in  the  same  localities 
are  also  frequently  made  the  booty  of  these  young  thieves  ;  who,  if  business 
is  bad,  do  not  always  hesitate  to  snatch  a  parcel,  a  purse,  or  a  satchel, 
from  a  lady's  hand,  disappearing  even  before  the  victim  has  fully  recog- 
nized her  loss.  Many  of  them  pride  themselves,  again,  in  their  skill  at 
robbing  tills.  First  making  themselves  acquainted  by  careful  observation 
with  the  habits  of  the  storekeeper  and  the  exact  location  of  his  money- 
drawer,  they  seize  their  opportunity,  slip  unperceived  round  the  counter ,. 
make  a  snatch  for  the  contents  of  the  till,  and  are  gone  in  an  instant* 
Small  size  is  a  necessary  qualification  to  make  this  successful,  but  bold- 
ness, caution,  and  agility,  are  none  the  less  essential ;  qualities  which,  if 
turned  in  another  direction,  might  prove  more  valuable  acquisitions. 

But  there  are  a  number  of  street  children  who  are  neither  confirmed  and 
professional  vagrants,  nor  thieves.  In  all  large  cities  lost  children  some- 
times come  under  the  notice  and  protection  of  the  police  ;  but  in  New  York, 
as  a  result,  probably,  of  a  combination  of  circumstances,  the  recorded  num- 
ber of  such  children  is  enormous.  These  may  be  ranked  as  street  children 
for  the  time ;  that  is,  they  are  thrown  adrift  on  to  the  streets  to  shift  for 
themselves,  sometimes  for  a  few  hours  only,  but  sometimes  for  days,  and 
even  weeks.  In  the  year  1871  there  were  5082  such  lost  children  taken 
care  of  by  the  police  ;  and  during  the  last  ten  years  there  have  been  not 
less  than  68,379,  being  a  yearly  average  of  6840,  or  18  every  day.  Most 
of  these  are  very  young  and  have  probably  wandered  away  unintentionally 


TIIL    STKI.I.'I     <  Mil  DR]  \.  -2~ 

from  their  homes  while  at  play,  and  were  unable  to  find  their  way  back. 
The  method  of  procedure  adopted  with  them  is  good.  Being  taken  under 
the  guarditaBship  of  a  patrolman,  they  are  first  removed  to  the  precinct 
station,  where  they  remain  till  night,  if  not  called  for.  At  nightfall  they 
are  passed  on  to  the  commodious  new  building  for  the  Police-Headquartero, 
in  Mulberry  Street,  where  suitable  accommodation  exists  for  their  safe 
keeping.  A  large  upper  room  is  there  devoted  to  their  use,  and  an  expe- 
rienced matron  is  ready  to  preside  over  them,  and  attend  to  their  comfort 
and  requirements.  They  may  remain  here  for  three  days,  if  not  claimed  ; 
after  which  an  accurate  description  of  them  and  of  their  clothes  is  taken, 
and  they  are  handed  over  to  the  charge  of  the  Commissioners  of  Charities. 
The  number  thus  disposed  of  is,  however,  small.  Very  many  never  reach 
Mulberry  Street  at  all,  being  taken  home  from  the  police  stations  by  their 
friends,  before  many  hours  have  elapsed  ;  and  of  the  remainder,  the  great 
majority  are  claimed  the  next  day. 

.During  the  past  year  or  two,  much  has  been  said  and  written  on  the 
subject  of  foundlings.  These  constitute  a  distinct  and  peculiar  class  of 
street  children.  The  number  of  those  who  have  been  picked  up  in  the 
streets  during  the  last  ten  years  is  between  nine  and  ten  hundred.  But  the 
average  which  this  would  give  is  less  than  the  present  rate.  It  is  a 
remarkable  fact — that  since  the  opening  of  the  Foundling  Asylum,  under 
the  care  of  the  Sisters  of  Charity — these  numbers  have  very  little  dimin- 
ished. In  1870,  the  first  year  of  its  operations,  the  police  picked  up  16 L 
children,  the  number  for  the  previous  year  having  been  1 78.  This  Asylum 
for  Foundlings  is  situated  temporarily  in  Washington  Square,  but  a  more 
suitable  spot,  comprising  the  entire  block  between  Lexington  and  Third 
Avenues,  and  68th  and  69th  Streets,  is  about  to  be  occupied  by  it.  From 
the  opening  of  the  institution  in  1870  to  October  the  first  of  that  year,  there 
were  1183  children  left  at  the  institution ;  during  the  year,  ending  October 
1st,  1871,  the  number  was  1377  ;  and  in  that  ending  October  1st,  1872,  it 
was  1392.  The  number  of  children  found  in  the  streets  in  1871  we  are 
unable  to  give,  the  police  reports  for  that  year  not  being  available.  It  is 
worthy  of  remark  here,  that  of  the  1377  children  left  at  the  asylum  in 
1871,  fifty  were  found  to  be  suffering  from  syphilitic  infection,  a  fact  which 
throws  a  terrible  reflection  upon  the  state  of  morals  in  New  York.  Besides 
which,  when  we  reflect  that  under  the  old  system  the  police  found  anually 
an  average  of  160  children,  and  that  now  a  yearly  average  of  1300  is  left 
at  the  asylum,  we  may  form  some  idea  how  many  children,  about  whom 
we  know  nothing,  have  been  murdered.  And  still  there  bristles  up  that 
saintly  bigotry  and  false  notion,  not  here  only,  but  in  almost  every  town 
of  the  Union,  which  denounces  the  erection  of  Foundling  Asylums  on  the 
wicked  and  erroneous  supposition,  that  such  institutions  tend  to  the  increase 
of  immorality  ! 

Formerly,  when  these  children  were  taken  charge  of  exclusively  by  the 


28  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

police,  the  custom  was  to  transfer  them  as  speedily  as  possible  to  the  care 
of  the  Commissioner  of  Charities,  and  as  a  consequence,  the  majority  of 
them  very  soon  died.  Under  the  care  of  the  sisters  at  the  asylum  the  mor- 
tality is  very  much  lessened,  but  some  provision  is  still  needed  for  their 
future.  They  are  for  the  time  wards  of  the  town,  but  they  ultimately  go 
forth  into  the  world  to  meet  whatever  fate  may  befall  them,  and  to  suffer 
the  vicissitudes  of  children  who  have  never  known  a  home,  nor  felt  the 
blessings  of  a  parents  love.  In  Europe,  notably  in  London,  the  children  in 
the  Foundling  Hospital  are  provided  for.  The  boys  are  taught  a  trade,  or, 
if  they  prefer  it,  put  into  the  navy ;  the  girls  are  trained  as  household 
servants,  the  institution  keeping  a  watchful  eye  over  them,  till  they  are 
fairly  established.  Some  are  even  started  in  business,  and  the  results  are 
found  to  be  most  encouraging.  And  something  of  the  kind  seems  to  be 
needed  here. 

We  now  come  to  a  class  which  is  a  peculiarity  and  an  off-spring  of 
modern  progress  and  commercial  activity.  We  refer  to  those  active,  dirty, 
driving  little  fellows,  who  scour  about  the  streets  to  sell  our  newspapers  or 
to  black  our  boots.  They  are  the  bottom  end  of  the  mercantile  ladder. 
Merchants  in  embryo,  and  under  difficulties.  With  all  their  wits  about 
them,  they  generally  manage  to  earn  a  living  somehow,  and  honestly  too. 
As  a  class,  the  newsboys  are  unique.  Often  only  half  dressed,  and  that 
half  perhaps  in  rags  and  tatters,  they  are  full  of  life,  quick,  shrewd,  always 
with  an  eye  to  the  main  chance,  and  generally  cheerful  under  their  bur- 
dens. Their  persons  are  not  always  very  clean,  nor  their  language  very 
polished.  As  they  run  through  the  street  cars,  it  is  a  relief  sometimes  to 
feel  that  they  are  not  going  to  sit  down  next  to  us  and  be  crowded  into  our 
laps,  and  they  do  not  readily  understand  that  the  language  which  they 
know  best,  is  not  always  that  of  polite  society.  But,  at  any  rate,  they  earn 
their  daily  bread,  they  do  not  beg,  nor  steal  it,  and  they  earn  it  hardly,  too. 
For  this,  at  least,  they  deserve  a  kindly  sympathy,  and  occasionally  a 
helping  hand.  We  have  said  that  their  living  is  a  hard  one.  Let  us 
briefly  examine  it.  They  are  at  work  from  early  morning,  till  late  at 
night.  At  lour  o'clock,  they  assemble  at  the  offices  of  the  morning  papers, 
crowding  round  for  the  first  publications,  or  busy  folding  the  papers  as 
they  come  from  the  press.  Competition  among  them  is  very  lively.  The 
instant  one  of  them  has  got  his  supply,  he  rushes  wildly  off  to  secure  the 
first  sales  and  earliest  customers,  shouting  to  the  utmost  power  of  his 
lungs,  all  his  energies  strained  to  their  limits,  and  exhibiting  a  degree  of 
energy,  which,  we  have  often  thought,  as  we  have  contemplated  him,  is 
one  of  the  wonderful  evidences  of  the  nervous  life  of  the  present  day.  For 
the  first  few  hours  he  scarcely  relaxes  his  exertions  ;  it  is  not  till  the  news 
of  the  morning  have  got  well  scattered  far  and  wide,  that  he  can  take  a 
little  rest.  And  then  it  is  not  of  long  duration.  For  presently  the  "  even- 
ing" papers  are  to  be   forthcoming,  and  all  has   to  be  gone  over  again. 


THE    STREET    CHILDREN.  2i> 

Indeed,  it  is  now  that  his  best  efforts  are  needed,  for  the  streets  are  full, 
and  competition  is  even  brisker  ;  so  that  his  shrill  voice  stuns  the  car  of 
the  passer  by,  and  he  thinks  that  nothing  short  of  that  will  bring  him  cus- 
tom. His  work  is  not  ended  till  late  in  the  evening,  although  he  changes 
his  location  as  people  move  up-town,  or  to  the  ferries,  and  is  perhaps  even 
energetic  in  his  actions.  His  days  work  is,  in  fact,  one  long  display  of 
powerful,  nervous  and  muscular  activity  ;  that,  too,  in  all  weather  and 
under  a  very  limited  supply  of  food.  Moreover,  he  is  not  of  the  strongest. 
He  is  one  of  the  city's  waifs.  He  has  been  brought  up  in  the  school  of 
necessity,  ever  underfed  and  unsufficiently  clothed  ;  so  that  the  marvel  is, 
that  he  does  so  much  upon  so  little.  Then  what  does  he  earn?  His  profits 
upon  some  of  the  papers  is  only  the  fraction  of  a  cent,  and  he  has  to  work 
very  hard  to  clear  half  a  dollar  a  day.  Thus  by  a  weeks  active  and  suc- 
cessful exertion — that  week  representing  about  84  hours,  or  14  hours  per 
day, — he  may  clear  three  dollars.  This  is  a  scanty  remuneration  for  his 
work,  his  labors,  and  the  use  of  his  little  capital ;  and  if  he  were  left  to 
himself,  his  life  would  not  be  blessed  with  many  of  the  amenities  of 
decency. 

But  the  Children  Aid  Society  have  happily  not  forgotten  him,  and  in 
the  Newsboys  Lodging  House,  which  they  have  established  for  him,  at  49 
Park  Place,  he  can  procure  a  bed  or  a  meal  for  six  cents.  Thus,  for  24 
cents  a  day,  he  finds  shelter  and  three  good  meals,  leaving  half  his  earn- 
ings for  clothes  or  for  his  own  free  disposal  in  any  way  he  likes.  These 
boys  are  often  said  to  be  thriftless  and  reckless,  yet  in  the  year  1871  there 
was  in  the  Saving's  Bank,  connected  with  their  lodging  house,  a  sum  of 
$2,588.31  deposited  to  their  credit ;  that  sum  standing  in  various  sums  and 
in  the  names  of  1065  different  boys.  The  value  of  this  fact,  as  indicative 
of  the  care  of  the  majority,  must  depend  upon  their  numbers  and  other 
considerations,  and  then  it  fails  to  be  such  as  should  be  wished.  In  the 
year  1770,  the  number  of  boys  who  availed  themselves  of  the  lodging  house 
was  8655.  Of  this  number  3,112  had  no  parents  living  and  3,651  had  but 
one.  But  33  per  cent,  were  unable  to  pay  for  the  accommodation  received, 
being  quite  penniless  ;  hence  we  are  confronted  with  the  startling  fact  that 
during  the  year  1870  two  thousand  and  five  hundred  boys,  willing  and 
anxious  to  earn  their  livelihood,  were  unable  to  make  even  twenty-four 
cents  per  day.  And  yet  out  of  the  total  number  of  8655  there  were  only 
713  who  were  not  actually  destitute  of  anything  in  the  shape  of  a  home. 
But  the  applicants  at  the  lodging  house  are  not  all  boys.  Some  are  girls, 
either  in  the  same  position  as  the  majority  ;  that  is  homeless  and  striving 
to  be  independent,  or  escaping  from  the  infamy  of  the  horrible  dens  they 
call  "  home,"  and  the  curses  and  cruelties  of  brutal,  drunken  parents. 

The  future  career  of  the  newsboys  should  receive  attention,  perhaps 
more  than  it  has.  But  there  are  difficulties  in  the  way  of  getting  informa- 
tion upon  this  point,  at  least  as   regards  details.      Some  of  them,  we  fear 


"30  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

we  must  say  many  of  them,  die  yoimg ;  worn  out  with  early  privations, 
and  exhausting  work  operating  upon  a  system  that  perhaps  inherited  the 
germs  of  disease  from  vicious  parents.  Others  fail  to  rise,  and  not  rising, 
they  fall  back  again  to  the  vagrant  life,  whence  probably  they  took  their 
birth,  they  return  never  more  to  escape  ;  and  thus  they  contribute  to  keep 
up  the  ranks  of  mendicants  and  thieves.  But  others  develope  into  respect- 
able manhood,  and  become  good  and  sometimes  well-to-do  citizens.  The 
little  money  they  accumulate  in  the  savings  bank  becomes  a  capital,  which 
lifts  them  on  to  a  higher  stage,  and  Avhen  that  is  secured,  the  thrift  and 
energy  which  set  them  first  on  their  legs,  never  fail  to  serve  them  in  good 
stead  and  fulfil  the  demands  of  reasonable  ambition. 

Near  akin  to  the  army  of  newsboys  is  the  other  class  we  have  men- 
tioned— the  boot-blacks.  These  are  not  as  numerous  ;  but  they  have  more 
temptations,  make  a  little  more  money,  though  with  the  display  of  less 
energy,  and  they  more  frequently  turn  out  badly.  The  business  of  the 
boot-blacks  has  of  late  years  much  altered  in  character.  Prices  have  come 
down  in  some  parts  of  the  city  from  ten  to  five  cents,  but  that  is  not  all. 
Many  of  the  boys  have  secured  a  fixed  connection,  either  visiting  certain 
liouses  at  weekly  rates,  attending  the  hotels  and  railroad  stations,  or  estab- 
lishing themselves  in  some  definite  spot,  where,  sometimes  with  a  chair  for 
their  accommodation,  they  await  the  coming  of  regular  customers,  and 
take  as  many  chance  ones  as  they  can  get  in  the  meanwhile.  Among 
these  the  old  rates  are  very  generally  maintained,  and  they  would  scorn 
the  idea  of  taking  less  than  a  fee  of  ten  cents.  But  the  peripatetic  boot- 
blacks, and  those  who  do  business  within  the  limits  of  the  City  Hall  Park, 
for  instance,  are  glad  to  work  for  half  that  sum.  The  earnings  of  these 
"boys  will  range  from  perhaps  $5  to  §12,  or  even  $15  per  week,  but  the 
higher  amounts  ought  to  be  regarded  as  exceptional.  Many  do  not  make 
as  much  as  $5. 

The  life  of  the  boot-blacks  differs  essentially  from  that  of  the  "news- 
boys. It  is  not  as  active.  There  is  not  the  same  degree  of  energy 
necessary.  In  some  respects  it  is  an  idle  occupation  that  they  follow. 
Watchfulness  is  more  needed  than  activity.  They  have  much  spare  time, 
too,  and  the  state  of  the  weather  affects  their  business.  In  winter,  for 
example,  when  most  people  wear  over-shoes  in  some  form,  they  have  very 
little  to  do.  But  even  during  summer  they  can  find  much  leisure,  and  it 
is  not  beneficial  to  them.  They  spend  it  often  in  games  of  pitch  penny, 
tind  in  other  devices  of  a  similar  character  lose  money  and  at  the  same 
time  cultivate  a  taste  for  gambling.  They  also,  during  such  leisure 
moments,  sometimes  become  the  prey  of  professional  thieves,  who,  by 
promises  of  an  attractive  character  made  to  the  boys,  induce  them  to  enter 
the  professional  ranks,  and  thus  they  start  on  the  road  to  the  gaol.  In 
other  respects  they  do  no.t  differ  materially  from  the  newsboys.  They  live 
in  much  the  same  manner,  originate  in  similar  sources,  sleep  in  similar 


THE    STREET    CHILDREN.  31 

places,  indulge  in  the  same  melegauries  of  language,  and,  except  in  occupa- 
tion, they  resemble  them  closely. 

If  now  we  would  seek  for  the  cause  of  the  existence  of  such  an  army  of 
unfortunate  street  children  it  will  be  found  in  drink.  Where  the  parents 
are  living  they  are  found  invariably  to  be  addicted  to  drink  ;  and  where 
they  are  not  living  it  is  because  the  drink  killed  them,  and  thus  the  child- 
ren were  left  helpless  and  destitute.  There  is  evidence  on  all  sides  of  this. 
All  will  acknowledge  that  industry  and  thrift  will  succeed  in  earning  a 
competency  almost  anywhere,  but  when  we  find,  in  a  city  like  ours,  as  many 
as  7500  drinking  saloons,  or  one  to  every  126  of  the  population,  it  is  evi- 
dent that  there  must  be  something  different  from  industry  operating  some- 
where. The  money  spent  in  drink  by  the  poor  would  lift  them  a  long  way 
out  of  poverty.  The  money  spent  in  drink  every  year  in  New  York  is 
certainly  as  much  as  fifteen  millions  of  dollars,  of  which  30  per  cent,  comes 
out  of  the  pockets  of  those  people  who  live  in  garrets,  cellars,  and  tene- 
ment houses ;  or  who  seek  their  lodgings  in  the  police  stations.  If  the 
money  thus  squandered  were  wisely  used,  the  advantages  of  a  home  and 
of  education  could  be  given' to  every  one  of  the  street  children. 

There  are,  however,  many  whose  position  is  not  to  be  attributed  to  this 
cause.  Every  year  a  great  number,  chiefly  boys,  are  picked  up  by  the 
police,  who  come  from  the  adjoining  or  from  the  New  England  States. 
They  drift  thither  upon  the  delusion,  which  too  often  afflicts  their  elders 
too,  that  New  York  is  an  El  Dorado,  where  one  need  only  live  in  order  to 
be  rich  ;  which  one  need  only  visit  in  order  to  see  all  that  the  world  affords. 
During  the  summer,  hundreds  of  children  come  to  the  city,  either  to  see 
its  wonders,  or  to  make  rapid  fortunes.  Among  the  former  the  theatres 
are  most  attractive,  and  above  all  the  Bowery  Theatre  with  its  low  drama 
and  sensational  representations.  But  it  is  not  only  the  country  boys  that 
this  theatre  ruins  ;  there  are  also  thousands  of  boys  in  the  town  who  took 
their  first  lessons  in  crime  from  its  stage,  who  have  there  grown  familiar 
with  vice,  have  lost  their  inclination  for  thriftiness  and  fallen  into  the  toils 
of  crime.  A  gentleman,  who  has  long  interested  himself  in  the  welfare  of 
young  criminals,  enquired  among  fifty  of  the  boys  on  Blackwell's  Island 
what  the  first  temptation  to  crime  had  been.  The  result  was  that,  with 
but  few  exceptions,  all  had  begun  to  steal  at  a  very  early  age,  and  had 
stolen  either  from  their  parents  or  anywhere  else  that  an  occasion  offered, 
in  order  to  procure  a  few  cents  that  they  might  go  to  the  Bowery  Theatre. 
Perhaps  the  full  importance  of  having  in  our  midst  this  multitude  of  out- 
cast children  is  hardly  realized.  But  what  it  would  have  been  if  nothing 
had  been  done  to  alleviate  the  evil,  cannot  be  surmised.  The  adult  crimi- 
nal classes  are  still  recruited  from  this  source.  If  the  latter  were  removed, 
the  former  would  dwindle  down  to  a  comparatively  small  item,  which 
could  never  very  greatly  disturb  the  peace  of  the  community.  But  we  are 
far  from  having  attained  this  point  yet.     Nevertheless,  much   has  been 


32  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK   LIFE. 

done.  Many  of  the  boys  have  been  turned  into  a  career  of  honesty,  some- 
even  placed  on  the  way  which  opens  out  into  the  widest  field  of  future 
success.  And  thus  the  evil  is  very  much  less  dangerous  than  it  might 
have  been. 

This,  however,  must  be  attributed  to  the  efforts  of  private  individuals  or 
societies,  and  not  to  the  efficiency  of  the  laws.  Legislators  are  not  always 
noted  for  their  wisdom,  and  least  of  all  does  their  sagacity  display  itself 
when  they  are  called  upon  to  deal  with  the  prevention  of  crime.  But  to 
arrive  at  conclusions  upon  this  point  it  is  not  necessary  to  study  the  statute 
law ;  a  visit  to  the  police  courts  will  answer  the  purpose.  We  may  take  a 
case  which  has  been  before  used  in  a  similar  connection  and  which  is 
remarkable  in  its  application.  It  occurred  not  very  long  ago  and  created  ' 
some  talk  at  the  time.  Two  boys  broke  into  a  store  in  Greenwich  Street, 
entering  through  the  skylight  from  an  adjoining  tenement  house.  The 
boys  being  taken  before  the  magistrate,  a  simple  statement  of  this  fact  was 
taken.  No  enquiries  were  made,  no  investigation  as  to  the  antecedents  of 
the  prisoners  was  deemed  necessary.  In  a  very  few  minutes  they  were 
committed  to  the  Tombs,  where  they  soon  found  themselves  accommodated 
with  a  cell  and  with  the  company  of  prisoners  of  all  degrees  of  villainy. 
It  is  not  necessary  to  ask  ourselves  whether  those  boys  would  have  been 
reformed  or  made  worse  by  such  associations.  Experience  has  sufficiently 
answered  that  question  in  hundreds  and  in  thousands  of  like  instances  for 
many  years  past,  though  there  is  a  wonderful  reluctance  on  the  part  of  the 
people  to  listen  to  her  voice.  Happily  for  the  boys  they  had  for  a  short 
time  been  engaged  in  one  of  the  industrial  schools  of  the  Children's  Aid 
Society,  and  when  they  got  incarcerated  at  the  Tombs  they  were  missed 
from  the  school.  Inquiries  were  set  on  foot,  the  agents  of  the  society 
sought  for  them  far  and  wide,  and  at  last  found  them.  They  were  taken 
from  the  prison,  received  into  the  care  of  the  society,  and  now  promise  to 
be  respectable  and  useful  citizens.  Whereas,  if  they  had  been  left  in  the 
Tombs,  or  tried  and  sentenced  to  a  term  of  imprisonment,  there  can  be 
no  doubt,  whatever,  but  that  the  town  would  have  been  burthened  with 
two  more  professional  criminals.  Yet  another  case  may  be  quoted.  Dr. 
Harris,  the  secretary  of  the  New  York  Prison  Association,  found  in  prison 
a  lad,  fifteen  years  old,  who  had  already  passed  three  years  of  his  short 
life  in  prison  for  petty  thieving.  Desirous  to  learn  what  had  been  done 
towards  the  reformation  of  the  boy,  Dr.  Harris  asked  him  what  the  judge 
had  said  to  him  when  he  was  tried.  The  first  time  he  had  asked  him 
whether  he  was  not  ashamed  of  himself ;  the  next  time  he  had  told  him  he 
was  an  incorrigible  young  rascal ;  and  on  the  third  occasion  he  said  he 
was  certain  to  be  hanged.  The  boy,  whose  fault  was  one  more  of  thought- 
lessness, than  criminality,  had  soon  learned  to  think  that  he  was  a  con- 
firmed thief,  and  that  his  destiny  was  settled.  But  the  kindly  words 
addressed  to  him  by  Dr.  Harris,  made  such  an  impression  on  him,  that  he 


TIIK    STREET    CHILDREN.  88 

began  to  enquire  whether,  when  lie  was  given  the  liberty  again,  he  might 
not  learn  a  trade  and  thus  do  something  better  than  steal.  This  request 
lias  been  granted  him,  and  thus  the  boy,  notwithstanding  the  efforts  of  the 
law  and  its  administrators  to  make  him  a  confirmed  criminal,  has  now  a 
chance  to  become  a  law-abiding  citizen,  and  to  earn  by  honest  labor  more 
than  he  could  ever  have  acquired  by  stealing.  And  this  treatment,  of  which 
we  complain,  is  not  confined  to  New  York.  AVe  are  too  much  in  the  habit 
of  dealing  with  these  children,  either  as  the  victims  of  pre-ordained  destiny, 
or  else,  as  offenders  whom  it  is  our  only  duty  to  punish.  If  they  cannot  be 
reclaimed,  it  is  certain  that  their  condition  is  exceptional,  and  thus  while 
we  have  the  undoubted  opportunity  to  convert  them  into  honest  men,  we 
too  often  place  them  in  the  best  schools  of  crime  that  our  system  affords, 
and  then,  at  some  future  day,  when  they  have  been  making  a  long  and 
costly  fight  against  society,  we  condemn  them  as  a  curse  for  which  we  our- 
selves are  in  no  wise  responsible,  or  we  hang  them  by  the  necks,  and  tell 
other  criminals  to  profit  by  their  example. 

If  the  prisons  have  failed  as  reformatories,  especially  in  the  case  of  young 
offenders,  So  likewise  the  advantages  of  those  institutions,  in  which  hun- 
dreds of  them  are  compelled  to  live  together,  have  not  been  proportionate 
to  the  anticipations  formed  concerning  them.  In  some  respects,  the 
reformatories  partake  of  the  disadvantages  of  the  gaols,  in  that  they  do  not 
sufficiently  separate  the  boys,  nor  alienate  their  minds  from  the  kind  of  life 
they  have  been  leading.  Much  more  productive  of  good  fruit  are  such 
institutions  as  the  Ohio  Reform  Farm,  where  the  children,  although  con- 
strained to  work,  live  at  the  same  time  as  in  a  family,  a  principle  to  which 
the  Children's  Aid  Society  here  also  owes  its  noble  success. 

In  this  consideration  we  have  had  several  occasions  to  refer  to  the  last 
named  institution,  and  think  that  now  we  ought  not  to  close  the  chapter 
without  offering  some  further  data  concerning  it.  The  Children's  Aid 
Society  has  been  in  operation  since  1854,  and  it  would  be  difficult  to  find, 
anywhere  in  the  United  States,  a  society  which  has  before  it  so  vast  and 
blessed  a  work,  or  which  has  enjoyed  as  much  success.  Its  task  has  been, 
and  is,  to  labor  against  vice  and  crime,  to  snatch  from  temptation  the  out- 
cast children  of  the  poor,  and  to  place  them  in  a  condition  of  life  where  all 
temptations  and  allurements  shall  be  as  far  as  possible  removed. 

The  Children's  Aid  Society  supports,  iu  various  parts  of  this  city, 
twenty  different  schools,  (besides  eleven  industrial  schools)  with  a  roll  of 
9429  children  and  a  daily  average  attendance  of  2847  ;  besides  a  sewing 
machine  school,  in  which  during  the  year  1870 — (the  returns  for  1871 
have  not  reached  us) — 845  young  girls  were  instructed  iu  the  use  of  the 
sewing  machine.  Then  including  the  lodging-house  for  the  newsboys,  and 
one  for  girls,  there  are  five  houses  where  in  1870,  11,928  different  children 
obtained,  for  six  cents  each,  a  night's  lodging  and  meals  ;  while  those  who 
bad  nothing  received  shelter  and  food  without  payment.     The  society  has 

3 


34  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

besides  five  reading  rooms  and  different  evening  and  Sunday  schools. 
And,  lastly,  it  has  sent  through  its  agents  from  the  time  of  its  foundation, 
to  the  first  of  September,  1872,  28,082  persons  into  the  Western  States  ; 
where  they  were  placed  out  with  farmers,  mechanics,  and  others.  Most  of 
these  persons  were  outcast  children,  varying  in  age  from  6  months  to  14 
years.  Many  of  them  are  already  in  the  position  of  well-to-do  farmers, 
citizens  and  land  owners,  while  others  are  at  college,  training  as  physi- 
cians, lawyers  or  preachers.  But  what  would  these  thousands  of  outcasts 
have  been,  what  a  burden  upon  the  city  would  they  not  have  become,  and 
how  much  misery  and  crime  would  not  New  York  no  w  be  harboring,  if 
the  work  of  the  Children's  Aid  Society  had  not  been  done,  and  if  those 
children  had  remained  amongst  us?  Indeed  their  work  is  full  of  blessing. 
And  almost  all  is  a  work  of  private  benevolence  !  Outside  of  the  city 
appropriation,  $62,000  has  been  raised  in  one  year  from  private  individu- 
als, many  of  whom  gave  from  $200  and  $300  to  $500  and  $1,000.  It  is 
worthy  of  special  remark  that  the  society  acknowledges  no  sectarianism, 
but  receives  all  alike  with  a  pure  and  genuine  spirit  of  philanthropy  ;  while 
Mr.  Charles  Doring  Brace,  who  since  the  establishment  of  the  society  has 
been  its  main  support,  is  such  an  ardent  philanthropist,  and  such  an  impar- 
tial man  in  the  exercise  of  his  duties,  as  can  rarely  be  met  with  even 
within  the  limits  of  America. 


THE  NEW  YORK  POLICE. 

The  authority  which  first  of  all  is  entrusted  with  the  guardianship  of  the 
public  safety,  is  the  police.  It  therefore  seems  better,  before  we  further 
consider  the  picture  presented  to  us  by  the  dark  side  of  New  York  society, 
to  give  some  information  concerning  the  constitution  and  effectiveness  of 
this  body. 

Up  to  the  year  1870  we  had  a  Metropolitan  police  whose  district  com- 
prised the  cities  of  New  York  and  Brooklyn,  as  well  as  New  York,  Kings, 
Richmond  and  Westchester  Counties,  and  a  part  of  Queens  County.  But 
the  charter  of  1870  effected  a  change,  and  created  a  municipal  police  for 
the  city  of  New  York  alone.  This  is  presided  over  by  a  commission  con- 
sisting of  four  members,  nominated  by  the  mayor  ;  and  the  force  itself  com- 
prises a  superintendent,  3  inspectors,  35  captains,  136  sergeants,  83  rounds- 
men, 1992  patrolmen,  and  75  door-keepers. 

The  city  is  divided  into  two  districts,  and  the  inspectors  are  responsible 
for  the   conduct  of  the   men,  and   for   the   maintenance   of  order  in  their 


TIIK    HEW    rORK    POLICE.  35 

respective  districts;  to  which  cud  they. are  required  to  inspect  the  men, 
even  during  the  night,  at  unexpected  hours.  They  have  also  to  visit  the 
stations  in  their  districts  and  to  investigate  any  complaints  against  mem- 
bers of  the  force. 

The  inspectors'  districts  are  sub-divided  into  thirty-two  precincts,  and  in 
each  of  these,  as  nearly  the  centre  as  possible,  is  a  station.  Each  station 
is  under  the  control  of  a  captain,  who  is  answerable  for  peace  and  good 
order  within  the  limits  of  his  precinct.  The  men  under  him  are  divided 
into  two  bodies  of  about  equal  strength,  called  respectively  the  first  and 
second  platoons,  each  of  which  is  again  divided  into  two  sections.  At  the 
head  of  each  section  is  a  sergeant,  but  it  is  the  duty  of  the  captain  to 
determine  the  disposition  of  the  men  and  the  services  they  are  to  perform. 
In  case  of  the  illness  of  the  captain,  command  of  the  precinct  is  taken  by  a 
sergeant,  appointed  for  the  occasion  by  the  superintendent. 

The  special  duty  of  the  sergeants  is  to  patrol  their  districts,  and  see 
especially  that  the  roundsmen  and  policemen  are  at  their  posts  and  in  the 
performance  of  their  duties.  One  sergeant,  however,  must  always  be 
found  at  the  station  house.  . 

The  commissioners  appoint  further,  two  roundsmen  in  every  district, 
out  of  the  ranks  of  the  policemen,  upon  whom  devotes  the  special  and  con- 
stant supervision  of  the  latter. 

To  the  policemen,  whose  position  is  something  similar  to  that  of  privates 
in  the  army,  are  given  the  guardianship  of  certain  defined  beats  ;  but  the 
extent  of  these  beats  is  in  many  instances  so  large,  that  it  is  often  impossi- 
ble for  the  men  to  perform  all  that  is  demanded  of  them.  Each  man  is 
obliged  to  exercise  the  utmost  watchfulness  lest  any  offence  be  committed 
within  his  beat,  and  on  the  perpetration  of  any  crime  it  is  always  presumed 
that  the  policeman  has  not  done  his  duty,  so  that  the  obligation  rests  with 
him  to  show  that  he  was  at  his  post.  When  he  is  on  duty  he  is  expected 
to  keep  a  watchful  eye  upon  everybody  he  meets,  to  observe  everything 
that  is  going  on,  and  at  night  to  see  whether  the  house  and  shop  doors, 
and  lower  windows,  are  fastened,  and  if  not  to  give  information  to  the 
occupants  of  the  place.  He  is  required  to  know  all  the  people  who  live  in 
his  district ;  to  notice  the  occupations  as  they  com£  before  him  of  all  per- 
sons who  are  suspected  of  being  thieves,  burglars,  receivers  of  stolen  goods, 
gamblers,  lottery  dealers,  or  criminals  of  any  kind  ;  and  to  watch  disorderly 
houses  and  report  upon  all  people  who  frequent  them.  In  every  way  he 
has  to  look  after  the  maintenance  of  the  public  peace,  and  to  make  all 
arrests  which  are  necessary,  and  according  to  his  duty,  as  laid  down  in  the 
regulations  that  are  given  him.  His  attention  is  especially  required 
towards  pickpockets,  acts  of  cruelty  to  animals,  injuries  to  the  telegraph 
wires,  the  use  or  sale  of  slungshots,  prize-fighters,  dog-fighting  and  cock- 
pits, injuries  to  the  public  trees,  lamps,  etc.,  also  to  disorderly  people 
of  any  kind,  street  rows,  drunkenness,   games  of  chance,  the  use  of  fire 


36  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YOEK    LIFE. 

arms,  &c,  &c.     But  if  the  policeman  has  to  make  an  arrest,  he  is  only- 
allowed  to  use  force  when  resistance  is  offered  him.     He  is  not  permitted 
to  converse  others  except  on  business  connected  with  the  service,  and  even 
then  he  can  only  speak  with  private  persons  as  little  as  his  public  duty  ren- . 
ders  necessary. 

It  will  thus  be  seen  then  that  very  much  is  demanded  of  him,  and  that 
his  duty  requires  his  constant,  and  unremitting  attention,  in  all  weathers. 
His  arms  are  a  short  staff  of  hard  wood,  and  a  revolver  ;  and  his  hours  for 
duty  are  thus  divided :  The  first  watch  is  from  6  to  8  in  the  morning,  then 
next  from  8  till  1,  then  from  1  till  6  in  the  evening,  then  from  6  till  12, 
and  lastly  from  12  to  6  again.  These  watches  are  so  arranged  that  no 
man  is  on  duty  during  similar  hours  on  two  successive  days.  Finally,  one- 
third  of  the  force  is  on  duty  during  the  day  time,  and  two-thirds  at  night. 

The  force  has  still  other  sub-divisions.  Forty  men  do  duty  in  the 
Courts  of  Justice,  four  in  the  House  of  Detention,  while  the  sanitary  divi- 
sion, some  of  which  do  duty  at  the  ferry  and  steamboat  landings,  consists 
of  a  captain,  4  sergeants,  and  57  policemen.  Some  of  the  force  are* 
assigned  to  an  inspection  of  the  steam  boilers  in  the  city,  others  are  attached 
to  the  Health  Commission  ;  nine  have  to  look  after  vagrant  children,  and 
others  are  deputed  to  the  protection  of  the  banks  and  other  public  buildings. 
Another  division  constitutes  the  river  police.  This  has  its  station  on  a 
steamboat,  which  is  always  in  readiness  to  go  anywhere  wrhere  the  services 
of  the  men  may  be  required.  Their  duty  is  to  watch  the  river  thieves  and 
those  vagrants  who  frequent  the  wharves,  to  interfere  in  the  case  of  muti- 
nous conduct  on  the  part  of  sailors,  to  help  firemen  when  ships  are  on  fire, 
to  tow  away  ships  which  are  in  dangerous  proximity  to  the  burning, — and 
so  on.  Another  division  is  the  detective  force  ;  but  of  that  we  shall  speak 
in  another  chapter. 

The  headquarters  of  the  police  are  in  the  five  story  building  No.  300 
Mulberry  Street,  which  extends  through  to  Mott  Street.  It  is  admirably 
adapted  to  the  purpose  intended.  Special  rooms  are  devoted  to  each 
department,  and  thus  the  greatest  system  and  order  are  secured. 

The  office  of  the  superintendent  is  in  telegraphic  communication  with  all 
the  station  houses,  so  that  news  can  be  received  at  any  moment,  and  orders 
sent  to  any  part  of  the  town.  If  there  is  any  great  crime  committed,  such 
for  instance  as  the  robbery  of  a  bank,  the  news  is  transmitted  forthwith  to 
every  precinct,  almost  before  the  thief  has  got  his  booty  safely  in  his  pos- 
session ;  and  it  certainly  is  astonishing  to  know  that,  notwithstanding  this 
admirable  provision,  so  many  thieves  escape  detection.  If  a  child  is 
reported  to  be.  lost,  a  full  description  of  it  is  sent  out  to  all  the  precincts, 
and  the  entire  police  force  is  thus  put  on  the  look  out  for  it.  In  fact,  a 
criminal  can,  from  the  office  of  the  superintendent,  without  this  officer  once 
leaving  his  room,  be  followed  by  the  telegraph  not  only  through  the  city? 
but  throughout  every  part  of  the  United  States,  and  even  beyond. 


TIIK    NEW     YORK    POLICE.  37 

At  headquarters  there  is  also  a  court  room,  where  charges  and  com- 
plaints against  the  police  are  enquired  into  and  disposed  of.  Every  com- 
plaint must  be  sworn  to.  It  then  goes  to  the  police  commissioner,  who 
summons  the  defendant  to  appear.  The  latter  seldom  procures  legal  assis- 
tance. The  charge  is  read,  the  commissioner  on  duty  hears  the  defence 
and  the  evidence  on  both  sides,  and  then  gives  his  decision,  which  decision, 
however,  has  to  be  confirmed  before  the  entire  commission.  Most  of  the 
■complaints  are  for  breaches  of  discipline,  and  the  punishment  generally 
consists  of  a  stoppage  of  pay  for  one,  or  perhaps  two  days. 

There  is  also  in  this  building  an  office  in  which  all  things  found  and  left 
iu  charge  of  the  police,  as  well  as  stolen  property,  which  has  not  yet  been 
returned  to  its  owners,  are  deposited.  This  is  styled  the  "  property  room," 
and  is  in  charge  of  a  special  clerk.  During  the  official  year  ending  April, 
5th,  1871,  property  to  the  value  of  $1,413,074.62  came  into  the  hands  of 
the  police.  Of  this,  $1,277,036.85  was  returned  to  its  owners  directly 
from  the  station  houses,  and  $132,072.40  through  the  medium  of  the 
property  clerk.  All  unclaimed  property  is  kept  for  six  months,  it  is  then 
sold  by  auction  and  the  proceeds  paid  over  to  the  Police  Life  Insurance 
Fund.  In  the  year  above  named,  this  amounted,  after  payment  of  expen- 
ses, to  $3,965,37. 

These  arrangements  are  in  themselves  excellent,  but  unfortunately  the 
efficiency  of  the  New  York  police  leaves  much  yet  to  be  desired.  ^  There 
are  several  causes  for  this.  As  already  stated,  the  police  force,  however 
willing  its  members  may  be  to  do  their  duty,  is  too  small  to  be  able  to 
give  due  protection  to  the  whole  community  in  a  city  of  so  large  extent, 
and  with  a  double  waterfront  of  such  great  length  as  ours.  Then,  again, 
the  beats  of  several  of  the  policemen  are  so  extensive,  that  these  officers 
cannot  possibly  give  an  efficient  protection  to  all  the  inhabitants.  But 
even  if  the  force  were  more  numerous,  it  is  still  doubtful  whether  the  object 
would  be  attained,  unless  more  care  were  taken  in  regard  to  the  selection 
of  the  men,  and  the  regulations  applicable  to  them.  There  is  too  little 
encouragement  given  to  them  iu  the  performance  of  their  duties,  and 
instead  of  promotion  being  made  iu  reward  for  good  conduct,  it  is  too  often 
the  result  of  favoritism.  Then  the  employment  of  the  men  as  political 
hacks  lessens  their  value  as  officers  ;  aud  again  the  action  of  the  commis- 
sioners, in  their  dealings  with  the  complaints  aud  accusations  that  are  made 
before  them,  is  often  so  arbitrary,  that  at  their  mere  option  men  are  liable 
to  be  punished  most  unjustly,  under  the  effect  of  party  prejudice.  And 
this  corrupting  influence  extending  from  above  downwards,  may  grow 
into  strength  in  the  stations  of  certain  precincts.  The  captain  is  possibly 
an  autocrat,  and  if  that  be  the  case,  he  undermines  and  neutralizes  any 
efficiency  that  the  commissioners  may  have  left  in  the  men.  In  each  pre- 
cinct there  is  a  ward  officer,  who  is  the  captain's  right  hand  man,  so  to 
speak,  and  whose  special  right  it  is   to  follow  up  all  great  robberies  that 


38  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

are  reported  to  him  ;  but  if  it  is  one  of  less  importance,  or  one  from  which 
it  seems  unlikely  that  anything  can  be  made,  it  is  then  handed  over  to  the 
policemen.  This  system  works  badly  in  two  ways.  The  officer  who  first 
discovered  the  crime  sees  the  further  pursuit  of  the  matter  taken  out  of 
his  hands,  and  given  over  to  another,  whereby  his  service  in  the  discovery 
is  lost  sight  of  altogether.  Then  the  motive  for  ambition  is  destroyed, 
and  any  interest  the  man  might  feel  in  the  active  performance  of  his  duty 
is  nullified ;  so  that  for  the  future  he  would  rather  avoid  discoveries  than 
make  them.  The  consequences  of  all  this  are  that  fewer  arrests  are  made, 
and  fewer  sentences  recorded ;  and  it  is  a  well  known  fact  that  where  a 
thief  is  not  apprehended  in  the  first  instance,  he  is  seldom  taken  afterwards. 
Moreover  the  number  of  instances  where  an  arrest  follows  immediately 
after  the  offence,  is  comparatively  very  small. 

Many  circumstances  testify  how  little  conscienciousness  is  shown  in  the 
selection  and  discipline  of  police  officers  ;  as  when  we  see  them,  without 
'any  provocation  whatever,  belaboring  people  with  their  clubs,  or  even,  as 
is  often  the  case,  making  use  of  their  revolvers  ;  or  again — as  happened  jn 
October  1872  in  the  Bowery — policemen  were  cudgelling  people  in  the 
open  streets  ;  when  again  we  hear  of  a  couple  of  policemen  shooting  a 
stranger  in  order  that  they  may  themselves  plunder  him ;  and  as  when  a 
policeman,  one  Aiken, — this  was  brought  to  light  in  August  1872, — could 
in  his  own  district  commit  seventeen  burglaries  in  the  course  of  half  a 
year  ;  for  which,  by  the  way,  he  received  a  sentence  of  twenty  years  in 
the  state  prison.  All  this,  we  say,  shows  most  incontrovertibly  that  there 
is  gross  laxity  somewhere. 

As  long  as  police  officers  are  chosen  from  among  the  worst  specimens 
of  ward  politicians,  so  long  this  state  of  things  must  and  will  continue  ; 
and  although  the  great  number  of  crimes  of  every  kind  is  even  now  a 
source  of  uneasiness,  we  must  be  prepared  for  matters  growing  still  worse 
in  the  future. 


THE  NEW  YORK  DETECTIVES. 

As  the  task  of  the  main  body  of  police  consists  in  guarding  the  public 
safety  and  averting  crime,  so  it  is  the  special  province  of  the  detective  force 
to  bring  criminals  to  justice.  In  early  times,  notably  in  France  under  the 
reign  of  Louis  XIV.,  detectives  had  the  ignominious  duty  of  watching  only 
people  who  were  politically  obnoxious,  submitting  them  to  examination, 
and,  for  an  unguarded  or  unconsidered  word,  often  committing  them  to 


THE    HEW    Y<>;:k    DETECTIVES.  .>*.> 

prison,  or  to  a  fate  even  worse.  And  to  the  present  day,  in  the  monarchies 
of  continental  Europe,  the  detectives  are  in  a  measure  available  for  political 
purposes.  But  here  the  duties  of  the  detective  force  are  clear  and  open, 
and  directed  only  to  the  investigation  of  crime  and  the  detection  of 
criminal  Si 

The  origin  of  the  New  York  detectives  is  recent,  and  dates  from  the 
time  when  Mr.  Matsell  was  chief  of  the  police.  The  force  was  first  com- 
pletely organized  in  the  year  1857,  and  it  forms  now  a  separate  division 
of  the  city  police,  numbering  twenty-five  men,  under  the  command  of  a 
captain. 

The  office  of  the  detective  force  is  in  police-headquarters  in  Mulberry 
Street.  All  officers  of  this  body  must  be  men  of  experience,  intelligence, 
and  energy.  Without  these  qualities  a  detective  is  useless  ;  and  other 
qualifications,  e\en  in  a  high  degree,  are  necessary  to  a  thoroughly  good 
and  well  qualified  officer.  He  must  be  resolute,  courageous,  and  self- 
reliant  under  all  circumstances.  He  must  understand  human  nature,  and 
be  skilled  in  the  management  of  any  kind  of  business.  He  must  be  physic- 
ally strong,  capable  of  endurance,  adroit,  and  never  neglectful  of  any 
means  whereby  to  attain  his  object.  He  must  be  taciturn,  capable  of 
assuming  any  disguise,  and  in  conformity  with  it  to  play  any  role  that  mav 
be  necessary.  He  must  be  ready  to  encounter  any  personal  danger  ;  and 
lastly  he  should  be  an  honest  man  ;  for  his  calling  brings  him  into  contact 
with  temptations,  which  honest  men  alone  can  withstand. 

The  duty  of  a  detective,  from  whatever  point  of  view  we  regard  it, 
whether  physical  or  moral,  is  in  truth  a  difficult  one  ;  for  although  it  is 
essential  that  he  be  an  honest  man,  yet,  in  order  to  serve  the  ends  of  justice 
and  to  protect  the  public,  thereby  fulfilling  his  duty,  he  often  has  to  resort 
to  means  which  his  moral  sense  cannot  approve.  How  often  must  he  not 
dissemble,  and  be  untruthful,  and  steal  into  the  confidence  of  men — crimi- 
nals though  they  be — to  betray  them  afterwards,  and  to  hand  them  over  to 
punishment.  The  only  thing  which  in  such  circumstances  can  appease  his 
conscience  is  the  knowledge  that  he  is  doing  his  duty  ;  and  that  the  highly 
developed  business  relations  of  the  time  render  it  necessary  that  criminals 
and  crime  should  be  hunted  out ;  which,  however,  would  not  be  possible 
without  the  successful  application  of  those  means  which  he  uses;  since 
most  crimes,  and  especially  those  of  a  complicated  character,  are  not  readily 
unraveled  through  the  skill  and  dexterity  of  the  ordinary  police.  An 
unpleasant  feeling,  however,  under  which  the  detective  must  labor,  since 
he  has  incessantly  to  deal  with  crime,  is  the  gloomy  light  in  which  every- 
thing that  surrouuds  him  must  appear  ;  for  he  can  never  entirely  free  him- 
self from  the  contemplation  of  the  weaknesses,  the  follies,  the  vices,  and 
the  crimes  of  mankind.      Indeed  his  is  no  enviable  existeuce. 

But  unpleasant  as  the  calling  of  a  detective  may  be,  it  is  none  the  less 
useful,  since  he  not  only  looks  after  criminals,  but  without  being  recognized 


40  TI1E    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

he  keeps  a  watchful  eye  over  the  property  of  thousands  of  people  who  have 
no  idea  that  he  is  in  the  neighborhood.  This  use  of  the  detective  police  is 
especially  unappreciated  in  the  country,  and  inhabitants  of  small  places,  or 
of  the  country,  who  come  to  New  York,  have  no  conception  how  much  of 
their  protection  depends  upon  the  silent  and  unseen  management  of  these 
unknown  guardians.  Very  few  of  those  who  visit  the  great  up-town  stores, 
such  as  Stewart's  for  instance,  have  any  idea  how  systematically  the  super- 
vision of  everything  is  managed  by  a  detective  ;  that,  too,  not  in  the  interest 
of  the  proprietor  only,  but  also  in  that  of  the  customers,  whose  purses  are 
a  great  attraction  to  pickpockets. 

The  detective  police  are  to  be  found  in  all  public  places,  for  the  protec- 
tion of  the  thousands  who  visit  them.  Let  us  take  the  theatres  for  an 
example.  At  one  or  other  of  the  entrances  of  these  places  are  often  to  be 
found  crowds  of  people  who  carry  gold  watches,  held  by  only  the  most 
slender  chains  ;  or  perhaps  a  full  purse  ;  or,  maybe,  something  valuable  in 
the  outside  pocket  of  a  coat.  If  a  detective  were  not  at  hand,  many  of 
these  people  would  have  to  grieve  over  some  great  loss,  as  soon  as  they 
should  return  home.  At  the  entrance,  however,  stands  a  well-dressed 
man,  who  observes  every  person  who  goes  in.  Now  and  then  he  nods  to 
one  of  them,  and  speaks  to  him.  But  that  man  is  a  pickpocket,  and  the 
detective  refuses  to  let  him  pass.  That  pickpocket  has  perhaps  been  away 
from  New  York  for  a  couple  of  years,  and  thinks  that  the  detective  will 
not  remember  him.  But  detectives  have  very  good  memories,  which  are 
constantly  being  refreshed  in  the  "  Rogues'  Gallery"  that  is  to  be  found  at 
headquarters,  and  where  are  the  portraits  of  all  the  thieves  who  have  at 
any  time  fallen  into  the  hands  of  the  police.  In  this  way,  and  unremarked 
by  the  public,  the  detective  stops  every  pickpocket  who  desires  to  enter, 
and  starts  him  off.  No  thief  whom,  or  whose  portrait,  he  has  once  seen 
can  pass  him,  even  though  the  man  may  have  much  changed  in  appearance. 

But  perhaps  the  detective  knows  that  recently  one  or  two  pickpockets 
have  arrived  from  England — a  country  which  often  sends  us  this  kind  of 
immigration — and  that  they  are  in  the  house.  He  does  not  know  them  ; 
but  they  are  known  almost  as  soon  as  they  arrive,  to  the  thieves  here  ;  for 
when  they  land  they  seek  out  the  places  that  they  know  to  be  frequented 
by  their  own  class.  Under  these  circumstances  he  allows  one  or  two  pick- 
pockets whom  he  knows,  to  go  in  to  the  theatre,  and  to  watch  the  foreign- 
ers ;  while  he  holds  the  former  responsible  for  any  robberies  that  may  take 
place  on  that  evening.  The  New  York  thieves  who  are  thus  entrusted 
with  the  supervision  of  the  new  arrivals,  give  a  promise  to  steal  nothing 
that  night,  and  they  keep  their  word  ;  first  because  anything  that  should 
happen  would  fall  upon  their  shoulders,  and  secondly  because  they  regard 
New  York  as  their  own  rightful  domain,  and  they  will  not  suffer  a  for- 
eigner to  meddle  in  their  business.  In  this  way  the  detective  often  uses 
one  thief  to  catch  another* 


TI1K    NEW    TORS    DETECTIVES.  41 

Without  detectives  the  protection  of  property  io  the  larger  cities  would 
be  impossible  ;  and,  in  the  absence  of  the  efficiency  of  these  men,  Vigilance 
Committees  would  soon  become  a  necessity  throughout  the  land. 

So  much  then  for  the  usefulness  of  the  force  in  regard  to  the  supervision 
of  the  criminal  classes  ;  it  is  equally  important  in  their  detection  and  prose- 
cution. It  is  true  this  does  not  always  hold  good — for  two  years  have  not 
sufficed  to  discover  the  Nathan  murderer — but  it  does  in  most  cases  ;  and 
then  only  through  the  experience  of  the  men  and  the  knowledge  they  have 
acquired  of  the  criminal  classes.  It  is  quite  immaterial  that  a  Chicago 
burglar,  a  Boston  safe  burster,  or  a  Philadelphia  bank  robber,  work  in  dif- 
ferent ways  from  those  practised  by  the  New  York  criminals,  for  these,  too, 
have  their  own  manner  of  operating  in  the  execution  of  their  business  ;  the 
experienced  detective  knows  without  any  difficulty  from  the  manner  in 
which  a  robbery  has  been  committed,  to  which  band  they  belong  who  have 
been  concerned  in  it.  It  must  be  mentioned  here,  however,  that  bands  of 
thieves  are  made  up  of  different  "  gangs."  These  we  shall  speak  of  in 
another  chapter  under  the  head  of  "  thieves."  Marks  and  signs  which 
would  be  overlooked  by  the  ordinary  observer,  but  which  are  very  evident 
to  the  detective,  make  it  quite  clear  to  him  whether  a  robbery  has  been 
perpetrated  by  an  unskilled  hand,  or  by  an  expert  in  the  business. 

Here  are  two  illustrations. 

In  one  of  our  banks  small  sums  of  money  were  from  time  to  time  dis- 
appearing, without  apparently  the  possibility  of  finding  out  how  they  went. 
A  detective  was  engaged,  aud  after  he  had  fully  weighed  all  the  circum- 
stances, he  came  to  the  conclusion  that  one  of  the  officers  of  the  bank  must 
be  the  thief.  In  consequenee  of  this  every  one  engaged  in  the  place  was 
carefully  watched,  for  a  considerable  time,  but  in  vain.  Money  continued 
to  disappear  ;  until  at  last  the  matter  was  given  entirely  into  the  hands  of 
the  detectives.  Unknown  to  the  clerks  the  officer  visited  the  bank  at 
different  times,  in  different  disguises,  and  under  different  pretexts,  and 
every  day  his  observations  strengthened  the  opinion  that  one  of  the  clerks 
must  be^he  thief,  till  at  last  his  suspicions  rested  specially  upon  one  of 
their  number.  He  followed  this  man  in  all  his  movements  for  fourteen 
days  ;  at  the  end  of  which  time  an  exact  account  of  the  habits  and  doings 
of  the  suspected  clerk  was  given  to  the  president  of  the  bank.  The  detec- 
tive had  never  left  the  young  man  one  hour  out  of  his  sight.  The  latter 
lived  in  New  Jersey  ;  but  the  officer  went  with  him  every  day  backward 
and  forward  on  the  railroad.  Whenever  he  went  for  a  walk  or  to  pay  a 
visit,  the  detective  was  after  him,  though  unsuspected  and  unrecognized. 
Every  house  which  the  clerk  had  visited  during  those  fourteen  days  was 
noted  down  in  the  report,  with  the  name  of  the  street,  the  number,  and  the 
character  of  its  occupants  ;  also,  whether  he  was  there  a  long  or  short 
time  ;  what  he  had  eaten  and  drank  ;  aud  the  persons  whom  he  had  spoken 
to.     Every  place  of  amusement  which  he   had  visited  was  noted,  and  also 


42  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK   LIFE. 

what  he'  had  spent  there.  Amongst  other  things  the  report  stated  that  he 
had  visited  gambling  places  and  other  houses  of  a  like  kind,  and  further 
that  after  going  to  bed  he  would  get  up  at  two  o'clock  in  the  morning, 
leave  the  house,  and  go  off  with  persons  of  whom  a  close  description  was 
given.  How  it  is  possible  that  anybody  can  for  fourteen  days  be  observed 
as  closely  as  here  appears,  without  once  having  his  suspicions  aroused,  is 
a  mystery  which  belongs  only  to  the  detectives.  However,  the  officer  in 
this  case  had  done  enough.  The  clerk  was  called  into  the  office  of  the 
president  and  openly  charged  with  the  theft.  The  report  was  laid  before 
him,  and  at  length,  overcome  by  the  evidence,  he  admitted  without  further 
ceremony  the  truth  of  the  accusation. 

Here  is  the  next  case.  A  couple  of  years  or  more  ago  a  man  came  to 
a  station  house  and  complained  that  his  house  had  been  robbed.  He  had 
followed  the  thief,  but  could  not  catch  him.  During  the  chase  the  latter 
had  thrown  away  a  chisel  and  some  scraps  of  paper.  The  captain  of  the- 
precinct,  and  a  detective  who  happened  to  be  present,  questioned  the  com- 
plainant closely  concerning  the  nature  of  the  robbery,  what  marks  had 
been  left  behind  by  the  tools  that  had  been  used,  what  things  had  been 
stolen,  and  so  on  ;  and  both  officers  were  at  once  agreed  as  to  what  band 
the  thief  belonged.  That  settled,  the  next  thing  was  to  find  out  the  par- 
ticular member  of  the  band.  The  chisel  gave  no  information  ;  but  the 
pieces  of  paper  which  the  thief  had  thrown  away  were  pasted  together,  and 
although  they  were  not  complete,  they  nevertheless  were  a  clue  to  one  of 
the  thieves  who  belonged  to  the  band  which  the  officers  had  indicated. 
The  next  object  was  to  arrest  this  man.  The  detective  at  once  named 
three  houses,  in  one  of  which  he  would  be  found.  To  each  of  these  a 
police  officer  was  sent,  and  within  two  hours  the  thief  was  under  lock  and 
key,  and  had  confessed  to  the  charge. 

We  must  add  one  more  case  which  has  been  related  by  the  well-known 
detective  Mr.  Waters.     But  let  him  speak  for  himself.     He  says  : — 

u  One  evening  in  the  year  1860  I  visited  the  Winter  Garden  Theatre, 
and  after  I  had  been  following  the  performance  for  some  time,  I  cast  my 
eyes  over  the  audience.  A  noise  in  the  gallery  attracted  my  attention, 
and  I  saw  three  young  people  get  up  and  leave  their  places,  an  incident 
which  I  should  not  have  noticed  further,  had  it  not  happened  that  through 
the  space  left  by  their  departure  my  eyes  rested  upon  an  elegantly  dressed 
man  on  the  back  row  of  seats,  who,  after  looking  fixedly  at  one  of  the 
"boxes,  whispered  something  to  the  person  sitting  next  him.  The  one  I  did 
not  know,  but  the  other  was  a  man  who  often  did  "  business"  in  Wall 
Street  as  a  real-estate  broker  and  money  lender.  He  had  an  office  in  Pine 
Street,  and  was  one  of  the  most  active  and  dangerous  pickpockets  in  New 
York.  I  immediately  concluded  that  some  rascality  was  on  the  way.  As 
from  the  place  where  I  was  I  could  not  see  into  the  box  where  the  man 
had  looked  so  intently,  I  left  it,  and  went  to  another  whence  I  got  a  full 


THE    NEW    YORK    DETECT! VKS.  4$ 

view  of  the  box  and  could  notice  the  occupants  without  being  observed. 
These  consisted  of  two  gentlemen  and  two  ladies,  who  had  the  appearance 
of  people  from  the  Southern  States.  They  were  elegantly  dressed  and  as 
I  noticed  that  they  wore  valuable  rings  and  other  jewelry,  it  became  clear 
at  once  why  the  people  in  the  gallery  had  directed  their  attention  to  the 
box  ;  neither  did  I  for  one  moment  doubt  that  they  would  soon  come  down, 
and  scrape  an  acquaintance,  and  rob  them  either  of  money  or  valuables. 

Henry  Dubois  was  one  of  the  names  under  which  the  elegant  rascal  up- 
stairs carried  on  his  business  ;  the  name  of  his  companion  I  did  not  know. 
At  the  end  of  the  act  I  noticed  that  the  two  gentlemen  in  the  box  left  it, 
and  immediately  afterwards  Dubois  and  his  friend  went  out.  Guessing 
that  both  parties  had  gone  into  the  refreshment  room,  I  did  the  same, 
having  first  put  on  some  false  mustachios  and  a  pair  of  spectacles,  so  that 
Dubois  might  not  know  me.  Hardlv  had  I  entered  the  refreshment  room 
and  found  the  gentlemen  from  the  box,  before  Dubois  and  his  companion 
came  in.  I  had  thought  that  Dubois  would  make  his  recognition  cau- 
tiously with  the  view  probably  of  commencing  operations  later,  and  I  was 
not  a  little  surprised  to  see  that  as  soon  as  he  had  glanced  round  the  place 
sufficiently  to  find  the  person  he  was  in  search  of,  he  touched  his  compan- 
ion on  the  elbow,  and  going  up  to  the  two  gentlemen,  who  were  in  the  act 
of  drinking  a  glass  of  wine,  he  exclaimed  to  one  of  them  :  "  How  are  your 
Mr.  Le  Franc.  I  am  delighted  to  see  you  in  New  York.  When  did  you 
leave  New  Orleans?' 

The  gentleman  addressed  looked  at  the  elegantly  dressed  Dubois,  who 
stood  before  him,  and  after  a  momentary  surprise,  evidently  deceived  by 
the  manners  of  the  stranger,  he  replied  :  "  I  think  you  have  made  a  mis- 
take, sir.  My  name  is  not  Le  Franc,  and  I  do  not  remember  to  have  had 
the  pleasure  of  your  acquaintance." 

"  Indeed,"  replied  Dubois,  "  I  took  you  for  Mr.  Le  Franc  of  New 
Orleans,  whom  you  resemble  in  an  extraordinary  degree,  and  together  with 
whom  and  another  gentleman,  I  made  a  trip  to  Donaldsonville  about  three 
years  ago  on  the  invitation  of  Mr.  Robert  McDonald." 

u  Robert  McDonald  ?  likely  that  is  my  cousin,"  and  thereupon  the  gen- 
tleman extended  his  hand,  "  My  name  is  William  Hale.  I  live  in  Savan- 
nah, and  this  gentleman"  (presenting  his  companion)  "  is  my  cousin,  Mr. 
Clemens,  from  Mobile.     May  I  request  to  know  your  name  !" 

Very  obligingly  Dubois  took  a  card  case  from  his  vest  pocket  and  pre- 
sented Mr.  Hale  with  a  card  on  which  were  the  words  : 

HENRY  CLARKSON  DUBOIS, 

Attorney  at  Law. 

Specialty. — Dealing  in  Real-Estate,  effecting  Loans,  and  securing  advan- 
ces on  Cotton. 

Office  :  34  Pine  Street,  New  York  City. 


44  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

He  apologized  at  the  same  time  for  it  being  a  "  business"  card,  as  he  had 
no  visiting  cards  about  him." 

"  Now  Mr.  Dubois,  it  gives  me  much  pleasure  to  meet  in  you  a  friend  of 
McDonald's.  When  did  you  see  him  last  ?  Is  he  not  a  fine  man  ?  Par- 
don !     Will  not  you  and  your  companion  join  us  in  a  glass  of  wine  ?" 

Dubois,  evidently  pleaied  at  having  made  such  progress,  of  course  did 
not  refuse,  and  when  he  had  taken  the  glass,  replied :  "  You  asked  me 
when  I  last  saw  Robert?  It  was  about  three  months  ago,  when  he  was 
on  his  way  to  Hamilton,  in  Canada.  He  wa3  staying  for  a  week  at  the 
Metropolitan  Hotel,  where  I  live." 

"  True,"  answered  Mr.  Hale,  "  Robert  wrote  us  once  from  Canada,  and 
I  am  sorry  that  I  did  not  accompany  him  on  his  visit  at  that  time.  I  hope 
he  was  well." 

I  saw  that  Dubois  had,  so  to  speak,  taken  both  gentlemen  by  storm,  and 
I  was  eager  to  learn  what  further  was  going  to  happen.  Mr.  Hale  offered 
cigars,  but  these  Dubois  declined,  asking  permission,  however,  to  light  a 
cigarette,  a  case  of  which  he  took  out,  remarking  as  he  did  it :  "I 
acquired  the  habit  of  using  cigarettes  in  Cuba,  when  I  was  there  attached 
to  the  United  States  legation." 

The  elegant  cigarette  holder  seemed  to  please  the  gentleman  from  Savan- 
nah very  much,  and  it  was  quite  evident  that  the  gentlemanly  demeanor 
of  Dubois  had  quite  deceived  the  Southerner,  while  his  companion,  although 
not  so  elegant  as  Dubois,  had,  nevertheless,  made  a  favorable  impression. 

The  next  act  of  the  play  had  begun,  before  the  gentlemen  had  smoked 
their  cigars  and  finished  their  conversation,  when  Mr.  Hale  said  to  his 
friend  Clemens:  "Would  not  Mary  be  pleased  to  make  the  acquaintance 
of  so  intimate  a  friend  of  cousin  Robert's  ?"  And  to  Dubois  he  continued  : 
"  I  said  that  McDonald  was  my  cousin  ;  but  it  is  by  marriage,  for  he  is 
one  of  the  dearest  relations  of  my  wife.  Will  not  you  and  your  friend  do 
us  the  honor  to  accompany  us  to  our  box,  that  we  may  present  you  to  the 
ladies." 

"  With  the  greatest  pleasure,"  replied  Dubois  ;  whereupon  the  party 
returned  to  the  box,  and  I  hastened  back  to  my  place  to  watch  the  progress 
of  affairs  ;  having  first  removed  my  moustachios  and  spectacles.  Mr.  Hall 
immediately  introduced  Dubois  to  his  wife  as  the  intimate  friend  of  her 
cousin  Robert ;  and  I  could  not  but  remark  that  Dubois  succeeded  in 
deceiving  the  ladies  quite  as  easily  as  he  had  won  the  good  graces  of  their 
husbands.  The  affair  must  have  accupied  the  time  of  nearly  two  acts,  so 
absorbed  were  all  in  the  conversation.  But  Dubois'  whole  demeanor — 
wavering  as  it  was  between  a  studied  politeness  of  manner  and  the  evident 
desire  to  be  doing  something — told  me,  that  his  plan  was  made  up  and 
would  be  worked  out  in  due  time.  I  remarked  that  much  had  been  said 
about  rings,  and  that  Dubois  took  a  ring  from  his  finger  and  holding  it  in 
his  hand,  seemed  to  be  telling  some  occurrence  in  connection  with  it ;  and 


THE    NEW    TORX     DETECTIVES.  45 

towards  the  end  of  the  act  I  observed  that  Mr.  Clemens  had  also  taken  off 
a  ring,  containing  a  valuable  brilliant,  which,  as  I  learned  later,  he  had 
bought  the  day  before  for  $1500,  and  which  he  intended  as  a  present  for 
his  brother,  who  was  studying  at  Harvard,  whither  he  and  his  wife  were 
going  next.  There  was  nothing  but  enjoyment  in  the  box  ;  the  gentlemen 
laughed,  while  the  ladies  rallied  them  with  their  fans,  and  seemed  to  refuse 
to  let  them  out.  But,  as  I  afterwards  learned,  Dubois,  before  he  went, 
assured  the  ladies  most  obligingly  that  he  would  return  very  soon. 

He  left  the  box  behind  the  other  gentlemen,  and  as  he  went  out,  he  gave 
a  polite  salutation  with  his  hand  to  the  ladies.  That  revealed  all  to  me, 
for  on  his  linger  I  now  saw,  without  any  possible  mistake,  the  identical 
brilliant  ring  belonging  to  Mr.  Clemens. 

I  hurried  to  the  refreshment  room,  and  instantly  saw  on  the  face  of 
Dubois  evidence  of  the  victory  he  had  won  ;  but  I  watched  him  now  the 
more  diligently.  He  was  very  jovial,  would  not  permit  Mr.  Hale  or  Mr. 
Clemens  either  to  order  refreshments,  or  to  pay  for  them  ;  and  was,  in  a 
word,  amiability  itself. 

The  third  act  was  about  to  begin,  and  the  gentlemen,  who  had  got  some- 
what warm  from  the  numerous  glasses  of  wine  that  they  had  drank,  went 
back  to  their  box  ;  and  I  to  my  post.  But  on  my  way  there  I  was  detained 
somewhat  by  a  lady  who  had  fainted  in  the  throng,  and  when  I  reached 
it,  and  looked  again  into  the  box,  I  at  once  remarked,  that  Dubois  was  not 
there,  that  Mr.  Clemens  was  speaking  very  earnestly  about  something,  and 
that  the  whole  company  was  very  much  put  out ;  whilst  Dubois'  compan- 
ion was  looking  very  much  surprised,  and  seemed  to  be  protesting  and  gestic- 
ulating against  something  that  had  been  put  forward.  I  saw  now  that  no 
time  was  to  be  lost.  I  left  my  place  again  and  once  more  betook  myself 
to  the  refreshment  room,  where  Mr.  Hale  and  Mr.  Clemens  had  alreadv 
gone.  They  were  enquiring  of  the  barkeeper  whether  Mr.  Dubois  had 
been  back  again,  whether  he  had  seen  him  since  they  last  went  back  with 
him  to  the  box,  and  many  other  questions.  But  the  barkeeper  had  not 
seen  him  ag  tin  ;  and  Mr.  Hall  remarked  to  his  friend,  "  Now  you  are  nicely 
swindled.  This  fellow  is  an  arrant  rascal.  He  borrowed  the  ring,  and 
you  will  never  see  it  again." 

"  Let  us  look  for  a  policeman,"  said  Mr.  Clemens. 

"  Nonsense,"  replied  Hale,  "  no  policeman  can  bring  it  back.  The  man 
is  not  easy  to  be  caught,  besides  who  knows  that  he  may  not  have  taken 
the  next  train  to  Philadelphia,  or  somewhere  else.  I  don't  think  he  lives 
in  New  York.  But  here  is  his  card,  though  perhaps  this  too  is  a  swindle. 
Let  us  look  in  the  directory." 

The  barkeeper  produced  the  directory,  but  no  "  Henry  Clarkson  Dubois'" 
was  to  be  found  in  it.  The  gentlemen  looked  at  each  other,  bewildered 
and  perplexed,  and  Hale  suggested  that  they  should  return  to  the  ladies. 

"  Perhaps  they  know  what  is  best  to  be  done.     You  know  what  your 


46  THE    DARK    SIDE  #  OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

wife  said.  If  we  had  followed  her  advice  and  gone  after  the  scoundrel  at 
once,  we  should  perhaps  have  caught  him  by  this  time." 

I  did  not  think  well  to  put  myself  forward,  for  I  feared  that  they  might 
perhaps  take  me  for  an  accomplice  of  the  thief.  But  I  soon  made  up  my 
mind  what  to  do.  It  was  quite  clear  to  me  that  I  must  get  hold  of  Dubois 
that  night.  Three  months  ago  I  had  known  where  he  lived,  but  I  had 
since  heard  that  he  was  now  wandering  about.  The  question  was,  where 
to  find  him?  I  recollected  a  boarding-house  in  West  Thirteenth  Street, 
where  Dubois  once  had  lived,  and  the  landlady  of  which  did  not  know  his 
true  character,  but  took  him  to  be  a  respectable  young  man.  There  I 
went  immediately.  I  found  the  lady  at  home,  and  to  my  enquiries, 
whether  she  could  tell  me  where  I  could  find  Dubois  on  the  following 
morning  (for  I  did  not  let  her  know  that  I  wanted  him  that  night),  she 
replied  that  I  should  in  all  probability  find  him  at  his  office,  No.  34  Pine 
Street ;  that  he  had  two  days  before  bespoken  board  at  her  house,  but  that, 
as  all  her  rooms  were  engaged  for  a  week,  he  had  declared  that  he  would 
go  and  sleep  at  his  office  on  the  sofa ;  and  that  she  had  sent  him  bedding 
for  that  purpose. 

Now  my  plan  was  complete.  I  let  the  coachman  drive  to  my  lodgings, 
where  I  duly  armed  myself.  I  then  drove  to  the  Post  Office,  where  I  got 
out  and  went  at  once  to  34  Pine  Street.  Near  there  was  at  that  time  the 
office  of  an  old  friend  of  mine,  and  I  was  not  a  little  pleased  to  see  a  light 
in  it,  and  to  learn  that  one  of  his  clerks,  together  with  another  man,  were 
still  at  business  there. 

I  knocked,  and  the  clerk,  who  knew  me,  opened  the  door.  "  Don't  ask 
me  anything,"  I  said  to  him  hurriedly,  "  but  tell  me  whether  you  will 
remain  here  another  quarter  of  an  hour  ?" 

"  Yes,  perhaps  an  hour." 

"  Good,  I  shall  perhaps  return." 

"  Just  so — are  you  on  the  track  of  a  bird,"  asked  the  clerk.  Then  he 
remarked  jokingly,  that  I  must  not  bring  him  there  at  that  time  of  night. 

I  shut  the  door,  and  ran  up  a  couple  of  flights  of  stairs  in  No.  34  to 
Dubois'  office,  at  which  I  knocked. 

Nothing  was  to  be  heard  in  the  room — all  was  still.  Had  the  bird 
flown  ? 

I  did  not  think  so,  I  thought  certainly  to  find  him  there.  I  knocked 
again. 

"  Who  is  there?"  asked  some  one  in  a  half  sleepy  voice. 

"Oh!"  answered  I,  "are  you  asleep,  Mr.  Dubois?  Never  mind.  I 
have  something  urgent  on  hand.  I  knew  that  you  were  here,  for  I  saw 
you  come  into  the  house.  In  the  office  near  is  a  man  who  has  fainted  and 
I  am  alone  with  him,  but  I  want  you  to  stay  with  him,  whilst  I  run  for  a 
doctor.  Just  throw  a  coat  over  your  shoulders  and  come  out  quickly." 
Upon  which  I  ran  down  stairs,  but  came  up  again  directly,  and  knocking 


THE    NEW    rORK    DETECTIVES.  47 

again,  I  called  to  him  still  more  urgently  ■  **  Make  haste,  and  run  down 
directly,  while  I  go  for  a  doctor.  The  door  is  open  ;  but,  let  me  see,  the 
sick  man  may  recover  his  senses  and  may  need  some  stimulant.  Here  is 
the  key  of  the  cupboard  ;  there  is  a  bottle  of  brandy  in  it.  Here,  take  it." 
Dubois,  who  little  thought  to  be  taken  unaware,  opened  the  door  a 
little  to  take  the  key  from  me,  when  I,  pushing  open  the  door,  went  into 
the  room.  On  his  finger  was  Mr.  Clemens  ring.  He  had  only  a  shirt  and 
trowsers  on,  but  he  was  a  powerful  man  and  a  good  pugilist.  I  saw  at 
once  how  matters  stood,  so  quickly  drawing  my  revolver,  and  holding  it  at 
his  head,  I  said  quietly :  "  Dubois,  do  not  trouble  yourself.  Just  hand 
over  to  me,  without  more  ado.  Mr.  Clemens'  ring,  or  I  shall  call  up  my 
officer,  who  is  below  at  the  door." 

Dubois  was  astonished,  and  declared  that  he  had  no  ring,  except  his 
own. 

M  We  will  see  all  about  that,"  I  replied.  "  Mr.  Hale  will  be  here  in  a 
moment.  As  soon  as  he  comes,  it's  all  over  with  you.  He  knows  the 
ring  and  can  identify  you,  and  so  can  I.     So  out  with  it.'' 

Dubois  saw  that  he  could  not  deceive  or  escape  me,  and  so  he  gave  me 
the  ring,  beseeching  me  not  to  expose  him  ;  and  as  I  did  not  know  whether 
Mr.  Clemens  would  be  willing  to  prosecute,  although  I  doubted  very  much 
whether  he  would  allow  his  journey  to  be  interfered  writh,  I  wrent  out, 
reminding  him,  however,  that  the  events  of  the  evening  were  well  known, 
and  that  he  was  carefully  watched  ;  adding  briefly,  as  I  shut  the  door,  that 
■the  man  who  had  fainted  in  the  next  house,  had  in  the  meanwhile  quite 
recovered,  and  that  in  consequence  he  need  not  trouble  himself  further. 

I  drove  home,  locked  the  ring  up  carefully  and  went  to  bed,  turning  over 
in  my  mind  how  to  find  Mr.  Clemens.  The  next  morning  I  went  out  earlv 
to  look  for  him.  After  many  enquiries  at  the  larger  hotels,  and  much 
running  about  in  all  directions,  I  ascertained  that  both  gentlemen  lived 
with  their  wives  in  a  private  house  in  Madison  Square.  I  went  there,  but 
found  both  families  ou^  and  learned  that  they  would  not  be  home  till  even- 
ing. I  therefore  enquired  for  paper  and  ink,  and  left  the  following  letter 
addressed  to  Mr.  Hale  : 

Dear  sir  : 

I  have  not  the  pleasure  to  know  you  person 
ally,  but  the  fact  that  I  am  a  true  friend  of  your  cousin,  Mr.  Robert 
McDonald,  will,  I  hope,  suffice  to  secure  to  me  an  interview.  I  called  to 
see  you  upon  a  business  of  importance,  but  as  I  do  not  find  you  at  home,  I 
beg  you  to  expect  me  at  half-past  nine  this  evening.  I  should  also  be  glad 
to  have  Mr.  Clemens  present  :  and  when  you  shall  have  learned  the  object 
of  my  visit,  you  will  not  think  me  impertinent,  when  I  express  the  hope 
that  the  ladies  may  also  be  present. 

Respectfully,  &c,  &c. 


48 


THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 


Punctually  at  half-past  nine  I  was  again  in  Madison  Square.  1  enquired 
for  Mr.  Hale.  He  came  to  speak  to  me  in  the  entrance  hall,  met  me  with 
a  very  dubious  expression,  and,  although  polite,  was  very  cool.  "  I  left  a 
note  here  for  you  to-day,"  I  said. 

"  Yes  !  I  received  a  somewhat  singular  letter  and  did  not  know  what  to 
make  of  it.  Pray,  explain  yourself.  We  are  strangers,  aud  you  will 
excuse  it,  if  we  are  cautious  in  our  intercourse  with  a  stranger."  He  had 
evidently  taken  to  heart  the  lesson  of  the  previous  evening. 

"  But,"  I  asked,  "  are  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Clemens  also  ready  to  receive  one  ; 
as  I  requested  in  my  letter  ?" 

"  Yes,  and  my  wife  also." 

"  Can  I  see  the  party  all  together?  for  my  time  is  rather  limited."    • 

"  Yes,"  answered  he  shortly,  "  follow  me." 

We  went  into  a  small  parlor  close'  by,  in  which  I  found  Mr.  Clemens 
and  the  two  ladies. 

With  the  words  "  This  is  the  gentleman  who  left  the  letter  to-day,  in 
which  he  said  that  he  knew  Robert  McDonald,"  Mr.  Hale  introduced  me, 
and  requested  me  to  take  a  seat ;  having  first  thrown  a  sly  glance  around 
at  the  mention  of  McDonald's  name. 

"  I  beg  pardon,"  I  remarked,  "  I  did  not  say  that  I  knew  Mr.  McDon- 
ald, but  that  I  was  a  real  friend  of  his  ;  if  you  have  my  note  convenient,. 
I  beg  that  you  will  refer  to  it." 

"  Oh  !  then  you  do  not  know  my  cousin  McDonald?"  asked  Mr.  Hale. 
"  I  am  glad  to  hear  you  say  that  you  do  not  know  him  ;  for  when  I  thought 
otherwise,  I  was  a  little  alarmed.  We  have  quite  recently  had  to  deplore 
an  acquaintance  that  we  made  with  one  of  his  friends." 

"  Now  ladies  and  gentlemen,"  I  replied,  "  I  will  be  brief.  You  have 
indeed  good  reason  to  be  vexed  at  having  made  the  acquaintance  of  one 
who  called  himself  a  friend  of  Mr.  McDonald.  Perhaps  he  did  know  him, 
personally  too.  I,  however,  do  not  know  him,  but  I  am  so  far  a  friend  of 
his,  that  my  object  is  to  serve  his  friends,  as  he  would  have  me  to  do,  if  he 
knew  the  very  great  loss  that  you  suffered  yesterday." 

Each  looked  at  the  other  and  for  a  few  moments  there  was  a  complete 
silence,  till  Mr.  Clemens  said  in  a  trembling  voice : 

"  What,  do  you  know  all  about  it?     Have  you  found  the  ring?" 

"Nonsense,"  interrupted  Mr.  Hale,  "how  can  you  think  that  anyone 
has  found  what  was  not  lost,  but  stolen?" 

"  Nevertheless,"  said  I,  "  I  have  something  here  for  you" — at  the  same 
time  taking  the  ring  out  of  my  pocket  and  holding  it  up  to  the  light. 

"That's  it!"  "Where  did  you  get  it  from?"  "  Was  it  lost,  and  did 
you  find  it?".  "  Oh  !  how  glad  I  am  that  we  have  got  it  again  ;"  they  all 
cried  out  together. 

"  Listen  to  me  quietly  and  I  will  explain  it  all  to  you."     I  now  told  my 


THE    M-'.V    YORK    DEI  E<  n\  ES. 

name  and  occupation,  and  related  to  them  how  I  had  Been  the  whole  trans' 

action,  and  also  what  I  had  done. 

Naturally  enough  they  all  thanked  me  much.     But  when  Mr.  Clemens 

parted  from  me,  he  said  :  "  Never  again  will  I  trust  anything  that  belongs 
to  me,  to  a  stranger,  I  don't  care  whose  friend  he  is.  1  shall  not  forget  the 
ksson  I  have  just  had." 

And  in  the  city  of  New  York  there  are  plenty  of  elegant  rascals  like 
Mr.  Dubois. 

These  illustrations  will  suffice  to  show  the  necessity  and  the  usefulness 
of  the  detective  force,  as  well  as  the  means  and  the  skill  with  which  their 
work  is  done.  But  while  alluding  to  their  usefulness,  wre  must  not  omit  to 
refer  to  those  cases,  not  very  unfrequent,  which  involve  on  the  part  of  the 
detective  police  a  great  danger  to  public  security.  We  mean  those  instan- 
ces where  the  detectives  themselves  prove  dishonest,  and  regardless  of  their 
duty  to  make  an  attack  upon  criminal  offenders,  they  treat  with  them  for 
their  own  advantage  ;  or  in  other  words,  obtain  sums  of  money,  whereby 
they  support  themselves  abundantly  upon  the  persons  who  are  robbed, 
these  in  turn  receiving  back  a  part  of  the  stolen  goods  on  a  negotiation 
made  with  both  thieves  and  detectives,  and  the  promise  not  to  prosecute. 

A  case  that  occurred  not  so  very  long  ago  will  at  once  set  forth  the 
audacity  of  the  thieves  and  the  dishonesty  of  some  of  the  detectives. 

A  bank  in  Maryland  was  broken  into  and  robbed  of  valuable  papers  to 
the  amount  of  $120,000.  After  some  time  it  was  ascertained  that  the 
papers  had  come  to  New  York  and  were  in  the  possession  of  two  notorious 
burglars.  At  first  it  appeared  that  the  thieves  would  be  proceeded  against 
in  earnest,  and  the  detectives  went  a  long  way  towards  recovering  the 
property  and  arresting  the  thieves.  No  criminal  was  used  as  a  decoy,  nor 
was  any  immunity  from  punishment  promised.  The  thieves  were  quietiv 
watched,  and  it  was  discovered  that  they  wanted  to  sell  the  stock  through 
one  of  the  regular  brokers.  This  gentleman  came  to  the  necessary  terms 
with  the  thieves  as  to  the  transfer,  and  they  arranged  to  go  to  his  office 
and  to  give  up  the  papers  on  receipt  of  the  value.  They  kept  their  appoint- 
ment, and  on  giving  up  the  stock  they  were  immediately  arrested  by  the 
detectives,  who  had  been  concealed  in  an  adjoining  room. 

Thus,  the  thieves  together  with  99,500  dollars  worth  of  the  stolen  prop- 
erty was  in  the  hands  of  the  officers,  and  it  seems  that  in  a  robbery  of  so 
much  importance  justice  ought  to  have  triumphed,  and  the  thieves  not  to 
have  been  permitted  to  escape  punishment.  But  it  resulted,  otherwise. 
The  next  thing  was  that  the  identity  of  the  prisoners  who  in  the  first 
instance  had  given  false  names  was  called  in  question  by  the  detectives, 
and  very  soon  afterwards  we  learned  that  the  whole  thing  had  been  settled 
to  the  satisfaction  of  everybody  concerned  ! 

But  the  Baltimore  detectives  had  first  had  charge  of  the  case,  and  now 
the   success  of  the  New  York  officers  had  snatched  from  their  grasp  the 

4 


50  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YOKK    LIFE. 

large  reward  that  had  been  offered.  However,  there  was  still  a  sura  of 
$20,000  wanting  to  the  property  that  had  been  stolen,  and  the  Baltimore 
men,  determined  to  have  something,  hung  on  to  those  $20,000.  Now  a 
farce  was  enacted  by  the  detectives,  of  this  kind.  It  was  arranged  that 
the  accused  should  be  taken  to  Maryland  of  their  own  consent,  and  without 
any  previous  requisition  from  the  governor  of  that  State,  and  that  they 
should  there  be  arraigned.  As  soon  then  as  the  New  York  detectives  had 
given  up  their  prisoners  to  the  Baltimore  detectives  and  received  their  cer- 
tification, the  latter  went  off  to  Baltimore  with  their  prisoners.  Their  jour- 
ney, however,  must  have  been  a  very  quick  one,  and  the  proceedings  in 
Baltimore,  too,  must  have  been  done  on  the  double-quick  ;  it  must  have 
ended,  too,  in  a  very  sudden  acquittal ;  for  scarcely  was  the  ink  dry  with 
which  the  certificate  of  transfer  to  the  Baltimore  detectives  had  been  writ- 
ten, before  the  thieves  were  peacably  promenading  Broadway  as  if  nothing 
had  happened.  How  was  that  possible?  The  $20,000  were  returned; 
and  thus  the  story  ended  to  the  satisfaction  of  everybody — except  the  pub- 
lic, who  saw  that  once  more  justice  was,  to  it,  not  worth  a  snap  of  the 
fingers.  The  thieves  were  pleased  because  they  had  escaped  punishment ; 
the  detectives  because  they  had  had  a  "good  job,"  for  they  received  the 
$16,000  reward  ;  and  the  bank  because  they  had  received  back  its  stolen 
property  with  a  small  comparative  loss. 

But  while  such  miserable  transactions  are  tolerated,  what  becomes  of 
justice  and  public  security  ? 

The  following  illustration  proves,  yet  further,  how  thieves  and  officers 
sometimes  conspire  together.  A  young  man  who  held  a  position  as  clerk 
in  a  banking  house  in  this  city  was  prosecuted  for  a  robbery  of  some  bonds 
which  had  been  stolen  from  his  principal,  aud  he  was  condemned  to  several 
years  imprisonment  in  Sing  Sing.  Although  he  was  not  a  professional 
thief,  but  had  only  lent  a  helping  hand  to  the  actual  thieves,  he  was,  never- 
theless, crafty  enough  to  cheat  them  out  of  a  considerable  part  of  their 
booty.  He  was  hunted  down,  and  after  some  time  arrested  and  prose- 
cuted ;  principally,  however,  because  he  would  not  enter  into  any  negotia- 
tions for  the  return  of  his  share  of  the  robbery  ;  which  consisted  of  $30,000, 
and  which  the  detectives  were  not  able  to  discover.  When  he  was  sen- 
tenced he  explained  that  $30,000  were  well  worth  five  years  in  jail,  so  he 
considered  his  conviction  a  profitable  piece  of  business.  But  he  was  bol- 
der and  more  cunning  even  than  people  took  him  to  be,  for  he  did  not 
happen  to  go  to  jail.  He  was  handed  over  to  a  deputy-sheriff  for  removal 
to  Sing  Sing,  but  after  an  absence  of  two  days  that  officer  returned,  with 
the  simple  statement  thart  his  prisoner  had  escaped.  That  was  too  much 
even  for  New  York  ;  the  affair  was  enquired  into,  and  it  appeared  without 
doubt  that  the  prisoner  had  been  assisted  to  escape  by  the  officer  himself. 
The  latter  was  thereupon  prosecuted,  and  received  a  sentence  of  four  years 
in  Sing  Sing.     Thus  that  story  ended,  and  both  of  them,  the  criminal  as 


THE    UNITED    STATES    DETECTI1  -31 

well    as    the    officer,  bad    done   a   "  good   stroke   of  business,"  each    in   hij 
own  way. 

That  such  cases  as  these,  where  in  the  most  unseemly  manner  justice  is 
trodden  under  foot,  Can  be  allowed  to  happen  in  New  York,  is  indeed 
hardly  credible  ;  but  it  is  none  the  less  a  fact.  And,  in  the  chapter  upon 
the  criminal  courts  of  this  city,  we  shall  have  to  consider  the  subject  yet 
more  in  detail,  and  to  introduce  other  illustrations  of  a  similar  kind.  But 
if  this  sort  of  thing  happens,  if  detectives,  whose  duty  it  is  to  pursue  crimi- 
nals and  to  bring  them  to  justice,  lower  themselves  so  deeply  as  to  become 
partners  in  the  business,  still  it  must  not  be  overlooked  that  the  existing 
regulations  themselves,  verv  much  contribute  to  lead  the  detectives  into 
temptation  ;  and  even  into  the  arms  of  corruption  ;  for  it  is  noteworthy  that 
these  people,  who  to  work  successfully  must  have  so  many  prominent  quali- 
iications,  are  not  better  paid  than'the  ordinary  policeman.  If  we  were  to 
give  to  the  detectives  for  their  very  difficult,  dangerous,  and  often  most 
laborious  services,  a  proportionate,  a  respectable,  a  liberal  remuneration  ; 
and  at  the  same  time  forbid  them  to  take  private  rewards  for  the  arrest  of 
criminals,  and  also  make  the  offering  of  such  rewards  illegal,  we  should 
cease  to  hear  of  corruption  in  the  force.  Such  a  mode  of  proceeding  may 
perhaps  seem  hard  ;  but  it  is  still  the  only  way  to  rectify  an  evil  which 
carries  so  much  mischief  in  its  train. 


THE  UNITED  STATES  DETECTIVES. 

The  detective  force  ofgthe  United  States  is  known  as  the  United  States 
secret  service  division.  It  is  under  the  command  of  a  chief, — which  office 
has  been  held  for  four  years  past  by  Colonel  Whitley, — and  it  has  officers 
throughout  the  country.  Its  sphere  of  operations  does  not  clash  with  that 
of  the  city  detectives,  but  is  quite  different.  It  has  nothing  to  do  with 
offences  against  private  individuals,  but  only  with  those  against  the  gov- 
ernment of  the  United  States.  Among  these,  the  most  important  are 
coiners,  and  counterfeiters  of  U.  S.  Treasury  notes,  National  Bank  notes, 
and  Internal  Revenue  stamps  ;  then  smuggling  and  false  declarations  in  the 
Custom  House,  secret  distilleries,  and  other  frauds  against  the  Internal 
Revenue  department ;  Post  Office  defalcations  and  robberies  ;  illegal  collec- 
tion of  pensions,  &c,  in  short  all  crimes  and  offences  affecting  the  central 
government.  The  United  States  detectives  are  well  supported  by  the  local 
authori-ties,  but  to  them  we  are  indebted  for  the  fact  that  during  the  last  three 


52  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

or  four  years  a  powerful  obstacle  has  been  interposed  to  the  counterfeiting* 
of  Treasury  and  National  Bank  notes. 

Of  the  great  extent  to  which  these  forgeries  injure  the  transactions  of 
the  active  business  public,  and  of  the  number  of  persons  engaged  in  the 
nefarious  traffic  as  capitalists,  manufacturers,  engravers,  printers,  whole- 
sale dealers,  jobbers,  retail  dealers,  peddlers,  &c,  we  shall  have  an  oppor- 
tunity to  speak  in  detail  in  a  future  chapter  upon  "  forgers  and  counterfeit- 
ers." Here,  in  order  to  show  the  importance  of  the  work  of  the  United 
States  detectives,  we  will  only  remak  that,  during  the  last  three  and  a  half 
years,  they  have  taken  and  brought  to  punishment  497  coiners,  bank  note 
counterfeiters  and  forgers  of  United  States  bonds,  more  than  300  counter- 
feiters of  Internal  Revenue  stamps,  &c,  over  400  smugglers,  besides  peo- 
ple engaged  in  secret  distillation,  post  office  thieves  and  defaulters,  &c,  in 
all  1220  criminals  engaged  in  these  nefarious  pursuits.  In  addition  to  this 
tliey  have  confiscated  more  than  70  engraved  plates  for  the  manufacture  of 
counterfeit  treasury,  bank,  and  currency  notes,  and  United  States  bonds  ;. 
46  dies  for  gold  and  silver  coin,  14  plates  for  forging  Internal  Revenue 
stamps,  40  expensive  printing,  and  other  presses,  and  apparatus,  besides 
counterfeit  notes  to  the  nominal  value  of  $700,000,  and  revenue  stamps  to 
the  amount  of  $200,000. 

The  duties  of  the  United  States  detectives  are  naturally  similar  in  char- 
acter to  those  of  the  New  York  detectives,  with  the  difference  only  that  the 
former  extend  their  operations  over  the  wThole  country.  We  will  give  a 
couple  of  interesting  cases  from  their  experience. 

People  who  live  in  the  Bowery,  or  the  vicinity  of  Hester  Street,  or  who 
have  had  occasion  to  be  much  in  that  locality,  will  probably  remember  a 
hobbling  old  man,  somewhat  lame,  and  supporting  himself  on  a  thick  stick, 
who  was  often  to  be  seen  there  on  Sundays,  as  well  as  week  days,  some 
two  years  ago.  He  was  decently  dressed,  but  was  only  known  as  "  Old 
Sam/'  He  Avas  supposed  to  live  in  New  Jersey,  but  no  one  precisely 
knew.  He  was  generally  taken  for  a  farmer,  or  for  a  resident  in  some 
little  outlying  place.  People  called  him  also  "  lame  Sam,"  and  whoever 
heard  his  ever  quiet  mode  of  speaking,  and  saw  the  friendly  smile  that  was 
always  lighting  up  his  face,  must  have  taken  him  for  a  very  harmless  man. 
And  whoever  met  him  on  Sundays  wending  his  way  to  church  with  a 
most  devout  aspect,  must  assuredly  have  thought  that  he  was  a  very  good 
old  man,  who  was  going  thither  out  of  pure  piety. 

But  "  lame  Sam"  was  very  little  of  a  saint ;  on  the  contrary  he  was  a 
most  arrant  scoundrel,  who,  to  get  money,  was  capable  of  any  wickedness, 
and  only  went  to  church  for  bad  motives.  In  everything  he  did  he  had  a 
dishonest  object  in  view,  and  although  he  was  generally  considered  as  a 
good  old  man,  he  was  in  truth  nothing  else  than  a  crafty,  deceitful,  scoun- 
drel, and  the  confederate  of  a  notorious  forger,  burglar,  and  safe  thief., 
named  Crosby. 


Iiii.    I  Ml  l.I'    STATES    DETEC  I  H  ES. 

Sam  had  been  running  his  evil  course  for  som«-  years,  and  had  systemat- 
ically circulated  counterfeit  money  wherever  occasion  had  guided  him  in 
bis  wanderings;  a  proceeding  which  was  easy  enough  to  him  with  Ids 
seemingly  honest  face,  and  an  aspect  from  which  one  would  have  thought 
that  lie  could  not  Bay  "  boo  to  a  goose."  And  fortune  favored  him  so  well, 
and  so  long,  that  he  succeeded  in  accumulating  a  sum  of  money  which 
enabled  him  to  buv  a  fine  farm  in  Quakertown,  which  brought  him  in  a 
handsome  return. 

Sam  was  always  at  work,  for  the  circulation  of  counterfeit  money  con- 
tinued to  remain  his  sole  occupation.  But  he  conducted  this  vile  business 
•so  cautiously,  so  craftily,  and  under  such  a  pious  air,  that  it  never  occurred 
to  anyone  to  take  him  for  what  he  really  was.  And  so,  as  he  hobbled 
about  from  place  to  place,  he  was  always  the  subject  of  a  friendly  good 
word,  until  one  day  the  chief  of  the  United  States  detective  police,  Colonel 
Whitley,  conceived  a  suspicion  against  him,  and  thus,  the  man  who  had 
lor  so  many  years  been  cheating  people  with  false  money,  began  to  be 
watched. 

As  before  remarked,  Sam  always  carried  a  thick  stick,  which,  as  he 
said,  he  could  not  do  without,  because  he  was  so  lame,  that  he  therefore 
required  a  strong  support.  Wherever  he  was  seen,  wherever  he  went, 
sitting  or  standing,  he  had  the  stick  constantly  in  his  hand.  He  never  let 
it  go  from  him.  But  one  day  the  thought  occurred  to  the  detective  who 
was  entrusted  with  the  case,  that  there  must  be  something  more  about  that 
•stick  than  at  first  appeared,  and  he  determined  to  come  at  the  truth  of  it. 

About  that  time  there  was  a  large  number  of  counterfeit  notes,  of  vari- 
ous denominations,  in  circulation  in  New  Jersey,  and  down  as  far  as  Mary- 
land. The  detective  officer  working  under  the  assumed  name  of  Rugg, 
found  out  that  Sam  often  paid  visits  in  that  direction. 

So  the  officer  scraped  an  acquaintance  with  Sam.  At  first,  meeting  him 
on  the  road  he  would  go  with  him,  then  he  very  soon  took  a  journey  on 
the  railroad  with  him,  and  the  two  were  constantly  in  bar-rooms  and  beer 
houses  together.  He  drank  and  gossiped  with  him,  and  thus  the  acquaint- 
ance grew  thicker,  at  last  on  one  occasion  Sam  was  observed  to  pass  a 
counterfeit  ten  dollar  bill  in  a  hotel,  and  soon  after  to  repeat  the  action  iu 
another  house. 

Now  the  officer  went  to  work.  Sam  was  travelling  about  in  New  Jer- 
sey, but  Rugg  was  watching  him  unobserved;  and  one  day  just  after 
Sam  had  come  out  of  a  hotel,  in  a  country  place,  the  detective  went  in  and 
d  whether  Sam  had  spent  any  money  there. 

"  Yes,"  answered  the  landlord,  "  fifty  cents.  He  is  an  old  miser — never 
-  through  the  night." 

"  What  money  did  he  give  you,'"  asked  Rugg. 

"  A  ten  dollar  note." 

11  May  I  sec  it." 


54  THE    DAUK    SIDE    OF     NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

"Yes',  here  it  is,"  answered  the  publican,  taking  the  note  out  of  the? 
till. 

"  The  note  is  bad,"  Rugg  quietly  remarked. 

"The  devil  it  is,"  cried  the  host. 

"  Nothing  but  a  counterfeit,  my  friend  !    Not  worth  a  cent." 

"  Damn  it !"  shouted  the  publican,  and  he  burst  into  a  torrent  of  oaths,.. 
But  Rugg  whispered  to  him :  "  Now  be  quiet  friend,  I  am  a  detective.. 
Leave  the  rest  to  me  and  take  care  of  the  note  till  I  return." 

Upon  this  Rugg  left  him,  and  going  on  the  road  after  Sam,  soon  over- 
took him. 

Sam  had  just  come  out  of  a  store  upon  whose  proprietor  he  had  played 
a  similar  game. 

"  My  daughter,"  said  he,  as  he  went  in,  "  asked  me  to  get  her  three 
yards  of  calico.     Have  you  anything  good  in  that  way?" 

"  Yes,"  answered  the  storekeeper. 

"  How  much  is  it  a  yard?" 

"  Twenty  cents." 

"  Is  not  that  a  little  dear?" 

"  No,  on  the  contrary ;  you  will  not  get  it  as  cheap  anywhere  else." 

"  Well,  then  give  me  three  yards."  Sam  took  it ;  paid  for  it  with 
another  bogus  ten  dollar  bill,  and  left  the  store  with  the  calico  "  for  his 
daughter,"  and  nine  dollars  and  forty  cents  of  good  money  in  his  pocket. 

Meanwhile  Rugg  had  altered  his  dress,  beard,  and  hat,  so  that  Sam 
could  not  recognize  him.  He  also,  as  he  fell  in  to  Sam's  road,  feigned  to 
be  somewhat  intoxicated. 

"How  are  you  getting  along,  old  fellow?"  said  Rugg  in  a  stammering: 
voice.     "Where  are  you  going?" 

Sam  stopped.  They  gossiped  for  a  little  while  and  then  went  off 
together. 

Rugg  asked  Sam  wdiat  he  had  in  his  little  parcel.  "  Calico  for  my 
daughter,  which  I  have  just  bought  in  that  store,"  said  Sam,  looking  back- 
wards at  the  place.  Upon  which  Rugg  suddenly  remembered  that  he  had 
to  take  seme  needles  and  thread  to  his  "  old  woman."  He  took  a  good 
ten  dollar  bill  out  of  his  pocket  and  asked  Sam  if  he  could  not  change  it. 
Sam  gladly  seized  such  a  good  opportunity  to  do  business,  and  he  gave 
Rugg  two  counterfeit  five  dollar  bills,  for,  thought  he,  the  fellow  is  so 
drunk,  he  will  not  know  a  bad  note  from  a  good  one. 

Rugg  now  begged  Sam  to  go  to  the  store  with  him,  then  they  would  cr> 
on  together ;  and,  as  they  set  off,  Rugg  noticed,  as  if  for  the  first  time. 
Sam's  stick. 

"  What  a  curious  stick,"  he  stammered  out.  And  so  saying,  he  took  it 
out  of  Sam's  hand,  looked  at  it  on  all  sides  and  examined  it  to  see  if  the 
large  top  unscrewed.  It  did  ;  he  screwed  it  off,  and  found  that  inside  a. 
string  was  fastened. 


THE    UNITED    mail-    DETECTIVES.  55 

Sara  was  now  on  thorns,  but  lie  was  a  cunning  fellow  and  knew  how  to 
control  himself. 

Rugg  pulled  out  the  string  (which  had  a  knot  at  the  lower  end)  and  out 
full  a  little  rull  of  bank  notes.  He  pulled  again  ;  another  little  roll  fell  out, 
and  then  another,  till  altogether  there  were  twelve  rolls  of  live,  and  ten 
dollar  bills. 

Rugg,  who  still  pretended  to  be  drunk,  laughed  aloud,  apparently  at 
the  quantity  of  money  he  had  pulled  out ;  while  Sam  was  confounded  and 
hardly  knew  what  to  say. 

"Hallo,  you  are  rich,  old  fellow,  very  rich,"  cried  Rugg. 

Sam  collected  his  notes  together  again. 

"  Do  you  think  they  |ire  good  ones?"  asked  Sam,  soon  recovering  him- 
self. 

Rugg  looked  at  the  notes  and  replied  :  "Yes,  indeed,  they  are  all  good," 
while  he  had  noticed  at  a  glance  that  they  were  all  new  counterfeits  of  the 
kind  most  recently  put  into  circulation. 

"  It  is  curious,"  said  Sara,  "  I  have  carried  that  stick  more  than  twenty 
years.  It  belonged  once  to  my  father,  who  is  dead,  and  I  never  in  my 
life  knew  that  the  head  would  unscrew." 

"Twenty  years?"  stammered  Rugg;  "and  you  have  had  it  all  the 
time?" 

"  Yes, — it  has  never  been  out  of  my  possession." 

"  It  seems  to  me,"  remarked  Rusts:,  still  feigning  drunkenness,  "  that 
your  notes  were  not  printed  at  that  time  ?" 

Tha\  was  a  delicate  question  ;  but  Sam  went  on  as  if  he  did  not  hear  it ; 
and  when  he  had  gathered  together  all  his  notes,  he  said  "  You  wanted  to 
go  and  buy  something  in  the  store,  let  us  go  and  do  it,  and  then  we  will 
move  along  together." 

"  So  we  will,"  said  Rugg,  making  an  effort  to  stand  on  his  legs. 

So  they  went  to  the  store. 

When  they  had  entered,  Rugg  quietly  asked  the  storekeeper  whether 
the  old  man  had  bought  any  calico  of  him  ? 

"  Yes,  about  an  hour  ago,"  answered  the  storekeeper. 

"  And  with  what  did  he  pay  for  it  ?" 

"  With  this  note,"  replied  the  man  ;  showing  Rugg  the  note  he  had 
received  from  Sam. 

"  It  is  a  bad  one,"  remarked  Rtiirg,  quietly. 

"  Bad,"'  cried  Sam,  "  that  is  not  possible.  Then  I  will  very  soon  take 
it  back  to  the  place  I  received  it  from.  I  am  an  old  man  and  have  not 
very  good  sight.     Is  it  not  a  shame  to  cheat  an  old  man  like  that?'' 

Saying  this,  he  wiped  the  tears  from  his  eyes.  Then  he  looked  about 
in  his  pockets  and  brought  out  ten  good  one  dollar  bills,  and  laid  them 
down,  apparently  very  much  enraged  at  being  cheated.  He  was  on  the 
point  of  going  away,  when  Rugg,  who   now  seemed  to   be   sobered  again, 


56  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

asked  him  whether  all  his  money  was  like  this,  which  to  him  seemed 
closely  to  resemble  that  which  he  had  in  his  stick,  to  which  Sam  replied  : 
"  Indeed,  I  cannot  say,  for  my  eyes  are  very  bad." 

"Now  then,"  said  Rugg,  "let  us  go  over  to  the  hotel  and  have  some- 
thing to  drink  ;"  to  which  Sam  agreed,  although  he  wished  Rugg  at 
Jericho. 

Arrived  at  the  hotel,  Rugg  called  the  landlord  on  one  side  and  asked  for 
the  ten  dollar  bill  which  Sam  had  paid  him.  The  landlord  gave  it  and 
Rugg  at  once  said  to  him : 

"  Did  this  man  give  you  this  note?" 

"  Yes,  he  is  the  man  who  gave  it  me." 

"  What  did  you  give  him  in  change?" 

"  Nine  dollars  and  a-half." 

"  In  a  moment  Rugg  took  "  lame  Sam"  by  the  collar  and  began  to  search 
him.  First  he  found  the  publican's  nine  and  a-half  dollars  ;  then  his  own 
ten  dollar  bill,  for  which  Sam  had  given  him  the  two  counterfeit  five  do1- 
lar  notes,  and  lastly  he  took  $400  in  counterfeit  notes  from  his  stick. 

"  Where  did  you  get  these  notes  from?"  asked  Rugg,  who  was  now  quite 
sober.  "  I  brought  them  from  home.  I  went  to  see  my  sick  daughter." 
And  Sam  was  going  into  a  long  explanation,  but  Rugg  took  off  his  hat  and 
his  false  beard,  and  said  :  "  That  is  played  out.  I  am  a  United  States 
detective  and  you,  old  rascal,  are  now  my  prisoner."  And  at  these  words 
he  slipped  on  the  handcuffs,  and  taking  Sam  to  the  railroad  station,  soon 
brought  him  to  New  York  and  before  the  chief.  After  a  few  words  of 
conversation  Sam  confessed  that  he  bought  the  notes  from  a  man  named 
Crosby,  a  dealer  in  counterfeit  money,  and  that  for  years  he  had  been 
doing  business  by  putting  these  notes  in  circulation  in  New  York  and  the 
neighborhood,  New  Jersey  and  Maryland.  Sam  was  prosecuted  ;  he  plea- 
ded guilty  and  was  sent  for  four  years  to  prison,  where  he  now  is. 

Such  are  the  ways  in  which  the  United  States  detectives  do  their  work. 
Here  are  two  other  cases,  illustrating  the  manner  of  dealing  with  and 
detecting  smugglers. 

It  would  scarcely  be  credited  how  much  property  is  smuggled  in  the 
steamships  that  come  to  New  York  from  Europe.  The  strictest  watch 
over  all  new  arrivals  is  so  much  the  more  necessary  too,  because  smugglers 
are  ever  devising  new  methods,  which  indeed  seem  to  be  inexhaustible  ; 
and  they  often  adopt  the  most  curious  means  to  avoid  discovery,  and  the 
punishment  and  confiscation  which  in  that  case  await  them. 

In  the  year  1866  and  1867  the  attention  of  the  detectives  was  directed 
to  the  fact  that  several  diamonds,  and  much  valuable  lace,  had  come  into 
the  trade  here,  which  had  not  paid  the  duties  ;  and  a  detective,  who  on  this 
account  had  been  set  to  watch  the  steamers  arriving  from  France  and 
England,  had  been  on  the  look-out  for  two  months  without  being  able  to 
make  any  discoveries. 


Till:    UNITED    STATES    DETECTIVE3.  0< 

Odc  morning,  he  had  been  watching  the  arrival  of  a  French  steamship, 
nnd  was  on  the  point  of  going  on  board,  when  his  eyes  fell  Mpon  a  long 
host  which  was  about  being  conveyed  ashore.  "  What  is  in  that  chest?"' 
ie  asked. 

The  people  who  were  engaged  in  removing  it,  drew  his  notice  to  the 
address.  "This  chest,"  said  they,  "contains  a  dead  body;  the  man  died 
in  Europe,  and  the  corpse  has  been  consigned  to  his  friends  to  be  buried 
!iere,^it  home." 

The  detective  called  the  ship-carpenter  and  told  him  to  open  the  chest. 
In  it  was  a  mahogany  coffin,  and  when  the  lid  was  opened  there  appeared 
the  dead  body  already  partly  decomposed.  The  detective  was  satisfied  ; 
and  coffin  and  chest  were  fastened  up  again  and  sent  on. 

On  the  arrival  of  the  next  French  steamer  the  officer  went  also  on  board, 
out  although  he  had  scrutinized  the  passengers  very  carefully,  he  had  not 
been  able  to  find  anything  suspicious  ;  and  he  was  just  going  off,  when 
again  he  caught  sight  of  a  long  chest,  which,  as  it  seemed,  contained  like- 
wise a  dead  body,  to  be  sent  on  to  the  sorrowing  friends  of  the  decased — 
but  to  a  different  address  from  that  to  which  the  former  chest  had  been 
-directed. 

"  It  seems  to  me,"  remarked  the  officer,  "  that  just  now  there  is  a  great 
mortality  among  Americans  travelling  in  Europe.  I  will  look  at  the  body.  ' 
W hereupon  he  ordered  the  chest  to  be  opened. 

There  lay  the  corpse  in  its  still  home,  its  pale,  cold  face,  head  and  neck 
uncovered.  There  could  be  no  question  about  it.  It  was  a  corpse.  But 
just  as  the  small  door  of  the  coffin  lid,  which  was  fastened  to  the  lower 
portion  with  silver  plated  hinges,  wras  going  to  be  shut  down,  the  detec- 
tive, to  the  astonishment  of  the  sailors  who  were  standing  around,  desired 
that  the  whole  of  the  lid  should  be  removed. 

It  was  done,  and — horrible  to  relate — the  entrails  of  the  body  had  been 
removed,  and  in  their  place  was  found  a  tin  box  containing  costly  Brussels 
laces  to  the  value  of  $8000. 

Two  months  later,  an  English  jew,  a  true  Shylock,  who  often  went 
backwards  and  forwards  between  here  and  England,  and  who  was  sus- 
pected of  smuggling,  was  on  his  return.  The  detective  knew  this,  and 
with  another  officer  awaited  his  arrival. 

The  jew  was  a  passenger  in  the  steamer,  but  he  was  very  sick.  The 
passage  had  been  very  stormy  and  he  was  not  much  of  a  sailor  ;  but,  not- 
withstanding his  illness,  he  seemed  very  anxious  to  land  as  soon  as  he 
could.     Both  officers  remarked  this,  and  asked  him  if  he  were  ill. 

UI  feel  terribly,"  answered  Moses,  "I  am  dying!     Indeed,  vciy  bad." 

k>  Sea-sick?"  asked  the  detective. 

"  Shocking,"  replied  the  jew.  And  he  seemed  indeed  to  be  suffering 
much  from  a  severe  pain  in  the  stomach. 


3<5     .  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

"Come  with  me,"  said  the  detective.  "  You  are  an  old  practitioner,, 
We  must  search  you  before  you  go  ashore.     Well  or  ill,  no  matter." 

So  the  jew  had  to  go  into  the  captains  cabin  nolens  volens.  His  clothes 
were  searched,  but  nothing  found.  He  complained  of  the  rough  treatment 
and  said:  "You  did  not  think  to  be  able  to  catch  me  twice,  did  you  ?"' 
(for  he  had  once  before  fallen  into  the  hands  of  the  police  for  smuggling) 
and  then  he  made  a  ludicrous  effort  to  laugh  at  his  own  joke.  Tken  he 
rubbed  his  stomach,  writhed  with  pain,  and  seemed  every  moment  to  be 
getting  worse. 

But  he  dressed  himself  again,  and  was  even  going  on  deck  to  leave  the 
ship,  when  the  detective  ordered  him  to  wait,  at  the  same  time  calling  the 
steward.  The  latter  came  and  the  officer  immediately  told  him  to  fetch 
the  doctor,  for,  said  he,  "  we  have  here  a  very  sick  man." 

The  officer  spoke  to  the  doctor  about  it  outside  of  the  cabin.  "  Doctor," 
said  the  former  in  a  confidential  tone,  "I  have  within  here  a  jew  diamond 
smuggler  who  is  very  ill ;  he  is  one  of  your  passengers,  just  arrived  from 
Europe."  And  then  he  whispered  into  the  doctors  ear  something  of  his 
suspicions.  "I  wish  that  you  would  .prescribe  for  him  a  good  strong 
purging  mixture  ;  which  will  act  well  without  hurting  him.  But  give  him 
such  a  dose  as  will  clear  out  his  stomach  in  fifteen  minutes.  Can  you  do  that  ?" 

"  I  understand,"  laughingly  replied  the  doctor,  who  was  an  honest  man, 
•  and  in  his  heart  opposed  to  smuggling.     "  I  will  make  him  up  something 
suitable  ;  and  it  shall  not  hurt  him  either." 

Five  minutes  afterwards,  in  came  the  detective  with  a  dose  of  calomel 
and  croton  oil  for  the  sick  man.  He  was  indeed  very  unwell ;  he  was  pal^ 
as  death  and  turning  about  with  pain.  But  he  refused  to  take  the  medi- 
cine offered  to  him.  He  was'"  not  going  to  let  himself  be  doctored  on 
board  the  ship,"  only  at  home,  and  there  he  would  be  willing  to  have  medi 
cal  assistance. 

"  Take  it,"  said  the  detective,  "  it  will  do  you  good." 

"  But  I  will  not." 

"  Then  we  will  pour  it  down  your  throat  by  force — every  drop  of  it," 
answered  the  officer  with  determination.  "  I  have  something  more  to  do 
than  to  stand  here  by  the  hour  trying  to  cure  you.  Will  you  take  it  wil- 
lingly, or  shall  we  pour  it  down  your  throat?" 

"  It  is  a  great  deal  too  much,  indeed  it  is,"  groaned  the  jew,  as  he  looked 
with  hesitation  into  the  glass  held  towards  him. 

"  Down  with  it,"  shouted  the  officer,  and  the  fellow  seeing  that  no  kind 
of  refusal  would  help  him,  gulped,  and  gulped,  and  gulped  it  down  till  the 
greater  portion  was  taken  ;  but  all  the  time  making  exceedingly  wry  faces. 

"  Now,  you  ungrateful  curmudgeon,  stay  here  till  the  medicine  has  acted 
and  cured  you  of  your  sudden  illness.  But  take  a  lesson.  I  know  you, 
and  your  game  is  played  out.  Mark  that.  With  these  words  the  detec- 
tive moved  away. 


Till:    PRIVATE    DETE4   l  l\  ES.  5$ 

"Go  to  the  devil,''  was  the  answer  that  overtook  him  from  his  patient 
as  lie  was  going. 

The  deteclive  left  the  jew  under  the  care  of  his  companion,  to  whom  he 
gave  final  orders  to  report  within  an  hour  the  effect  of  the  medicine.  The 
dose  acted  well ;  before  the  hour  had  expired  the  officer  gave  his  report, 
and  diamonds  to  the  value  of  $4,000  were  recovered,  which  the  medicine 
brought  to  light.  The  smuggler  had  swallowed  them  ten  minutes  before 
the  officers  had  met  with  him. 

These  narratives  will  suffice  to  disclose  the  skill,  dexterity,  and  efficiency 
of  the  United  States  detectives,  and  since,  in  this  and  the  previous  chap- 
ters, we  have  spoken  of  the  New  York  and  the  United  States  detective, 
force,  we  Will  now  come  to  a  description  of  the  private  detectives. 


THE  PRIVATE  DETECTIVES. 

"While  the  social  circumstances  of  the  times  render  a  detective  force 
absolutely  necessary,  the  legal  authorities  in  this  business  are  those  whose 
organizations  are  described  in  the  two  preceding  chapters — the  New  York 
detectives,  and  the  United  States  detectives.  And  although  upon  the  for- 
mer at  least,  of  these,  the  reflection  is  cast  that  the  officers  of  the  force 
accept  payment  for  their  services  from  private  people,  nevertheless  the  first 
and  highest  impulse  to  efficiency  is  the  sense  of  official  duty.  The  officers 
of  both  bodies  are  under  oath,  and  if,  as  cannot  for  one  moment  be  doubted, 
their  efficiency  is  both  useful  and  necessary,  so  also  in  the  same  proportion 
are  the  services  of  private  detectives  useless,  dangerous,  and  mischievous. 

The  success  which  the  detective  force  had  won  in  criminal  matters, 
called  into  existence  for  some  years  past  this  private  organization  for  simi- 
lar purposes.  But  its  first  and  only  object,  contrary  to  that  of  the  legal 
detectives,  is  solely  and  entirely  to  do  business  ;  or  rather,  as  we  express  it 
in  America,  to  make  money.  These  private  organizations  have  no  legiti- 
mate authority.  Th($T  have  not  the  right  to  make  arrests,  and  are  in  fact 
nothing  more  than  spies — a  calling  which  is  neither  creditable,  nor  trust- 
worthy. These  men  follow  and  watch  anybody,  however  honest  he  may 
be,  simply  at  the  request  of  anyone  who  will  pay  them  for  it  ;  so  that  no 
.one,  however  honorable,  can  be  sure  that  he  is  not  being  spied  upon  by  one 
of  them,  at  the  dictation  of  an  enemy,  and  all  his  actions  watched  and 
reported.  A  jealous  wife  engages  a  private  detective  to  watch  her  hus- 
band ;    and  from  that  moment   this   spy  follows   the  man   like    a    shadow. 


-60  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YOUK    LIFE. 

wherever  he  goes, — hence  they  are  known  as  "  shadows" — and  he  reports  to 
the  wife  every  movement  and  every  outlay  that  the  man  has  made.  He 
is  paid  for  this  from  six  to  ten  dollars  a  day,  and  if  we  suppose  that  he 
works  for  a  week,  and-  does  not  report  anything  unfavorable  in  that  time, 
•the  wife  grows  tired  and  gives  up  the  espionage.  But  if  this  happens,  the 
spy  loses  his  bread  and  cheese.  His  interest  demands  that  he  should 
report  something,  whatever  the  jealousy  of  the  wife  most  seems  to  require, 
and  when  he  cannot  find  anything  that  is  true,  any  actions  to  detect,  he 
indicates  that  some  great  result  is  soon  to  come ;  or  he  invents  some  news 
such  as  the  wife  either  expects,  or  is  desirous  to  hear. 

If  a  man  wants  to  be  divorced  from  his  wife,  be,  too,  engages  one  of 
these  spies,  to  rake  up  evidence  against  her.  Actions  for  slander  are  got 
up  through  the  operations  of  these  private  detective  agencies.  Innumer- 
able divorces  rest  entirely  upon  evidence  obtained  through  their  means, 
and  the  sudden  ruin  of  many  heretofore  happy  families,  or  good  business 
relations,  has  depended  in  like  manner  upon  this  spy  system. 

In  the  City  of  New  York  there  are  about  a  dozen  such  agencies,  of 
which,  about  two  conduct  their  affairs  in  pretentious  offices,  while  others, 
of  smaller  importance,  are  contented  with  very  inferior  places,  and  perhaps 
consist  of  only  two  people,  who  are  both  business  managers  and  "  shadows." 
We  will  take  the  reader  into  the  rooms  of  one  of  the  larger  establishments 
<tf  this  kind. 

The  reception  room  is  on  the  second  floor,  a  plain,  cold,  hard  looking 
place,  certainly  not  attractive,  nor  altogether  indicative  of  any  open,  cheer- 
ful business.  There  may  be  a  few  seats  in  it,  but  they  are  cold  and  grim 
booking  also,  as  if  too  malevolent  to  allow  even  the  weariest  visitor  to  rest 
in  them.  The  bare  boards  add  to  the  air  of  discomfort ;  and  across  the 
place  is  a  low  railing  that  seems  to  say  with  an  aspect  of  authority : 
-"Thus  far,  but  no  farther."  Inside,  the  railing  are  two  or  three  desks, 
perhaps,  two  or  three  men  standing  about,  as  if  suddenly  struck  dumb,  or 
freed  from  the  trouble  of  any  occupation  at  the  entrance  of  a  stranger. 
•One  at  any  rate  will  be  there,  a  wiry,  worn  man,  harder  than  the  furniture 
.--about  him,  whose  face  is  never  distorted  to  a  smile,  but  seems  like  some 
coarse  carving  in  a  dingy  colored  wood.  His  hair  is  wiry  and  wild,  his 
beard  grizzled,  and  the  hairs  mutinous.  Look  at  his  hajids  ;  they  are  the 
counterpart  of  his  face,  hard,  gaunt,  and  not  over  clean. 

The  whole  demeanor  of  this  man  is  one  of  mystery.  But  he  cultivates 
it.  The  mysterious  is  a  part  of  his  calling ;  without  it,  feigned  or  real,  the 
private  detective  would  lose  half  his  importance.  But  this  official,  and 
this  office,  are  not  the  highest  parts  of  the  concern.  The  former  is  only  the 
secretary,  the  latter  is  only  the  reception  room.  The  head  of  the  estab- 
lishment is  in  a  deeper  recess,  and  the  '*  shadows"  are  flitting  about 
invisibly.  The  record  of  them  is  kept  by  the  u  secretary,"  who  on  a  black- 
board near  at  hand  chronicles  the  "  ins''  and  the  "  outs"  :   each  shadow 


Till-:    PRIVATE    DETECTIVES.  61 

being  known  by  a  number.  Bells,  speaking  tubes,  the  telegraph  and  sun- 
dry cabalistic  signs,  are  the  means  of  communication  in  this  establishment 
among  all  who  are  in  any  way  connected  with  it  ;  and  a  small  boy,  who 
lias  succeeded  in  assuming  all  the  tone  and  character  of  his  superiors,  con- 
veys any  verbal  message  that  may  be  necessary  to  pass  between  the  secre- 
tary and  the  chief.  Utterances  are  made  in  mysterious  whispers,  some- 
what resembling  a  hoarse  imitation  of  a  stage  ghost,  and  the  small  boys 
highest  ambition,  after  learning  to  use  tobacco  and  to  help  fill  the  spittoon,, 
is  to  acquire  the  official  whisper. 

The  early  morning  is  the  most  likely  time  to  find  the  greatest  number  of 
visitors  in  the  reception  room,  and  upon  these  the  secretary  exercised  ;•. 
wonderful  degree  of  analytical  judgment.  From  any  number  of  people- 
before  him  he  readily  detects  those  who  will  pay  best,  and  these  are  the 
first  to  gain  access  to  the  presence  of  the  chief;  unless  some  weary  waitei 
enters  a  vigorous  protest  and  insists  upon  taking  his  proper  turn.  It  must 
be  remarked,  however,  that  even  the  visitors  partake  something  of  the 
spirit  of  the  place.  Note  them  as  they  sit  along  the  side  of  yonder  wall. 
They  are  dark,  mysterious,  and  apparently  as  full  of  malevolence  as  even 
the  most  ambitious  detective  could  wish  them  to  be.  Each  eyes  all  the 
rest  with  an  air  of  suspicion  ;  and  some  of  the  ladies,  save  the  mark  ! 
bedecked  in  all  the  paraphernalia  of  modern  fashion,  seem  to  be  the  very 
incarnation  of  mischief.  A  strange  picture  of  human  society,  in  this,  our 
Empire  city,  would  have  to  be  depicted,  if  we  could  portray  all  that  the 
thoughts  of  those  people  could  at  the  moment  suggest.  But  that  would  be 
impossible.  Yet  the  imagination  can  do  much  if  we  give  it  full  play  in 
the  field  of  jealousy,  family  discords,  false  friends,  faithless  wives,  dishon- 
est partners,  and  so  forth  ;  although  the  chances  are  that  not  a  few  of  those 
seeking  help  from  a  "  shadow,"  may  after  all  be  plotting  a  conspiracy  that 
can  only  be  sustained  by  perjury.  For  such  is  one  of  the  most  common- 
uses  made  of  private  detective  agencies. 

Without  business  they  could  not  live.  And  without  success  of  some 
kind,  real  or  feigned,  they  cannot  hope  for  business.  A  woman  may  apply 
to  them,  in  perfect  good  faith,  for  investigations  concerning  the  conduct  of 
her  husband.  She  may  think  that  by  so  doing  she  will  learn  either 
whether  her  suspicions  are  unfounded  or  whether  they  are  false.  But 
under  almost  any  circumstances  she  is  mistaken.  If  she  be  poor,  or  unable 
to  submit  to  a  constant  drain  upon  her  purse,  she  will  probably  learn 
nothing ;  if  she  be  rich,  and  easily  subject  to  their  ingenuity,  she  will  hear 
whatever  she  most  desires  to  know,  no  matter  whether  it  be  true  or  false. 

In  the  preliminaries  for  the  divorce  court  reasons  have  sometimes  been 
found  for  the  continued  existence  of  private  detectives,  but  we  know  no 
sufficient  excuse  for  their  existence  whatever  ;  since  their  object  being 
money,  rather  than  truth,  no  reliance  can  be  placed  upon  their  operations. 
It   may  even   happen,  for  it  has  so  happened,  and  not  uufrequentlv,  top, 


62  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

that  the  same  agency  will  take  in  hand  both  sides  of  the  same  case,  thu3 
supplying  one  "  shadow"  to  watch  the  wife  in  the  interest  of  her  husband, 
while  another  is  following  up  the  husband  in  the  inteiest  of  his  wife. 
Sometimes  the  "  shadows"  thus  employed  are  quite  aware  of  the  circum- 
stances under  which  they  are  working,  and  a  very  pretty  story  is  then  con- 
cocted between  the  two  worthies,  or  a  deep  conspiracy  mayhap  is  planned, 
to  bring  money  into  their  own  pockets  and  to  gra'ify  the  clients  on  both 
sides.  Sometimes,  however,  the  whole  truth  is  known  only  to  the  chief ; 
the  subordinates  are  in  ignorance  of  the  double  design,  and  remain  so  till 
their  own  treachery  brings  them  into  inimical  collision.  For  it  often  hap- 
pens that  when  they  find  out  how  the  thing  is  really  being  arranged,  they 
-"  sell"  each  other ;  that  is,  the  husband's  employee  warns  the  wife  that  she 
is  being  watched,  and  the  wife's  man  gives  a  hint  of  a  like  kind  to  the 
husband.  Several  examples  of  this  character  are  within  the  experience  of 
the  principal  agencies.  And  the  most  frequent  result  of  them  is  curious. 
For  while  they  end  in  the  most  stormy  episodes  between  the  two  shadows, 
they  also  generally  result  in  the  reconciliation  of  the  two  principals. 

The  profits  of  these  agencies  are  enormous.  In  ordinary  cases  the  pay 
of  the  seedy  men,  who  act  as  "  shadows,"  is  about  $3  a  day,  but  the  charge 
made  by  the  concern  to  its  clients  is  rarely  less  than  $10.  A  gentleman, 
staying  at  one  of  the  fashionable  up-town  hotels,  had  a  valuable  dog  stolen, 
for  which  the  sum  of  $300  had  been  refused.  A  very  well  founded  suspi- 
cion rested  upon  one  of  the  porters,  and  an  army  officer  staying  in  the 
house  ;  it  was  also  reasonably  suspected  that  the  landlord  of  the  hotel  was 
not  altogether  ignorant  of  the  transaction.  There  were  special  reasons 
why  the  dog  should  be  recovered.  A  high  reward  was  offered.  Applica- 
tion was  made  to  a,  private  detective  agency  ;  there  the  chief  had  the  auda- 
city ta  make  a  charge  of  $15  a  day  for  looking  for  the  animal,  and  insisted 
that  the  payment  must  be  continued  till  the  animal  was  found.  It  is  need- 
less to  say  that  that  consummation  never  occurred.  This,  however,  gives 
no  idea  of  the  profits  of  the  agencies,  or  of  their  charges  in  the  more  deli- 
cate cases  that  are  submitted  to  them  for  manufacture,  such  as  compound- 
ing felonies,  getting  up  evidence  in  divorce  suits,  or  supplying  witnesses  to 
perjure  themselves  in  the  courts.  These  are  the  most  elaborate  duties 
they  are  ever  required  to  perform,  and  their  charges  for  them  are  regulated 
by  no  known  rule,  except  that  of  rising  to  the  very  highest  limit  that 
unscrupulous  men,  with  plenty  of  money  to  spend,  are  willing  to  pay  for 
the  attainment  of  their  unjust  ends. 

It  is  almost  impossible  to  estimate  the  injuries  done  to  society  by  these 
private  detective  agencies.  They  flourish  chiefly  in  our  large  cities  ;  but 
in  almost  all  cases  they  have  to  manufacture  the  business  upon  which  they 
flourish.  It  is  not  a  natural  outgrowth  of  commercial  pursuits,  but  a 
parasitical  plant,  that  must  be  planted  before  it  can  be  lived  on.  The  duties 
of  a  detective,  even  when  under  legitimate  authority,  and  paid  for  from  the 


T11E    PRIVATE    DETECTIVES.  63 

public  purse,  are  such  as  can  only  be  defended  on  the  ground  of  public 
icy.  In  principle  they  are  revolting;  necessity  alone  makes  them 
tolerable.  But  when  they  are  pursued,  not  iu  the  public  interests,  but  1'or 
private  plunder — sometimes  called  private  gain — they  become  obnoxious, 
-and  most  pernicious.  They  serve  to  foster  a  feeling  of  distrust,  where, 
without  them,  none  would  long  prevail,  perhaps  would  not  exist  at  all. 
They  encourage,  perhaps  give  rise  to,  suspicions  which  in  themselves  are 
often  the  cause  of  unfaithfulness  and  breach  of  trust ;  and  how  often  do 
they  not  serve  to  destroy  forever  the  peace  and  happiness  of  the  family 
circle?  "  The  master  makes  the  servant."  Employers  are  not  always 
actuated  by  the  highest  motives,  nor  influenced  by  the  highest  principles. 
A  man  who  is  himself  not  over  scrupulous  as  to  the  means  he  uses  to  put 
an  extra  dollar  into  his  pocket,  will  be  the  first  to  suspect  the  honesty  of 
those  he  employs.  And  the  private  detective  agency  is  at  hand  to  indulge 
his  suspicious,  and,  as  long  as  he  pays,  to  produce  evidence  of  the  justness 
of  those  suspicious.  Thus  a  bad  man  puts  an  iniquitous  machinery  into 
motion  which  too  often  produces  the  result  that  it  is  alleged  to  prevent. 
Some  men  never  entertain  the  thought  of  doing  a  dishonest  action  if  left  to 
themselves  ;  but  nothing  is  more  likely  to  turn  them  to  it  than  a  knowledge 
that  their  integrity  is  being  secretly  called  in  question  by  those  for  whom 
they  work.  Mistrust  is  one  of  the  commonest  causes  of  deceit,  and  mis- 
trust is  the  noxious  weed  that  private  detective  agencies  most  diligently 
cultivate.  Hence,  instead  of  preventing  crime,  they  induce  to  it ;  instead 
of  furthering  the  ends  of  justice,  they  propagate  only  misery  and  ruin. 

Again,  they  are  among  the  best  friends  that  professional  thieves  recog- 
nize. A  robbery  is  committed  ;  and  nothing  suits  the  robbers  better  than 
to  find  that  the  matter  has  been  referred  to  a  private  detective  agency. 
They  know  that  these  agencies  have  no  power  to  make  an  arrest,  and  they 
also  know  that  they  are  ever  ready  to  take  a  share  of  the  plunder.  In 
fact  a  reference  to  private  detectives  means  compromise.  We  will  suppose 
that  a  valuable  amount  of  jewelry  has  been  stolen.  The  owner  applies  to 
the  mysterious  man  who  acts  as  "  secretary"  in  one  of  these  "  agencies," 
he,  after  sundry  mysteriously  cabalistic  performances  with  bells,  and  voice, 
ushers  him  into  a  remote  recess  and  the  presence  of  the  "  chief."  This 
functionary  aspires  to  look  the  embodiment  of  wisdom,  but,  in  physical 
appearance,  he  is  only  a  little  further  developement  of  the  secretary.  With 
an  air  of  importance — never  forgetting  the  element  of  mystery  that  has  to 
be  introduced  into  every  new  act — he  receives  all  the  information  that  can 
be  had,  asks  a  few  questions  for  appearance  sake — whether  otherwise 
necessary  or  not — and  suggests  the  offering  of  an  ample  reward  as  emi- 
nently necessary,  and  without  which  nothing  can  be  done.  That  little 
matter  arranged,  he  undertakes  the  investigation  at  a  certain  specified  sum 
per  day — a  considerable  deposit  to  be  made  in  advance — and  presently  the 
victim  goes  away,  not  without  a  feeling  that  he  is  bound  to  be  a  consider- 


64  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

able  loser,  but  still  with  the  personal  assurance  that  he  has  done  his  duty 
to  himself  and  to  the  public.  It  is  more  than  probable  that  in  a  few  days, 
perhaps  in  a  few  hours,  the  whole  business  has  been  satisfactorily  arranged 
as  between  the  thief  and  the  agency  ;  but  as  long  as  money  is  forthcoming,, 
the  "  chief"  leads  on  his  client  to  the  necessity  of  further  enquiries,  and 
further  disbursements.  At  length,  when  the  spring  of  profits  seems  nearly 
dry,  the  agency  announces  the  recovery  of  the  valuables,  and  returning 
them  to  their  owner  receives  the  promised  reward,  a  portion  of  which  pre- 
viously agreed  upon,  is  handed  over  to  the  thief.  But  this  is  compounding 
a  felony  ;  it  may  be  said.  Just  so.  But  who  cares?  Not  the  public,  for 
other  people  are  intent  upon  filling  their  own  pockets.  Not  the  victim  of 
the  robbery,  for  he  recovers  his  property,  which  he  probably  would  not 
have  done  if  he  had  prosecuted  ;  and,  moreover,  he  saves  himself  the  trou- 
ble and  annoyance  of  dancing  attendance  in  the  law  courts.  Not  the  thief, 
for  he  has  been  paid  for  his  crime  and  is  free  to  steal  again.  Not  the 
agency,  for  they  have  transferred  a  considerable  amount  in  good  money  to 
the  right  side  of  the  ledger.  And  thus  a  villainous  system  of  criminality 
prevails  and  flourishes,  as  a  fruit  of  the  corruption  that  runs  through 
society. 

The  police  commission  of  New  York  have  not  yet  had  the  courage  to 
give,  in  their  annual  report,  the  number  of  thefts  and  depredations  that 
take  place  in  a  year ;  but  it  is  certain  that  there  are  hundreds  of  such 
crimes  of  which  the  public  knows  nothing.  It  is  a  rule  to  pass  over  iu 
silence  all  cases  where  no  arrest  is  made  ;  even  where  the  circumstances 
are  known.  Many,  very  many  robberies  occur,  which  do  not  reach  the 
knowledge  of  the  police  at  all,  but,  of  those  which  are  known,  the  perpe- 
trators as  often  as  not  escape,  in  fact  the  police  will  not  affirm  that  half  of 
them  ever  fall  into  their  hands,  and  the  probability  is,  tint  much  more 
than  a  half  escape  all  detection.  It  has  been  estimated  that  the  property 
stolen  annually  in  New  York,  and  of  the  robberies  of  which  no  cognizance 
on  the  part  of  the  authorities  is  taken,  amounts  to  many  hundred  thousands 
of  dollars,  though,  of  course,  anything  like  an  accurate  estimate  could  not 
be  made. 

We  do  not  mean  to  intimate  by  this  that  so  much  property  is  absolutely- 
lost.  Valuable  merchandise  will,  deteriorate  about  one-third  in  value  in 
its  passage  through  the  hands  of  thieves  and  receivers  till  it  reaches  the 
mercantile  world  again ;  but  a  great  deal  of  the  thieves  plunder  goes 
directly  back  to  its  owner,  by  one  or  other  of  the  many  routes,  which,  inas- 
much as  they  depend  upon  compromises  of  some  sort,  have  a  most  prejudi- 
cial effect  upon  the  public  interests.  Advertisements  in  the  papers  indicate 
liow  constantly  this  kind  of  thing  is  occurring ;  and  if  all  the  instances 
could  be  gathered  up  and  examined  into,  it  would  doubtless  be  found  that 
most  of  them  are  brought  about  by  the  intervention  of  private  detectives. 
This  ought  not  to  create  surprise,  since  money  making  is  the  first  object  of 


THE    PUIVATK    DKTKCTIYK3.  65 

those  functionaries,  and  as  they  are  bound  by  no  oath,  they  never  come  to 
regard  it  a  part  of  their  duty  to  bring  the  thief  to  justice. 

We  will  subjoin  some  cases  to  illustrate  their  mode  of  operation. 

A  private  detective  called  upon  the  proprietor  of  a  large  retail  store  iu 
Broadway  to  offer  his  services,  and  to  obtain  for  himself  a  lucrative  engage- 
ment.    He  assured  the  owner  that  he  knew  all   the  shoplifters  and  pick- 
pockets in  the  city,  that  he  could  recognize  them  the  instant  they  came  into 
the  place,  and  that  thereby  he  was  in  a  position  to  save  the  proprietor,  aud 
his  customers  too,  thousands  of  dollars  yearly.       He  was  engaged,  but  the 
engagement  did  not  produce  the  promised  fruits.     The  truth  was  that  the 
man  had  none  of  the  experience  he  claimed.     He  had  no  more  acquaint- 
ance with  the  criminal  classes  than  any  ordinary  resident  in  the  city  would 
have.     But  after  a  time  he  recognized  the  fact  that  he  must  do  something 
to  maintain  his  credit,  and  his  post,  or  else  submit  to  an  ignominious 
exposure.     He  was  not  without  expediency.     He  cultivated  the  acquaint- 
ance of  police  officers,  and  by  enquiries  from  one  and  another  of  them  he 
learned  the  names  and  addresses  of  two  elegant  ladies  who  had  earned  a 
considerable  reputation  as  shoplifters.     He  visited  them ;  represented  that 
he  was  one  of  tho  craft,  and  suggested  the  plan  of  a  robbery  iu  which  he 
would  aid  them,  and  receive  as  his  share  one  half  of  the  plunder.     He 
showed  them  the  great  value  of  his  assistance  by  representing  that  he  was 
in  league  with  the  clerk  of  the  lace  shawl  department  of  the  house  where 
he  was  engaged,  and  th?.t  that  gentleman  would  be  judiciously  blind  at  the 
moment  when  they  would  secrete  the  goods.     The  ladies  did  not  at  first 
seem  very  willing  to  enter  into  the  conspiracy,  partly  because  they  did  not 
altogether  feel  confidence  in  the  source  whence  the  offer  came,  and  partly 
because  they  were  not  just  then  in  need  of  money.     But  he  impressed  upon 
them   so   forcibly  the  great  profits  ensuing,  and  the  absolute  safety  with 
which  the  business  could  be  done,  that  they  at  last  consented ;  and  an  hour 
was  appointed  when  they  were  to  go  to  the  store  for  the  purpose.     The 
detective  thereupon  left  them,  and  at  once  laid  his  plans  for  turning  the 
affair  to  his  own  benefit  in  his  relations  with  his  employer,  by  making 
arrangements  for  the  discovery,  and  arrest  of  the  women.     But  the  last 
named  act  he  could  not  accomplish,  for  he  had  no  authority.     He  therefore 
subsidized  the  services  of  a  policeman  on  whose  beat  the  store  was  situated, 
requesting  him  to  be  near  at  hand  at  the  time  agreed  upon,  and  assuring 
him  that  there  would  be  something  for  him  to  do.     The  women  kept  their 
engagement.     They  went  to  the  store  true  to  time,  and  in  a  few  minutes 
had  secreted  several  valuable  lace  shawls  about  their  persons.     The  detec- 
tive, too,  was  on  hand,  and  at  the  right  moment,  in  his  judgment,  he 
pounced  upon  his  victims,  accused  them  of  the  theft,  had  them  searched, 
and  then  gave  them  in  charge  oi  the  police  officer.     The  evidence  was 
conclusive, — and  the  women  were  tried,  convicted,  and  sentenced  to  a  long 
imprisonment,  the  detective  of  course  being  one  of  the  principal  witnesses 

5 


66  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

against  them.  Through  this  conviction  the  man  at  once  sprang  to  a  high 
point  in  the  esteem  of  his  employer,  and  indeed  of  all  the  storekeepers  in 
the  neighborhood,  (from  whom  he  did  not  forget  to  demand  and  to  receive 
valuable  remunerations  for  the  service  he  had  rendered  them,  by  removing 
two  such  dangerous  shoplifters.)  It  is  no  credit  to  our  judicial  system  that 
the  truth  of  the  case  did  not  come  out  upon  the  trial,  and  that  the  detec- 
tive was  not  made  to  take  his  place  by  the  side  of  the  women  in  the  court 
room,  there  to  receive  the  punishment  which  he  most  richly  merited  ;  more, 
certainly,  than  did  his  victims.  But  law  and  justice  are  not  synonymous, 
nor  is  so-called  justide  always  justice.  The  man  profited  by  his  villainy 
for  a  time,  although  its  real  character  came  out  by  degrees,  at  last. 
Whispers  first  flitted  about.  Then  rumour  grew  bolder,  and  finally,  though 
not,  unfortunately,  till  the  man  had  reaped  his  harvest,  the  truth  became 
known,  and  the  detective  simply  lost  a  berth  which  he  no  longer  wanted. 
The  women  remained  in  prison,  but  he  went  out  to  concoct  new  designs. 

The  following  case  shows  a  similar  illustration. — A  man  who  had  been 
living  in  Canada,  and  had  been  engaged  in  smuggling  operations,  fled  to 
this  country  ;  then,  after  looking  successfully  for  a  suitable  partner,  opened 
a  private  detective  agency  in  the  vicinity  of  Wall  Street.  In  the  ordinary 
way  of  business  they  were  not  very  prosperous.  At  any  rate  they  were 
not  satisfied  with  the  amount  that  came  in  ;  so  they  set  to  work  to  make 
some.  Relying  upon  the  credulity  of  the  public,  and  blessed  with  a  degree 
of  boldness  which  may,  or  may  not  have  been  the  child  of  necessity,  they 
waited  one  morning  upou  the  agent  of  one  of  the  steamship  lines  running 
between  here  and  Liverpool.  They  represented  to  him  that  they  had 
information  from  which  it  was  apparent  that  a  systematic  course  of 
smuggling,  upon  a  scale  of  vast  dimensions,  was  about  to  be  carried  out 
through  the  medium  of  his  steamships.  The  agent,  although  he  is  gener- 
ally esteemed  as  one  of  the  shrewdest  business  men  in  the  city,  believed 
the  representations  of  these  people,  and  readily  fell  into  their  suggestion 
that  he  should  employ  them  to  travel  between  Liverpool  and  New  York  on 
board  of  his  vessels,  and  use  their  best  exertions  to  put  a  check  upon  the 
plot.  This  they  did.  They  received  liberal  remuneration,  and  the  best 
accommodation  that  the  ships  afforded.  So  satisfied  were  they  with  the 
bargain,  that  they  desired  to  continue  it  indefinitely,  and  to  this  end  they 
saw  the  necessity  of  proving,  by  fair  means,  or  foul,  the  value  of  their 
services.  They  therefore  provided  the  owners  in  Liverpool  and  the  agents 
here  with  a  liberal  supply  of  names  of  persons  whom  they  alleged  to  be 
concerned  in  the  conspiracy.  But  their  utmost  ingenuity  did  not  suffice  to 
enable  them  to  do  more  than  this.  And  the  consequence  was  that  after 
some  months  the  owners  in  England  became  suspicious,  and  they  trans- 
mitted instructions  to  this  side,  which  resulted  in  the  two  private  detectives 
being  themselves  placed  under  espionage.  Their  business  was  now  soon 
trlosed  up.     It  was  apparent  in  a  very  short  time  that  their  representations 


TIIK    PRIVATE    DETECTIVES.  67 

"had  been  pure  inventions,  made  up  for  the  purpose  of  obtaining  several 
■months  first  class  board,  and  of  filching  a  large  sum  of  money  out  of  th« 
pockets  of  the  ship  owners.  * 

Cases  of  this  kind  are  not  of  every  day  occurrence,  only  because  the 
opportunities  are  not  every  day  to  be  met  with.  But  instances  similar  to 
those  we  have  already  indicated,  where  felonies  are  compounded,  or 
promised  to  be  compounded,  are  so  numerous  that  probably  no  certain 
estimate  can  be  made  of  their  number.  There  are  no  means  of  recording 
them,  since  they  do  not  generally  come  under  official  cognizance.  When 
they  do,  it  is  because  the  private  agencies  have  failed  to  keep  their  promi- 
ses, or  because  their  clients  are  brought,  in  time,  to  a  sense  of  the  fact 
that  it  would  be  more  profitable  to  apply  to  the  legitimate  authorities.  In 
some  cases,  however,  the  circumstances  that  are  brought  to  light  are  suffi- 
ciently clear  and  connected  to  give  us  a  very  tolerable  insight  into  the 
manner  by  which  these  agencies  do  their  work.  We  quote  the  following 
as  one  of  this  kind. 

A  letter  came  one  morning  to  the  address  of  a  large  manufacturing  firm 
in  this  city,  doing  business  in  gold  and  silver  watches.  It  was  sent  from 
the  office  of  a  private  detective  agency,  and  bore  the  signature  of  the  chief 
of  that  concern.  Enclosed  was  the  following  letter  written  in  a  bad  hand- 
writing and  spelled  in  a  much  less  orthodox  way  than  the  form  in  which 
we  give  it. 

"  Old  Pal 

I  suppose  that  you  have  wondered  how  I  got  away 
and  where  I  am  things  was  so  hot  I  had  no  time  to  let  you  know  before. 
I  have  had  one  or  two  small  things  out  this  way  and  have  now  the  best 
job  I  have  ever  been  in.  There  is  a  big  watch  movement  factory  here 
and  I  have  made  everything  square  with  the  watchman  I  have  beat  it 
already  for  a  little  but  I  am  waiting  for  some  good  pal  to  help  me  clean  it 
out     Come  on  and  we'll  make  a  good  haul. 

Snoozer  Bill." 

The  agency  explained  that  this  letter  had  come  accidentally  into  their 
possession,  but,  deeming  it  of  importance  to  the  firm,  they  had  sent  it  on. 
The  firm  took  the  bait,  but,  if  they  had  had  any  experience  among  the 
criminal  classes,  they  would  have  known  at  once  that  such  a  letter  had 
never  been  written  by  a  thief,  although  it  very  possibly  was  written  by 
quite  as  dangerous  a  criminal.  The  "  agency"  was  at  once  applied  to  for 
advice,  and  the  application  of  course  resulted  in  the  "  agency"  being 
engaged  to  take  charge  of  the  whole  matter.  Large  payments  were  made 
by  the  firm  for  the  valuable  services  rendered — most  of  which  consisted  in 
,the  detection  (or  concoction)  of  other  letters  from  "Snoozer  Bill,"  and  in 
stories  mysteriously  told  by  the  detectives,  which  frightened  the  honest 
watch  makers  out  of  all  the  influence  of  ordinary  reason  ;  and  gave  them 


68  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

the  certain  assurance  that  but  for  the  most  providential  discovery  of" 
"  Snoozer's"  first  letter,  and  the  tremendous  exertions  ot  the  detectives 
since,  their  whole  watch  factory,  with  all  its  contents,  would  ere  now  have 
disappeared  from  the  visible  face  of  existence,  and  they  themselves  would 
have  been  cast  on  to  the  world  poor  and  penniless.  Thus  the  game  went 
on  for  a  long  time  ;  the  credulity  of  the  firm  standing  every  strain,  and 
their  bank  cheques  answering  every  call.  At  length  the  "  agency"  thought 
it  wise  to  close  the  account,  before  the  slightest  suspicions  shouldbe  aroused. 
They  did  so.  They  announced  at  length  the  entire  success  of  their  pro- 
ceedings ;  how  that  the  designs  of  the  robbers  had  been  entirely  defeated  ; 
and  that  now  the  safety  of  the  watches  was  secured  without  further  exer- 
tions on  their  part.  Such  honorable  (  ?)  conduct  increased  the  admiration 
which  the  firm  already  felt  for  the  excellent  agency,  which  had  protected 
them  from  such  a  fearful  burglary.  "  It  was  most  disinterested  conduct," 
and  the  firm  clenched  their  sentiments  by  a  last  tribute,  and  final  reward, 
in  the  shape  of  a  cheque  for  a  highly  respectable  sum. 

Another  remarkable  case  is  recorded,  in  which  a  private  detective  called 
upon  one  of  the  principals  of  a  silk  house,  and  informed  him  that  some 
slight  information  had  been  received  at  their  office  of  an  intended  burglari- 
ous operation  upon  their  silks.  Nothing  definite  was  said,  or  done,  at  that 
interview.  It  was  in  fact  only  a  paving  of  the  way  for  other  attacks  upon 
the  citadel.  Shortly  afterwards  another  detective  visited  the  firm  with 
information,  derived  apparently  from  quite  a  different  source,  full  of  the 
minutest  details.  The  slang  names  of  the  intending  burglars  were  given, 
such  as  "  Stutter  Jack,"  "  Glimmer  George,"  and  others ;  also  the  place 
where  it  was  arranged  that  the  goods  should  be  disposed  of;  the  exact 
description  and  value  of  the  silks  to  be  taken,  and  the  manner  in  which  the 
plunder  was  to  be  divided  among  the  several  persons  concerned.  Such 
information,  coming,  as  it  seemed,  from  different  quarters,  so  complete  in 
its  particulars,  and  with  the  weight  of  detective  authority  upon  it,  could 
not  be  disregarded.  Heavy  fees  were  paid  by  the  firm  for  the  valuable  aid 
of  those  detectives,  and  of  course  neither  "  Glimmer  George"  nor  "  Stutter 
Jack,"  nor  any  of  their  confederates  stole  the  silk.  But  the  case  was  sug- 
gestive of  a  new  idea  to  the  private  agency.  They  doubtless  argued  that 
there  was  no  reason  why  they  should  not  have  fortified  themselves  still 
more  strongly  in  the  estimation  of  their  clients  by  arranging  for  an  actual 
burglarious  attempt  upon  the  premises,  thus  making  an  occasion  to  show 
again  their  skill  at  detection,  and  their  extraordinary  facilities  for  learning 
the  movements  of  the  criminal  classes.  They  acted  upon  this  idea,  and  it 
is  recorded  that  on  the  next  suitable  occasion  some  of  their  confederates 
did  pretend  to  make  a  burglarious  entry  into  a  warehouse,  but  submitted 
to  be  frightened  away,  at  the  most  fitting  moment,  by  their  ever  vigilant 
friends ! 

Again,  a  case  is  mentioned,  where  a  gentleman  lost  $5,000  in  United 


THE    PRIVATE    DETECTIVES.  69 

States  bonds,  bis  misfortune  being  immediately  after  made  a  sensational 
item  in  the  newspipers,  where,  as  usual,  a  great  deal  of  falsehood  was 
mixed  up  with  a  very  small  grain  of  truth.  In  consequence  of  this  ill- 
timed  publicity  the  private  detective  agencies  made  an  attack  upon  the 
victim  of  the  robbery,  and  finally  succeeded  in  convincing  him,  most  satis- 
factorily, that  there  was  no  chance,  whatever,  of  recovering  his  property, 
save  through  their  intervention,  and  by  the  promise  of  a  liberal  reward. 
He  engaged  one  of  the  agencies,  paid  a  large  fee  by  way  of  preliminary 
expenses,  offered  a  proportionately  large  reward,  and  in  a  few  hours  only, 
the  bonds  were  back  in  his  own  safe  ;  a  fact  which  shows  most  conclusively 
the  close  relations  that  there  must  have  been  between  the  detectives  and 
the  thieves.  Indeed  it  is  not  improbable  that  the  property  was  in  the  pos- 
session of  the  agency  even  when  the  engagement  was  made,  and  that 
money  only  was  waited  for  ere  it  was  given  up.  How  these  expectations 
were  realized  may  be  gleaned  from  the  fact  that  the  recovery  of  his  property 
■cost  the  owner  $2,500. 

But,  besides  the  private  detective  agencies,  there  are  also  many  people 
who  work  on  their  own  account,  and  these  are  by  far  the  most  dangerous. 
They  are  not  responsible  to  anybody,  not  even  to  an  employer,  they  are 
the  keepers  of  their  own  secrets,  and  consequently  have  no  check  to  restrain 
their  conduct ;  not  even  the  fear  of  laws,  which  in  themselves  are  lax,  and 
administered  with  even  greater  laxity.  These  men  do  not  even  depend 
for  employment  upon  publicity,  as  they  generally  manage  to  scrape  together 
a  business  of  their  own  which  suffices  to  supply  their  immediate  necessi- 
ties. Whereas  larger  agencies,  with  all  their  objectionable  features,  are 
dependent  upon  publicity,  and  must  keep  a  tolerable  front  to  the  world, 
whatever  be  the  deeds  of  darkness  that  are  done  behind  the  scenes. 

One  more  illustration  occurs  to  us  in  this  connection,  as  showing  the 
means  to  which  people  of  this  kind  have  recourse  in  order  to  fill  their 
pockets.  One  Ed.  H.  Raymour,  who  had  done  business  in  many  private 
detective  offices,  was  charmed  at  the  pecuniary  success  of  some  of  them, 
and  being  anxious  to  grow  rich  suddenly,  hit  upon  a  novel  way  of  fulfilling 
his  wishes.  He  rented  a  suit  of  rooms  in  a  first  class  street,  furnished 
them  elegantly,  procured  a  large  safe,  with  ponderous  ledgers,  and  other 
books,  and  all  things  necessary  to  an  extensive  agency.  He  caused  a 
quantity  of  circulars  to  be  printed  and  circulated,  and  having  engaged  a 
number  of  u  shadows,"  began  operations.  He  so  divided  his  people  that 
they  always  worked  in  twos.  One  of  these  would  be  instructed  to  go  only 
on  a  particular  route,  and  wherever  people  were  found  who  would  be 
likely  to  take  the  bait,  to  sell  them,  at  a  very  low  price,  counterfeit  bank- 
notes, with  which  he  was  duly  provided.  Then,  after  some  time,  he  sent 
out  the  second  man — who  was  already  made  acquainted  with  the  business 
that  had  been  accomplished  by  his  predecessor — with  instructions  to  make 
•the  same  tour,  and  to  lay  under  contributions  the  people  to  whom  the  first 


70  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

had  sold  the  notes.  If  the  people — whom  he  told  to  their  face  that  he  knew 
all  about  their  criminal  transactions — were  willing  to  be  bled  rather  freely  r 
well  and  good,  the  business  was  done  ;  but  if  they  refused,  he  gave  infor- 
mation to  the  United  States  authorities  and  had  them  arrested  ;  he  thus 
secured  the  reward  that  is  offered  for  the  arrest  of  persons  circulating  coun- 
terfeit money. 

But  it  happened  that  Raymour  could  not  pay  enough  good  money  to  his. 
black-mailers  to  meet  their  hotel  and  travelling  expenses.  So  these  gen- 
tlemen began  to  pay  away  the  counterfeit  notes  which  Raymour  had  given 
them.  These  notes  had  been  given  to  them  only  for  the  purpose  named — * 
that  is  to  sell,  and  then  to  enable  them  to  levy  contributions  from  their  vic- 
tims, but  now  that  they  paid  them  away  as  good  money,  they  gave  a  clue- 
to  their  proceedings  which  could  without  much  difficulty  be  traced. 

It  was  taken  hold  of  at  last  by  a  United  States  detective,  and  so  persis- 
tently followed  up  that  in  a  short  time  he  succeeded  in  securing  the  whole 
band,  the  "  shadows,"  as  well  as  the  people  who  had  bought  the  notes  from, 
them,  and  put  them  into  circulation.  Upon  this  followed  the  arrest  of 
Raymour ;  and,  when  his  office  was  seized  and  searched,  a  complete  expo- 
sure of  the  purposes  of  the  whole  conspiracy  was  made,  a  result  which 
lery  justly  procured  the  committal  of  Raymour  to  prison. 

We  will  not  close  this  chapter  without  drawing  attention  to  the  fact  that 
in  October,  1872,  two  persons,  who  had  a  private  detective  office  in  Broad- 
way, were  arrested  for  theft.  A  woman  named  Mary  Berger  had  some 
months  before  deposited  a  small  box  of  jewels  with  them,  and  one  of  the 
firm  pawned  it  for  his  own  purposes.  This  man  was  sentenced  to  a  year 
in  Sing  Sing,  but  his  companion,  who  it  appeard  had  not  been  privy  to  the> 
transaction,  was  set  free. 

The  picture  of  the  private  detective  system,  which  we  have  here 
attempted  to  draw,  is,  we  admit,  uniformly  unfavorable.  And  while  we 
believe  that  this  character  of  it  is  fully  justified  by  facts,  it  does  not  neces- 
sarily follow,  nor  would  we  have  it  to  be  supposed,  that  there  are  no  honest 
men  attached  to  these  private  agencies.  There  certainly  are  some,  there 
may  be  many  persons  connected  with  the  system  who  would  not  be  guilty 
of  a  questionable,  still  less  of  a  dishonorable,  action.  But  these  are  not  in 
the  majority,  nor  are  they  sufficiently  numerous  to  give  to  the  private 
detective  agencies  a  reputation  in  any  degree  better  than  we  have  repre- 
sented. The  system  itself  is  unnecessary.  All  legitimate  detective  busi- 
ness could  be  undertaken  by  the  city  or  United  States  forces,  and  illegiti- 
mate business  should  not  be  provided  for.  But  when,  in  addition  to  this,, 
these  agencies  are,  as  a  rule,  unscrupulous,  and  more  or  less  irresponsible,, 
even  while  limited  in  their  powers,  it  must  be  apparent  that  neither  their 
efficiency  nor  their  integrity  is  worthy  of  public  confidence.  And  finally ;. 
when  we  find  them  resorted  to  so  constantly  by  bad  and  unprincipled  mens 
and  women  ;  when  facts  are  numerous,  showing  that  their  operations  are* 


THE    THIEVE8.  71 

too  often  productive  of  dangerous  complications  in  business  circles,  and  of 
untold  misery  in  family  relations,  it  needs  no  special  argument  to  show 
that  the  tone  of  society  would  be  raised,  and  the  public  interests  conserved, 
if  all  such  agencies  were  to  be  swept  away  ; — killed  out  of  existence  by  the 
withdrawal  of  public  patronage. 


THE  THIEVES. 


Having  in  the  preceding  chapters  adverted  to  the  principal  causes  of 
crime,  namely,  pauperism,  and  outcast  children  ;  having  also  spoken  of 
those  whose  duty  it  is  to  ensure  the  safety  of  the  city,  namely,  the  police 
and  the  detectives  ;  having  then  briefly  directed  the  attention  of  the  reader 
to  tbe  private  detective  agencies  ;  we  pass  on  now  to  the  criminal  classes 
themselves,  and  propose  to  treat  in  the  first  instance  of,  ordinary  thieves. 

A  well  known  preacher  once  stated  publicly  at  a  meeting  convened  for 
the  purpose  of  considering  the  social  condition  of  New  York,  that  there  are 
in  this  city  no  less  than  30,000  professional  thieves,  20,000  prostitutes, 
3,000  drinking  places,  and  2,000  gambling  houses.  We  do  not  know  the 
authority  upon  which  Dr.  Bellew  made  this  statement,  but  presume  that 
it  must  have  >3en,  in  his  estimation,  sufficient  to  justify  the  figures.  It 
went  the  round  of  the  newspapers,  and  was  generally  credited  as  being  a 
statement  of  actual,  and  well  ascertained,  facts.  But  it  was  not  worthy  or 
so  much  public  confidence.  There  is  no  reason  for  making  the  record  ot 
our  city  worse  than  it  really  is, — especially  when  we  remember  that  it 
would  be  difficult,  if  not  impossible,  to  find  another  where  the  social  condi- 
tion is  as  bad.  It  has  been  estimated,  upon  what  seems  to  us  to  be  a  better 
authority,  that  the  number  of  professional  thieves  does  not  exceed  3,000  ; 
while  the  women,  who  are  generally  known  to  be  public  prostitutes,  com- 
prise about  5,000.  Dr.  Bellew  may  have  meant  to  take  in  a  wider  circle 
than  is  here  comprised,  but  as  a  line  must  be  drawn  somewhere,  and  as  it 
is  quite  impossible  to  include  every  woman  who  may  be  guilty  of  immo- 
rality, we  may  well  be  content  with  these  figures.  In  estimating  the  num- 
ber of  drinking  places,  under  which  term  we  comprise  all  places  where  a 
glass  of  liquor  can  be  procured,  whether  they  be  hotel  bars,  "  sample 
rooms,"  or  public  houses  of  every  kind,  the  doctor  erred  in  the  other  direc- 
tion. There  are  more  than  7,000  such  places  in  New  York,  and  the  num- 
ber is  daily  on  the  increase.  Then,  if  under  the  head  of  gambling  houses 
we  include  faro  banks,  and  all  the   lottery  bureaus,  the  total  docs  not 


72  TI1E   DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK   LIFE. 

amount  to  more  than  600,  and  if  the  efforts  of  the  police,  which  have  been 
exerted  recently  in  certain  precincts,  be  persevered  with,  we  may  hope  that 
even  this  calculatien  will  soon  become  excessive. 

We  must,  however,  be  careful  to  distinguish  between  professional  crimi 
nals,  and  those  who  do  not  use  crime  as  the  means  of  obtaining  a  liveli- 
hood ;  that  is,  between  the  people  who  live  upon  crime,  and  they  who  com- 
mit it  through  poverty,  or  perhaps  only  through  indiscretion. 

It  is  probable  that  considering  all  the  circumstances  with  which  we  in 
New  York  are  surrounded,  the  numbers  of  the  former  do  not  exceed  what 
might  reasonably  be  anticipated.  We  have  a  mixed  population,  and  mixed 
nationalities.  We  have  poured  into  our  midst  people  from  all  quarters  of 
the  world,  many  of  whom  are  not  influenced  by  the  highest  principles. 
Moreover,  there  are  hundreds,  nay  thousands  among  us,  who  have  a  hard 
fight  to  secure  a  bare  subsistence,  and  whose  honest  intentions  are  subverted 
by  actual  want,  until  offences  against  the  law  are  committed  as  the  only 
alternative  against  starvation.  It  is  easy  for  persons  who  revel  in  luxury 
at  home,  who  never  knew  what  it  was  to  have  an  unsatisfied  desire,  still 
less  a  stroke  from  the  hand  of  necessity,  to  sit  in  judgment  over  the  pecca- 
dilloes which  men,  who  are  in  their  hearts  as  honest  as  the  honestest,  are 
often  times  driven  to  commit.  That  such  a  condition  of  things  can  exist 
at  all  in  a  country  like  ours,  shows  that  a  great  wrong  is  being  done  some- 
where. But  we  must  not  mistake  its  position.  It  lies  less  at  the  threshold 
of  the  offender  in  such  cases,  than  at  the  heart  of  society  itself,  under  whose 
guidance  and  legislation  crime  is  made  to  become  such  a  cruel  choice. 
When  we  consider  the  sources  whence  we  derive  our  population,  the  needs 
that  prevail  among  us,  the  standard  of  morality  that  obtains  in  social  and 
political  circles,  and  the  temptations  that  are  developed  by  our  institutions, 
the  wonder  rather  is  that  crime  is  not  even  more  prevalent,  and  the  crimi- 
nal classes  more  uncontrollable. 

It  is  very  difficult  to  give  complete  and  authentic  statistics  of  the  crimes 
committed  in  New  York,  since  we  have  only  the  annual  report  of  the 
Police  Commission  to  guide  us ;  and  this,  be  it  remembered,  gives  only  the 
number  of  arrests  ;  while  a  great  number  of  offences  against  the  rights  of 
property  are  committed  where  no  arrests  follow,  and  of  which  many  are 
not  even  known  to  the  police. 

The  latest  report  issued  from  the  press  up  to  the  time  of  our  writing,  is 
that  for  the  official  year  from  April  5th,  1870,  to  April  4th,  1871.  The 
number  of  arrests  in  that  period  was  75,692,  increasing  in  the  next  year  to 
84,515,  but  that  report  is  not  published.*)     Of  the  former,  635  were  for 


*)  It  may  be  interesting  to  compare  these  figures  with  those  given  in  London,  a  city  where  the  law* 
vary  least  from  our  own.  The  latest  returns  from  there  have  not  reached  us;  but  in  the  year  1867  when 
the  population  of  the  police  district  of  London  was  as  nearly  as  possible  four  times  that  of  New  York, 
the  nnral  er  of  arrests  was  63  042.  In  1866  it  had  been  65,806 ;  and  in  1865  it  was  70,274,  thus  showing  not 
an  increase  as  with  us,  but  a  decrease,  even  with  a  rapidly  increasing  population.  This  is  a  terrible  record 
as  against  New  York.    But  again.    Of  the  84,^14  peisons  arrested  in  New  York,  only  367  could  neither 


THE    THIEVES.  73 

burglary,  332  for  robberies  in  the  streets  and  elsewhere,  2,21)6  for  grand 
larceny,  5,332  for  petty  larceny,  362  for  pocket-picking,  163  for  receiving 
stolen  goods;  in  all  9,120.  Then  958  were  for  crimes  of  magnitude  not 
here  enumerated  and  65,614  for  smaller  offences,  and  for  drunkennes, 
breaches  of  the  peace,  &c.  The  number  of  9,120  arrests  for  stealing 
gives,  however,  no  accurate  idea  of  the  number  of  thieves  living  in  the 
city  ;  there  are  many  arrested,  for  petty  larceny  for  instance,  who  fall  into 
the  hands  of  the  police  more  than  once  in  the  year  for  similar  offences, 
while  on  the  other  hand,  as  before  stated,  many  thefts  take  place  where  no 
arrest  follows  ;  either  because  the  perpetrator  of  the  theft  is  not  discovered 
through  the  prevalence  of  a  feeliug  of  leniency,  or  because  the  trouble  is 
not  taken  to  pursue  a  genuine  prosecution,  and  thus  small  offenders  are 
permitted  to  escape.  To  show  how  little  those  police  estimates  are  to  be 
depended  on,  one  example  will  suffice.  As  already  stated,  the  number  of 
arrests  for  pocket-picking  was  362,  or  at  the  rate  of  one  per  day  !  One 
only,  in  this  city  of  New  York  !  while  everybody,  who  lives  here,  knows 
the  immense  number  of  such  robberies  that  are  constantly  taking  place  in 
the  horse  cars  alone,  a  number  which  we  may  certainly  set  down  as  not 
less  than  ten  every  day.  Then  again  the  number  of  persons  who  get  their 
subsistence  in  New  York  by  picking  pockets  is  tixed  in  the  returns  at  300, 
and  yet  only  362  arrests  for  picking  pockets  are  made  in  the  course  of  a 
year !  At  this  rate  each  one  of  the  pickpockets  practises  his  handiwork 
only  once  a  year !  Truly,  a  bad  living,  indeed !  But  yet  how  many 
watches  and  purses  there  are  stolen  ! 

When  we  find  recorded  that  the  number  of  professional  thieves  of  all 
kinds  in  New  York  is  only  3,000,  it  must  be  remembered  that  this  does 
not  include  the  many  hundreds  who  steal  casually  under  the  influence  of 
either  poverty  or  recklessness.  It  represents  only  those,  both  men  and 
women,  who  make  a  business  of  theft  and  live  by  it. 

As  already  shown  there  have  been  during  the  year  2,296  persons  arrested 
for  grand  larceny  and  5,332  for  petty  larceny.  In  the  former  there  is 
very  little  room  for  pity  or  commiseration,  since  almost  without  exception 
they  are  hardened  and  persistent  criminals  ;  while,  with  few  exceptions, 
the  latter  class  are  more  deserving  our  kindly  sympathy,  than  our  con- 
demnation. Magistrates  would  do  well  to  draw  the  distinction  more  fre- 
quently than  they  do  in  their  judgments.  Whether  from  negligence  or  the 
force  of  habit,  we  do  not  say,  but  the  practice  too  commonly  is,  in  our 
courts,  to  treat  the  casual  offender  and  the  experienced  criminal  alike  ; 
punishing  for  the  crime,  without  taking  into   consideration  the  circum- 

read  nor  write ;  3,42-3  could  road  but  not  write ;  and  80,724  had  received  a  more  or  less  good  education. 
But  of  the  63,042  persons  arrested  in  London  7163  could  neither  read  nor  write,  54,1^4  could  read  but  not 
write,  and  1,084  could  read  as  well  as  write,  while  only  61  had  anything  like  a  superior  education.  This 
would  seem  to  show  not  only  that  there  are  many  more  law  breakers  in  our  city,  but  also  that  for  the 
most  part  they  are  of  a  class  who  ought  to  know  better,  while  in  London  they  are  almost  invarubly  the 
most  ignorant. 


74  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF   NEW    YORK   LIFE. 

stances'  under  which,  and  the  antecedents  of  the  person  by  whom,  it  was 
committed.  In  this  way  a  severer  punishment  is  often  inflicted  than  the 
prisoner  deserved,  and  injustice  is  the  consequence.  It  is  not  that  there  is 
any  difficulty  in  detecting  the  professional  from  the  casual  thief.  A  very 
little  care  on  the  part  of  a  cautious  observer,  and  especially  if  he  be  one 
who  has  had  experience  among  criminal  classes,  will  suffice.  And  yet 
while  earnest  tales  of  pinching  poverty,  told  with  all  the  color  and  force  of 
the  thieves*  rhetoric,  seldom  deceive  a  magistrate  ;  it  is  very  common  to 
see  an  equally  deaf  ear  turned  by  the  bench  to  appeals  which  come  from 
the  heart,  and  are  given  with  all  the  force  of  truth  and  genuine  emotion. 
Our  city  is  so  overrun  with  poverty,  is  so  teeming  with  crowds  of  poor 
unfortunates  who  can  scarcely  contrive  by  honest  labor  to  keep  body  and 
soul  together,  that  in  truth  there  is  as  a  rule,  more  need  for  pity  than  for 
severity.  By  far  the  larger  number  of  these  petty  offenders  are  the  victims 
of  a  stern  necessity.  Men  and  women  who  have  chosen  crime  for  their 
profession  do  not  descend,  they  do  not  need  to  descend,  to  petty  thieving. 
It  is  not  worth  their  while,  it  would  not  pay  them,  to  risk  imprisonment,, 
for  a  loaf  of  bread  or  a  dollar  stolen  from  a  till.  Moreover,  a  sense  of  dig- 
nity would  not  allow  them  to  do  it.  They  scorn  such  little  prey.  It  is 
unworthy  of  their  experience,  their  skill,  their  standing  among  their  fel- 
lows. When  men  or  women,  such  as  these,  stand  at  the  bar  of  justice,  we 
ask  for  them  no  sympathy,  no  lenity,  on  the  side  of  the  law ;  but  we  do 
claim  some  consideration  for  some  reform  in  the  mode  of  dealing  with  those 
unhappy  prisoners,  whose  offence  is  at  the  worst  but  trifling,  and  who  have 
been  impelled  to  it  by  circumstances  of  hard  pressing  necessity.  Very 
often,  if  their  cases  where  enquired  into,  it  would  be  found  that  the  tres- 
pass is  repugnant  to  no  one  more  than  to  the  prisoner  himself.  He  will 
deplore  his  condition  from  the  very  depth  of  his  soul,  but  he  will  tell  how 
he  had  no  option  between  becoming  a  criminal  and  seeing  his  wife  and 
children  perish  miserably  of  starvation.  He  chose  the  former  ;  and  who, 
in  the  name  of  justice,  and  humanity,  can  blame  him?  People  who  are 
ever  so  ready,  as  too  many  among  us  are,  to  utter  a  sweeping  malediction 
against  all  who  transgress  the  law  in  small  matters  ; — for  in  truth  society 
does  not  equally  condemn  the  fashionable  and  great  criminal — should 
habitually  visit  the  police  courts.  If  they  were  not  there  soon  and  often  to 
feel  pangs  of  pity  for  many  of  the  unfortunate  offenders  against  the  law,  it 
could  only  be  because  their  hearts  were  steeled  against  the  sufferings  of 
their  fellow  men, — and  all  sense  of  feeling  and  generosity  obliterated  from 
their  constitution. 

It  is  not  long  since  a  poor  woman  was  brought  before  a  magistrate  for 
the  commission  of  a  trifling  theft,  and  who  told  a  sad  story  of  want  and 
misery.  Her  husband  lay  at  the  point  of  death,  not  from  sickness,  but 
from  starvation,  and  she  had  three  children  crying  for  bread.  Destitute, 
not  of  food  only,  but  of  almost  everything  else—  of  everything,  indeed,  but 


THE    THIEVES. 


75. 


the  few  rags  that  barely  covered  her  nakedness  and  certainly  did  not  shel- 
ter her  from  the  cold — this  poor  woman  in  her  extremity  went  out  to  beg. 
But  the  calling  was  new  to  her,  the  arts  and  devices,  the  cunning  and 
effrontery,  of  the  professional  beggar  were  unknown  to  her,  and  she  failed. 
People  would  not  believe  her,  they  would  not  help  her,  and  she  was  driven 
to  a  state  of  wild  desperation.  In  this  condition,  to  save  her  husband  and 
her  little  ones,  she  stole  a  loaf  of  bread.  The  storekeeper  from  whom  she 
took  it  had  no  compassion  for  her,  and  he  handed  her  over  to  the  police. 
She  told  her  tale  of  woe  and  misery  in  the  court,  and  her  whole  aspect  tes- 
tified to  the  truth  of  it.  She,  too,  was  slowly  perishing  of  starvation. 
Her  haggard  face,  her  wild  and  staring  eyes,  her  bones  well  nigh  protrud- 
ing through  her  skin,  told  a  story  of  suffering  which  should  have  brought 
her  sympathy  and  help,  but  it  only  brought  her  a  felon's  doom.  The 
magistrate  was  obdurate,  and  the  woman  went  to  jail.  What  became  of 
her  dying  husband  and  her  starvmg  children,  nobody  cared.  Their  crime 
was  poverty,  hers  poverty  and  necessity  combined,  and  the  law  did  not 
hesitate  long  in  leaving  the  one  to  die,  and  sending  the  other  to  a  prison. 
Its  hesitation  is  wondrously  extended  when  the  defendant  is  rich,  and  his 
offence  an  unwarrantable  crime  of  immense  magnitude.  Then,  the  laws 
delay  and  the  tax-payers  punishment  have  become  proverbial. 

Such  cases  might  be  multiplied  almost  indefinitely.  We  may,  however,, 
repeat  two  others  indicating  the  dangerous  injustice  that  is  too  frequently 
to  be  met  with  iu  the  administration  of  the  law.  A  child,  not  ten  years  of 
age,  was  engaged  as  shop  boy  in  a  house  that  seemed  outwardly  to  be 
respectable,  though  it  is  not  much  in  favor  of  the  reputation  of  people  when 
we  find  them  treating  their  servants  with  all  the  worst  rigors  of  social  sla- 
very. This  lad  was  made  to  work  for  sixteen  hours  every  day,  and  his 
pale  and  haggard  face  told  but  too  plainly  of  the  miserable  living,  that  the 
paltry  pittance,  which  his  master  called  his  "  wages,"  could  at  the  best  pro- 
cure. The  marvel  is  that  children  so  situated  do  not  yield  to  temptation 
more  often  than  they  do,  subjected  as  they  are  to  cruel  treatment,  hard 
work,  and  very  little  remuneration.  But  this  seemed  to  be  at  heart  an 
honest  boy,  and  he  went  bravely  along  doing  his  duty  satisfactorily  and 
using  every  effort  to  win  advancement.  But  a  new  misfortune  was  in 
store  for  him.  His  mother  was  a  widow,  and  her  earnings,  supplemented 
by  his,  sufficed  to  keep  the  wolf  from  the  door  ;  but  presently  she  fell  ill 
and  all  the  help  she  got  was  such  as  this  child  could  render  her.  His 
miserable  "  wages"  were  of  little  avail.  Presently  food  was  no  longer 
attainable,  and  starvation  entered  into  the  desolate  home.  The  boy  gave 
his  mother  all  he  had,  and  was  content  himself  to  starve  upon  the  merest 
scraps  that  he  could  gather.  But  matters  became  worse.  The  mother 
drew  nearer  and  nearer  to  the  point  of  death,  and  the  child  grew  distracted 
at  the  terrible  fate  that  seemed  certainly  coming  to  his  only  parent,  and 
imminently  threatened  himself.       Thus   afflicted,  he    took  a    dollar    that 


76  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK   LIFE. 

belonged  to  his  employer.  Poverty  secured  his  conviction.  He  was, 
without  any  show  of  mercy,  or  consideration,  handed  over  to  the  police  ; 
and  henceforth  relentlessly  prosecuted.  The  magistrate  who  knew,  as 
well  as  his  employer  had  known  before  him,  all  the  extenuating  circum- 
stances, exhibited  no  disposition  to  use  the  discretionary  power  that  is 
readily  developed  when  prisoners  have  wealth  or  influence  behind  them, 
and  after  a  severe  reprimand,  much  of  which  was  utterly  unjustifiable,  the 
boy  was  committed  to  the  House  of  Refuge  as  incorrigible !  In  such  a 
ease  one  naturally  asks  the  question  ;  "  and  what  became  of  the  mother?" 
Oh  !  that  was  of  no  importance.  The  judge  did  not  feel  it  his  business  to 
trouble  about  her.     She  probably  starved. 

These  instances  show  the  evil  effects  of  the  administration  of  the  law 
where  no  regard  is  had  to  the  necessitous  causes  that  sometimes  induce  to 
petty  offences,  the  next  shows  how  much  mischief  may  be  done,  and  crimi* 
nals  in  fact  manufactured  for  society,  by  magistrates  who  treat  even  less 
excusable  faults  with  undue  severity. — A  young  girl  remarkable  for  her 
beauty,  and  as  certainly  innocent  of  all  the  immoralities  to  which  shop 
girls  are  subjected,  took  a  small  piece  of  ribbon  out  of  the  store  where  she 
was  engaged.  There  was  no  excuse  for  this  but  vanity, — and  although  the 
value  was  only  a  few  cents,  no  justification  could  be  found  for  the  theft; 
The  storekeeper  prosecuted,  and  took  some  trouble  to  do  so.  The  girl 
was  arrested  and  after  being  locked  up  for  some  time,  was  finally  tried  and 
convicted.  She  did  not  attempt  to  conceal  her  guilt.  In  such  a  case  the 
disgrace,  the  loss  of  situation,  the  imprisonment  already  suffered,  should 
have  sufficed.  The  girl  was  respectable  and  she  was  penitent.  She  had 
no  bad  disposition,  and  if  allowed  to  return  to  her  friends  with  a  repri- 
mand, the  lesson  would  probably  have  been  effectual.  But  this  was  not 
done.  The  girl  was  sent  to  prison.  There  she  associated  with  thieves 
and  prostitutes  and  took  a  long  and  enduring  lesson  in  crime.  Her  youth 
and  beauty  helped  on  her  ruin.  She  left  the  jail  to  become  the  mistress  of 
a  well-known  thief,  for  the  stain  upon  her  character  left  her,  according  to 
the  ethics  of  our  Christian  society,  no  better  course ;  and  she  ultimately 
developed  into  an  accomplished  shop-lifter.  It  would  be  difficult  to  learn 
what  the  sentence  first  inflicted  in  her  case  has  cost  the  public  since, — ■ 
and  it  would  be  absurd  to  say  that  the  law  is  not  responsible  for  having 
made  that  woman  what  she  is. 

Pleas  of  extreme  poverty  and  distress  are,  it  must  be  admitted,  very 
common  ;  but  they  are  always  worthy  of  consideration.  In  the  cases  of 
women  and  children  they  are  most  affecting,  but  many  men,  and  strong 
able  men,  too,  sometimes  urge  them  with  perfect  justification.  It  may 
seem  anomalous  that  the  story  of  such  a  man  shall  be  true  when  he  tells 
us  that  want  and  inability  to  work  led  him  to  an  act  of  dishonesty.  But  it 
often  is  true,  nevertheless.  In  New  York  there  are  many,  very  many, 
abte  and  willing  men  who  cannot  save  themselves  from  starvation.     Within 


THK    THIKVKS.  77 

our  experience  we  have  met  with  men  of  the  highest  ability  and  with  no 
evil  propensities,  who  for  days,  aye  and  for  weeks  in  succession,  in  spite* 
too,  of  the  most  strenuous  efforts,  have  not  been  able  to  procure  a  dinner- 
But  there  are  many  thousauds  of  less  attainments  than  these,  but  capable 
of  hard  work,  who  are  often  driven  to  acts  of  petty  theft  to  save  themselves 
from  perishiug  by  want.  Many  of  them  would  do  well  if  they  could  leave 
the  city,  and  take  the  advice,  so  cheap  to  give,  but  so  hard  to  take  ;  u  go 
West."  They  would  gladly  do  so,  but  they  have  not  the  means  ;  and  hav- 
ing, in  many  cases,  wive3  and  families  dependent  upon  them,  they  cannot 
even  work  their  way  into  the  country.  A  single  man  may  be  enabled  to 
do  this.  A  gentleman  who  lived  in  a  private  house  on  one  of  the  main 
lines  of  railroad  crossing  New  Jersey,  gave  meals  within  the  space  of  a 
month  to  twenty-five  persons,  all  strong  able-bodied  men,  who,  having 
failed  to  support  themselves  in  the  city,  were  moving  away  on  foot  into 
Pennsylvania,  begging  their  food  as  they  went  along.  In  every  case  a 
similar  tale  was  told,  and  there  could  be  no  doubt  as  to  the  truth.  But 
married  men  cannot  thus  leave  their  families,  and  to  many  of  them  theft  is 
the  only  apparent  salvation  from  starvation.  Thus  again  the  record  of 
crime  is  extended,  and  poverty  stands  forward  as  the  sufficient  palliation 
for  small  offences,  if  only  the  administrators  of  the  law  would  take  the 
trouble  to  investigate  the  truth. 

The  thieves  cost  the  honest  people  of  New  York  about  four  millions  of 
dollars  annually.  They  have  plenty  of  money  and  they  squander  it  lav- 
ishly. The  police  report  for  the  year,  April  1870  to  April  1871,  to  which 
we  have  already  referred,  gives  no  account  of  the  value  of  stolen  property  ; 
but  we  find  one  in  an  earlier  statement ;  that  for  1868.  There  it  amounts 
to  $4,755,077.83.  But  as  a  part  of  this  to  the  value  of  $4,383,567.13  was 
recovered,  the  actual  loss  would  not  amount  to  more  than  $371,510.70. 
This,  however,  must  be  incorrect,  since  if  it  were  not,  the  annual  income 
of  each  of  the  three  thousand  thieves  would  be  only  $124. 

The  professional  New  York  thief  is,  as  a  rule,  well  dressed ;  and  he 
lives  well.  It  is  also  a  noteworthy  fact  that,  when  a  thief  goes  into  a  store 
expressly  to  purchase  something,  he  very  seldom  steals,  but  pays  honestly 
for  what  he  wrants. 

Many  of  the  thieves  expend  annually  large  sums  of  money,  while  others, 
however,  only  just  make  a  living.  Still  it  may  safely  be  affirmed  that  on 
an  average  they  expend  not  less  than  $3.00  a  day  each ;  which,  among 
3000  thieves,  amounts  $3,285,000. 

But  the  thieves  never  obtain  from  the  receiver  of  stolen  goods  their  full 
value,  often  not  more  than  hall,  perhaps  even  less.  It  is,  therefore,  evi- 
dent that  when  we  set  down  the  value  of  property  lost  to  its  owners  by 
theft  during  a  year  at  four  millions,  the  estimate  is  under,  rather  thau 
over  the  truth. 

Stewart  &  Co.,  in  their  retail  business  alone,  lose  from  $15,000  ta 


78  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    TORE    LIFE. 

$20,000  annually  by  robbery,  without  reckoning  their  loss  at  the  hands  of 
thieves  who  break  open  their  packages  in  the  bonded  warehouses  where 
their  goods  lie,  so  that  the  loss  of  this  firm  alone  by  shop-lifters  and  rob- 
bers may  be  taken  at  certainly  $30,000  annually.  Other  large  business 
houses  suffer  in  a  similar  proportion.  Many  ot  them  keep  a  separate 
account  for  loss  which  they  expect  to  suffer  in  this  way  through  thieves, 
and  all  large  houses  have  one  or  more  paid  watchman  to  whom  the  princi- 
pal thieves  of  both  descriptions  are  known. 

But  whether  the  t  Jief  has  three  dollars  a  day  or  only  a  tenth  part  of  it, 
he  is,  as  a  general  rule,  never  without  money,  for  a  more  careless  and 
reckless  spendthrift  than  a  thief  does  not  exist.  "  Have  no  care  for  the 
morrow,"  is  the  only  precept  in  the  Bible  that  he  follows.  As  fast  as  he 
gets  his  money,  he  spends  it,  hardly  knowing  that  he  has  had  it.  Outside 
of  his  business  he  is  just  and  liberal,  and  when  he  has  his  pockets  full  he 
first  pays  what  he  owes,  and  also  helps  out  of  misfortune  his  less  fortunate 
companions.  If  then  he  has  anything  left  he  goes  to  the  gambling  table, 
and  then  the  keeper,  or  the  bank,  takes  all  he  has  and  once  more  he  finds 
himself  without  a  cent.  He  does  not  object  to  the  society  of  ladies,  nor  to 
the  use  of  strong  drink,  but  in  neither  i3  he  extravagant.  Very  seldom  is 
he  a  drunkard  ;  and  the  often  repeated  statement  that  all  thieves  are  con- 
federated with  abandoned  women,  is  an  error.  Very  often,  indeed,  a  thief 
is  found  living  with  one  woman,  and  then  she,  too,  is  a  thief  and  con- 
tributes her  full  share  to  the  housekeeping. 

But  even  if  thieves  do  not  go  near  the  green  cloth,  nor  have  anything  to 
do  with  the  ladies,  they  still  fail  to  save  anything,  for  no  classes  are  so 
unmercifully  fleeced.  They  are  the  fair  game  of  lawyers  and  many  detec- 
tives, and  when  once  they  fall  into  the  hands  of  these,  they  seldom  escape 
until  they  have  been  mulcted  of  their  last  cent.  If  a  thief  belongs  to  the 
less  prominent  of  his  class,  he  may  be  perfectly  certain  that  he  will  first  be 
fleeced  and  then  marched  off  to  prison  ;  but  if  he  belongs  to  the  more 
important  set  of  thieves,  and  has  plenty  of  money,  when  he  is  arrested  he 
can  settle  the  worst,  robbery  by  a  compromise. 

As,  in  all  conditions  of  life,  there  is  among  thieves  a  real  aristocratic 
element  which  thinks  better  of  itself  than  of  others,  and  also  a  plebeian 
party  which  is  looked  askance  at  by  the  other.  There  are  then  greater 
and  lesser  thieves,  by  which  term  of "  greater  thieves"  we  do  not  here 
mean  those  who  cheat  to  the  value  of  millions,  but  actual,  genuine  thieves. 
It  must  be  conceded  to  the  "  greater  thief,"  who  considers  himself  a  gen- 
tleman, and  engages  only  in  large  operations,  that  he  has  a  certain  amount 
of  contempt  for  the  "  lesser  thief,"  because  he  considers  that  he  has  not  the 
"  honor"  to  be  a  thief,  and  also  because,  as  he  is  ever  irritating  the  public 
mind  with  his  paltry  robberies,  the  business  of  the  big  man  gets  damaged. 
The  greater  thief  has  his  fixed  sphere.  He  is  cither  a  burglar,  pickpocket, 
bank-robber,  or  belongs  to  one  or  other  of  the  recognized  divisions  of  the 


THE    THIKVES.  70 

profession;  while  the  "lesser  thief"  turns  his  hand  to  anything.  The 
greater  thief  lives,  as  we  have  already  said,  well ;  while  the  other  has  no 
fixed  habitation,  and  lives  now  in  this  lodging-house,  now  in  that ;  unless 
some  thief  in  better  circumstances  takes  him  to  his  own  place  to  employ 
him  in  some  business  as  an  accomplice.  In  all  houses  where  thieves  fre- 
quent there  are  to  be  found  one  or  two  of  these  fellows,  where  they  are 
tolerated  in  order  that  they  may  be  used,  as  occasion  requires,  as  rowdies 
and  bullies,  or  as  messengers  and  "  go-betweens"  in  the  business  of  the 
greater  thieves,  for  which  service  they  receive  a  trifling  wage,  or  perhaps 
the  right  of  free  drinks  in  this  or  that  bar-room.  Often,  too,  they  get  an 
old  coat,  or  a  pair  of  old  boots,  or  something  of  the  kind  which  the  thieves 
leave  behind  when  they  are  on  a  journey  ;  that  is  when  they  are  gone  to 
jail ;  but  this  favor  is  done  less  out  of  kindness  than  with  the  idea  of  giving 
the  ragamuffins  a  more  respectable  appearance. 

These  men  tramp  the  streets  in  the  morning  when  the  shops  are  bein<* 
opened  in  the  business  localities,  to  look  about  and  see  where  anything  can 
be  made.  There  is  a  dry  goods  store.  The  clerk  has  brought  out  per- 
haps a  couple  of  pieces  of  cloth,  or  something  of  the  kind,  and  has  dis- 
played them  carefully  before  the  store  to  attract  customers.  He  returns  to 
bring  out  more  ;  and  in  a  moment  the  thief  is  on  hand.  A  glance  suffices 
to  tell  him  that  he  is  not  observed,  and  in  a  moment  he  has  got  a  piece  of 
the  goods  into  his  bag,  thrown  it  over  his  shoulders,  and  is  walking  quietly 
away,  mingling  with  the  people,  who  even  at  this  early  hour  are  numerous, 
and  who  are  now  unwittingly  helping  the  thief  to  get  his  plunder  into  a 
place  of  safety. 

In  yonder  corner,  again,  is  an  old  apple- woman,  busy  setting  out  her 
wares.  She  disposes  her  fruit  in  as  tempting  a  manner  as  she  can,  to 
attract  the  passer-by,  and  just  as  she  does  so  >he  thief  comes  along  with  a 
step  of  impudent  assurance.  To  divert  the  attention  of  the  woman  he 
takes  up  an  apple  with  one  hand,  asking  what  it  costs,  while  with  a  cloth, 
which  he  has  in  the  other  hand,  he  covers  the  little  box  in  which  the 
woman  keeps  her  small  change,  picks  it  up,  and  laying  down  the  apple 
with  the  remark  "  that  is  too  dear,"  goes  on  his  road  again.  Such  is  the 
way  these  thieves  get  along,  the  plebeians  of  the  profession  ;  and  it  need 
not  be  wondered  at  when  we  find  the  great  gentlemen  thieves  looking  down 
with  contempt  upon  these  paltry  raggasnumns,  who,  according  to  their 
idea,  degrade  their  high  calling.  Livery  stables  and  all  such  places  where 
harness  or  horse  trappings  are  in  use,  are  kept  well  attended  to  by  this 
kind  of  thieves  ;  they  go  in,  ask  for  work,  and  when  the  gentleman  turns 
his  back,  perhaps,  to  look  after  his  horses,  they  gather  up  in  a  moment 
-anything  they  can  lay  their  hands  upon,  and  are  off. 

-  In  the  evening  they  sneak  about  in  all  directions  to  spy  out  something 
that  they  can  carry  off.  Perhaps  there  may  be  some  goods  left  by  inad- 
vertence outside  a  store  ;  the  thief  passes  along  once  or  twice  to  see  whether 


80  THE   DAKK    SIDE    OF   NEW    YORK   LIFE. 

there  is  any  danger  to  him  from  within  ;  and  as  soon  as  he  finds  that  the- 
coast  is  clear,  he  takes  up  the  goods  quietly  as  he  passes  by  the  next  time,, 
puts  them  into  his  bag  and  goes  on.  The  passers-by,  who  see  him  do  it,, 
have  no  idea  that  the  man  is  a  thief,  but  think  that  he  belongs  io  the  shop 
and  has  a  right  to  take  away  the  goods. 

Trunks,  travelling  bags,  and  other  baggage  in  the  railroad  stations  are 
never  safe,  except  when  under  the  immediate  eye  of  the  owner,  or  of  some 
trustworthy  person.  Railway  depots  are  to  be  numbered  among  the  places 
which  are  especially  frequented  by  thieves  of  this  kind,  and  not  half  of 
their  robberies  come  to  the  notice  of  the  police.  Thus  the  thieves  have 
certainly  much  good  fortune  in  the  exercise  of  their  base  occupation,  but 
it  is  not  always  the  case,  for  it  often  happens  that  a  little  negligence  on 
their  part  leads  to  their  discovery. 

We  subjoin  here  an  interesting  example  of  this  kind,  and  will  let  Mr* 
Mc Walters,  the  detective  who  had  charge  of  the  case,  tell  his  own  story, 
as  follows : — 

u  One  day,  some  years  ago,  a  Mr.  Latimer  called  upon  me.  He  was  a 
^wealthy  man,  a  land  owner,  engaged  in  several  kinds  of  business  and 
among  others  in  the  sale  of  real-estate.  He  said  that  on  the  previous 
night  the  sum  of  $7,255  had  been  stolen  from  a  safe  that  stood  in  the  room 
adjoining  his  bed-room.  He  had  left  it  there  in  the  evening,  because  it 
had  been  too  late  to  deposit  it  at  the  bank.  I  asked  him  where,  from 
whom,  and  in  what  sums  the  money  had  been  received,  and  ascertained 
from  him  that  he  had  been  collecting  house  rents,  a  part  he  had  taken  for 
a  load  of  pressed  hay  sold  in  Jersey  City,  and  another  sum  had  come  to 
him  from  the  country.  At  my  request  he  gave  me  a  specification  of  each 
of  the  separate  payments,  also  the  names  of  the  parties  who  had  paid  them, 
and  the  consideration.  I  also  asked  him  whether  any  other  persons  were 
present  when  he  received  the  money.  In  reply  to  this  question  he  told  me 
that  when  he  took  the  money  for  the  hay  several  people  were  standing  by,. 
some  were  customers,  others  working  people,  and  a  few  well,  but  rather 
flashily  dressed  young  men.  Latimer  had  taken  out  his  pocket-book,  in 
which  there  was  already  a  considerable  sum  of  money,  and  opened  it  to 
put  in  the  amount  just  received.  He  had  put  this  back  into  an  inner 
pocket  of  his  waistcoat,  and  as  soon  as  he  reached  home,  he  put  it  away 
in  the  safe.  After  this  interview  Mr.  Latimer  left  me  and  I  promised 
to  visit  him  another  day  at  his  house,  and  take  a  look  at  the  surround- 
ings. 

On  the  same  evening  my  duty  took  me  into  several  gambling  houses,, 
and  in  one  of  them  I  fell  in  with  a  young  man  who  had  plenty  of  money  ^ 
and  from  whose  appearance  I  could  not  divert  my  mind  of  the  idea  that 
this  money  was  a  part  of  that  which  had  been  stolen  from  Latimer.  But, 
unfortunately,  I  did  not  yet  know  the  denominations  of  the  notes  belonging 
to  the  stolen  money,  otherwise  I  would  have  looked  into  the  matter  a  little 


lilt     IlllhVKS.  81 

closer,  and  have  arrested  the  man  forthwith  if  my  suspicions  had  been 
confirmed. 

On  the  next  morning  I  called  on  Mr.  Latimer.  I  asked  him  about  the 
members  of  his  family  and  his  servants.  His  children  were  not  iu  New 
York,  the  boys  being  away  at  college  and  the  girls  at  a  boardiug-school. 
He,  his  wife,  and  their  servants  were  the  only  persons  residing  in  the 
house  ;  and  even  his  wife — as  he  remarked — had,  as  it  happened,  not  been 
aware  that  he  had  the  money,  or  that  it  was  deposited  in  the  satV.  I 
examined  the  servants  in  whose  honesty,  by  the  way,  Mr.  Latimer  Raid 
he  had  the  utmost  confidence.  None  of  these  could  give  any  information. 
Only  one  had  heard  on  that  night  a  slight  noise  ;  the  others  had  slept  well 
and  heard  nothing.  Since  the  safe  stood  in  a  room  adjoining  their  bed- 
room, Latimer  and  his  wife  must  also  have  slept  very  soundly  on  that 
night,  otherwise  they  must  have  heard  something.  I  saw  at  once  that  a 
very  skilful  thief  must  have  been  at  work  here,  and  again  T  could  not  help 
thinking  of  the  young  man  whom  I  had  seen  the  evening  before  spending 
so  much  money,  and  who,  it  certainly  seemed  to  me,  must  be  the  man  who 
had  committed  the  robbery.  But  there  was  one  question  I  could  not 
answer  to  myself  satisfactorily.  How  was  the  thief  able  to  open  the  safe? 
lie  must  have  been  acquainted  with  the  interior  of  the  house  and  with  the 
safe. 

Perhaj  s  he  had  a  key  for  it,  or  that  he  had  in  his  possession  several 
sife-keys,  of  which  one  might  have  opened  the  lock.  If  otherwise,  he 
must  have  used  Mr.  Latimer's  own  key.  But  this  key  (a  very  small  one) 
Mr.  Latimer  had  in  his  vest  pocket,  and  his  clothes,  during  the  night,  lay 
upon  a  chair  at  the  head  of  the  bed.  He  had  laid  them  there  at  night  and 
he  found  them  there  in  the  morning.  He  wras  also  quite  certain  that  he 
had  locked  the  safe  after  depositing  the  pocket-book  inside.  I  asked  him 
to  let  me  see  inside  the  safe,  and  to  show  me  the  place  where  he  had  laid 
the  money.  He  opened  the  safe.  The  lock  was  a  simple  one  and  by  no 
means  a  sufficient  protection  against  thieves.  For,  although  the  key-hole 
was  very  small,  so  that  the  lock  could  not  have  well  been  burst  with  pow- 
der, yet  the  construction  of  the  lock  was  such  that  it  could  not  have  pre- 
sented any  difficulty  to  a  dextrous  thief.  But  to  open  it  by  force,  without 
making  any  noise,  would  not  have  been  possible.  Latimer  had  placed  the 
money  in  one  of  the  little  drawers  inside  the  safe  and  had  turned  the  key 
of  the  drawer,  but  left  it  iu  its  place.  But  the  drawer  fastened  very  closely 
and  although  we  opened  it  at  least  a  dozen  times,  we  found  it  impossible  to 
do  so  without  making  considerable  noise.  In  fact  upon  that  night  Latimer 
and  his  wife  must  have  slept  unusually  soundly. 

After  I  had  examined  everything  thoroughly,  and  questioned  and  cross- 
questioned  Mr.  Latimer,  we  were  about  closing  the  safe  again,  when  he 
took  out  some  papers  that  lay  disarranged  on  the  bottom  of  the  safe,  for 
the  purpose  of  setting  them  straight.     While  doing  this  a  lottery  ticket, 

6 


82  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF     NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

which  had  been  lying  on  the  papers,  fell  to  the  ground.  He  picked  it  up, 
looked  at  it  in  astonishment,  aud  handed  it  to  me  with  the  words  : 

"  This  is  strange,  you  will  think  at  last  that  I  gamble  in  lotteries,  but  I 
don't  know  how  the  ticket  got  in  here." 

"Has  anybody  besides  you  got  a  key  to  the  safe?"  I  asked  him  in 
reply.  . 

Upon  whioh  he  told  me  that  "of  course  his  wife  had  a  key."  "  Oh  ! 
then,"  said  I,  "  she  may  have  placed  the  ticket  there."  But  he  emphatic- 
ally denied  this,  saying  that  his  wife  was  a  bitter  enemy  to  lotteries,  aud 
that  if  she  had  found  the  ticket  there,  she  might  well  have  thought  that  he 
gambled. 

"No,"  he  continued,  "the  ticket  does  not  belong  to  her,  but  perhaps 
one  of  the  servants  may  have  given  it  to  her  to  take  care  of,  for  it  is  possi- 
ble that  they  may  speculate  in  lotteries." 

So  Mrs.  Latimer  was  called  in  and  questioned.  She  knew  nothing  of 
the  ticket,  and  answered  very  angrily  that  if  any  of  her  servants  came  to 
ask  her  to  take  care  of  such  a  thing,  she  would  tear  it  up  first,  for  no  ser- 
vant of  hers  should  gamble  in  lotteries. 

Now  then,  how  did  the  ticket  get  into  the  safe?  It  was  for  a  lottery 
which  was  to  be  drawn  in  Baltimore  at  the  firm  of  Henry  Colton  &  Co., 
who  were  at  that  time  agents  for  lotteries  in  Maryland,  and  it  bore  the 
number  1710.  It  appeared  from  the  ticket,  which  was  evidently  new,  that 
the  drawing  was  soon  to  take  place.  But  still  there  was  mystery,  and 
again  I  asked  myself  how  did  it  come  into  the  safe?  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Lati- 
mer clearly  knew  nothing  about  it,  aud  it  was  quite  certain  that  it  had  not 
been  in  the  safe  long.  At  last  I  came  to  the  conclusion  that,  as  the  drawer 
moved  stiffly,  the  thief,  in  opening  it,  had  been  obliged  to  use  some  force 
and  that,  in  leaning  over,  the  ticket  had  fallen  out  of  his  waistcoat  into  the 
safe,  where  we  had  found  it.  But  still  the  question  remained  unanswered : 
How  had  the  safe  been  opened?  And  this  I  could  not  satisfactorily 
answer.  Perhaps  it  had  been  done  with  a  false  key.  But  as  the  keys  of 
all  these  safes  are  different,  how  could  the  thief  have  procured  one  that  just 
opened  this  lock. 

After  we  had  finished  our  investigation,  Mr.  Latimer  shut  the  door  of 
the  safe,  turned  the  knob  and  took  out  the  key.  I  do  not  know  what 
exactly  caused  me  to  do  so,  but  I  asked  him.  "  Have  you  locked  it  ?" 
"  Yes,"  he  answered,  "  with  this  safe  you  have  only  to  close  the  door 
firmly  to  fasten  it,"  and  with  these  words  he  took  hold  of  the  knob  and 
pulled  it  to  show  me  the  arrangement,  when — the  door  opened  !  Larimer 
stood  stupefied  ;  and  I  must  confess  that  I  was  scarcely  less  astonished. 
It  was  now  evident  that,  on  the  night  when  the  robbery  took  place,  the 
thief  had  found  the  safe  open,  just  as  it  was  uow.  We  examined  the  lock 
more  closely  and  found  that  the  catch  did  not  come  out  far  enough  to  close 


THK    THIKYES. 


63 


lie  safe  securely.      Th  re  was  in  fact  something  out  of  order  with  the  lock 
which  Mr.  Latimer  had  not  before  remarked. 

But  I  uow  had  the  lottery  ticket,  and  I  told  Mr.  Latimer  that  this  must 
now  be  made  the  mean*  possibly  of  detecting  the  thief.  I  requested  him 
to  go  to  all  those  people  who  had  made  him  any  payments  on  the  day  in 
question,  and  to  ask  them  if  they  could  remember  the  amounts  of  the  vari- 
ous notes  and  the  banks  to  which  they  belonged.  The  answer  he  brought 
me  to  these  enquiries  gave  me  some  information,  and  I  then  explained  to 
Mr.  Latimer  my  plan  of  operations. 

He  authorized  me,  iu  case  I  should  consider  it  expedient,  to  offer  a 
reward  of  rive  hundred  or  a  thousand  dollars  for  the  discovery  of  the  thief, 
•or  double  the  amount  for  the  detection  of  the  thief  and  the  recovery  of  the 
stolen  property. 

31  v  first  idea  now  was  to  go  to  Baltimore.  But  I  felt  convinced  that 
even  if  the  ticket  were  genuine  it  would  not  give  me  any  information  as  to 
who  had  bought  it.  Possibly  I  could  get  that  information  from  the  New 
York  agents,  but  I  dare  not  go  there,  because  they  might  be  acquaintances 
of  the  man  who  had  bought  ticket  No.  1710,  and  in  that  case  the  thief, 
hearing  of  my  enquiries,  would  come  to  the  conjecture  that  he  had  lost  the 
ticket  in  Latimer's  house.  I  gave  up  the  thought  of  going  to  the  office, 
and  at  first  did  not  know  very  clearly  what  I  should  do.  Presently,  how- 
ever, a  plan  suggested  itself  to  me.  If  the  ticket  wins,  I  thought  to  myself 
— and  the  winning  numbers  must  be  published  immediately  after  the  draw- 
ing— then  I  will  offer  to  the  Baltimore  agent  the  promised  reward  of  $500 
or  SI, 000  to  find  out  the  thief;  but  if  it  does  not  win,  then  I  must  take 
into  my  confidence  the  New  York  agent  who  sold  the  ticket,  that  he  may 
-write  to  the  purchaser  of  it,  to  say  that  it  had  won  and  that  he  could  have 
the  money.  So  being  decided  as  to  what  under  either  circumstances  I 
"would  do,  I  determined  to  remain  in  Baltimore  duriug  the  two  days  pre- 
ceding the  drawing. 

Luckily  No.  1710  won  ;  the  prize,  too,  was  not  less  than  three  thousand 
■dollars.  I  now  went  to  the  agent,  told  him  how  the  matter  stood,  offered 
him  the  promised  §500  and  half  the  amount  of  the  prize,  and  he  expressed 
his  willingness  to  help  me  to  discover  the  thief.  Naturally,  too,  the  New 
York  agent,  who  had  sold  the  ticket,  interested  himself  about  the  payment 
of  the  prize  ;  for  that  so  large  an  amount  had  been  won  by  a  ticket  pro- 
cured from  him,  was  a  matter  that  had  to  tJ^put  before  the  public.  But 
-where  was  the  ticket?  The  agent  had  thought  that  the  purchaser  of  it 
would  present  himselt  without  any  delay,  but  he  did  not  come.  He  wrote 
to  him  and  told  him  of  his  good  fortune  ;  upon  this  the  man  called,  but 
wiih  the  complaint  that  he  had  lost  the  ticket ;  whereupon  the  agent,  who 
did  not  want  to  lose  his  commission,  wrote  to  the  head  office  in  Baltimore, 
requesting  that  the  money  might  be  paid  only  through  him.  It  was  now 
arranged  that  the  purchaser  of  the  ticket  should  make  an  affidavit  in  due 


84  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK   LIFE. 

legal  form  that  he  had  bought  ticket  No.  1710,  that  he  had  not  surren- 
dered it  to  anybody,  but  had  really  lost  it.  And — as  a  pretended  precau- 
tion, leet  possibly  anyone  who  might  have  found  the  ticket  should  present 
it  for  payment — I  further  determined  that  it  would  be  better  for  the  actual 
purchaser  of  the  ticket  to  say  in  the.  affidavit,  whether,  as  is  often  the  cus. 
torn,  he  had  put  any  private  mark  on  the  ticket.  I  wanted  this  in  order 
to  bring  the  recollection  of  the  thief  to  the  point,  and  it  facilitated  me  in 
gettiRg  from  him  the  declaration  that  he  had  not  marked  the  ticket,  but 
that  he  well  remembered  to  have  so  tumbled  it  up  together  that  there  were 
two  breaks  in  the  paper  across  the  numbers  7  and  1.  That  was  just  what 
I  wanted,  because  it  identified  him  as  the  true  purchaser.  He  swore  that 
he  had  not  parted  from  the  ticket  to  anybody,  that  he  had  upon  such  and 
such  a  day  (and  he  named  the  dav  upon  which  the  robbery  at  Mr.  Lati- 
mer's had  taken  place)  lost  it,  as  he  thought,  while  on  his  way  from  Broad- 
way and  Fulton  Steeet,  (where  at  that  time  was  a  gaming  house,)  to< 
Union  Square. 

He  had  signed  the  affidavit,  but  howT  were  we  to  know  that  that  was 
his  real  name.  At  the  same  time,  however,  the  New  York  agent  also 
made  an  affidavit  that  he  had  sold  the  ticket  to  this  man,  whom  he  again 
recognized.  We  now  agreed  to  arrange  matters  thus  : — that  if  the  ticket 
were  not  presented  for  payment  by  anybody  else  within  a  month,  then  the 
amount  should  be  paid  over  to  the  signer  of  the  affidavit ;  but  that  if  any- 
body else  should  put  in  an  appearance  in  the  meantime,  he  should  be  duly 
intimated  and  given  an  opportunity  to  defend  his  claim.  These  arrange- 
ments being  safely  made  in  Baltimore,  and  the  New  York  agent  made 
acquainted  with  them,  I  returned  to  New  York  to  find  out,  if  possible,  who 
this  Charles  F.  Worden  was,  who  had  signed  the  affidavit.  The  Baltimore 
agent  also  came  to  New  York  and  worked  ably  in  the  business,  since  the 
agent  here  had  written  him  a  description  of  Worden.  He  succeeded  in 
having  a  long  interview  with  Worden  in  the  presence  of  his  New  York 
colleague,  and  when  he  wrote  to  me  a  description  of  the  latter,  I  recog- 
nized at  once,  and  without  any  doubt,  the  young  man  whom  I  had  seen  in 
the  gaming  house  on  the  evening  I  first  mentioned  and  whom  I  then  sus- 
pected of  being  the  thief.  The  general  description  of  his  person  was  amply 
sufficient,  but  he  had  besides  a  remarkable  mark,  a  bare  spot  on  the  left 
side  of  his  head,  which  he  was  in  the  habit  of  striving  to  conceal  with  his 
hair. 

Now  I  was  certain  of  success,  but  still  I  felt  assured,  that  the  real  name 
of  the  man  was  not  "  Worden."  It  is  sufficient,  however,  to  remark  that 
in  t*wo  days  I  found  out  all  that  I  wanted  to  know.  Even  his  antecedents 
were  fully  known  to  me.  lie  belonged  to  a  good  family  and  was  not  with- 
out abilities,  but  his  love  of  pleasure  and  dissipation  had  made  him  a  grief 
to  his  relations  and  friends.  His  father,  who,  although  not  a  rich  man, 
Was  a  well-to-do  merchant,  had  cast  him  off  more  than  a  year  betbre.     As 


THE    THIEVES.  85 

tie  could  find  no  other  occupation,  he  went  as  clerk  to  a  grocer,  who, 
besides  his  legitimate  business,  had  a  drink ing-saloon  in  a  back  room. 
Here  Worden  made  the  acquaintance  of  a  "  Banker"  from  down  town,  who 
lived  near  the  grocery,  and  soon  was  very  intimate  with  him.  It  occurred 
to  him,  however,  to  find  out  what  kind  of  a  banker  the  man  was,  and  he 
discovered  that  he  was  the  banker  of  a  gambling  hell  at  the  corner  of 
Broadway  and  Fulton  Streets,  but  was  regarded  in  the  neighborhood  where 
he  lived — for  who  in  New  York  knows  his  neighbors? — as  an  active  and 
wealthy  merchant. 

This  acquaintance  was  the  occasion  of  the  young  man  beginning  to 
neglect  his  duty,  and  to  waste  time  wandering  about  when  he  had  to  go 
out,  till  at  length  the  grocer  dismissed  him.  How  after  that  he  managed 
to  live,  and  dress  himself  so  well,  was  a  puzzle  to  his  earlier  acquaintances. 
One  day,  after  he  had  gambled  away  his  last  dollar,  he  stole  some  money 
from  another  man  with  whom  he  was  living  in  a  boarding-house.  Suspi- 
cion did  not  rest  upon  him,  and  the  consequence  was  that  he  was  led  fur- 
ther on  along  the  road  to  crime. 

Although  confident  now  of  securing  my  man,  I  had  not  got  him  ;  more- 
over, I  must  first  confer  with  the  Baltimore  agent.  Upon  him  much 
depended.  I  had  the  ticket,  and  the  young  man  had  sworn  that  it  belonged 
to  him  ;  but  he  would  certainly  declare  that  he  had  lost  it,  and  that  the 
thief  must  have  found  it,  if  I  laid  my  bauds  upon  him  yet.  So  I  took  Mr. 
Latimer  with  me,  disguised,  to  the  gaming  house  which  the  young  man 
frequented,  and  there  he  recognized  him,  without  any  doubt,  as  one  of  the 
people  who  was  standing  near  when  he  received  the  moaey  for  the  hay  in 
Jersey  City.  But  even  this  did  not  sulhce  to  secure  the  conviction  of  the 
thief,  since  we  were  not  in  a  position  to  say  that  the  stolen  property,  or 
any  part  of  it,  was  in  his  possession.  Yet  I  hoped  that  this  would  be  pos- 
sible, for  I  sawr  that  now  he  did  not  play  recklessly,  as  formerly,  but  witli 
caution,  like  a  man  who  puts  by  what  he  wins.  I  thought  that  now  that 
the  robbery  had  given  him  a  fine  capital  in  hand,  he  felt  that  he  had  only 
to  play  and  win  more,  and  that  then  with  the  proceeds  of  his  lottery  ticket 
lie  could  begiu  business.  And,  that  I  calculated  rightly,  the  later  acquaint- 
ance I  made  with  the  young  man  assured  me. 

As  stated  before,  Mr.  Latimer  had,  by  the  questions  he  had  put  to  the 
people  who  had  paid  him  the  money,  provided  an  important  fact  towards 
the  conviction  of  the  thief.  I  went  agaiu  to  Baltimore  and  told  the  chief 
agent,  that  I  thought  the  time  had  come  to  bring  the  affair  to  a  crisis.  We 
then  decided  on  our  plans. 

The  New  Y^ork  agent  was  informed  that  the  ticket  had  been  presented 
at  the  chief  office,  and  a  request  made  for  the  payment  of  the  prize,  that 
in  consequence  he  must  now  come  on  to  Baltimore  writh  "  Worden"  to  see 
the  holder  of  the  ticket,  and  that  the  latter  would  call  again  in  three  days. 
The  chief  agent  was  much  delighted  ;  for  I  had  promised  him,  that  if  the 


86  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

affair  turned  out  well,  and  we  succeeded  in  recovering  a  good  share  of  the 
Stolen  money,  he  should  have  the  whole  of  the  lottery  winnings,  provided 
he  would  renounce  his  claim  to  the  $500  reward. 

He  was  for  charging  the  young  man  with  the  theft  at  Mr.  Latimer's  as 
soon  as  we  got  him  into  the  private  office,  telling  him  that  we  knew  all 
about  his  presence  when  the  money  was  paid  in  Jersey  City,  and  the  cir- 
cumstances of  his  identification  of  the  ticket  in  the  affidavit,  thinking 
thereby  to  frighten  him,  and  to  drive  him  into  an  immediate  confession. 

I,  however,  felt  that  it  might  not  be  so  easy  to  bring  him  to  a  confes- 
sion, and  that  we  had  better  let  things  take  their  course  and  see  what  the- 
result  would  be. 

I  had  not  yet  told  the  agent  what  information  Mr.  Latimer  had  given 
me  as  to  the  denominations  of  the  notes,  bat  I  arranged  with  him  that, . 
when  the  time  came  for  the  payment  of  the  money,  he  should  give  the 
young  man  a  draft  upon  New  York  to  the  amount  of  $3,500  in  payment : 
so  that  Worden  should  give  him  $500  in  exchange. 

The  New  York  agent  and  Worden  came  on  and  we  had  a  private  con- 
ference, in  which  I  assumed  the  position  of  legal  assistant  to  the  Baltimore 
agent.  The  New  York  agent  was  also  present-  I  put  several  questions 
to  the  young  man  with  reference  to  the  ticket,  heard  the  statement  of  the 
New  York  agent,  and  in  the  presence  of  both  gave  it  as  my  opinion  that 
the  Baltimore  agent  should  pay  the  young  man,  but  that  he  had  better  first 
send  for  the  holder  of  the  ticket  with  instructions  to  bring  it  along  with 
him.  The  New  York  agent  was  now  requested,  u  as  there  was  no  one  at 
hand  who  could  be  depended  upon,"  to  take  a  note  over  to  a  man  who 
lived  some  distance  from  the  lottery  office,  who  would  then  send  on  to  the 
person  who  held  the  ticket.  The  Baltimore  agent  had,  as  he  previously 
told  this  man  that  he  should,  written  to  him  that  morning,  instructing  him 
what  to  do.  The  man  kept  a  little  shop  ;  he  received  the  New  York  agent 
very  politely  and  requested  him  to  take  a  seat  in  the  office,  remarking,  that 
he  would  send  his  assistant  to  the  gentleman  and  give  him  the  letter.  I 
had  requested  the  New  York  agent  to  bring  the  gentleman  with  him  and 
to  wait  a  couple  of  hours  if  necessary. 

"  All  right.  All  right.  You  be  sure  I  shall  make  it  all  right,"  said  the 
New  Yorker,  and  with  that  he  startechon  his  journey. 

We  offered  the  young  man  the  newspapers  to  read,  and  spoke  of  things 
generally  by  way  of  conversation.  The  Baltimore  agent  went  back  to  his 
desk  in  the  next  office.  At  the  end  of  about  half  an  hour  I  said  : — "  It  is 
a  nuisance  that  that  man  delays  so  long."  "  I  must  go  to  my  office.  I 
will  be  back  presently,"  I  observed  to  the  agent  as  I  opened  the  door  of 
his  room.  "When  shall  I  come?"  "Oh!  pray  stop,"  answered  the 
agent,  "  or  at  any  rate  come  back  directly,"  and  at  the  same  time  he  gave 
me  a  wink,  which  of  course  was  not  seen  by  the  young  man.  I  went  and 
came  back  in  a  quarter  of  an  hour  with  the  remark  : — "  Look,  the  matter 


THE    THIEVES. 


8' 


assumes  a  new  shape."  I  found  the  gentleman  who  had  the  ticket  in  my 
office  waiting  to  speak  to  me  about  something.  He  said  he  knew  that  I 
was  your  legal  adviser  and  would  also  counsel  him  as  to  what  was  best  to 
be  done.  And  when  I  told  him  I  was  certain  that  the  ticket  was  the 
property  of  this  young  man,  he  answered  that  he  would  not  interfere  in  the 
affair  any  further,  aud  then  gave  me  the  ticket.  "  See,  here  it  is.  Do  you 
remember  it?"  said  I  to  Worden.  lie  jumped  up,  looked  at  it,  and  cried 
out  delighted  "  Yes,  that's  it,  do  you  not  remember  that  I  described  in  my 
affidavit  how  I  had  broken  the  ticket  by  doubling  it  together?"  Now  Mr. 
Worden,  I  answered,  I  have  no  doubt  that  the  ticket  belongs  to  you,  and 
of  course  the  agent  will  pay  you  the  mouey.  "  Certainly,"  answered  the 
agent,  "  as  you  are  here,  it  can  be  done  at  once.  I  will  make  up  the 
account  and  be  back  directly  with  the  money."  He  closed  the  door  after 
him,  and  as  it  was  already  getting  late,  he  told  his  people  in  the  office  that 
they  might  go  home.     And  they  left. 

After  a  short  time  he  returned  and  remarked  to  Worden  that  he  had  not 
S3, 000  in  cash,  but  that  he  could  give  him  a  draft,  payable  at  sight,  on  a 
New  York  bank  for  $3,500,  if  he  could  give  him  the  $500  change.  Wor- 
den willingly  agreed,  and  the  agent  went  now  to  his  desk,  wrote  out  the 
draft  and  gave  it  to  Worden,  who  laid  it  on  the  table,  and  opening  his 
travelling  bag  (iu  which,  as  I  saw,  there  was  plenty  of  money),  took  out 
five  one-hundred  dollar  notes,  which  he  handed  to  the  agent.  The  latter 
went  back  again  into  his  private  office  and  I  followed  him.  He  showed 
me  the  notes,  and — now  the  thief  was  in  our  hands.  Four  of  the  notes  had 
upon  the  backs  the  name  of  one  of  the  people — a  Mr.  Bordell,  from  whom 
Latimer  had  received  a  part  of  the  money.  They  were  notes  of  the  Bank 
of  America,  which  the  man,  who  paid  them  to  Latimer,  had  taken  from 
the  bank  only  an  hour  before  ;  and  his  custom  always  was,  in  that  case,  to 
put  his  name  on  the  back  of  the  notes.  I  then  requested  the  agent  to  ask 
Worden  whether  he  could  not  give  him  two  fifty  or  five  twenty  dollar  bills 
for  one  of  a  hundred  ;  and  I  gave  him  one  of  the  notes  that  was  not  written 
on  the  back  for  that  purpose.  He  did  so,  and  I  followed  him  ;  and  the 
moment  Worden  took  his  travelling  bag  into  his  hand,  and  was  going  to 
open  it,  I  snatched  it  out  of  his  hand,  saying  : — 

"  No  nonsense,  you  rascal !  You  are  under  arrest.  You  are  the  scoun- 
drel who  robbed  Mr.  Latimer's  safe.  I  have  followed  you  up  step  by  step, 
but  you  don't  escape  now.     And  I  seized  him  by  the  throat. 

He  tried  to  get  free  from  my  grasp,  but  I  held  him  tightly,  waited  a  few 
moments  till  he  recovered  from  the  first  shock,  then  sat  him  on  a  chair, 
and  explained  to  him  in  a  few  words  how  he  had  been  taken.  In  the  mean 
time  the  agent  looked  through  the  travelling  bag,  counted  the  money  that 
was  in  it  and  found  another  hundred  dollar  note  with  the  name  of  Mr. 
Bordell  upon  it.  Worden  saw  that  he  could  not  escape.  We  found  that 
he  had  still  three  thousand  dollars  by  him,  and  he  begged  to  be  allowed  to 


88  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK   LIFE. 

go  back-  to  New  York,  where  he  had  the  remainder,  withiu  six  or  eight 
hundred  dollars  that  he  had  paid  away,  but  which  he  thought  he  could 
procure  in  the  city.  He  said  he  was  willing  to  give  up  all  if  we  would  not 
prosecute  him.  He  wished  to  reform.  The  certain  prospect  of  a  journey 
to  prison  had  mollified  him.  I  was  now  about  to  handcuff  him,  but  he 
besought  me  not  to  bring  this  disgrace  upon  his  father,  and  promised  that 
he  would  go  with  me  willingly.  And  as  the  agent  declared  that  he  was 
not  yet  ready  to  accompany  us,  and  to  divide  with  me  the  care  of  watchin^ 
him,  I  consented.  The  agent  arranged  his  business  for  a  short  absence, 
wrote  to  the  New  York  agent  that  he  was  suddenly  called  to  New  York 
but  would  see  him  there  another  day,  and  so  we  set  out  with  our  prisoner 
to  the  nearest  station. 

The  young  man  kept  his  word.  Not  only  did  he  give  up  all  the  money 
which  he  still  had  left  from  the  robbery,  but  he  borrowed  from  a  friend, 
whom  we  called  upon  together,  the  sum  of  $710  which  was  required  to 
make  up  the  amount.  He  also  gave  the  Baltimore  agent  the  ticket  and 
then  I  let  him  go  to  his  father's  house.  Nor  am  I  sorry  that  I  did  so,  for 
he  truly  reformed,  and  is  now  living — a  merchant  in  a  large  city  in  the 
West.  His  real  name  I  have  never  made  known  to  anybody,  not  even  to 
Mr.  Latimer.  He  had  crept  quietly  into  the  house  at  dusk  with  the  inten- 
tion of  opening  the  safe  with  a  key  which  he  had  provided,  but  which  he 
found  to  be  unnecessary  when  the  safe  opened  upon  turning  the  knob." 

In  the  city  there  are  about  a  dozen  public  houses  which  are  frequented 
almost  entirely  by  thieves  and  characters  of  a  similar  kind.  The  most 
pretentious  of  these  is  the  St.  Bernard  Hotel  at  the  corner  of  Prince  and 
Wooster  Streets.  In  the  disgraceful  days  when  the  Tammany  ring  ruled 
the  city  of  New  York,  this  house  was  a  support  and  centre  of  political 
power.  Now,  its  character  is  changed,  in  that  respect  at  least ;  but  it  is 
still  the  resort  of  the  '•  better  class"  of  thieves.  Some  of  them  are  always 
to  be  found  there,  smoking,  drinking,  or  playing  billiards ;  and  lest  it  may 
be  thought  that  it  would  not  be  safe  for  an  honest  taan  to  go  into  that 
hotel,  we  must  assure  him  that  his  pockets  would  probably  nowhere  be 
more  safe  from  intrusion.  It  is  believed  that  no  robbery  has  ever  been 
perpetrated  in  the  house.  Aristocratic  thieves  do  not  foul  their  own  nests. 
These  gentlemen  of  the  profession  then,  who  are  to  be  seen  there,  are 
respectable  in  appearance,  and  if  a  little  flashy  in  conversation  among 
themselves,  they  are  at  least  as  courteous,  and,  as  a  rule,  perhaps  more 
polite  than  very  many  who  are  more  pretentious  in  their  claims  to  a  good 
reputation.  They  spend  their  money  freely  ;  are  always  ready  to  help  a 
friend  out  of  his  difficulties,  and  not  unfrequently  are  to  be  found  giving 
their  money  to  strangers,  if  they  find  them  iu  need.  They  are  sociable, 
jovial,  and  hospitable ;  and  perhaps  have  very  often  more  feeling  for  others 
than  many  of  the  rich  and  wealthy  amongst  us,  who  have  acquired  their 
money  by  more  fashionable,  but  hardly  less  questionable  means. 


TIIK    TI1IKVE3.  i  j  * 

But  the  character  thus  given  does  not  extend  beyond  the  class  of  thiei  \i 
referred  to.  On  the  corner  of  Hester  Street  and  the  Bowery  is  a  resort  of 
quite  a  different  kind,  where  all  who  enter  aud  who  are  not  of  the  craft, 
will  certainly  be  made,  if  possible,  to  suffer  for  their  temerity.  It  is  in  the 
basement  of  the  building,  and  may  be  visited  by  anyone  who  wishes  to  see 
a  collection  of  men  who  are  unmistakable  as  thieves  and  ruffians  of  the 
lowest  kind  ;  and  who  at  the  same  time  is  willing  to  take  the  risk  of  his 
curiosity.  For  these  fellows  are  not  very  scrupulous.  Many  of  them  have 
already,  perhaps  more  than  once  or  twice,  tasted  the  penalties  of  prison 
life,  and  they  will  rob  aud  steal  at  any  risk  ;  so  that  if  the  use  of  a 
bludgeon,  a  slung-shot,  or  even  a  revolver,  be  necessary  to  accomplish  their 
ends,  they  will  not  hesitate  to  have  recourse  to  it. 

Having  detailed  the  general  doings  of  the  thieves,  and  pointed  out  two 
of  the  dens  which  they  frequent,  we  will  now  take  the  reader  to  a  thieves 
ball ; — for  the  fraternity  give  balls  generally  for  the  purpose  of  raising 
funds  to  pay  a  lawyer  in  the  defence  of  one  of  their  number  who  has  fallen 
into  !he  power  of  the  law. 

We  take  a  ticket  and  go  in.     The  place  is  in  one  of  the  worst  localities 
of  the  Fourth  Ward.     It  is  kept  by  an  old   house-breaker,   who,  having 
finished  his  studies  in  an  English  prison,  became  a  ticket-of-leavc  man,  and 
now  lives  here.     We  pass  through  the  dirty  bar-room  and  find  ourselves  in 
a  long,  narrow  room,  with  a  low  ceiling,  aud  an  uneven  floor.     Along  the 
walls  benches  are  placed,  and  a  couple  of  kerosene  lamps  just  suffice  to 
bring  out  a  doubtful  kind  of  darkness.     At  one  end  of  the  room  is  a  plat- 
form for  the  orchestra,  which  consists  of  two  colored  men,  a  violinist  and 
a  banjo  player.     The  gentlemen  who   attend  here  are  all  dandily  dressed, 
but,  in  the  fashion  of  their  kind,  with  very  open  waistcoats,  and  colored 
neckties,  thick  watch  chains  in  imitation  of  gold,  and  rings  upon  their  fin- 
gers.    Here  are  representations  of  every  branch  of  the  honorable  society 
of  thieves,  from  the  miserable  sneak-thief  to  the  bank-robber.     The  mem- 
bers of  the  fair  sex,  of  whom  there  are  already  a  large  number  assembled, 
are  worthy  companions  of  the  chevaliers  of  the  evening.     There  is  a  noto- 
rious woman,  a  sneak-thief,  who  lives  with  the  man,  a  house-breaker,  who 
sits  next  to  her,  and  with  whom  she  works  in  partnership.     Here  and 
there  we  see  a  face  which  we  recognize  as  that  of  a  waiter-girl  whom  we 
have  met  in  one  or  other  of  the  Broadway  saloons.     It  too  often  happens 
that  these  girls  get  acquainted  with  the  thieves  who  frequent  the  saloons 
where  they  pass   their  miserable  existence,  and  once  that   happens,  the>- 
sink  lower   and  lower   in  infamy.     That  flat  nosed  robust  young  fellow 
about  two  or  three  and  twenty  years  of  age,  has  just  come  out  of  prison, 
where  he  has  been  passing  a  few  years  for  robbery  and  garrotting.     That 
stout  woman   is  well  known  to   the  police  as  a  panel-thief,  and  that  lazy 
fellow  with  a  stand-up  shirt  collar,  lives  on  the  ill-earned  money  which  she 
makes  by  her  abominable  business.     Crinoline,  rouge,  and  false  hair  are 


90  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

here  everywhere  about ;  and  if  any  of  the  women  present  ever  had  a  parti- 
cle of  beauty  about  her,  a  life  of  dissipation  and  crime  has  effected  such  a 
radical  change,  that  not  the  slightest  evidence  of  it  remains.  Everyone 
here,  man  and  woman,  has  an  alias  or  nickname.  There  is  "  Roddy  the 
jumper"  ;  there  "  little  Tommy,"  and  there  again  "  red-haired  Joe."  That 
girl  with  her  neck  covered  by  a  thickly  spangled  waterfall  is  the  thieving 
"  Nanny"  ;  and  yonder  syren  with  the  red  morocco  shoes  is  known  as 
"  wild  Maggy  ;"  while  the  woman — no  longer  a  girl — with  the  Kiole  on  her 
left  cheek,  bears  the  nickname  of  "  beautiful  Anna,"  a  sarcasm,  indeed,  as 
most  of  these  nicknames  are.  She  keeps  a  concert  saloon,  and  is  so  expe- 
rienced in  the  use  of  her  fists,  that  she  is  a  match  for  almost  any  man  of 
her  size. 

Before  the  dancing  begins  there  is  a  general  march  round,  a  so-called 
Polonaise  to  the  screeching  noise  of  the  fiddle  and  the  banjo.  Thence  we- 
go  with  the  crowd  a  few  steps  up  into  a  second  bar-room,  where  the  gen- 
tlemen drink  whiskey  and  the  ladies  take  gin  and  water.  After  this  the 
dance  goes  on  again,  and  Virginia  reels  and  round  dances  of  every  kind 
follow  in  quick  succession.  Later  in  the  night  the  dancing  becomes  furious, 
increasing  in  violence  with  every  empty  bottle.  Then — but  let  us  be  con- 
tent with  the  glimpse  we  have  already  had, — and  instead  of  staying  longer 
to  witness  scenes  that  are  little  edifying,  take  ourselves  away  with  a  French 
leave. 

The  New  York  thieves  are  divided  into  regular  gangs,  who  give 
themselves  different  business  names.  Thus  we  find  among  others  on  the 
west  side  of  the  city  a  very  dangerous  band,  which  bears  the  respectable 
name  of  the  "  forty  thieves,"  while  in  other  parts  of  the  town  are  similar 
bands  working  under  different  names.  Quite  recently,  that  is  within  a  few 
months,  a  part  of  the  gang  of  the  "  forty  thieves,"  under  the  lead  of  one  of 
their  companions,  a  man  named  "  Williams,"  fell  upon  a  gentleman  named 
McHayes,  in  Sixth  Avenue,  knocked  him  down,  and  robbed  him  of  his 
watch  and  money. — But  thieves  divide  themselves  not  only  into  gangs, 
they  are  further  separated  according  to  the  different  branches  of  their  busi- 
ness ;  namely  into  pickpockets,  railway  and  omnibus  thieves,  shop-lifters, 
sneak-thieves,  house-breakers,  bond  and  bank  thieves,  safe-bursters,  and 
river  and  dock  thieves.  We  purpose  now  to  notice  each  of  these  separately. 
Pickpockets  cultivate  a  different  art  from  most  of  those  who  are  ever 
waging  war  against  property,  and  are  by  so  much  the  more  dangerous 
since  people  are  never  secure  from  them  ;  indeed  they  ought  to  be  always 
on  the  watch  if  they  would  be  safe  against  their  assaults, — a  degree  of 
watchfulness  which  is  not  often  possible,  since  everyone  has  business  or 
affairs  of  some  kind  upon  which  his  thoughts  are  directed.  Pickpockets 
are  to  be  met  with  everywhere,  but  especially  where  there  is  a  crowd,  for 
there  they  find  the  best  opportunities  to  carry  out  their  depredations  ;  so, 
too,  at  the   entrances  of  theatres,  and  other  places  of  amusement ;  in  the 


THE    THIEVES.  01 

churches,  at  political  assemblies,  exhibitions,  processions,  funerals  ;  in  a 
word,  wherever  several  people  are  collected  ;  even  lor  instance,  where,  as 
is  often  the  case  in  New  York,  a  pedler  from  the  top  of  a  chair  or  old  cask 
is  proclaiming  the  virtues  of  his  wares.  Let  a  crowd  be  gathered  to  witness 
a  street-fight,  or  anything  of  that  kind,  and  in  all  probability  it  was  brought 
about  by  the  pickpockets  themselves,  who  seize  the  opportunity  for  collect- 
ing booty. 

If  anybody  wants  to  keep  clear  of  pickpockets,  he  must,  as  far  as  possi- 
ble, avoid  a  crowd,  especially  must  he  be  careful  not  to  mix  up  eagerly 
with  any  throng  which  may  be  accidentally  gathered  together  ;  then  he 
must  carry  as  little  money  as  possible  about  him,  and  never  exhibit  it  in 
the  presence  of  strangers  ;  nor  should  he  at  any  time  carry  valuables  in  the 
outside  pockets  of  his  clothes  ;  and  lastly  he  should  be  very  reluctant  to 
allow  a  friendly  approach  on  the  part  of  strangers,  who,  as  is  constantly 
happening,  pretend  to  recognize  and  to  greet  an  old  acquaintance. 

The  pickpockets — and  we  allude  now  especially  to  the  men — are  very 
differently  dressed,  many  of  them  very  poorly,  or  at  least  not  in  any  way 
remarkably  ;  others  appear  in  the  most  elaborate  toilets,  so  that  no  one 
would  for  a  moment  take  them  to  be  pickpockets,  but  rather  people  in  the 
best  circles  of  society. 

Here  is  an  example  of  the  craftiness  of  these  criminals.  A  young  lady 
of  good  family,  whose  parents  live  in  the  upper  part  of  the  city,  had  occa- 
sion recently  to  cross  one  of  the  parks.  After  a  few  minutes  she  remarked 
that  an  elegantly  dressed  young  man  was  following  close  behind  her,  and 
presently  he  passed  by  and  went  on  in  front.  When  she  was  about  to 
enter  the  gate  of  the  park  he  stood  in  the  way,  so  that,  unless  he  moved, 
she  must  crowd  by  him  to  get  in  ;  and  when  she  reached  the  opposite  side 
of  the  park  and  was  about  to  leave  it,  he  again  stood  at  the  gate,  and 
looked  her  directly  in  the  face.  Indignant  at  such  rudeness,  and  obtru- 
siveness,  she  requested  him  earnestly,  not  to  annoy  her,  but  to  allow  her  to- 
pass  ;  and  just  at  that  moment  another  elegantly  dressed  young  man  came 
up  and,  with  something  of  a  threatening  air,  insisted  that  the  first  should 
make  room  for  the  lady;  upon  which,  apparently  intimidated,  he  moved 
away  and  the  second  man  politely  opened  the  gate,  and,  with  a  bow, 
allowed  the  lady  to  pass  thiough.  Hardly  had  the  latter  reached  the  oppo- 
site footpath,  when  she  met  a  third  man,  who,  addressing  her,  asked 
whether  she  was  lost?  Annoyed  at  all  this,  she  replied  durtly  "  No,"  and 
was  going  on  her  way,  when  the  gentleman,  still  persistent,  asked  : — 
waether  she  had  not  lost  her  purse?  She  immediately  answered  that  she 
had  not,  remarking  also  that  she  had  used  it  on  the  other  side  of  the  park, 
before  crossing.  Upon  the  further  request  that  she  should  look  and  see 
whether  she  still  had  it  with  her,  she  did  so,  but  was  no  little  astonished 
to  find  that  she  indeed  had  lost  it  ;  whereupon  the  gentleman,  showing  a 
purse,  asked  whether  it  was  hers. 


"92  T1JK    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

u  Sure  enough  it  is,"  she  cried  in  astonishment  and  asked  him  how  he 
came  to  have  it?  He  replied  that  he  got  it  from  the  elegantly  dressed 
young  man  opposite, — directing  her  attention  across  the  street  to  the  fellow 
who  had  so  politely  liberated  her  from  the  obtrusive  man  who  first 
approached  her,  and  who  was  now  being  led  away  in  the  firm  grasp  of 
another.  "  That  man,"  he  said,  "  took  it  out  of  your  pocket.  The  man 
who  has  now  got  him  under  arrest  belongs  to  the  detective  force  ;  and  so 
<lo  I.  We  were  going  the  same  way  as  you,  and  we  noticed  that  you 
were  being  followed  by  the  first  man  whom  we  knew  to  be  a  pickpocket, 
and  who  we  conjectured  to  have  something  on  hand.  He  was  the  helper 
of  the  other  who  robbed  you." 

But  all  pickpockets  do  not  dress  thus  elaborately,  they  have  first  to  go 
through  a  certain  amount  of  schooling  until  they  attain  the  qualifications 
which  enable  them  to  assume  the  drefcs  of  "  gentlemen." 

The  incipient  thief  begins  by  stealing,  perhaps,  a  sausage,  a  piece  of 
bacon,  or  something  of  that  kind  from  the  market,  and  rises  step  by  step  to 
what  he  considers  the  chief  attainments  of  his  art,  picking  pockets.  In 
the  thieves'  dens,  which  he  frequents,  he  is  looked  upon  by  the  higher 
order  of  thieves  with  a  certain  amount  of  contempt,  as  only  a  u  bacon- 
thief ;"  so  his  ambition  is  to  become  a  pickpocket  and  thus  attain  an  emi- 
nence in  his  business ;  for  which  purpose  he  undertakes  the  next  lowest 
operation,  that  of  stealing  pocket-handkerchiefs. 

This,  however,  is  seldom  done  by  thieves  singly.  More  generally  from 
two  to  five  are  concerned,  one  of  whom  undertakes  to  do  the  theft,  while 
the  others  merely  act  as  assistants.  The  duty  of  these  assistants  is  as  far 
as  possible  to  conceal  the  act  of  the  operator.  If  only  one  be  there,  he 
takes  his  station  among  the  people  around  so  that  he  shall  be  at  the  side  of, 
or  behind  the  intended  victim,  in  order  that  by  some  artifice  or  other  he 
may  divert  his  attention  from  the  thief.  But  if  there  are  two  or  three 
assistants,  they  so  arrange  themselves  in  front,  behind,  and  at  the  side, 
that  the  operations  of  the  actual  thief  are  very  much  facilitated.  Man 
will  snatch  a  pocket-handkerchief  from  a  person  passing,  while  the  more 
timid  only  operate  in  crowds. 

This  kind  of  robbery  is,  however,  followed,  as  might  be  expected,  by  the 
younger  members  of  the  craft,  the  half-fledged  youngsters.  Sunday  is  their 
most  profitable  day,  and  they  steal  more  pocket-handkerchiefs  at  the 
entrances  to  the  churches  on  that  day,  than  they  collect  on  all  the  other  six 
days  of  the  week.  But  they  work  in  companies  on  these  occasions,  and 
the  instant  the  thief  has  secured  anything  he  passes  it  to  one  of  his  accom- 
plices, who,  as  soon  as  his  pockets  are  full,  is  replaced  by  another.  The 
man,  who  has  got  his  supply,  goes  at  once  to  one  of  the  thieves'  resorts, 
where  the  handkerchiefs  are  immediately  sorted  ;  for  of  course  the  thievea 
empty  as  many  pockets  as  they  can,  without  troubling  themselves  about 
selecting  their  plunder.     The   handkerchiefs  are  then  washed  and  ironed 


TI1K    1  IIIKV  M,  'J-> 

by  some  woman  known  to  the  fraternity,  and  the  better  ones  are  then  sold 
to  receivers.  Those  that  are  interior  and  unsaleable  are  pledged  for  a 
small  amount  at  the  pawnshop  and  the  tickets  then  sold. 

When  a  band  of  thieves  is  out  on  a  pocket-baudkerehief-steal,  the  prin- 
cipal thief  gives  a  signal  to  his   companions  the  moment  he  is  going  to  • 
work  ;  upon  which    thev  so  surround  him  that  he  is  completely  covered  in 
his  operations  from  the  passers-by  ;  then  he  takes  hold  lightly  of  the  cover- 
ing of  the  pocket  with   oue  hand,  whilst  he  draws  it  open  with  the  other, 
so  that  the  handkerchief  comes  into  the  fingers,  and  so  is  taken  without 
the  whole  hand  being  placed  into  the  pocket  ;  which  might  be  dangerous. 
These   pocket-handkerchief-robberies    are,   as   we    have    said,   practised 
only  by  the  lowest  and  poorest  classes  of  pickpockets  ;  and  the  lives  of  these 
people  are  a  continual  mixture  of  baseness,  shameless  pleasure  and  fear  of 
the  police  ;  for  they  are  never  certain  that  they  will  not  be  seized  at  the 
moment  when  they  are   committing  a  robbery,  and  they  are  constantly 
fearful  lest  they  should  be  arrested — for  the  police  know  them — either  as 
pickpockets  or  vagrants.     They  sleep  in  the  most  miserable  dens,  such  as 
we  have  described  in  a  previous  chapter,  they  subsist  upon  the  most  miser- 
able food,  and  always  begin  one  day  as  they  ended  that  before  it.     If  they 
have  any  surplus  money  they  lie  about  in  some  place  of  thieves'  resort,  and 
gamble  with  cents,  by  this  means  hoping  to  get  away  their  ill-got  gains 
from  the  members  of  some  other  bands.     Often  arrested,  then  condemned 
for  a  short  time  to  prison,  then  released,  and  soon  a#ain  arrested,  such  a 
thief  passes  a  miserable  existence.     Unless,  perchance,  by  some  unusual 
skill  he  attracts  the  attention  of  a  help,  whose  chief  is  in  prison,  and  who,  in 
consequence,  has  lost  his  main  support.     Then  a  new  band  is  formed,  and, 
un  ler  the  guidance  of  an  experienced  pickpocket,  he  is  carefully  trained  to 
the  higher  branch  of  the  science,  where  purses  and  such  valuables  are  the 
objects  of  prey.     He  now  may  even  aspire  to  be  the  master  of  the  band,, 
and  choose  his  own  assistants  in  the  u  high  art."     Upon  his  colleagues  in 
the  pocket-handkerchief  line  he  now  looks  with  contempt,  for  he  no  longer 
works  with   them,  but  stands  proudly  in  the  highest  grade  which  the  pro- 
fession of  pickpockets  recognizes. 

As  he  nowr  steals  purses,  his  business  pays  better.  He  has  money,  and 
that  opens  to  him  the  best  circles  of  thiefcraft — just  as  in  like  manner  it 
serves  people  in  other  lines  of  business  and  becomes  a  veil  over  their  faults. 
If  he  had  no  money,  the  masters  in  the  art,  who  not  only  take  purses  from 
coat  pockets,  but  know  how  to  abstract  them  from  even  iuside  pockets, 
would  look  askance  at  him  ;  but  since  he  has  money  and  can  take  part  in 
their  orgies,  and  more  especially  as  his  acquaintance  may  prove  useful  to 
them,  they  allow  themselves  to  accept  his  friendship. 

The  accomplished  pickpocket  must  have  a  delicate  power  of  touch.     He    • 
must  never  search   for  anything,  but  must  know  from  the  first  moment 
"where  to  find  the  object  he  means  to  steal,  and  how  to  get  at  it.     He  must. 


34  THE    DARK    3IDE    OF    NEW    YORK   LIFE. 

by  merely  passing  the  back  of  his  hand  over  the  surface,  be  quite  assured 
of  what  he  has  to  do.  The  accomplished  pickpocket  is  able  to  take  a  purse 
from  the  pocket  of  a  ladies  dress,  or  from  the  trowsers  pocket  of  a  gentle- 
man, as  he  passes  by  them  on  the  pavemeut ;  and  that,  too,  without  being 
'observed. 

As  a  means  of  procuring  money  when  in  embarrassments,  and  it  is  not 
well  to  steal,  they  commonly  make  use  of  the  thieves  who  belong  to  the 
grade  between  the  pocket-handkerchief  thieves  and  the  highest  pickpockets. 
For  example :  one  of  these  gentlemen  in  difficulties  meets  an  acquaintance 
on  the  street.  He  is  quickly  at  his  side  and  whispers  in  his  ear  : — "  I  have 
a  good  c  job'  in  hand,  but  I  want  some  money,  help  me  with  so  much.  I 
will  assist  you  another  time."  And  if  the  person  addressed  has  the  money, 
although  taken  off  his  guard  and  perhaps  a  little  surj  rised,  he  generally 
pays  it  out. 

Another  trick  is  as  follows  : — He  will  scrape  together  as  much  money 
as  will,  perhaps,  suffice  to  buy  a  yard  of  cloth.  This  is  taken  to  a  pawn- 
broker who,  at  the  request  of  the  customer,  writes  plainly  on  the  ticket 
*'  one  piece  of  black  cloth"  or  whatever  it  may  be,  without  defining  the 
quantity.  The  ticket  is  then  taken  to  a  receiver,  to  whom  a  great  story  is 
told  of  the  value  of  the  goods,  the  house  they  were  stolen  from,  and  the 
amount ;  as  much,  perhaps,  as  ten  yards  or  more,  also  that  it  was  only 
pledged  for  the  small  sum  on  the  ticket  in  order  to  put  it  into  a  place  of 
safety.  Then  the  thief  leads  him  on,  telling  him  how  two  fine  dresses  can 
be  made  out  of  the  goods,  and  at  last  the  trade  is  closed.  The  thief 
receives,  in  consequence  of  this  false  representation,  perhaps,  four  or  five 
times  as  much  as  the  ticket  is  worth,  and  the  thief  has  cheated  the  receiver 
without  his  being  able  to  touch  him,  for  in  these  matters  he  seldom  does 
anything  for  which  he  is  punishable.  The  cheated  u  fence"  must  hold  his 
tongue.  Of  course  a  trick  of  this  kind  can  only  be  practised  once  by  the 
same  person,  but  these  people  are  ever  shifting  about  from  one  to  another. 

Sometimes  a  band  of  these  men — the  thief  and  his  assistants — will  fol- 
low a  person  whom  they  have  marked  as  having  put  something  valuable  in 
his  pocket,  through  several  streets  without  finding  an  opportunity  of  getting 
at  him.  A  spot  especially  frequented  by  these  bands  is  before  the  banks, 
or  in  the  neighborhood  of  them.  They  do  not  stand  together,  but  singly, 
as  if  they  do  not  belong  to  each  other  ;  and  thus  they  watch  everybody  who 
goes  into  and  comes  out  of  the  bank.  Many  people  have  a  habit  of  feeling 
their  pocket  with  their  hand  before  going  into  a  bank  to  see  if  they  have 
their  money  or  cheques  safe.  That  does  not  escape  the  band.  They  now 
know  where  this  man  carries  his  money,  and  if  they  cannot  reach  him  this 
time,  they  make  the  information  useful  for  another  occasion.  Others  again 
put  away  the  money  they  have  drawn,  from  the  bank  at  the  moment  they 
leave  the  building.  That  is  exactly  what  the  thieves  are  waiting  for,  and 
directly  the  act  is  observed  by  one  of  them,  he  gives  the  signal  to  his  com- 


THE    THIKVK3.  15 

panions,  and  iu  an  instant  they  surround  the  persou  to  rob  him.  One  or 
two  go  before  him  to  impede  his  way,  two  or  three  others  follow  close  at 
his  heels  so  that  he  is  in  soniethiug  like  a  crowd,  and  at  the  same  time  the 
thief  snatches  his  booty  and  escapes.  Very  often  the  thief  slips  secretly 
the  property  he  has  stolen  into  the  hands  of  a  confederate,  so  that  that  at 
least  shall  be  safe  if  he  is  taken  ;  but  if  he  fears  lest  anybody  passing  by 
should  notice  him,  he  keeps  it  himself  and  hurries  away  as  fast  as  he  can 
to  one  of  his  dens,  where  his  companions  follow  him,  and  where  the  treas- 
ure is  then  divided.  They  take  care  always  to  follow  him  closely,  too,  lest 
he  should  cheat  them  as  to  the  value  of  the  plunder.  It  often  happens  that 
when  a  thief  is  in  the  act  of  putting  his  fingers  into  the  pocket  of  the  person 
he  intends  to  rob,  the  latter  has  his  attention  drawn  by  something,  and  sud- 
denly turns  or  perhaps  stops.  Then  tne  thief  cannot  do  his  work,  for  if  he 
would  not  have  the  victim  notice  anything,  he  must  always  remain  in  a 
similar  step.  In  such  cases  the  thief  immediately  turns  round,  with  his 
hand  grasping  his  pocket,  as  though  he  were  thinking  that  he  has  been 
robbed  of  something,  whilst  at  the  same  time  the  confederates  stumble 
against  the  person  whom  they  meant  to  rob,  as  if  by  accident,  and  to  make 
it  appear  further  that  it  was  accidental,  they  apologize  for  their  awkward- 
ness. 

Many  persons,  when  they  go  into  a  crowd,  put  their  hands  into  their 
pockets  where  they  have  money,  and  then  they  think  they  are  safe  from 
thieves.  But  these  gentlemen  have  also  a  means  of  meeting  that  contin- 
gency. In  such  a  case  they  surround  him  and  one  of  them,  either  with  an 
umbrella  or  by  some  other  means,  moves  his  hat,  as  if  accidentally,  so  that 
it  will  fall  off  if  not  held.  This  is  what  happens  then.  To  prevent  his  hat 
from  falling,  it  is  of  course  necessary  to  take  his  hand  out  of  his  pocket, 
which  he  does  in  a  moment,  thinking  only  of  his  hat,  and  at  the  same  time 
the  thief  has  got  his  purse  or  watch,  and  has  passed  it  away  to  one  of  his 
companions. 

A  similar  procedure  is  observed  when  anyone  is  to  be  robbed  of  what  he 
is  carrying  in  an  inside  pocket.  But,  generally,  it  is  necessary  in  this  case 
to  open  two  buttous  of  the  waistcoat,  and  to  conceal  his  hand  in  doing  this, 
the  thief  usually  carries  a  light  over-coat  upon  his  arm.  Thus  the  tricks 
and  artifices  of  the  thieves  are  of  various  descriptions.  As  long  as  they 
can  see  an  opportunity  before  them  for  committing  a  robbery,  they  are 
never  at  a  loss  how  to  carry  it  out. 

•What  we  have  thus  far  written  has  reference  to  the  robberies  of  men  by 
male  thieves  ;  far  greater  skill  is  necessary  to  enable  male  thieves  to  pick 
the  pockets  of  women  ;  and  readiness  in  this  art,  especially  when  they  are 
moving  along  the  streets,  is  esteemed  even  by  the  pickpockets  themselves 
as  the  very  highest  branch  of  their  business.  It  involves  an  extraordinarv 
delicacy  of  touch,  and  besides  great  accuracy  in  execution.  Once  a  lawyer 
in  one  of  our  courts,  while  defending  one  of  these  thieves,  whose  guilt  was 


96  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK   LIFE. 

not  quite  cleared  away,  used  the  following  words  in  reference  to  this : — 
"  If,  gentlemen  of  the  jury,  this  act  could  be  divested  of  its  dishonorable 
and  criminal  character,  you  would  be  constrained  to  admire  the  man  whom 
now  you  must  condemn."  Of  a  truth,  it  matters  very  little  to  American 
lawyers,  especially  those  who  engage  principally  in  the  defence  of  this  kind 
of  criminals,  how  they  exercise  their  right  to  freedom  of  speech,  or  whether 
in  their  zeal  they  fairly  slap  justice  in  the  face.  At  any  rate  the  remark 
made  by  the  lawyer  in  the  words  we  have  given  was  true,  and  it  is,  as  we 
have  said,  regarded  by  the  thieves  themselves  as  the  very  highest  excel- 
lence possible  in  their  calling,  to  be  able  to  pick  the  pocket  of  a  lady  in  the 
street. 

The  thief  who  makes  a  raid  upon  ladies  pockets  disdains  altogether  any 
such  help  as  is  derived  from  confederates  by  the  thief  who  operates  upon 
mens'  pockets.  He  is  a  host  in  himself,  and  depends  entirely  upon  the 
delicacy  of  his  touch  and  his  dexterity.  All  that  such  a  thief  wants  to 
completely  conceal  his  act  from  the  passers-by,  is  to  get  to  the  side  where  the 
theft  is  to  be  done  ;  and  when  he  sees  that  he  is  not  being  observed,  he  has 
the  lady's  purse  out  of  her  pocket  in  a  trice,  and  both  he  and  she,  are  seen 
moving  quietly  on  as  if  nothing  had  happened  ;  he  with  his  booty,  and  she 
without  the  slightest  suspicion  that  sh^has  been  robbed. 

Many  of  these  thieves,  however,  decline  to  steal  from  passengers  on  the 
foot  paths,  because  they  lack  the  necessary  skill ;  but  they  get  into  crowds, 
or  among  ladies  when  standing  before  shop-windows,  and  their  attention  is 
attracted  by  the  goods  they  are  looking  at.  Many  ladies,  from  fear  of  being 
robbed,  and  in  order  to  be  quite  secure,  carry  their  money  not  in  the 
pockets  in  the  skirts  of  their  dresses,  but  close  to  their  bodies ;  bu^  even 
that  does  not  prevent  a  really  clever  thief  from  effecting  his  design,  and  it 
has  often  happened  that  ladies,  who  think  their  purse  quite  secure  in  such 
a  place,  find  to  their  surprise,  when  they  reach  home,  or  are  in  &  shop 
where  they  want  to  pay  for  something,  that  their  money  is  gone. 

To  the  other  means  which  thieves  make  use  of  to  work  the  more 
securely,  belongs  the  corruption  of  the  police  who  patrol  the  beat  in  which 
the  robbery  is  done.  Such  circumstances  are  by  no  means  uncommon, 
and  it  has  even  happened  that  the  police  officer  on  duty  has  been  so 
leagued  with  the  thief,  that  he  would  give  him  a  signal  of  the  approach  of 
another  police  officer,  or  of  a  detective,  so  that  the  thief  might  run  off  in 
time  and  keep  out  of  the  way. 

To  warn  the  public  against  pickpockets  there  are  notices  put  up  in  much 
frequented  places,  such  as  theatres,  railroad  depots,  horse-cars,  ferry-boats, 
&c,  with  the  words  M  Beware  of  pickpockets ;"  and  to  this  are  sometimes 
added  the  words  "  male  and  female."  These  warnings  confront  the  iuof 
fensive  and  inexperienced  arrival  from  the  country,  or  from  Europe, 
directly  he  visits  the  city,  and  tell  him  that  he  will  do  well  to  give  it  atten- 
tion.    But  how  little  is  the  warning  generally  followed.     The  new  comer,. 


THE   THIEVES.  07 

who  reads  Buch  a  warning,  is  perplexed  and  instinctively  thrusts  his  hand 
into  his  pocket,  wherever  his  money  happens  to  1>«\  and  with  a  feeling  of 
relief  pulls  it  out  again;  for  luckily  he  finds  his  purse  still  secure  and 
untouched  in  its  proper  place.  During  the  next  five  minutes  he  is  still 
contemplating  the  warning;  perhaps  he  puts  his  hand  into  his  pocket  again 
to  be  sure  that  his  treasure  is  there,  and  looks'with  doubtful  eves  upon  that 
to  him  shabby  and  suspicions  looking  young  fellow  near  him,  without  for  a 
moment  thinking  that  that  elegantly  dressed,  noble  looking  young  man, 
with  the  distinguished  mien  who  seems  to  be  so  deeply  interested  in  the 
newspaper  he  is  reading,  is  a  pickpocket,  only  waiting  for  the  opportunity 
to  give  the  stranger  some  experience  of  his  dexterity.  A  few  hours  later 
in  the  whirl  and  tumult  of  New  York  streets,  and  busied  with  the  thousand 
things  which  come  before  his  astonished  eves,  he  is  not  thiuking  in  the 
least  of  the  warning  which  so  frightened  him,  and  exposed  to  his  unsus- 
pecting heart  that  there  are  in  New  York  many  pilferers  who  take  pleasure 
in  relieving  their  fellowmen  of  their  spare  money,  or  any  other  valuables  ; 
and  yet,  probably,  as  he  undresses  at  night  and  is  about  to  lay  his  things 
upon  the  table,  he  comes  to  the  observation  that  although  his  purse  is  safe, 
his  watch  certainly  is  gone. 

We  come  nowr  to  the  female  pickpockets,  who,  especially  for  dealing 
with  women,  are  not  only  as  skilful  as  their  male  companions,  but  even 
more  so.  While  the  number  of  the  latter  is  about  three  hundred,  that  of 
the  women  does  not  exceed  two  hundred.  These  are  a  recent  production, 
for  five  and  tiventy  years  ago  a  female  pickpocket  was  very  seldom  seen  in 
New  Y'ork.  Besides  a  couple  of  women,  who  wrere  kept  by  thieves,  there 
were  only  some  young  girls  from  twrelve  to  fourteen  years  of  age  who  were 
used  as  confederates.  So  these  learned  the  business,  came  constantly  in 
contact  wTith  male  thieves,  grew  older  and  began  to  wrork  on  their  own 
account,  so  that  they  could  deck  themselves  out  and  dress  fashionably. 
Their  example  was  followed  by  others,  and  thus  we  have  now  a  consider- 
able number,  and  among  them  many  exceedingly  active  and  clever  thieves 
who  contribute  not  a  little  to  the  insecurity  of  New  Y'ork.  They  are, 
without  exception,  not  thieves  only,  but  prostitutes,  and  thus  they  have  a 
double  calling,  so  that  when  through  bad  weather  or  otherwise  they  can 
make  nothing  by  stealing,  they  live  on  prostitution.  The  leading  features 
of  their  character  are  delight  in  sensuality  and  dissipation.  They  are  pas- 
sionate in  the  highest  degree  and  all  given  up  to  the  abuse  of  spirituous 
drink.     Any  good  womanly  feeling  among  them  it  is  useless  to  seek. 

Female  pickpockets  have  a  great  advantage  over  their  male  companions, 
in  that  they  can  follow  their  victims  into  the  shops  and  there  sit  down 
beside  them  without  awakening  the  suspicion  either  of  the  lady  they  intend 
to  rob,  or  of  the  clerk  who  is  serving  her.  They  can  get  into  conversation 
with  the  lady  and  at  the  same  time  rob  her  before  she  can  recognize  what 
sort  of  a  person  is  standing  next  to  her.     A  favorite  place  for  female  pick- 

7 


98  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

pockets  to  pursue  their  work  is  before  shop-windows  ;  then  in  shops,  and 
churches,  at  funerals,  and  public  spectacles,  or  in  omnibuses  and  street 
ears,  everywhere  in  fact  where  two  or  three  persons  are  found  together. 
Almost  all  are  well  known  to  the  police  and  detectives,  many  of  whom 
connive  at  them,  and  from  the  young  or  prettier  of  them  collect  their 
reward  in  a  fitting  manner.  Another  favorite  locality  for  the  operations 
of  these  women,  and  a  very  convenient  one,  too,  is  in  the  dressing-room  of 
theatres,  also  in  the  wardrobe  rooms  at  balls  and  other  such  places  which 
are  set  apart  especially  for  the  use  of  ladies,  and  where  in  fashionable  cos- 
tume they  pass  for  respectable  persons  and  can  carry  on  their  depredations 
without  being  suspected.  The  assurance  and  impudence  of  these  women 
know  no  bounds.  If  they  only  know  where  anything  is  to  be  had,  they  go 
writh  perfect  confidence  and  get  possession  of  it.  With  words  like  these  : 
"  I  beg  pardon,  Madam,  (or  Miss)  will  you  have  the  goodness  to  fasten 
my  brooch  ?"  or,  "  My  train  has  come  down,  will  you  have  the  kindness  to 
arrange  it  for  me?"  or,  "  Wait  a  moment,  Madam,  you  have  a  spider  on 
your  dress,  I  will  take  it  off  for  you,"  or  remarks  of  a  similar  kind  they 
address  their  victim  and,  when  she  turns  away  or  has  her  attention  di- 
verted, they  rob  her.  While  probably  the  unsuspecting  lady  thanks  the  thief 
for  removing  the  spider,  or  for  any  other  little  kindness  which  she  may 
think  has  been  done  for  her.  Such  opportunities  are  not  within  the  reach 
of  the  male  pickpockets,  and  on  that  account,  alone,  independently  of  their 
dexterity,  the  women  are  far  the  more  dangerous. 

The  relations  which  these  female  pickpockets  hold  with  the  other  sex 
constitute  a  somewhat  peculiar  phenomenon.  Of  any  fifty  such  women, 
hardly  one  could  be  found  who  is  content  with  one  so-called  "  lover." 
They  hold  intercourse  not  with  one  only,  but  with  two,  four,  six,  eight, 
and  sometimes  twelve  or  more  men.  Then  they  change  about,  living  per- 
haps a  couple  of  months  with  one,  then  a  short  time  with  another,  then 
again  a  month  or  two  with  a  third  ;  and  so  on.  Thus  for  a  time  they 
exist,  till  faded  and  worn  they  no  longer  find  anyone  to  care  for  them. 
Their  very  breath  is  poisonous,  and  naught  is  left  them  but  the  sad  recol- 
lection of  the  past. 

To  show  the  craftiness  of  these  women,  the  following  incident  will  be 
useful.  One  of  the  most  prominent  female  pickpockets  a  few  years  ago 
was  well  known  everywhere  as  "  Nellie  Hall."  She  belonged  to  that  class 
which  carries  on  its  depredations  not  among  women  only,  but  among  the 
men  also,  and  the  members  of  which  work  by  themselves  and  without  out- 
side assistance.  She  was  well-known  to  the  whole  of  the  police  depart- 
ment, but  they  felt  that  even  if  she  were  to  be  arrested,  her  cuuning  would 
stand  her  in  good  stead  to  avoid  the  merited  punishments.  This,  however, 
was  not  necessarily  the  case.  On  one  occasion  she  came  out  of  a  difficulty 
not  altogether  unscathed,  while  the  victim  whom  she  had  selected  escaped 
from  her  hands  without  having  been  robbed.     At  the  commencement  of 


TIIK    THIE1  ES. 


99 


her  career  slie  enjoyed  a  tolerably  attractive  influence,  and  hor  highest 
delight  and  pride  were  to  get  the  best  of  the,  to  her,  hateful  members  of 
the  police. 

One  evening  Nellie  went  out,  as  usual,  at  the  beginning  of  the  twilight 
to  pursue  her  avocation  by  robbing  careless  young  people  of  gold  watches, 
purses,  or  any  other  valuables  she  could  lay  her  hands  on.  She  knew  well 
how  to  assume  an  air  of  modesty  if  occasion  required,  so  that  the  victim 
whom  she  enticed  into  her  net  as  often  as  not  thought  himself  to  be  the 
seducer  instead  of  the  seduced,  until  he  became  aware  of  the  extent  to 
which  his  pocket  had  been  lightened.  Among  the  lovers  who  were  acting 
under  this  delusion  was  Mr.  C. — a  young  commercial  traveller,  and  judging 
from  the  amount  of  money  he  usually  carried  about  with  him,  it  could 
have  been  no  second  rate  house  that  he  represented. 

Nellie,  who  under  her  disguise  could  well  be  taken  for  a  most  virtuous 
young  girl,  seemed  to  the  young  merchant  to  present  a  good  subject  with 
whom  to  enter  into  conversation.  But  when  he  left  her  he  found  that  a 
five  hundred  dollar  note,  which  he  chanced  to  have  had  about  him,  was  no 
longer  in  his  pocket.  The  young  man  called  a  policeman  and  requested 
him  to  make  an  enquiry  at  the  suspected  house,  while  he  himself  would 
keep  watch.  Nellie  was  found  quite  at  her  ease  and  composed.  She 
asked  the  representative  of  the  law  to  look  carefully  through  the  house, 
and  even  upon  her  own  person  to  satisfy  himself  that  the  young  man  had 
made  a  mistake.  To  assist  the  investigation  she  herself  gave  the  officer  a 
lighted  candle  in  a  brass  candlestick,  in  which  the  candle  was  steadied  in 
the  sconce  by  means  of  a  piece  of  paper.  The  policeman  looked  for  the 
lost  note,  candle  in  hand,  but  fouud  nothing,  although  Nellie  offered  no 
obstacle,  whatever,  to  his  investigations.  At  last  he  came  to  the  conclu- 
sion that  the  young  trader  must  give  up  all  hope,  and  the  latter,  too,  began 
to  think  that  he  must  certainly  have  lost  the  note  somewhere  else  ;  and,  as 
for  Nellie,  there  was  nothing  that  could  be  proved  against  her  and  there- 
fore no  charge  could  be  made.  The  reader  will  from  the  context  be  ready, 
without  doubt,  to  learn  that  she  only  waited  her  time  to  take  the  paper 
from  the  end  of  the  candle,  to  smooth  and  straighten  it  out  and  then  to  put 
it  in  her  pocket  with  a  smile  of  defiance  for  the  policeman  and  the  man  of 
business. 

On  another  occasion  Nellie  began  her  romantic  pursuit  in  a  street  lead- 
ing out  of  Broadway.  The  evening  was  dark,  and  the  hour  late  enough 
to  enable  frivolous  young  fellows  who  prowl  about  for  the  purpose  of 
"  fooling"  writh  any  girl  whose  appearance  takes  their  fancy,  to  do  so 
without  much  chance  of  being  recognized  by  their  friends  or  acquaintances. 
One  of  these  night  revellers  fell  into  the  way  of  Miss  Nellie,  and  she 
thought,  doubtless,  that  it  would  be  quite  in  order  if  she  took  a  little  sur- 
vey of  his  pockets.  The  young  man,  however,  did  not  approve  of  this, 
and   as  soon  as  he  saw  a  policeman  he  informed  him  that  he  had  been 


100  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

robbed  of  a  twenty  dollar  bill.  The  police  officer  knew  Nellie  and  arrested 
her  then  and  there,  and  as  nobody  had  gone  by  at  the  time  to  whom  she 
could  have  transferred  the  money,  it  seemed  impossible  but  that  it  would 
be  found  upon  her.  Nellie  took  the  matter  with  her  accustomed  coolness. 
The  policeman  examined  her  as  well  as  he  could,  with  the  assistance  of  the 
young  man.  Her  pockets  were  turned  out,  but,  with  the  exception  of  a 
pocket-handkerchief  and  some  pawn-tickets,  nothing  was  found.  As  far 
as  could  be  seen  under  the  dull  light  of  the  lamp,  there  Avas  also  nothing 
to  be  found  upon  the  pavement. 

"  You  must  have  made  a  mistake  ;"  said  the  policeman. 

"  It's  impossible,"  replied  the  young  man.  "  There  are  as  many  folds 
in  this  woman's  dress  as  there  are  lies  and  falsehoods  in  her  head.  Take 
her  to  the  station  house." 

To  all  this  Nellie  only  anwered  with  her  accustomed  smile  of  self* 
confidence.  She  did  not  even  go  unwillingly,  on  the  contrary  she  knew 
exactly  how  it  would  turn  out.  When  arrived  at  the  police  station  she 
was  searched  by  a  woman,  but  no  twenty  dollar  bill  was  found  upon  her, 
and  as  the  young  man  still  persisted  in  his  assertion  that  it  had  been  stolen, 
the  captain  on  duty  and  the  police  were  convinced  that  there  was  some 
mistake,  an  opinion  which  the  "  innocent"  Nellie  endorsed  by  the  remark 
that  she  had  seen  the  young  man  in  the  company  of  a  girl  of  very  unscru- 
pulous character.     There  was  nothing  more  to  do  but  to  let  Nellie  go. 

Several  days  passed  and  nothing  more  had  been  heard  of  the  young 
man,  who,  doubtless,  by  this  time  had  reconciled  himself  to  the  loss  of  his 
twenty  dollars. 

The  officer  who  had  undertaken  the  search  found  himself  one  evening  at 
his  post  again  and  was  thinking  over  the  occurrence  and  wondering  what 
could  have  become  of  the  note,  when  he  saw  a  woman  coming  towards 
him.  It  was  Nellie  ;  who  seemed  to  be  in  a  particularly  good  humor,  for 
she  took  the  policeman  confidingly  by  the  arm. 

"What  is  it  now?"  said  he,  "  up  to  your  tricks  again?" 

"  No,  I  have  a  secret  to  tell  you." 

"What  is  it?" 

"  You  are  a  man  I  can  speak  to.  Listen.  Would  you  like  to  have  the- 
greenhorn's  twenty  dollar  bill?     I  can't  have  the  thing  on  my  conscience." 

"  Ah  !  ah  !  Nellie  Hall's  conscience  !"  laughed  out  the  officer.  "  How 
long  have  you  owned  such  a  thing?" 

"  Yes  indeed,  sir,  my  conscience."  said  Nellie  pettishly.  "  A  curious 
thing  it  may  perhaps  be,  but  it  is  a  thing.  Will  you  promise  not  to  lock 
me  up  if  I  tell  you  where  the  twenty  dollar  bill  is  ?" 

UI  will,"  replied  the  officer,  though  not  without  a  thought  for  the 
demands  of  duty.  "  Tell  me  where  the  note  is  and  I  will  do  the  best  I 
can  for  you." 

"  Oh  !  I  know  it  won't  do  to  tell  too  much.     But  a  wink  will  do  as  well/' 


THE  Tim- I  B8.  101 

*l  Now  then  out  with  it,"  Baid  the  otricer. 

M  You  won't  betray  me  then?     Well.     Now  who  is  your  tailor?" 

"  What  has  that  got  to  do  with  the  note?" 

u  Something  that,  perhaps,  will  astonish  you,"  said  she,  putting  one 
"hand  to  the  back  pocket  of  his  coat,  while  she  held  his  arm  with  the  other. 
"He  has  made  you  a  good  deep  pocket,  large  enough  for  a  knapsack." 

"  Nous  use  !   get  away  and  don't  be  silly." 

"  It's  all  right."  she  replied,  sinking  her  hand  to  the  bottom  of  his 
pocket.  4*  It's  all  right.  Only  if  you  were  to  find  the  note  in  your  pocket 
after  I  am  gone  away,  would  you  say  that  you  had  found  it  and  not  go 
chattering  about  me?" 

"  Perhaps  I  would.     Who  knows?" 

"  Then  search  your  pocket  and  you'll  find  it,"  said  she.  And  she  moved 
away  and  set  off  bidding  him  good-bye  and  adding:  "Now  be  an  honest 
fellow,  and  go  and  give  the  poor  man  back  his  money." 

The  policeman  was  a  little  flurried,  but  he  did  not  fail  to  search  his 
pocket.  Instead,  however,  of  Nellie  putting  the  note  into  his  pocket,  she 
had  taken  it  out ! 

When  she  was  arrested  she  slipped  the  note  into  the  coat-pocket  of  this 
guardian  of  the  public  peace,  who  had  thus  been  carrying  it  about  with 
him  for  several  days  without  knowing  it.  The  man  could  safely  have 
sworn  that  he  found  nothing,  although  he  looked  for  it  thoroughly,  and  the 
trick  would  probably  never  have  been  known,  unless  Nellie  herself,  on  a 
later  occasion,  when  she  was  in  a  place  of  safety,  had  freely  told  it. 

Nellie  Hall  was  one  of  the  boldest  pickpockets,  who  have  ever  made  the 
streets  of  New  York  unsafe  by  their  presence.  She  had  accumulated  once 
as  much  as  from  two  to  four  thousand  dollars,  and  at  last  was  convicted 
for  a  theft  of  seven  dollars  in  which  she  happened  to  be  detected.  When 
she  was  discharged  from  jail,  she  went  to  Australia,  since  which  time 
nothing  has  been  heard  of  her  in  New  York. 

Female  pickpockets,  however,  mostly  confine  their  operations  to  the 
ladies,  especially  when  they  go  out  in  the  day  time.  Generally  in  company 
with  a  companion  they  make  the  foot-paths  on  Broadway  and  the  shops  in 
that  neighborhood  the  sphere  of  their  operations  ;  especially  when  the  for- 
mer are  crowded  with  people,  with  gentlemen  in  the  morning  and  ladies  in 
the  afternoon.  After  they  have  emptied  of  their  contents,  the  purses  of 
their  victims,  they  leave  them,  perhaps,  in  the  ladies  room  of  some  fash- 
ionable res'aurant,  and  then  return  home  laden  with  plunder  ;  perhaps  to 
undertake  on  the  same  day  another  similar  and  successful  raid  ;  we  say 
successful,  because  mostly  they  are  so  ;  for  these  women  know  very  well 
how  to  make  detection  almost  impossible,  and  they  do  it  with  the  skill  of 
most  practised  performers. 

The  New  York  female  pickpockets  follow  the  example  of  another  species 
of  birds  of  prey,  belonging  to  the  other  sex,  however — we  mean  the  pro- 


102  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK   LIFE. 

fessional  gamblers.     Just  as  these  dress  as  respectably  and  "  gentleman- 
like" as  they  can,  but  not  conspicuously ;  so  also  the  female  pickpockets, 
who  act  as  their  confederates,  imitate  in  their  dress  the  dove,  rather  than 
the  peacock.     Thus  the  nervous  old  lady — who  convulsively  grasps  her 
purse  in  her  hand  Whilst  an  elegant  example  of  the  demi-monde,  rouged 
and  dressed  out  in  velvet  and  silk  sweeps  by,  while  letting,  perhaps,  a 
sneer  cross  her  mind  of  the  shameless  character  of  the  women — never  has 
an   evil  thought  for  the  simply  and  respectably  dressed  person  who  is 
apparently  busy  with  the  examination  of  a  piece  of  cotton  goods,  laid  out 
at  the  crowded  entrance  of  a  fashionable  shop  among  a  lot  of  valuable 
things  to  which  she  does  not  seem  to  pay  any  heed  whatever.     The  old 
lady  stops,  perhaps,  following  the  instinctive   habit  of  her  sex,  to  cast  a 
look  over  the  goods.     In  a  mild  tone  the  simply  and  respectably  dressed 
woman,  who  is  intent  upon  the  calico  investigation,  remarks  to  her  with  a. 
sigh  the  high  price  of  this  thing  or  the  other  ;  and  the  old  lady  returns  a 
friendly  reply.     It  is  enough,  her  attention  has  been  diverted  if  but  for  a 
moment.     That  time,  short  as  it  is,  is  enough  to  enable  another  neatly 
dressed  person,  who  has  been  standing  close  to  the  two,  busied,  also,  in 
examining  the  goods,  to  come  up  and  relieve  the  pocket  of  the  amiable  old 
lady  of  all  its  contents.     This,  too,  she  does  quite  unperceived  either  by 
the  passers-by  or  by  anyone  standing  around.     These  operations  are  done 
quickly,  dexterously,  and  without  exciting  any  suspicion.     Then  the  crowd 
of  people  passing  along  soon  serves  to  separate  the  two  women  and  to 
bring  their  conversation  to   an  end  in  the  most  natural  manner  possible. 
The  old  lady,  perhaps,  goes  into  the  shop  to  make  a  purchase,  and  finds 
now  to  her  astonishment  that  the  money  she  had  intended  to  be  used  there 
is  gone  to  serve  other  and  worse  purposes. 

A  friend,  who  is  chief  clerk  in  one  of  the  largest  dry  goods  warehouses 
on  Broadway,  told  us  lately,  while  we  were  speaking  to  him  of  the  pick- 
pockets in  the  city,  that  very  often  as  many  as  four  or  five  empty  purses 
are  found  in  the  letter  and  newspaper  boxes  at  the  door,  and  that  empty 
purses  are  also  often  found  in  the  store  under  perhaps  a  piece  of  goods. 
On  the  same  occasion  he  narrated  to  us  the  following  occurrence : — 
Some  months  previously  his  wife  had  been  burried  at  Greenwood  Ceme- 
tery ;  and  while  the  clergyman  was  conducting  the  service,  the  coffin  being 
open,  a  respectable  looking  woman  dressed  in  black,  (whom  he  afterwards 
learned  was  a  pickpocket,)  came  up  and,  mixing  with  the  mourners,  robbed 
two  of  them  before  the  ceremony  was  ended.  Some  days  after  he  heard 
that  a  woman  had  been  detected  picking  pockets  and  was  then  in  custody  ? 
he  went  to  the  police  office  and  at  once  recognized  the  woman  whom  he 
had  seen  in  the  church-yard  at  his  wife's  grave.  But  what  was  his  aston- 
ishment to  see  upon  the  finger  of  the  prisoner  a  ring  that  had  belonged  to 
his  wife,  which  he  had  himself  put  upon  her  hand  after  death,  and  which 
he  believed  to  have  been  buried  with  her.     How  the  woman  got  it  is  a 


THE    THIEVES.  103 

mystery  still  unravelled.  She  must  have  taken  it  from  the  finger  of  the 
corpse  after  the  conclusion  of  the  service  and  when  the  mourners,  among 
whom,  as  we  have  said,  she  had  introduced  herself,  were  taking  a  last 
look. 

From  this  the  reader  will  see  that  no  opportunity  is  too  sacred,  no  con- 
dition too  solemn,  no  place  secure  from  the  operations  of  these  harpies. 
The  so-called  anniversary,  when  the  clergymen  of  different  denominations 
hold  their  annual  convention,  is  generally  a  time  of  rich  profit  to  many  of 
them. 

u  What  is  misfortune  to  one  is  a  happiness  to  another,"  said  the  owner 
of  a  fancy  goods  store  to  us,  lately,  when  we  were  speaking  to  him  of  the 
robberies  perpetrated  by  these  pickpockets.  "  Our  trade  in  pocket-books 
and  purses  was  never  better  than  it  is  just  now,  and  among  the  number  of 
purchasers,  who  come  to  us  during  the  day  for  such  things,  there  are 
always  two  or  three  who  tell  us  that  they  have  had  their  own  stolen." 

He  then  told  us  the  following  story  as  one  out  of  the  treasure  of  his 
experiences  : — "  Some  time  ago,  a  lady,  well  known  to  me,  came  to  the 
store  and  looked  at  a  number  of  different  things.  Close  beside  her  I 
noticed  a  neat  and  respectably  dressed  woman,  whose  appearance,  never- 
theless, I  distrusted.  I  determined  to  watch  her  movements  through  the 
mirrors.  At  length  the  lady  asked  for  an  article  which  was  in  a  compart- 
ment behind  me.  I  had  thus  to  turn  my  back  upon  the  two  women  to  get 
the  goods,  and  when  I  turned  round  again  to  show  the  things  required  by 
the  lady,  I  remarked  that  the  woman  whom  I  had  suspected  had  left. 
Some  minutes  later,  when  the  lady  wanted  to  pay  for  her  purchases,  she 
missed  her  purse.     It  had  been  stolen." 

We  were  recently  conversing  with  the  proprietor  of  an  art  exhibition. 
In  places  of  this  kind  there  assembles,  every  day  when  the  weather  is  line, 
a  crowd  of  ladies  who  devote  themselves  to  the  examination  of  the  pictures. 
Here,  again,  is  an  excellent  opportunity  for  the  pickpockets,  and  the  use 
they  make  of  it  was  indicated  by  a  remark  made  by  this  gentleman  to  the 
effect  that  every  year  as  many  as  thirty  and  more  empty  purses  are  found 
behind  the  pictures,  and  that  on  one  day,  recently,  he  had  found  six  behind 
a  picture  that  was  hanging  near  the  door. 

That  part  of  Broadway  which  lies  between  Franklin  Street  and  Union 
Square  is  the  chief  scene  of  the  operations  of  female  pickpockets,  and  in 
that  neighborhood  very  many  ladies  have  been  relieved  of  their  money. 
It  must,  however,  be  admitted  that  ladies  generally  make  the  work  of  these 
pickpockets  much  too  easy,  carrying  their  purses,  as  they  do,  in  a  pocket 
of  their  dress  which  is  outside  of  their  crinoline.  This  makes  it  impossible, 
sometimes,  for  the  closest  observer  to  discover  the  thief,  since  her  hands 
are  covered  not  only  by  the  folds  of  her  own  dress,  but  by  those  of  her  vic- 
tim ;,  while  the  latter  is  prevented  from  noticing  the  manipulations  of  the 
thief  by  the  tight  corset  or   other  necessary  parts  of  fashionable  female 


104  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF     NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

costume.     The  pickpocket  never  wears  gloves  in  the  exercise  of  her  art. 
Her  hands  must  be  bare,  otherwise  she  cannot  work. 

The  loss  which  these  women  annually  inflict  upon  the  female  portion  of 
the  community  is  very  considerable  ;  although  a  portion  only  comes  to  the 
notice  of  the  authorities,  as  some  hundreds  of  ladies  never  say  anything 
about  their  losses.  Whoever  would  form  any  conception  of  the  daily  num- 
ber of  such  victims  has,  only  to  put  an  advertisement  in  one  of  the  morning 
papers  with  the  heading  u  A  porte-monnaie  found  containing  some  money, 
&c,"  and  he  will  learn  from  the  number  of  answers  he  receives  that  hun- 
dreds of  people  every  day  lose  their  money  at  the  hands  of  thieves. 

That  the  imperfection  of  our  police  force  is  in  a  great  measure  to  blame 
for  this,  cannot  be  denied,  and,  indeed,  assumes  a  new  importance  when 
Mr.  G.  W.  Matsell,  who  again  fills  the  office  of  superintendent,  and  who 
has  always  been  a  trustworthy  and  competent  guardian  of  the  peace,  wrrites 
as  he  did  in  the  Gazette  of  December  23d,  1871,  where,  after  speaking  of 
the  steps  that  should  be  taken  to  prevent  pocket-picking  in  the  streets,  he 
says : — 

"And  where  are  the  officers  to  be  found  to  carry  this  out?  Certainly 
not  among  those  who  during  the  past  year  have  been  entrusted  with  the 
duty.  Would  the  public  wish  that  a  man  who  drinks  with  thieves,  recog- 
nizes them  as  friends  in  the  public  streets,  or  offers  them  his  hand,  should 
be  chosen  for  such  a  post?  I  think  not.  Would  the  public  desire  to  trust 
such  a  service  to  a  man  who  will  not  only  divide  the  booty  with  a  pick- 
pocket, but  even  help  him  to  commit  the  robbery?  I  think  not.  But  such 
men  are  in  the  service,  and  many  of  them  are  rich,  and  have  much  more 
than  the  honest  man  who  has  to  earn  his  bread  hardly,  through  rain  and 
through  sunshine,  by  sheer  laborious  work.  So  long  as  honest  people  are 
not  entrusted  w^ith  the  guardianship  of  the  public  safety — people  who  would 
scorn  to  let  themselves  be  corrupted  by  thieves  ;  people  who  would  turn 
with  disdain  from  the  idea  of  any  league  with  criminals — so  long  as  such 
people  are  not  permitted  to  have  the  guardianship  of  the  city,  so  long  will 
the  public  be  swindled,  plundered  and  robbed  as  they  now  are.  The  police 
officer  of  the  present  day  only  wants  to  "  make  money,"  and  "  make 
money"  he  does, — with  the  aid  of  others-  Ask  any  female  pickpocket 
what  percentage  of  her  plunder  she  has  had  to  pay  out  within  any  given 
time, — ask  her  the  name  of  the  officers  who  have  not  only  received  a  per- 
centage in  greenbacks,  but  into  whose  embraces  she  has  also  been  com- 
pelled to  go, — ask  any  of  them — and  if  she  be  not  afraid  to  tell  the  truth, 
you  will  hear  things  that  will  make  your  hair  stand  on  end." 

And  this  was  written  by  the  man  who  was  once  before  Police  Superin- 
tendent of  New  York,  and  who  has  within  the  last  few  weeks  been  placed 
back  in  his  old  position. 

In  the  foregoing  pages  we  have  pictured  to  the  reader  the  practices  of 
both  male  and  female  pickpockets  and  will  close  the  resume  with  a  brief 


THE   Tim.\  B8<  105 

nit  of  the  history  of  a  young  female  thief,  which  proves  how  evil  asso- 
ciation will  cover  even  the  most  innocent  girl  with  ir u i  1 1  and  bring  her  to  a 
miserable  end. 

Ellen  Naylor  was  a  pretty,  innocent  black-eyed  girl  of  twelve  years. 
Jler  father  was  dead  and  her  mother  supported  the  family — two  boys  and 
a  girl — by  was  ling.  She  lived  in  a  miserable  house  in  an  out-of-the-way 
street.  In  the  same  house  there  lived  also  another  family  who,  as  was 
well  known  to  all  the  residents  of  the  place,  never  worked,  but,  neverthe- 
less, dressed  well  and  were  never  in  want  of  anything.  At  first  there  were 
whispers  passing  about  from  one  to  another,  and  gradually  it  became 
known  throughout  the  house  that  the  family  lived  by  picking  pockets. 

"  Well  now,"  said  one  of  the  neighbors,  "  that  is  no  affair  of  mine. 
They  pay  me  for  what  I  do  for  them.  I  have  to  earn  my  bread  as  I  best 
can,  without  troubling  myself  about  the  affairs  of  others,  and  it  is  nothing 
to  me  if  they  do  live  by  stealing." 

This  opinion  was  entertained  by  all  the  inmates  of  the  place,  and  also, 
therefore,  by  Ellen's  mother,  who  was  every  week  in  receipt  of  a  consider- 
able sum  from  the  thieves'  family  for  washing.  A  closer  intimacy  now 
sprang  up  between  the  two  mothers,  then  between  the  sons  belonging  to 
the  two  families,  and  lastly  Ellen  joined  in  the  intercourse.  The  mothers 
drank  together  and  the  sons  went  together  to  the  Bowery  Theatre.  No 
long  time  elapsed  before  Ellen  was  induced  to  join  in  these  visits  to  the 
theatre,  nor  was  she  very  reluctant  to  do  so,  for  when  her  brother  was 
not  at  home  her  mother  was  almost  always  drunk,  and  she  was  left  at  home 
by  herself.  But  the  theatre  was  the  place  where  the  sons  of  this  family 
got  the  greater  part  of  their  plunder  ;  and  the  more  that  Ellen  saw  how 
easy  it  was  to  steal,  and  since  no  parent  cared  for  her  hitherto  miserable 
existence,  the  more  readily  she  arrived  at  the  opinion  that  she  might  as 
wrell  steal  like  the  rest,  who  lived  well,  dressed  well,  and  were  never  dis- 
covered in  their  depredations.  Perhaps  Ellen  would  not  have  gone  so  far 
wrong  at  this  time,  had  she  not  unfortunately  met  a  female  pickpocket  on 
one  of  these  theatre  visits,  who,  being  known  to  her  companions,  became 
introduced  and  was  soon  on  friendly  terms.  This  was  the  first  female  thief 
that  E^llen  had  seen,  and  she  asked  herself  now  "  Why  may  I  not  have  as 
much  money  and  dress  as  well  as  she  does?"  But  still  the  better  feeling 
within  her  battled  against  the  temptation.  On  other  occasions  Ellen  was 
invited  to  go  with  the  neighbor's  son  and  this  pickpocket  to  the  theatre, 
and  as  her  mother  now  lived  upon  spirits,  she  went, — till  one  evening,  after 
they  had  all  been  drinking,  she  was  directly  asked  whether  she  would  not 
become  a  pickpocket.  The  advantages  were  well  put  before  her,  and 
finally  it  was  agreed  that  on  that  same  evening  she  should  have  her  first 
lesson  in  the  business.  Poor  girl !  What  a  blessing  it  would  have  been 
if  discovery  and  punishment  had  followed  close  upon  the  first  theft !  But 
it  did  not  thus  happen,  and  presently,  with  trembling  hand,  she  drew  out 


106  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

ttoe  purse  from  a  lady's  pocket  and  was  not  detected.  Now  her  fate  was- 
sealed.  She  was  praised  by  her  companions ;  her  poor  clothes  were 
changed  for  fine  ones  ;  she  came  into  the  company  of  other  thLves,  and 
notwithstanding  her  youth,  soon  became  the  mistress  of  her  instructor, 
thus  founding  her  first  housekeeping  upon  the  proceeds  of  her  first  robbery. 
She  was  not  yet  fourteen,  her  seducer  only  eighteen.  He  was  her  first 
love  and  was  proud  of  parading  his  sweetheart  among  his  criminal 
acquaintances.  So  Ellen  soon  became  famous  as  the  pretty  and  clever 
pickpocket.  Attempts  were  now  made  to  alienate  her  from  the  man  she 
lived  with,  and  all  the  women  tried  to  get  into  her  confidence  for  that  pur- 
pose, but  as  such  attempts  were  frustrated  by  her  in  every  instance,  they 
swore  their  revenge  ;  to  betray  both  to  a  detective. 

The  man  with  whom  she  lived  was  within  three  months  sent  to  prison,, 
but  she  was  released  with  a  caution.  Expecting  this,  many  old  thieves 
had  gathered  round  the  court  to  offer  her,  under  the  pretence  of  sympathy, 
their  protection,  as  she  was  now  alone  ;  while  their  only  aim  was  to  so 
entangle  her  that  she  would  be  obliged  to  join  them,  and  unable  to  extri- 
cate herself.  They  knew  her  extraordinary  skill  in  thieving  and  now  they 
wanted  her  to  steal  for  them.  When  she  came  out  of  the  court  she  was 
surrounded,  drinks  were  taken  in  her  honor,  and  flatteries  were  heaped 
upon  her.     She  was  conquered. 

Ellen  went  home,  sold  her  household-stuff  and  joined  the  thieves  in  their- 
den.  Orgies  were  celebrated,  Ellen  was  made  drunk  and  put  to  bed  by 
one  of  the  old  women.  When  she  awoke  she  found  herself  the  bed-fellow 
of  a  most  miserable,  disgusting  fellow.  Horrified  at  the  detestable  trick 
that  had  been  practised  upon  her,  she  jumped  up,  threw  on  her  clothes, 
and  fled  from  the  house  ;  taking  with  her  only  the  likeness  of  her  lover. 
And  that  was  the  last  that  has  ever  been  seen  of  Ellen  Naylor. — On  the 
same  day  a  shawl  which  once  was  her's  was  found  upon  one  of  the  wharves 
by  the  Hudson. 

Shoplifters  form  another  class  of  the  professsion  of  thieves,  although 
many  of  them  also  engage  in  picking  pockets.  They  number  about  two 
hundred,  of  which  the  majority  consists  of  women.  Here,  also,  there  are 
degrees  of  ability,  of  which  two  are  recognized.  The  lower  is  that  which 
concerns  itself  chiefly  with  depredations  upon  dry  goods  stores,  and  in  tins- 
women  are  mostly  engaged  ;  the  higher  is  devoted  rather  to  the  acquire- 
ment of  rings  and  other  valuables  of  that  kind,  and  consists  principally  of 
men. 

We  will  first  treat  of  the  former  of  these,  the  women.  They  dress,  gen- 
erally, with  much  elegance,  live  in  good  neighborhoods,  are  very  comfort- 
ably off,  and  pass  as  respectable  ladies  as  long  as  they  can  remain  unex- 
posed ;  but  there  is  truth  still  in  the  adage,  that  "  the  pitcher  may  go  oft  to» 
the  well  but  at  last  comes  home  broken." 


TIIK    THIEVES. 


107 


We  will  give  an  illustration  that  has  occurred  quite  recently  : — la  the 
large  manufacturing  house  of  Messrs.  Lord  and  Taylor,  which  is  visited 
daily  by  thousands  of  buyers,  there  occurred  up  to  a  recent  period  so  many 
robberies  that  the  proprietors  saw  themselves  constrained  to  procure  the 
services  of  watchmen.  One  Saturday,  the  day  upon  which  the  crowd  of 
visitors  to  stores  of  this  kind  is  the  greatest,  a  young  lady  of  most  prepos- 
sessing appearance  was  seen  to  enter.  She  was  about  eighteen  years  old, 
fashionably  dressed,  with  rings  on  her  fingers  and  other  jewelry.  Sitting 
down  at  one  of  the  counters,  near  to  another  lady,  she  requested  that  some 
goods  might  be  shown  to  her.  One  of  the  watchers,  who  had  noticed  the 
rings  upon  the  girl's  fingers,  observed  her  closely  and  remarked  very  soon 
that  she  had  put  her  hand  into  the  muff  lying  on  the  counter  near  her,  but. 
which  belonged  to  the  lady  sitting  next  to  her,  and  had  taken  from  it  a 
well-filled  porte-monnaie.  Just  as  she  was  about  to  slip  it  into  her  pocket 
the  man  laid  his  hand  upon  her  shoulder,  and  whispered  to  her  that  she 
must  consider  herself  his  prisoner.  But  young  and  pretty  though  she  was, 
she  was  also  shameless.  In  a  furious  temper  she  looked  at  the  man  as 
though  she  would  have  pierced  him  through,  denied  the  theft,  and  threat- 
ened to  call  him  to  account  for  the  outrage  upon  her.  But  the  officer  had 
not  made  a  mistake.  He  arrested  her,  the  porte-monnaie  was  found  upon 
her,  and  she  is  even  now  awaiting  her  trial. 

But,  unfortunately,  very  few  such  thieves  are  taken  in  the  act,  conse- 
quently we  need  not  be  surprised  to  learn  that  this  kind  of  theft  has 
recently  increased  to  an  enormous  extent,  as  might  be  shown  by  the  num- 
ber of  robberies  that  have  taken  place  within  the  past  few  months  in  the 
houses  of  A.  T.  Stewart  &  Co.,  Arnold  Constable  &  Co.,  C.  G.  Johnson, 
Lord  &  Taylor,  and  others.  During  the  past  two  weeks,  in  the  last  named 
house  alone,  fourteen  ladies  lost  their  purses  ;  and  with  them  an  aggregate 
sum  of  six  hundred  dollars. 

What  we  have  said  above  of  the  relations  of  the  sexes  in  regard  to  the 
pickpockets,  applies  also  to  shoplifters  ;  they  are  inveterately  given  to  a 
vicious  life,  and  their  companions  are  almost  without  exception  pick- 
pockets, house-breakers,  and  swindlers.  Then  in  the  dens  which  these 
men  thieves  frequent  there  are  rooms  set  apart  for  the  women  where  they 
become  slaves  to  the  curse  of  drink.  There  is,  indeed,  nothing  more 
revolting  than  this  kind  of  rabble,  consisting  of  men,  and,  when  weary  of 
each  other,  become  mutually  distrustful ;  since  such  a  mode  of  life  cannot 
fail  to  lead  to  jealousies  and  animosities,  and  as  soon  as  these  take  place, 
one  or  the  other  of  the  people  take  revenge  by  betraying  others  to  the 
police. 

Between  eleven  and  four  o'clock  in  the  day,  the  time  when  ladies  mostly 
go  shopping,  is  of  course  that  in  which  the  shoplifters  commit  most  of  their 
robberies,  and  in  many  of  the  shops  they  are  greatly  facilitated  in  their 
operations  by  the  inexperience  or  frivolity  of  young  clerks,  who  are  ofteiit 


108  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

only  to,o  glad  when  they  think  they  are  being  regarded  in  a  friendly  man- 
ner by  a  pretty  girl,  and  especially  when  they  can  enter  into  conversation 
with  her.  The  clever  shoplifter  knows  at  once  what  kind  of  a  clerk  she 
has  before  her,  and  she  invariably  goes  to  that  part  of  the  counter  where 
there  is  one  whom  she  thinks  most  suitable  to  her  purpose.  He  is  grati- 
fied at  the  approach  of  a  nice  looking  girl  and  asks  her  promptly  what  he 
can  do  for  her. 

"  I  want  to  see  some  silks." 

"  Certainly,  Miss.  We  have  the  newest  styles,  and  a  greater  choice 
than  any  other  house.     Pray,  take  a  seat." 

Upon  this  he  takes  down  the  goods,  and  opens  out  one  piece  after  another 
on  the  counter.  Now  the  thief  begins  her  game.  While  making  various 
remarks  to  the  clerk  about  the  goods,  or  in  some  other  way  holds  him  in 
conversation,  she  selects  the  most  valuable  piece  and  lays  it  aside  in  such 
a  manner  that  when  the  right  moment  comes  she  can  put  her  hand  upon  it 
again.  She  now  goes  on  to  speak  to  him  in  the  most  friendly  manner  pos- 
sible, and  when  she  thinks  that  she  has  by  her  fascinations  got  him  suffi- 
ciently under  control,  she  will  say  to  him : — 

"  I  must  ask  you  to  show  me  another  piece,  which  is  a  little  lighter," 
or  as  the  case  may  be,  darker,  "  than  this.  I  do  not  think  that  anything 
here  is  quite  suitable." 

The  clerk  bows  very  politely  and  sets  to  work  to  comply  with  her 
wishes.  At  the  same  instant,  quick  as  lightning,  she  puts  the  piece  which 
she  had  laid  aside,  into  the  bag  that  she  carries  under  her  clothes,  looking 
as  innocent  all  the  while  as  if  nothing  had  happened.  For  these  bags  or 
capacious  pockets  are  a  provision  which  all  shoplifters  carry  suspended 
from  a  belt  round  the  waist. 

Now  the  clerk  spreads  another  piece  of  silk  before  her  and  is  much 
pleased  when  the  lady  says  : — "  Yes,  I  think  this  will  suit  me  exactly. 
But  before  you  measure  it,  be  so  kind  as  to  cut  me  off  a  small  piece  that  I 
may  take  home  and  see  if  it  matches  my  own,  and  then  in  the  course  of 
the  day  I  will  call  again."  He  cuts  off  the  pattern,  gives  it  to  her  very 
obligingly,  and  she  requests  him  to  "lay  aside  the  piece,  so  that  in  case  I 
cannot  come  myself  and  have  to  send  for  it  there  can  be  no  mistake." 

The  lady  leaves  the  shop  and  the  clerk  makes  her  a  respectful  bow  as 
she  goes  out. 

It  is  scarcely  necessary  to  say  that  she  very  seldom  either  calls  or  sends 
for  the  goods  that  have  been  set  aside  for  her,  while  the  proprietor  of  the 
shop  is  two  pieces  of  valuable  silk  poorer  than  he  was  before  her  visit. 

In  the  same  manner  ribbons,  laces,  kid  gloves,  and  numerous  articles  of 
similar  kind  are  taken  ;  and  all  go  to  the  receiving  shop. 

When  two  shoplifters  work  together,  the  confederate  draws  off  the  atten- 
tion of  the  clerk  at  the  moment  when  the  thief  is  about  to  steal  the  goods, 


nii:    inn  \  i  S.  101) 

by  perhaps  pointing  to   something   behind   him,   and   then   keeping   him 
engaged  until  the  woman  who  has  the  things  has  left  the  shop. 

It  is  always  of  importance  to  induce  the  clerk  to  bring  out  as  manv 
articles  as  possible,  for  if  there  are  only  a  few  on  the  counter  the  robbery 
is  much  more  difficult  to  effect.  For  this  reason  the  assistants  in  these 
shops  should  always  he  careful  not  to  introduce  more  goods  at  one  time 
than  is  absolutely  necessary  :  and  they  should  always,  as  far  as  they  can. 
put  by  at  once  those  articles  which  will  not  suit;  if  this  were  followed 
many  of  the  robberies  now  occurring  would  be  rendered  impossible,  and  the 
loss  consequently  would  be  much  lessened.  In  fact,  the  storekeepers  iu 
New  York  cannot  be  too  cautious  in  observing  and  watching  customers 
whom  they  do  not  know  ;  and  no  one  should  blame  the  proprietor,  if,  being 
in  a  shop  where  he  is  not  known,  he  finds  himself  being  watched.  The 
external  appearance  of  a  shoplifter  is  such  that  it  is  only  by  an  experienced 
eye  that  she  can  be  distinguished  from  a  lady  of  respectability. 

Very  recently  a  detective,  who  was'  buying  something  in  a  large  house 
in  Grand  Street,  noticed  a  pretty  young  woman,  very  fashionably  dressed, 
engaged  iu  examining  some  laces.  But  to  his  experienced  observation 
there  seemed  to  be  something  peculiar  about  her,  and,  as  she  left  the  shop 
without  buying  anything,  he  followed  her.  Passing  close  by  her  side  he 
found  that  she  was  carrying  something  like  a  square  port-folio  or  card 
under  her  mantle.  This  strengthened  his  suspicions,  and  in  order  to 
satisfy  himself  he  ran  against  her  as  if  by  accident,  when,  as  he  antici- 
pated, the  cardboard  fell  to  the  ground.  She  changed  color,  but  went  on 
without  turning  to  pick  it  up,  upon  which  the  detective  stopped  her, 
charged  her  plainly  with  having  stolen  the  lace,  and  arrested  her. 

She  lived  in  two  pretty,  comfortably  furnished  rooms  in  a  fashionable 
street.  The  walls  of  the  rooms  were  covered  with  handsome  pictures  and 
in  one  of  the  apartments  was  a  piano.  She  was  a  professional  shoplifter, 
and  although  she  had  carried  on  the  business  for  a  couple  of  years,  she  had 
never  before  been  detected. 

The  following  case  will  serve  to  show  the  wonderful  audacity  and  crafti- 
ness of  these  women,  and  how  well  versed  they  are  in  the  ways  and  means 
for  evading  punishment  whenever  they  chance  to  fall  into  the  power  of  the 
law. 

A  couple  of  years  ago  a  notorious  shoplifter,  named  Mary  Brown,  was 
arrested  in  Stewart's  store  for  a  robbery  committed  there.  A  short  time 
after  she  was  tried,  but  not  sentenced  at  the  time.  The  officer  who  had 
charge  of  her  was  taking  ker  back  to  the  Tombs,  and  on  the  way,  at  the 
corner  of  Centre  and  Chambers  Streets,  he  ran  against  a  well-known  house- 
breaker named  Hale,  who  was  then  at  liberty,  but  is  uow  undergoing  a 
sentence  in  Sing  Sing.  He  turned  round  to  speak  to  him,  and  at  the  same 
instaqt  his  prisoner,  who  was  closely  veiled,  slipped  from  his  side,  and 
another  woman,  similarly  dressed   and  also   thickly  veiled,  took   her  place 


110  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

and  went  along  near  him  as  though  she  were  the  prisoner  herself,  while 
the  officer,  who  had  no  suspicion  of  what  happened,  went  quietly  on  his 
way  too.  But  when  they  came  to  the  corner  of  Worth  Street,  the  woman 
turned  down  that  street,  whereupon  the  officer  quietly  but  decidedly  told 
her,  that  she  was  in  his  custody,  and  must  go  back  to  the  Tombs  without 
making  any  trouble.  What  must  have  been  his  astonishment  when  the 
woman,  apparently  very  angry,  told  him,  what  at  the  same  time  he  seemed 
to  realize,  that  he  had  no  business  to  insult  a  respectable  woman  ;  if  he 
did  not  let  her  alone,  she  continued,  she  would  speak  to  her  husband,  who 
should  lay  a  charge  against  him  before  the  Police  Commissioners.  At  the 
same  time  she  raised  her  veil  and  the  officer  saw  at  once  that  Mary  Brown 
was  no  longer  there,  but  in  her  place  a  woman  who  was  a  perfect  stranger 
to  him.  Astonished  aad  perplexed,  he  instantly  allowed  the  pseudo  Mary 
Brown  to  go  on  her  way  and  hurried  back  to  Centre  Street  to  look  for  the 
real  Mary  Brown.  But  in  vain,  she  was  nowhere  to  be  seen,  and  a  few 
days  after  the  police  found  her  in  a  house  near  Yonkers,  as  she  was  in  the 
act  of  packing  her  trunks  to  go  by  the  next  steamer  to  California,  which 
journey  was  now  set  aside,  and  she  was  obliged  to  take  a  preliminary 
lodging  in  Sing  Sing. 

As  remarked  above,  the  higher  class  of  shoplifters  consists  of  men,  who 
busy  themselves  with  the  accumulation  of  rings  and  valuables  of  that  kind. 
These  men  generally  go  about  very  well  dressed.  They  must  have  good 
manners  and  possess  extraordinary  dexterity  to  pursue  their  calling  as  they 
do  for  many  months  and  sometimes  even  for  years.  On  wet  days,  when 
they  canuot  pursue  their  usual  depredations,  or  when  unwell,  they  improve 
the  dexterity  of  their  fingers  by  practising  with  imitation  gold  rings,  but- 
tons, or  cent  pieces. 

Whoever  has  been  present  at  the  exhibition  of  a  conjurer,  knows  what 
dexterity  these  artists  exhibit  when  taking  up  a  piece  of  money  between 
their  thumb  and  middle  finger,  they  cause  it  to  disappear  in  a  momeat, 
without  the  most  careful  observer,  or  even  those  who  know  the  trick,  being 
able  to  see  where  it  is  gone.  The  male  shoplifter  does  the  same.  He 
goes  into  a  jeweller's  shop  and  expresses  a  wish  to  buy  a  diamond  ring. 
A  case  of  such  valuables  is  laid  upon  the  counter  and  opened,  and  whilst 
the  stranger  is  looking  at  the  rings,  and  taking  out  first  one  and  then 
another,  and  returning  them  to  their  places,  the  jeweller  is,  as  he  thinks, 
closely  watching  every  movement.  In  the  mean  time  the  thief  has  made 
his  selection,  and  now  turns  the  eyes  of  the  jeweller  from  his  hands  by  ask- 
ing a  question,  looking  at  the  same  time  direct. at  his  face  ;  and  in  the  brief 
instant  when  the  jeweler  looks  up  to  answer  the  man,  the  ring  disappears, 
and  the  hand  of  the  thief  is  lying  flat  upon  the  counter  ;  so  that  the  jeweler 
has  no  suspicion,  when  in  another  instant  he  returns  his  glance  to  the  box 
of  rings,  that  one  of  them  is  hidden  between  the  fingers  of  the  man's  hands. 
Now  the  thief  asks  another  question,  and  at  the  moment  moves  his  hand 


THE    THIEVES. 


111 


Towards  his  pocket,  apparently  to  take  out  his  handkerchief,  but  really  to 
put  away  the  ring.  He  then  uses  his  handkerchief;  and  as  lie  sees  that 
no  suspicion  rests  upon  him,  he  says  that  be  cannot  now  make  up  his  mind, 
but  will  call  again.  Whereupon  he  leaves  the  shop  with  his  plunder. 
Sometimes,  however  on  the  contrary,  he  sees  something  which  leads  him 
to  think  that  the  jeweller  is  suspicious,  and  that  in  consequence  he  cannot 
safely  venture  to  go  away  with  the  ring,  he  then  looks  for  a  opportunity 
cither  to  return  the  ring  to  its  place  or  to  put  it  somewhere  on  the  counter, 
and  so  avoid  detection  and  its  consequences. 

This  using  of  the  pocket-handkerchief  just  at  the  moment  when  a  quan- 
tity of  valuable  jewelry  is  lyiug  upon  the  counter  is  at  the  least  a  very 
suspicious  manoeuvre,  and  is  almost  always  followed  by  the  robbery  of  the 
storekeeper  unless  he  is  very  cautious.  It  is  also  of  immense  advantage 
to  the  thief,  for  he  not  only  avails  himself  of  the  opportunity  to  put  the 
ring  into  his  pocket,  but  it  also  enables  him  to  conceal  his  face  for  a 
moment  in  case  there  is  any  passing  indication  of  embarrassment  or  fear. 
The  handkerchief  is  used  just  as  people  generally  use  one  and  then  it  goes 
back  again  to  the  pocket.  That  is  all  that  the  shopman  sees.  The  thief 
then  takes  care  to  keep  his  hand  open  as  if  by  chance,  so  that  the  inside 
can  be  seen,  and  with  the  promise  to  come  again,  by  which  he  once  more 
engages  the  attention  of  his  victim,  he  leaves.  The  greatest  skill  of  the 
conjuror  depends  upon  the  rapidity  of  his  movements  ;  and  the  most  accom- 
plished male  shoplifters  must  be  just  as  thoroughly  practised  in  the  art  as 
the  conjuror  is,  before  they  can  come  before  the  public  as  performers. 
Jewelers  and  persons  who  deal  in  small  articles  of  much  value  should  never 
allow  their  attention  to  be  diverted,  nor  allow  their  eyes  to  be  turned  from 
their  goods  when  these  are  brought  out  for  sale. 

Besides  the  two  kinds  of  shoplifters  who  come  from  out  of  doors,  there 
>6  still  another  in  the  inside  of  business  houses,  these  are — dishonest  clerks 
and  porters  ;  and  many  houses  have  lost  large  sums  of  money  at  the  hands 
of  these  thieves.  We  will  give  here  an  interesting  example  of  the  mode  in 
which  they  do  their  work,  from  the  rich  experiences  of  Mr.  McWalters, 
whose  account  we  will  follow  in  his  ov/n  words : 

He  says  : — "  One  day  the  confidential  clerk  belonging  to  a  large  firm 
called  upon  me,  and  said  that  he  was  deputed,  by  one  of  the  principals  of 
his  house,  to  consult  with  me  concerning  a  systematic  robbery  which  had 
been  going  on  for  some  time  in  the  concern,  and  to  engage  my  assistance. 
I  will  call  this  clerk  Phillips,  the  name  of  the  principal  shall  be  Redding. 
The  two  other  principals  were  absent,  one  in  the  South,  the  other  in 
Europe.  Mr.  Phillips  told  me  fully  how  for  a  long  time  different  goods 
had  been  constantly  disappearing,  that  lately  the  robberies  had  been  largely 
increasing,  and  that  now  great  quantities  of  the  most  valuable  goods  were 
missing.  He  calculated  the  loss  that  had  been  experienced,  within  a  rpace 
of  the  last  few  months  only,  at  eighteen  hundred  dollars,  and  it  consisted 


112  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

in  silks,  satins,  laces,  and  goods  of  that  kind.  The  loss  might  possibly 
have  l?een  greater  since  it  was  quite  likely  that  many  things  taken  had  not 
yet  been  missed.  He  told  me  what  Mr.  Redding  and  himself  had  done  to 
try  and  find  out  the  thief,  or  thieves  ;  and  what  measures  had  also  been 
taken  to  keep  a  watch  upon  the  premises.  He  informed  me  also  that  the 
opinion  of  Mr.  Redding  about  the  robberies  differed  from  bis  own,  and  that 
Mr.  Redding  thought  that  some  of  the  clerks  must  be  the  guilty  parties. 
It  seemed  as  if  that  was  certainly  very  often  the  case,  since  the  place  was 
placed  at  night  under  the  guardianship  of  a  thoroughly  trustworthy  watch- 
man, whom  he  himself  controlled  and  was  convinced  in  consequence  that 
he  had  no  dishonest  accomplices.  He  could  not,  however,  share  in  this 
opinion  of  Mr.  Redding  because  the  clerks  had  been  there  a  long  time, 
most  of  them  for  five  years,  and  the  remainder,  with  the  exception  of  three 
who  had  been  there  but  a  few  months,  had  been  two,  three,  and  four  years 
with  the  firm.  He  knew  all  their  circumstances  and  from  this  knowledge 
was  loath  to  believe  that  they  were  the  thieves.  Mr.  Redding,  however,, 
adhered  to  his  view  that  some  of  the  clerks  must  be  the  thieves,  and  he 
wanted  the  question  settled  and  cleared  up. 

I  asked  Mr.  Phillips  how  many  clerks  there  were  in  the  establishment, 
and  he  said  that,  not  including  himself,  there  were  thirty-seven. 

"  Thirty-seven?"  I  asked  ; — "  And  do  you  mean  to  say  that  there  is  not 
one  of  these  thirty-seven  whom  you  consider  to  be  more  or  less  innocent  or 
guilty  than  any  of  the  rest." 

"  I  do." 

"  Now  we  have  a  considerable  task  before  us  which  will  not  only  tako 
time  and  prove  our  patience,  but  also  cost  your  house  a  considerable  sum 
of  money.  We  might,  perhaps,  stumble  upon  the  thief  at  once,  but  if  wo 
can  prove  nothing  against  him,  we  must  convince  ourselves  that  all  the 
rest  are  innocent,  and  that  may  cost  your  house  more  than  the  robberies 
even,  till  accident  perchance  in  time  leads  to  the  discovery  of  the  thief. 

"  I  have  discussed  this  point  with  Mr.  Redding  too,"  replied  Mr. 
Phillips,  "  but  he  insists  that  we  must  find  out  the  thief,  cost  what  it  may, 
and  once  and  for  all  put  an  end  to  the  plunder  ;  for  the  house  cannot  long 
stand  against  such  constant  and  continuous  losses.  He  has  made  up  his 
mind  to  probe  the  thing  to  the  bottom,  and  when  he  once  takes  a  resolve 
into  his  head,  he  does  not  readily  give  it  up  again." 

In  reply  to  enquiries  I  drew  from  Mr.  Phillips  that,  although  many  of 
the  goods  were  of  a  particular  kind,  it  would  not  be  easy  to  identify  them 
if  the  private  mark  of  the  house  were  removed  :  "  And  any  thief,"  he  con- 
tinued, "  who  steals  goods  in  bulk  will  be  prudent  enough  to  leave  nothing 
on  them  by  which  they  can  be  identified,  and  himself  convicted.  He  would 
be  sure  to  destroy  our  marks." 

We  now  agreed  that  on  the  next  day  I  was  to  make  a  visit  to  the  store,. 
as  a  merchant  from  Buffalo,  desirous  of  making  some  purchases,  so  that  I 


Till       1  llll.VKS.  1  >'•'> 

might  take  a  look  at  the  place  and  at  the  several  clerks.  After  Mr, 
Phillipfl   had   left  me  I  thought  the  matter  over  well,  but  could  not  see  any 

solution  to  the  puzzle.  My  colleague.  ho\ve\er,  to  whom  J  spoke  about 
the  business — Cor  in  an  affair  of  this  kitid  it  is  accessary  to  have  more  than 
one  concerned — thought  that  some  of  the  clerks  must  be  the  thieves  and 
that  it  would  only  be  necessary  to  set  a  watch  for  a  couple  of  nights  in 
order  to  find  out  the  right  people.  But  still  it  seemed  to  me  that  the  dis- 
covery of  the  thief  in  this  case  would  be  by  no  means  such  an  easy  matter. 

On  another  day  I  visited  .Mr.  Redding.  1  had  arranged  with  Mr. 
Phillips  that  in  the  presence  of  the  other  clerks  he  should  not  know  me,  at 
any  rate  not  uutil  Mr.  Redding  should  have  introduced  me  to  him.  As  I 
was  not  personally  known  to  Mr.  Redding,  I  introduced  myself  to  him  by 
means  of  a  letter  written  for  the  occasion.  He  received  me  with  all  the 
attention  which  business  people  usually  show  towards  good  customers,  and 
took  me  through  the  entire  establishment.  In  this  way  I  was  able  to  see- 
the faces  of  every  one  of  the  clerks,  and  as  I  very  much  wished  not  to 
create  any  suspicion  in  any  of  the  people,  we  took  our  time.  At  last  J 
thought  to  myself:  "  Either  my  judgment  and  knowledge  of  physiognomy 
have  gone,  or  else  the  clerks  in  this  place  are  among  the  most  honest  set 
of  men  in  the  world." 

Presently  Mr.  Redding  called  his  confidential  clerk,  Mr.  Phillips,  intC 
his  office  and  we  talked  the  matter  over  together.  At  Mr.  Redding's 
request,  Mr.  Phillips  laid  before  me  a  list  of  the  goods  that  had  been 
missed  se  far  as  it  could  be  made  out,  and  it  was  indeed  a  formidable  cata- 
logue ;  but  there  was  nothing  in  it  which  could  be  easily  recognized,  noth- 
ing to  which  there  were  not  goods  exactly  similar  in  other  shops.  Lastly 
I  expressed  a  wish  to  see  some  silks  belonging  to  the  same  parcel  as  *.hose 
which  had  been  stolen,  and  having  a  tolerably  good  eye  for  lorm  and  color, 
my  attention  was  at  once  attracted  by  a  piece  of  goods  such  as  I  had  nevei 
seen  before,  and  which  had  such  a  remarkable  pattern  that  it  was  imme- 
diately impressed  upon  myr  mind.  But  other  stores  also  kept  this  same 
kind  of  goods  and  so,  even  if  I  should  find  auything  like  them  in  either  of 
the  retail  shops,  or  at  a  pawnbrokers,  still  I  should  not  be  in  a  position  to 
identify  them  as  having  been  stolen  from  Mr.  Redding's.  At  the  same 
time  I  thought  that  possibly  this  piece  of  silk  might  be -the  key  with  which 
to  lay  open  the  secret  of  the  robberies. 

I  now  entertained  no  longer  any  doubt  that  the  thefts  must  be  perpe- 
trated by  one  or  other  of  the  clerks,  and  I  determined  to  watch  them  all. 
For  this  purpose  I  deputed  some  of  my  people,  while  I  undertook  the 
supervision  of  a  few,  to  look  after  them  when  they  left  business  and  so  to 
find  out  whether  any  of  them  frequented  gaming  houses,  brothels,  or  other 
houses  of  ill-repute.  Many  evenings  passed  away  but  without  any  result. 
One  of  the  clerks,  who  lived  in  Brooklyn,  came  over  to  the  city  one  Sunday 
evening  and  went  to  a  house  of  assignation.     That  certainlv  threw  a  faint 

*  8 


114  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF     NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

shadow  upon  his  character,  but  it  gave  us  no  hold  upon  which  we  could 
rest  for  considering  him  as  the  thief  before  all  the  other  clerks.  Two  other 
clerks,  older  than  he,  had  also  taken  some  acquaintances  who  had  come 
from  the  country  "  to  see  the  lions,"  to  places  which  more  solid  people  do 
not  usually  care  to  visit.  But  this  should  even  less  be  laid  to  the  charge 
of  the  clerks  as  an  evil,  for  in  many  houses  it  is  customary  even  in  accord- 
ance with  the  wish  of  the  principals  that  the  assistants  should  pay  such 
little  attentions  to  acquaintances  from  the  country. 

Thus  then  I  had  so  far  taken  a  great  deal  of  trouble  without  arriving  at 
any  result.  Almost  every  day  I  held  consultations  with  Mr.  Redding  and 
Mr.  Phillips  ;  and  each  day  I  liked  the  latter  better,  for  he  showed  the 
greatest  zeal  in  the  interest  of  his  principal,  and  was  untiring  in  his 
endeavours  to  assist  me  in  my  enquiries.  Many  times  Mr.  Redding  was 
on  the  point  of  giving  up,  but  it  was  always  Mr.  Phillips  who  encouraged 
him  to  persevere,  because  he  was  sure  that  sooner  or  later  the  thief  must 
be  discovered,  and  in  his  position  as  chief  clerk  in  the  establishment,  and 
as  an  honest  man  he  felt  it  his  moral  duty  to  press  forward  towards  tht 
discovery  of  the  thief.  But  the  robberies  still  went  on  ;  and  wrhoever 
believes  in  ghosts  might  well  think  that  some  invisible  hand  was  engaged 
in  the  business.  At  last  Mr.  Redding  determined  himself  to  pass  the 
nights  for  some  time  in  the  warehouse,  with  a  watchman  and  a  trust- 
worthy dog,  whilst  another  watchman  did  duty  on  the  outside.  But  this, 
too,  led  to  no  discovery,  and  the  most  surprising  part  of  the  business  was 
that  even  during  that  time  goods  disappeared.  At  length  the  continued 
misfortune,  and  the  danger  consequent  upon  these  repeated  losses  in  the 
business,  made  Mr.  Redding  nervous  and  ill,  so  that  he  had  to  give  up 
these  nightly  visits  to  the  warehouse. 

One  day  after  this  Mr.  Redding  called  me  to  him  and  told  me  that  as 
all  other  measures  had  failed,  he  thought  his  only  safety  depended  upon 
his  dismissing  the  whole  of  his  thirty-seven  clerks,  innocent  or  guilty,  and 
engaging  others  in  their  places  ;  and  he  showed  me  an  advertisement  in 
the  "  Herald"  which  he  had  caused  to  be  inserted  for  the  purpose,  and  in 
consequence  of  which  he  had  a  great  number  of  applications  already  before 
him.  We  discussed  the  proposition,  and  whilst  I  was  giving  many  reasons 
against  such  a  sudden  aud  sweeping  change,  Mr.  Phillips  coincided  with 
me,  chiefly  on  the  ground  that  they  could  not  be  more  certain  of  the  fidelity 
of  the  new,  than  they  were  of  the  old  clerks  ;  and  that  it  would  be  unjust 
to  punish  the  innocent  with  the  guilty.  That  was  decisive  to  Mr.  Redding, 
who  was  a  good  man,  who  looked  upon,  and  who  treated  his  assistants  as 
though  they  were  his  own  children.  But  Mr.  Phillips,  who  had  always 
been  much  beloved  by  the  oth  er  clerks,  would  now  be  much  higher 
esteemed  in  consequence  of  the  action  which  he  was  thus  the  means  of 
determining.  He  was  in  fact  a  somewhat  remarkable  man,  and  so  mucA 
the  soul  of  the  business  that  it  was  difficult  to  see  how,  if  his  place  were 


Tin',  iii !•  l  la 

made  vacant,  it  conld  b<>  refilled.  Besides  which  lie  was  a  man  irreproach- 
able in  his  habits,  and  bo  impressed  with  his  social  and  moral  duties  thai 
be  held  a  prominent  position  as  teacher  in  a  Sunday  School.  But  as  th<^ 
difficulties  seemed  to  be  e\  er  increasing,  and  the  whole  situation  wan  one 
of  extreme  discomfort  to  him.  he  one  day  expressed  his  wish  to  Mr.  Red- 
ding to  leave,  although  his  agreement  did  not  really  terminate  for  two 
years  longer.  Mr.  Redding  would  not  hear  of  this  ;  but  of  course  he  could 
not  force  Mr.  Phillips  to  stay  if  he  would  not.  However  to  avoid  losing 
him  and  being  deprived  of  his  services  he  offered  him  from  the  next  month 
an  increase  of  fifty  per  cent,  on  his  salary,  if  Phillips  would  give  up  his 
old  contract,  and  bind  himself  to  remain  for  five  years  longer.  That  gave 
the  matter  a  new  turn,  and  Phillips  full  of  thanks  went  on  and  now  worked 
with  redoubted  ardour  for  the  discovery  of  the  thief.  He  even  gave  up 
the  association  of  his  family  circle  and  did  as  Mr.  Reddinjr  had  done  for  a 
long  time  previously,  slept  in  the  warehouse.  But  when  a  week  had 
passed,  and  during  that  time  the  robberies  had  still  been  going  on,  despair 
came  over  him  as  it  had  before  over  Mr.  Redding.  He  gave  up  all  hope. 
')f  being  able  to  discover  the  thief  and  openly  spoke  of  the  regret  he  felt  at 
having  signed  his  new  agreement. 

So  Mr.  Redding  came  back  to  his  former  plan  of  dismissing  all  his 
clerks  and  engaging  new  ones  in  their  places,  and  he  was  on  the  point  of 
carrying  this  out  when  his  fellow-partner,  who  had  been  in  the  South, 
returned.  Being  informed  how  matters  stood,  and  not  agreeing  as  to  the. 
step  proposed  by  Mr.  Redding,  he  took  the  business  into  his  own  hands, 
holding  each  individual  clerk  responsible  for  the  goods  which  were  speci- 
ally under  his  control.  This  worked  well  for  a  few  days,  but  soon  the. 
goods  began  to  disappear  again,  first  from  this  then  from  that  one,  and  he 
had  to  report  losses.  At  this  now  the  clerks  protested  and  the  partner  felt 
himself  as  helpless  as  Mr.  Redding  and  Mr.  Phillips  had  been  before  him. 
It  was  now  quite  apparent  that  if  there  was  any  suspicion  allowed  to  rest. 
upon  one  of  the  clerks  as  being  guilty  of  the  robberies,  it  must  also  be 
extended  to  all  who  were  deficient  with  their  goods  in  the  department. 
So  now  they  returned  once  more  to  the  idea  of  making  a  general  change. 
The  partner  gave  his  consent  and  ten  clerks  were  forthwith  dismissed  and 
ten  others  appointed. 

In  the  mean  time  I  was  requested  not  to  relax  my  exertions.  The  firm 
paid  me  most  generously  for  my  past  services,  chiefly  at  the  instigation  of 
Mr.  Phillips,  who  laid  much  stress  upon  the  fact,  that  although  all  efforts 
to  get  hold  of  the  thief  had  thus  far  been  of  no  avail,  they  had  to  thank  me 
in  that  Mr.  Redding  and  himself  had  not  long  since  given  the  matter  up  in 
despair. 

After  so  many  fruitless  efforts,  I  now  became  most  anxious  to  effect 
something  decisive,  for  I  did  not  feel  despondent  about  the  affair.  For 
although  I  had  been  in  error  ill  through,  it  did  not  indicate  that  I  should 


116  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NKW    YORK    LIFE. 

not  succeed,  although  it  piqued  me  to  think  that  I,  who  had  generally  been 
successful  in  my  exertions,  had  not  been  able  to  find  a  solution  to  the 
present  case.  Nevertheless  I  had  already  experienced  many  cases  where 
the  discovery  was  delayed  even  longer  than  in  the  present  and  was  made 
at  last — shall  I  say?  by  accident. 

However,  three  weeks  after  the  events  thus  far  recorded,  the  light  began 
to  dawn.  Engaged  upon  a  business  of  rather  pressing  nature,  I  one  day 
rode  in  a  Fourth  Avenue  car  towards  the  New  Haven  Depot  at  Twenty- 
Seventh  Street.  Two  women  got  into  the  car  at  Eighth  Street.  They 
might  have  been  taken  for  fashionably-dressed  ladies,  if  they  had  not  been 
dirty — an  unfailing  mark  either  of  low  birth  or  sudden  and  rapid  wealth. 
The  car  was  full  of  people  with  their  travelling-bags,  going  on  by  the 
Boston  train,  and,  as  no  one  else  stood  up,  I  did  so,  and  gave  one  of  the 
ladies  my  place.  The  feeling  of  sympathy,  or  otherwise  which  sometimes 
arises,  is  a  curious  phenomenon,  and  I  cannot  to  this  day  explain  to  myself 
how  it  was  ;  but,  before  I  had  even  glanced  at  the  dress  which  this  woman 
wore,  it  occurred  to  me  that  in  her  I  might  find  the  clue  to  unravel  the 
mystery  of  the  thefts  at  Mr.  Redding's.  But  so  it  was.  The  silk  which  I 
had  seen  at  Mr.  Redding's,  and  which  struck  me  at  the  time  as  so  peculiar 
in  pattern  and  style,  did  not  recur  to  me  at  first.  But  after  a  while,  when 
I  had  noticed  somewhat  closely  the  appearance  of  the  lady,  I  began  to 
puzzle  myself  with  thinking  where  I  had  seen  a  dress  like  hers  before,  till 
at  last  it  occurred  to  me  that  it  must  have  been  in  Mr.  Redding's  store. 
Now  there  was  work  before  me.  But  the  business  I  had  in  hand  was  of 
much  importance,  for  I  had  to  go  the  New  Haven  Depot  before  the  depar- 
ture of  the  train,  to  look  for  a  man  who  was  wanted  for  a  burglary  com- 
mitted in  New  Jersey.  It  was  possible  that  the  ladies  also  were  going 
by  the  train  ;  but  it  was  possible,  too,  that  they  might  alight  before  we 
reached  Twenty-Seventh  Street,  and  I  must  perforce  go  on.  What  was  to 
be  done?  I  looked  down  the  rows  of  passengers  in  the  car,  went  also  on 
to  the  front  platform,  but  found  nobody  who  seemed  likely  to  answer  my 
purpose.  While,  however,  I  was  turning  it  over  in  my  mind,  and  had  in 
the  meanwhile  inspected  the  rear  platform,  a  good-looking  black-eyed 
Italian  boy  got  up  on  the  car  with  a  basket  of  toys  which  he  wanted  to 
sell.  The  boy  pleased  me,  and  to  my  question  how  old  he  was,  he  answered 
"  thirteen."  And,  when  I  asked  him  whether  he  would  like  to  earn  five 
dollars  that  afternoon,  his  eyes  glistened  with  delight  as  he  replied  that  he 
would.  I  now  asked  him  his  name,  place  of  residence,  the  names  of  his 
parents  and  so  on,  and  noted  all  down  in  my  pocket-book. 

"Now,"  said  I  to  him,  "here  is  my  card.  I  am  a  detective,  and  would 
like  to  know  where  in  the  city  I  could  find  you  in  the  middle  of  the  night. 
But  for  a  little  while  you  must  be  a  detective  too.*     1  will  take  care  of 


♦The  buy  lias  since  become  one  of  the  moat  able  detecthes  in  the  force. 


PHM    THIEVES. 


117 


TOUT  basket,  and  you  can  get  it  in  the  morning  at  my  office.  lien'  arc  two 
dollars  to  begin  with,  and  I  will  give  you  the  other  three  to-morrow 
morning.  You  may  bring  your  father  with  you  if  you  like.  I  would  like 
to  speak  to  him  ;  and  if  you  do  the  errand  that  I  am  giving  you  now  very 
well,  it  is  possible  that  I  may  engage  you  in  a  place  where  you  will  earn  a 
good  deal  of  money." 

I  had  struck  the  right  note,  and  the  boy  was  at  my  disposal.  I  now  told 
him  in  a  whisper  that  he  must  go  on  with  the  car,  and  watch  where  the 
two  ladies  went  whom  I  pointed  out  to  him,  but  in  such  a  manner  that  they 
could  not  notice  him,  and  that  then  he  was  to  come  back  to  me.  Then  I 
told  him  that  lie  must  follow  them  any  distance,  and  that,  in  case  they 
separated,  he  was  to  go  after  the  taller  of  the  two — the  one  in  the  silk 
dress.  If  they  went  into  a  store  or  a  house,  he  was  to  wait  until  they  came 
out,  and  not  to  give  up  following  them  until  he  was  sure  that  they  would 
not  come  out  again  and  that  they  were  at  home.  He  was  then  to  notice 
the  street  and  the  number  of  the  house,  so  that  he  would  be  able  to  take 
me  there.  "  Can  you  manage  this  properly,  so  as  not  to  give  rise  to  any 
suspiciou?"  I  asked  him. 

The  boy's  ambition  was  aroused.  "Of  course  I  can,"  he  replied,  his 
eyes  beaming  with  pleasure  ;   "I'll  follow  her  till  night,  if  necessary." 

I  then  wrote  my  private  address  on  the  back  of  the  card  which  I  had 
given  to  him,  and  told  him  that  if  he  liked  lie  might  come  and  stay  through 
the  night  at  my  house.  Tears  ran  down  the  lad's  cheeks,  for  he  evidently 
had  never  met  with  anyone  who  had  spoken  to  him  as  kindly  before. 

Scarcely  had  I  completed  my  instructions,  when  the  sound  of  the  bell 
told  us  that  somebody  was  going  to  leave  the  car  at  Twenty-Second  Street. 
It  was  the  two  ladies.  That  they  might  not  see  the  boy's  splendid  eyes — 
which,  if  they  had  seen,  they  must  have  noticed — I  drew  the  boy's  cap  over 
his  face,  and  then  took  him  on  with  me  to  the  next  street,  where  I  put  him 
off  and  enjoined  him  to  bring  me  a  good  report.  I  had  told  him  he  was  to 
spend  as  much  of  the  money  as  wras  necessary  in  riding,  and  that  what  he 
so  spent  I  would  repay  him — a  promise  which  seemed  very  much  to  increase 
his  self-conh'dence. 

In  the  evening  the  boy  was  duly  at  my  house,  and  he  brought  me  a  com- 
plete report.  The  ladies  had  gone  a  long  distance  ;  fortunately,  however, 
they  had  not  used  any  carriages  except  the  street  stages  and  horse  cars,  so 
that  he  had  been  able  to  keep  them  in  view  the  whole  day,  aud  finally  he 
had  followed  the  lady  in  the  silk  dress  to  her  home. 

Considering  how  the  ladies  were  over-dressed,  I  had  been  fearful  lest  the 
pursuit  should  lead  to  a  house  of  prostitution,  for,  as  the  inmates  of  such 
houses  are  practised  in  deception,  it  was  very  likely  that,  if  the  clothes 
they  wore  really  were  a  part  of  any  stolen  goods,  it  would  be  very  difficult 
to  prove  it  and  to  follow  out  the  traces  thus  far  obtained.  But  the  ladies 
lived  in  a  respectable  place  in  Nineteenth  Street. 


118  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

The  boy  went  to  his  father  to  tell  him  what  he  was  doing  and  to  take 
him  the  five  dollars,  and  then  he  returned  and  passed  the  night  at  my  house. 
At  a  very  early  hour  next  morning  we  were  both  in  Nineteenth  Street, 
where  I  surveyed  the  house  and  took  a  note  of  the  number,  and  two  hours 
later,  when  the  shops  were  open,  it  was  easy  enough  to  go  to  a  grocer's  and 
a  druggist's  in  the  neighborhood,  and  to  learn  the  names  and  position  of 
the  residents. 

At  the  end  of  two  days  I  had  seen  the  gentleman  who  lived  in  the  house, 
one  William  Bruce,  in  whom  I  recognized  an  old  acquaintance  and  who 
was  a  speculator  in  Wall  Street,  leave  the  place  twice  in  the  morning  and 
return  twice  in  the  evening.  But  I  had  not  yet  sufficient  facts  in  hand  to 
lake  any  decided  step  in  the  matter,  so  T  went  to  Mr.  Redding  to  freshen 
my  memory  concerning  the  pattern  of  the  stolen  goods  ;  but  I  did  not  let 
him  know  that  I  had  even  the  smallest  clue.  His  partner  and  Mr.  Phillips 
had  gone  to  Cincinnati  to  make  arrangements  with  a  house  which  owed 
them  a  considerable  sum  of  money,  and  had  recently  failed.  Unfortunately 
I  now  wanted  the  assistance  of  Mr.  Phillips  in  directing  me  to  the  neces- 
sary proofs,  but  learned  to  my  satisfaction  that  both  would  be  back  in  a 
couple  of  days.  In  the  mean  while  I  received  some  useful  information, 
from  Mr.  Redding,  and  the  next  forenoon  saw  me  busy  with  the  tools  as  a 
workman  under  the  Croton  Water  Board,  which  was  just  then  engaged 
in  laying  the  water  pipes  and  looking  after  the  connexions  with  the  houses. 

A  sprightly  Irish  girl  opened  the  door  when  I  went  to  the  house  and  let 
me  in,  as  soon  as  I  told  her  what  my  pretended  business  was.  I  said  to 
her  that  she  must  tell  the  lady  that  after  I  had  finished  in  the  basement  I 
would  go  up  stairs,  as  we  wanted  to  examine  all  the  place  ;  upon  which 
she  replied  that  the  lady  had  been  upon  a  visit  to  a  friend  for  a  few  days, 
and  that  Mr.  Bruce  was  out.  So  I  found  that  I  could  take  my  own  time,, 
and  after  doing  a  little  joking  and  flirtation  with  Sarah— for  that  was  the 
girl's  name — all  of  which  she  took  very  kindly,  she  let  me  go  over  the 
house  from  top  to  bottom  and  examine  it  thoroughly.  I  induced  Sarah  to- 
show  me  her  mistresses  wardrobe,  which,  indeed,  was  splendid,  and  made 
me  a  little  envious,  when  I  bethought  myself,  with  what  a  comparatively 
poor  wardrobe  my  good  wife  had  to  be  contended.  And  I  found,  in  the 
course  of  this  inspection,  among  a  number  of  silks  not  yet  made  up,  some 
from  which  the  private  mark  of  Mr.  Redding's  house  had  not  yet  been 
removed.  These  I  contrived  to  get  hold  of  without  Sarah  knowing  it.. 
And  with  a  pair  of  scissors,  which  I  found  in  Mrs.  Bruce's  room,  I  cut  a 
little  piece  from  the  silks,  also  without  Sarah  noticing  me.  But  in  a 
closet,  there  were  a  dozen  more  dresses,  each  apparently  handsomer  than 
the  last,  and  among  them  I  found  the  dress  with  the  peculiar  pattern 
which  Miss  Bruce  had  worn  on  the  day  when  I  saw  her  in  the  street  car. 
1  now  continued  my  flirtation  and  bantering  with  Sarah  for  a  long  time, 
till  at   last  an  opportunity  offered  to  enable  me  to  slip  into  the  closet,  and 


THE    THIEVES.  IT.' 

to  shut  myself  in  long  enough  to  enable  me  to  cat  a  pieee  oi  the  silk  from 
a  broad  seam  on  the  insids  of  the  sleeve.  Having  finished  my  inspection 
— still  of  course  retaining  the  character  of  a  Croton  Water  man — and  hav- 
ing found  out  all  I  wanted,  I  saw  that  Sarah  had  been  taking  all  my  jest- 
ing id  earnest,  and  verily  believed  thai  she  had  discovered  a  very  desirable 
sweetheart.  For,  returning  to  the  basement,  I  found  a  splendid  lunch  set 
out  for  me,  all  of  which  assured  me  when  1  left  the  house  that  the  damsel 
would  not  he  very  likely  to  say  anything  to  her  master  about  the  visit  of 
the  "  CrotOD  Water  man." 

After  1  had  changed  my  dress  I  went  to  Mr.  Redding,  took  him  into  his 
private  office  and  told  him  my  story  ;  cautioning  him,  however,  not  to  let 
the  faintest  whisper  of  it  leak  out,  not  to  mention  the  least  word  to  any- 
body, not  even  to  his  partner  or  to  his  confidential  clerk,  Mr.  Phillips,  who 
on  the  same  day  was  expected  back  from  Cincinnati.  1  begged  him  to 
speak  absolutely  to  nobody  until  I  saw  him  again,  "for,"'  said  J,  ''the  thief 
is  one  of  your  old  clerks,  and  Mr.  Phillips  lias  so  good  a  heart  and  will 
ieel  so  much  for  the  man,  that  he  will  be  above  all  astonished,  and  per- 
haps, unable  to  control  his  better  judgment,  might  give  the  thief  an  oppor- 
tunity to  abscond." 

Mr.  Redding  could  not  very  well  understand  that,  but  he  promised  me 
to  do  as  I  wished,  for  I  convinced  him  that  for  a  secret  to  be  well  kept  it 
must  be  known  as  little  as  possible,  however  trustworthy  people  may 
chance  to  be. 

I  knew  now  that  I  would  havj  to  take  the  fortress  by  storm,  so  on  the 
next  day  I  went  with  my  badge  of  authorily,  and  accompanied  by  a  police 
oificer,  to  the  house  in  Nineteenth  Street  and  asked  for  Mrs.  Bruce. 
When  she  came  into  the  parlor  I  said  to  her  that  I  had  some  business  with 
her  husband  and  1  asked  her  where  I  could  find  him?  She  gave  me  a 
card  with  his  address  : — "  William  Bruce,  Dealer  in  Stocks  &c,  G4  Wall 
Street."  which  I  took  ;  rose  from  my  seat  aud  moved  towards  the  door, 
near  to  my  companion,  as  though  we  were  going  awa}7 ; — when  I  locked 
the  door.  I  had  remarked  that  when  Mrs.  Bruce  came  in  she  changed 
color  at  the  sight  of  the  police  uniform,  and  she  was  now  perfectly  pale 
when  I  locked  the  door  and  said  to  her  : — 

"  Mrs.  Bruce  I  have  come  with  my  friend  here  as  servants  of  the  law 
to  search  your  house.  Your  husband  is,  as  you  very  well  know,  not  that 
which  his  card  represents,  lie  is  a  clerk  in  the  house  of  Mr.  Redding, 
and  a  thief.  The  greater  part  of  your  splendid  wardrobe,  which  I 
inspected  yesterday,  is  stolen  property,  and  1  am  here  to  seize  it,  but  do 
not  desire  to  make  any  demonstration  with  it  before  the  neighborhood.  1 
do  not  think  \±n  you  participate  in  his  guilt.  Very  probably  he  has  never 
iuformed  you  of  his  secret,  and  I  do  not  wish  to  inflict  upon  you  any  annoy- 
ance.    But  the  firm  must  have  their  goods  back  again,  and  as  I  see  that 


120  THE    PARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

you  have  much  jewely  and  many  articles  of  value,  I  must  ask  you  to  hand 
all  ovef  to  me,  until  your  husband  shall  have  settled  with  the  firm. 

She  was  speechless  with  amazement.  When  she  had  recovered  herself 
a  little,  she  said  that  she  could  not  believe  that  Mr.  Bruce  was  any  other 
than  he  had  always  represented  himself  to  be  ;  that  she  had  received  letters 
from  his  sister,  who  lived  in  Pennsylvania  ;  that  she  had  always  taken  him 
for  an  honorable  man  ;  and  that  he  was  always  ready  to  give  where  it  was 
required,  if,  by  so  doing,  he  could  render  any  assistance. 

The  end  of  it  was  that  during  the  day  many  large  trunks  full  of  beauti- 
ful and  valuable  goods  left  the  house  in  Nineteenth  Street.  Sarah  helped 
to  do  the  packing  without  any  misgiving  as  to  my  being  the  Croton  Water 
man,  and  her  fond  sweetheart.  When  I  was  about  to  go  away,  happening 
to  be  alone  with  her  for  a  moment,  I  whispered  a  word  into  her  ear. 
Astonished  and  flurried  she  seized  my  hand,  drew  it  towards  her  convul- 
sively and,  to  my  request  that  she  would  tell  nothing,  said  :  "I'll  hold  my 
tongue."     The  truth  was  she  had  had  many  season  lovers  before. 

The  trunks  were  first  deposited  in  a  safe  place,  and  then  sent  on  to  Mr. 
Redding.  Most  of  the  goods  were  at  once  identified  as  having  been  stolen 
from  his  house,  especially  a  number  of  silks  that  were  still  unmade  ;  and 
also  a  very  valuable  shawl  of  which  description  only  three  had  been 
imported  ;  and   Mr.  Redding  knew  where  the  other  two   had  been  bought. 

Mr.  Redding  now  pressed  me  to  tell  him  without  any  further  delay  the 
name  of  the  clerk  who  had  committed  the  robberies,  but  I  did  not  do  that, 
preferring  rather  to  wait  till  the  two  gentlemen  from  Cincinnati  had 
returned  ;  and  accordingly  I  requested  him,  to  send  for  me  as  soon  as  that 
occurred.  At  the  end  of  two  days  he  sent  for  me.  Luckily  I  was  at  home, 
and  went  to  him  immediately.  I  found  his  partner  and  Mr.  Phillips  tiere 
too,  they  having  returned,  within  an  hour  only,  from  Cincinnati  ;  having 
settled  their  business  there  satisfactorily,  they  were  being  very  cordially 
received  by  Mr.  Redding. 

"  Now,  Mr.  Redding,"  I  began,  "  I  think  wre  have  advanced  so  far  that 
I  can  tell  you  all  my  story." 

"  One  moment,"  he  said  to  me,  and  turning  to  his  partner  and  to  Mr. 
Phillips,  he  continued  :  "  I  have  also  some  good  news  to  tell  you.  Our 
friend  here  has  at  last  been  successful.  He  has  discovered  the  thief,  and 
we  have  already  got  some  of  the  goods  back  again."  Then  turning  to  me 
again,  he  said :  "  Now  tell  us  all  about  it,  for  I  have  not  yet  had  the  least 
idea  who  the  thief  is." 

The  partner  and  Mr.  Phillips  looked  at  each  other  in  astonishment  and 
called  out  together  :   "  Yes,  yes,  let  us  hear  it  all." 

"  But  first,"  said  Mr.  Phillips,  "  let  us  know  the  name  of  the  rascal,  if 
you  have  it,  and  then  you  can  go  on  with  the  rest  of  the  stor^'" 

"  Very  well,  Mr.  Phillips,"  I  replied.  "  His  name  is  William  Bruce, 
Dealer  in  Stocks  &c,  64  Wall  Street,  so  his  card  says." 


THE    TII1KVKS.  ]  2  1 

Mr.  Redding  and  his  partner  looked  at  each  other  in  bewilderment 
(because  I  had  told  Mr.  Redding  that  it  was  one  of  their  old  clerks).  Mr. 
Phillips  also  looked  very  much  surprised,  but  from  altogether  a  different 
reason.  But  their  bewilderment  increased  yet  more  when  I  turned  spe- 
cially to  him,  and  continued  :  "But  Mr.  Bruce  has  an  alias,  another  name, 
and  that  is — Charles  Phillips  ;  and  you,  sir,  are.  the  rascal  to  discover, 
whom  you  worked  so  strenuously  with  me." 

Phillips  was  deadly  pale.  He  wanted  to  speak,  but  his  voice  forsook 
him. 

"Mr.  Phillips,*'  I  now  continued,  "the  house  in  Nineteenth  Street  has 
given  up  its  treasures.  They  are  in  my  keeping,  together  with  the  dia- 
monds, pearls,  watches,  and  all  the  other  valuables  which  were  in  the  pos- 
session of  your  mistress  :  who,  as  your  "  wife,"  consented  to  hand  them 
over  to  me.  You,  too,  are  now  my  prisoner,  without  the  remotest  proba- 
bility of  being  able  to  escape  the  fullest  penalty  of  the  lav.'.  And  now  I 
wish  Mrs.  Bruce  to  be  sent  for.  She,  I  think,  is  not  a  party  to  this  crime, 
and  will  be  surprised  to  see  again  her  returned  husband  in  the  person  of 
Mr.  Charles  Phillips,  the,  for  many  years  past,  confidential  clerk  of  this 
house." 

Phillips  instautly  stretched  out  his  hands  to  me  in  a  most  pathetic  man- 
ner, and  besought  me  not  to  send  tor  Mrs.  Bruce,  adding  *k  It  serves  me 
right,  I  am  ready  to  confess  all." — And  then  he  began  to  cry  bitterly. 

It  is  hardly  possible  to  describe  the  astonishment  of  Mr.  Bedding  and 
his  partner.  Never  in  my  life  have  I  seen  such  a  sudden  change  in  any 
man  as  there  was  in  Mr.  Redding. 

He,  who  for  several  weeks  past  had  been  quite  broken  down,  stood  in 
full  vigor  and  strength,  firm  and  decided.  He  spoke  very  few  words,  but 
these  were  to  the  point.  There  was  something  sublime  in  his  scorn  for 
Phillips. 

"You  hypocritical  scoundrel  !"  he  said.  "  you  detestable  whited  sepul- 
chre !  You  most  miserable  wretch,  of  all  who  ever  betrayed  the  con- 
fidence reposed  in  them  !  I  am  more  annoyed  to  think  that  I  have  allowed 
myself  to  be  deceived  by  your  canting  hypocrisy,  than  I  am  at  all  the  loss 
an  anxiety  you  have  inflicted  upon  me.  But,  as  it  is  in  the  Bible  you  are 
so  fond  of  quoting  "  With  the  measure  that  you  measure  withal  shall  it  be 
meted  to  you."  So  it  shall  be.  You  thief!  You  libertine  !  You  hypo- 
critical Sunday  School  teacher !" 

Phillips  was  silent  for  a  moment  ;  and,  as  I  considered  the  woman  to  be 
innocent  of  his  crimes,  I  was  anxious  to  know  what  he  would  say  in  reply 
to  my  previous  remark  ;  but  hardened  sinner  as  he  was.  he  still  had  enough 
manliness  left  in  him  to  take  all  the  guilt  upon  himself.     He  replied  : — 

"  Oh  !  no,  jhe  knows  nothing  of  my  offence.  She  has  not  misled  me, 
and  I.  have  been  brought  to  the  position  of  a  criminal  only  by  my  wicked 
affection   for  her.     I   am  indeed  what   Mr.  Reddinjj  called   me,  a   whited 


122  THE    DARK     SIDE    OF    NEW     YOIcK     LIFE. 

.sepulchre,  and  unworthy  to  have  entered  even  any  church.  But,  if  you 
insist  upon  it,  I  have  now  to  Buffer  the  penalty  which  the  law  imposes  ;• 
although  I  wish  that  for  the  sake  of  my  wife  and  children  they  would 
release  me,  and  so  enable  me  to  go  and  begin  a  new  life  far  away  from 
New  York." 

After  the  lapse  of  a  couple  of  days  Mr.  Redding' s  disposition  had  soft- 
ened, and  he  decided  to  let  Phillips  go,  on  condition,  never  again  to  return 
to  New  York. — And  thus  the  thief,  the  confidential  clerk  of  the  establish- 
ment, Avho  so  long  had  betrayed  the  confidence  of  his  principal  in  the  most 
infamous  manner,  escaped  the  punishment  he  so  justly  merited. 

Now  how  had  Phillips  managed  to  carry  on  these  depredations  so  long 
without  detection  !  He  was  a  cunning,  crafty  fellow.  He  packed  up  such 
goods  as  he  wanted  with  his  own  hands,  and  then  sent  them  out  with 
other  things  by  the  carrier.  One  of  the  porters  remembered  that  he  had 
often  had  packages  for  Mr.  or  Mrs.  Bruce  put  into  his  charge.  Then  Phil- 
lips addressed  the  packages  himself  to  different  hotels,  to  be  left  "  till 
called  for,"  as  though  intended  for  some  stranger  staying  there,  and  so  he 
sent  them  away.  Then  he  used  to  go  round  and  take  them  himself  from 
the  various  offices,  a  matter  in  which  of  course  he  had  no  difficulty,  since 
knowing  the  contents  of  the  parcels,  he  could  always  identify  them." 

"  A  wolf  in  sheep's  clothing"  is  the  title  appended  to  this  case  by  Mr. 
McWalters'  in  the  collection  of  experiences  which  under  the  general  head 
of  "  Knots  united"  is  to  be  found  in  his  notes  ;  and  truly  an  admirably 
suitable  title  it  is.  But  how  many  more  such  wolves  in  sheep's  clothiug 
are  there  not  even  now  sneaking  about  New  York  ! 

The  Omnibus  and  Street-car  Thieves  are  also  pickpockets,  but  since 
they  conduct  their  operations  exclusively  in  the  street  conveyances,-  they 
ought  to  be  ranked  in  a  separate  division.  Like  the  others,  these,  too. 
may  be  divided  into  two  classes,  those  who  work  in  the  horse-cars  and 
others  who  confine  themselves  to  the  stages.  The  former  are  for  the  most 
part  men,  the  latter  are  generally  women.  We  shall  first  notice  the  street- 
car thieves. 

During  the  past  year  robberies  in  the  cars  have  very  seriously  increased  ; 
and  scarcely  a  day  passes  in  which  there  are  not  numbers  of  watches,  pur- 
ses, and  breast-pins  stolen  in  these  conveyances.  The  thieves  are  well 
dressed,  gentlemanly  in  appearance  and  manner,  and  often  exhibit  a  gold 
or  imitation  gold  watch-chain,  or  a  glittering  breast-pin,  so  that  an  inex- 
perienced person  may  be  inclined  to  take  them  for  respectable  people. 
They  never  work  singly,  but  always  in  parties  of  from  three  to  five,  and 
there  are  in  the  city  at  least  twenty  such  bands,  who  travel  on  all  the  city 
railroads,  but  especially  in  those  of  the  Third  and  Fourth  Avenues. 

The  forenoon,  when  business  people  are  already  down  town,  and  the 
cars  are  in  consequence  less  filled,  is  leisure  time  for  these  thieves.     They 


mi.    i  mi.\  i  8,  123 

are  then  assembled  in  their  dens,  drinking  and  gambling,  bnt  only  await- 
ing an  opportunity  to  Lro  oul  and  steal.  And  such  opportunities  are  ol 
dailv  occurrence,  for  instance  at  an  alarm  of  fire.  Then  in  an  instant  the 
cards  are  thrown  aside,  the  hand  hurries  off  by  the  shortest  road  to  the 
line  of  horse-cars  which  go  Dearest  to  the  lire,  and  then  each  gang  jumps 
on  together  to  one  and  tin-  same  ear.  There  are  always  a  number  of  Curi- 
osity mongers  ready  to  run  off  to  see  a  tire,  so  that  the  ear  is  probablj 
already  tolerably  lull  of  passengers.  But  at  every  comer  more  get  on,  and 
thus  the  thieves  find  themselves  in  the  crowd  where  they  wish  to  be,  and 
soon  make  it  worse  by  boisterous  behaviour,  by  pushing  and  crowding 
iuside  the  car. 

Now  a  victim  is  about  to  net  off*  There,  squeezed  in  among  the  crowd. 
and  holding  on  by  one  of  the  leather  thongs  that  hang  from  the  roof,  stands 
an  elderly  man  who  at  first  sight  would  be  taken  for  a  man  in  easy  circum- 
stances. A  heavy  gold  watch-chain  is  fastened  into  a  button-hole  of  his 
waistcoat;  and  his  attention,  as  well  as  that  of  most  of  the  passenger-,  i- 
directed  chiefly  to  the  fire  engines  and  ladder  wagon-.  Hut  not  so  the 
thieves.  These  now  begin  their  game,  having  so  manoeuvred  that  they 
now  stand  around  the  gentleman,  and  in  such  a  way  that  he  cannot  move. 
He  now  holds  more  tightly  on  to  the  leather  strap,  and  by  so  doing  facili- 
tates still  more  the  action  of  the  thieves.  Now.  the  thief  who  stands 
squeezed  up  in  front  of  him  raises  his  left  elbow,  as  it  to  get  a  little  more 
air.  and  thus  he  prevents  the  gentleman  from  seeing  what  he  is  doing  with 
his  left  hand,  which  is  at  the  same  time  taking  the  chain  out  of  the  button- 
hole of  the  waistcoat.  This  done,  the  fellow  next  draws  out  the  watch, 
aud  immediately  gives  it  to  the  confederate  standing  next  to  him.  win. 
again  passes  it  on  to  another.  Now  the  thieves  crowd  aud  squeeze  about 
so  as  to  entirely  alter  their  position  and  to  surround  some  other  gentleman 
and  play  the  same  game  over  again  till  they  think  it  is  time  to  move  away- 
and  then  they  get  off  the  car. 

The  harvest  time  of  these  thieves,  however,  is  at  the  time  when  the 
offices  are  being  closed,  and  busiuess  men  are  returning  to  their  houses  in 
the  upper  parts  of  the  city.  Then  they  leave  the  resorts,  each  of  which  is 
generally  frequented  by  not  more  than  one  gang,  and  they  arrange  them- 
selves separately  on  the  foot-paths,  and  wait  till  they  see  a  car  going  up 
full.  As  soon  as  the  chief  operator  has  fixed  upon  one,  he  gives  the  signal 
to  his  confederates  and  jumps  in  as  it  passes  along,  when  the  others  get  on 
at  intervals  immediately  after.  When  they  are  all  together  the  crowding 
begins.  They  force  themselves  between  the  other  passengers,  begin 
apparently  to  quarrel  among  themselves,  then  to  push  about  and  to  create 
such  a  confusion  in  the  car  that  everybody  has  enough  to  do  to  keep  his 
place.  While  this  uproar  is  going  on  in  the  crowd,  everything  within 
reach  is  stolen  :  aud  in  case  any  one  of  the  victims  should  remark  that  he 
had  been  robbed, ,and  should  raise  an  alarm,  he  immediately  brings  upon 


124  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

himself  the  open  violence  of  the  thieves,  who  do  not  hesitate  to  be  guilty 
of  any,  kind  of  criminality. 

But  it  is  not  only  inside  the  car  that  this  rubble  pursues  its  advocation. 
The  back  platform  is  also  a  favorite  place.  We  will  narrate  an  incident 
that  occurred  quite  recently  in  a  car  on  the  Third  Avenue  Railroad. 

Five  stout  built,  powerful  young  fellows,  each  of  whom  could  be  recog- 
nized at  once  as  a  bully,  got  on  to  a  car  which  was  already  full  of  men, 
women,  and  children.  At  Fourth  Street  a  gentleman  of  some  fifty  years 
of  age  rang  the  bell  to  get  off.  He  was  well  dressed,  and  from  his  waist- 
coat pocket  hung  a  handsome  watch-chain  with  trinkets  attached.  Hardly 
had  he  stood  up  before  a  fellow  pressed  along  to  his  side,  while  another 
placed  himself  on  the  left  of  the  door.  Two  of  the  thieves  who  were 
behind  the  gentleman  also  squeezed  forwards  as  if  they  also  wanted  to  get 
off  the  car. 

At  the  same  time  the  strongest  of  them,  who  remained  upon  the  plat- 
form, held  on  with  both  hands  to  the  sides  of  the  door  as  if  he  wanted  to 
go  in  ;  and  thus  hemmed  in  on  all  sides  the  gentleman,  in  the  crowd  and 
entirely  off  his  guard,  had  his  watch  and  purse  taken  from  him.  The  con- 
ductor must  have  seen  it  done,  but  what  could  he  do,  even  if  he  had  had 
the  inclination,  against  the  five  vagabonds,  all  of  whom  immediately  left 
the  car ! 

We  often  hear  it  remarked  that  the  conductors  must  be  in  league  with 
the  thieves,  and  there  are  instances  certainly  where  this  has  been  found  to 
be  the  case.  It  is  in  fact  not  long  since  that  in  the  pockets  of  one  of  these 
conductors,  who  had  been  arrested,  four  watches  were  found.  But  to  con 
sider  that  all  the  conductors  or  even  a  greater  part  of  them-' are  associates 
of  these  thieves  would  be  injust.  It  is  a  matter  of  fact  that  the  conduc- 
tors know  almost  all  the  thieves,  but  they  are  powerless  against  them,  and 
afraid  of  bringing  upon  themselves  the  violence  of  the  whole  brood.  And 
if  once  a  conductor  has  the  courage  to  wish  to  protect  the  passengers,  he 
must  be  prepared,  to  pay  for  it  either  with  some  personal  injury  or  with 
his  life. 

Not  very  long  ago,  it  was  upon  a  Sunday  evening,  in  the  beginning  of 
December,  1872,  several  of  these  thieves  got  upon  a  car  that  was  on  its 
way  up  town.  The  conductor,  a  man  named  Colby,  who  knew  how  to  do 
his  duty,  instantly  warned  the  passengers,  and  called  into  the  car :  "  Look 
out  for  pickpockets  !"  The  fellows  immediately  left  the  car,  swearing  a 
volley  of  oaths  ;  but  when  later  in  the  evening  the  man  returned  with  only 
a  few  passengers  down  town,  they  were  on  the  watch  for  him  in  Grand 
Street,  and  springing  on  the  car,  they  treated  the  conductor  in  the  most 
•abominable  manner,  almost  beating  him  to  death.  A  few  days  afterwards 
two  of  the  vagabonds  were  arrested  for  it,  but  it  is  quite  certain  that  they 
have  never  received  a  punishment  equivalent  to  the  crime. 

It  would  be  comparatively  easy  to  remedy  this  great  evil  of  street-car 


the  rim  w  -.  \'1'< 

robberies,  if  the  police  seriously  wanted  to, — but  they  always  seem  to  want 
either  the  will  or  the  energy.  Since  the  detectives  are  well  Acquainted 
with  all  these  thieves,  their  combers,  which  are  now  certainly  /oo  limited 
for  the  purpose,  should  be  so  increased  that  a  portion  ol  them  could  be 
devoted  to  the  constant  inspection  of  the  city  cars.  That  would  soon  put 
the  finishing  stroke  on  the  entire  brood,  for  just  as  the  detectives  know  the 
thieves,  so  too,  do  the  thieves  know  the  detectives;  and  they  would  very 
soon  give  up  their  operations  and  be  cautious  about  getting  on  to  a  car  it 
they  supposed  that  they  would  be  likely  to  meet  a  detective  there. 

The  police  have,  it  is  true,  twice  shown  an  intention  to  do  something  fit 
this  kind,  and  have  made  applications  for  free  passes  on  the  roads  for 
themselves  and  the  detectives.  But  these  have  never  been  acceded  to. 
What  do  these  companies  care,  if  the  passengers  in  their  cars  are  robbed 
every  year  of  thousands  upon  thousands  !  They  know  well  that  the  public 
must  use  their  cars  and  beyond  that  they  care  nothing.  But  cannot  the 
police  authorities  of  the  city  pay  the  fares  of  the  detectives  so  that  the  citi- 
zens may  be  secured  from  robbery  ?  It  should  be  understood  that  when  it 
becomes  a  question  of  spending  money  to  guarantee  the  safety  of  the  citi- 
zens, niggardliness  is  a  crime. 

The  number  of  robberies  which  are  perpetrated  in  the  city  railroads  is 
extraordinarily  large,  and  it  would  be  no  exaggeration  to  assume  that  on 
every  day  at  least  ten  watches  are  in  this  way  lost  to  their  owners.  To 
give  some  conception  of  this,  we  here  enumerate  the  robberies  of  this  kind 
which  came  to  our  knowledge,  partly  through  the  papers,  and  partly 
through  the  reports  of  the  police  themselves,  as  having  occurred  within  the 
space  of  three  days  towards  the  close  of  December,  1872. 

A  gentleman  named  J.  O'Neil,  from  Boston,  was  robbed  of  a  gold  watch 
and  chain  in  a  Fourth  Avenue  car.  He  offered  for  the  return  of  it  a 
reward  of  8100,  "  and  no  questions  asked." 

A  gentleman  who  declined  to  give  his  name,  but  who  was  to  be  met 
wi'.h  in  a  saloon  on  Third  Avenue  and  Twenty-fifth  Street,  offered,  for  the 
return  of  his  pocket-book  and  gold  watch  and  chain,  which  had  been  taken 
from  him  on  the  platform  of  a  Third  Avenue  car,  "to pay  more  than  <i 
' fence'  would  give  to  buy  them.'" 

A  gentleman  named  G.  J.  Agg  was  robbed  of  his  gold  watch  and  chain, 
and  $1")1  besides,  in  a  car  on  the  Belt  Line,  near  Murray  Street. 

Another  gentleman,  who  did  not  give  his  name,  but  who  was  to  be 
found  at  No.  309  Sixth  Avenue,  was  robbed  or"  a  gold  watch  on  the  plat- 
form of  a  Sixth  Avenue  car,  and  he  offered  to  pay  $40  lor  the  return  of  il 
u  and  not  to  ash  amj  embarrassing  questions." 

Mr.  A.  Oakley  of  Xo.  224  West  Twenty-fourth  Street  was  robbed  of 
his  Geneva  watch  in  a  Sixth  Avenue  car,  and  offered  $50  reward  for  its 
return  "  and  no  questions  asked." 

Messrs.  Farrar  &  Co.  of  212  Grand  Street,  offered  $50  reward  "  and  no 


126  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF     SEW    YORK    LIFE. 

questions   askea*'  for  the  return  of  a  double  cased  gold  watch  which  had 
been  .stolen  in  a  Third  Avenue  car. 

A  thief  who  stole  a  purse  in  a  Third  Avenue  Car  was  promised  a 
"  liberal  reward"  if  he  would  bring  it  back  to  No.  214  East  Thirty-ninth 
Street. 

A  thief  who  found  a  pocket-book  in  a  University  Place  car,  was  told 
that  he  might  keep  the  money  it  contained  if  he  would  send  back  the 
papers  addressed  to  Post  Office  Box  2051. 

A  gentleman,  who  is  engaged  in  the  Bowery  National  Bank,  declared 
himself  willing  to  pay  $75  for  the  return  of  his  gold  watch,  which  had 
been  stolen  from  him  in  a -Fourth  Avenue  car,  and  he  further  promised 
that  "  no  questions  should  he  asked" 

A  gentleman  who  gave  his  address  as  No.  38  Warren  Street,  lost  his 
watch  in  one  of  the  Broadway  stages.  He  did  "  not  care  to  know  how 
that  happened,"  but  offered  to  pay  S30  for  the  return  of  the  property. 

Mr.  D.  Wood,  of  the  Astor  Home,  was  ready  to  give  a  liberal  token  of 
his  esteem  to  the  fortunate  person  who  had  "found"  and  would  return  a 
well-filled  purse  that  had  been  lost  in  a  Fourth  Avenue  car. 

The  "  operator"  who  stole  a  pocket-book  in  a  car  on  the  Fourth  Avenue 
road,  with  a  quantity  of  money  in  it,  is  promised  a  suitable  reward  if  he 
will  take  it  to  the  Metropolitan  National  Bank. 

Mr.  F.  B.  Rogers,  who  had  his  gold  watch  stolen  in  a  car  on  the  Third 
Avenue,  offered  for  its  return  $25,  "  and  no  questions  asked" 

Thus  within  the  space  of  three  days  there  were  thirteen  such  occurrences 
which  were  known.  But  how  many  were  then  of  which  we  heard  noth- 
ing? It  is  a  certain  fact  that  not  one-half  of  these  losses  are  made  public, 
or  ever  come  under  the  cognizance  of  the  police. 

We  have  already  spoken  with  just  censure  of  the  circumstance  that  the 
police  tolerate  this  kind  of  thieves,  when  nothing  would  be  easier  than  bo 
disperse  them  altogether  from  the  street-cars.  But  what  shall  be  said 
when  we  find  the  public  themselves  sustaining  these  thieves.  In  the  thir- 
teen announcements  above  referred  to  are  seven  in  which  the  promise  is 
made  "  no  questions  asked  !"  Is  not  that  offering  a  premium  for  robbery? 
And  cannot  the  people  who  make  those  offers  comprehend  that  by  so  doing 
they  degrade  themselves  to  the  position  of  accomplices  of  thieves,  as  indeed 
the  receivers  of  stolen  goods?  In  truth,  when  the  people  from  whom  these 
things  are  stolen  are  themselves  so  corrupt  as  to  set  some  personal  advant- 
age against  the  good  of  the  community,  in  so  much  that  they  not  only  offer 
to  assure  the  thief  against  punishment — an  offer  in  itself  bad  enough — but 
they  also  promise  him  a  reward,  it  need  not  be  wondered  at  that  things 
are,  as  they  are. 

So  much  for  the  thieves  in  the  street-cars  ;  now  a  few  words  in  refer- 
ence to  those  who  operate  in  the  omnibuses.  As  already  observed,  these 
are  only  rarely  men,  but  more  generally  women  ;  who,  appearing  in  elab- 


tiik    ril  ik.v 

orate  to'leta,  never  create  i  suspicion  that  they  are  thieves.     But  whether 
men  or  women,  these  thieves  always  have  some  piece  of  clothing,  Buch  as 

a  shawl,  mantle,  wrapper  or  something  of  the  kind  which  Berv<  -  I  i 
their    hands    while    they    are    at    work.       Generally    two    women    operate 
together,  of  whom  the  one  who  is  going  to  commit  the  robbery  take-   i 
close  to  the  intended  victim,  whilst  the  confederate  Bits  next  to  the  thief. 
Partly  by  means  of  the  folds  of  her  dress  or  of  the  lady's  shawl  and  partly 
by  her  own  dress  the  hands  of  the  thief  arc  concealed,  and  she  can  • 
insert  one  of  them  into  the  lady's  pocket.     Then  whatever  she   finds  there 
she   passes   on  to  her  accomplice,  so  that  in  case  of  an  alarm  being  made, 
and    since   suspicion  woidd   naturally  rest  upon  her  as  being  nearest  to  the 
lady  who   has  been   robbed,  the    stolen  property  cannot  be  found  upon  her. 
The  accomplice,  however,  Boon  after   leaves  the  stage,  to  meet   the 
later  in  the  day  and  together  divide  the  spoil. 

As  a  general  rule  the  depredations  of  these  thieves  are  confined  to  ladies  ; 
but  very  often  the  women  attack  gentlemen  also.  Quite  recently  such  a. 
■  ase  happened  in  an  omnibus  on  the  Fifth  Avenue  route.  A  pretty  and 
handsomely  dressed  woman  got  in,  and  a  gentleman  who  was  Bitting  near 
the  door  was  very  polite  to  her  in  assisting  her  in;  he  also  moved  more 
closely  into  the  corner  to  make  room  for  her  next  to  him. 

She  threw  back  her  veil,  and  the  gentleman's  eyes  truly  lingered  with 
pleasure  on  his  pretty  neighbor,  whose  luxuriant  skirts  were  spread  out 
half  over  his  lap.  To  his  question  whether  he  should  close  the  window 
behind  her,  she  responded  with  a  most  bewitching  smile,  aud  the  gentleman 
i  hereupon  stood  up  aud,  stooping  over  her,  pulled  up  the  window.  Soon 
after  the  lady  rang  the  bell  and  left  the  omnibus,  upon  which  a  gentleman 
who  sat  opposite  the  first  remarked  to  him  that  his  watch-chain  was  hanging 
loose.  Alarmed,  he  made  a  rush  for  his  watch  ;  it  was  gone.  Another 
plunge  into  the  pocket  where  his  purse  was  ;  that  was  gone  too.  His  pretty 
fashionable  neighbor,  who  had  been  so  fascinating,  had  got  both  watch  and 
purse.  He  instantly  rang  the  bell,  jumped  out  of  the  stage  and  went  im- 
mediately to  a  police  station  that  happened  to  be  near  at  hand.  Hut  all  to 
no  purpose  ;  neither  watch  nor  purse  was  ever  recovered.  But  the  lesson 
f  a-  valuable,  nevertheless,  that  one  can  never  be  too  cautious  in  making 
approaches  to  pretty  and  elegantly-dressed  ladies  whom  we  do  not  know. 

Upon  the  ferry-boats  also  many  female  pickpockets  are  to  be  met  with. 
These,  however,  are  not  generally  of  the  "  fashionable  "  class  ;  they  are  not 
elaborately  dressed,  but  usually  assume  the  character  of  a  working  woman, 
sometimes  having  a  basket  on  the  arm,  as  if  they  were  going  to  or  returning 
from  market.  They  do  not  always  leave  the  boat  even  wheu  they  have 
stolen  anything,  but  go.  perhaps,  into  the  ladies'  room  or  one  of  the  ferry 
houses,  there  give  up  their  plunder  to  some  confederate  who  is  waiting  for 
them,  and  immediately  ride  back  again.  Staying  on  the  boat  in  this  way, 
aud  travelling  backwards  and  forwards,  they  entirely  lose  sight  of  their 


128  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

victims,  and  thus  in  the  course  of  a  day  are  enabled  to  accumulate  a  large 
quantity  of  plunder. 

Again,  upon  the  steam  railroads  it  is  well  known  that  very  much  property 
is  constantly  being  stolen.  This  subject,  however,  need  not  be  considered, 
since  it  lies  outside  of  the  limits  of  our  work,  which  treats  only  of  the  dark 
side  of  New  York  life.  We  will  only  remark  that  upon  these  roads  chloro- 
form is  often  used,  so  that  it  is  well  to  be  careful,  especially  at  night  time, 
whom  we  sit  next  to.  About  two  years  ago,  while  on  a  journey  to  Phila- 
delphia, and  in  broad  daylight  too,  the  present  author  had  his  pocket-book 
stolen  during  a  short  time  in  which  he  happened  to  fall  asleep,  though  it  is 
true  he  had  very  incautiously  placed  it  in  a  breast  pocket  of  his  coat. 

It  is  hardly  possible  to  be  too  cautious,  although  there  are  instances — 
not  very  numerous  however — where  even  caution  may  lead  to  embarrass- 
ment. We  remember  one  such  instance,  which  is  so  ludicrous  that  we 
cannot  well  withhold  it  in  this  place. 

A  young  lady,  who  was  in  the  habit  frequently  of  making  the  journey 
between  here  and  Boston,  discovered  one  day  when  she  arrived  in  New 
York  that  her  purse  had  been  stolen.  She  told  her  loss  to  an  acquaintance, 
and  he  enjoined  her  to  be  very  careful  of  any  stranger  who,  during  her 
frequent  journeys,  should  sit  near  her  in  the  dark  tunnels.  Accordingly, 
whenever  she  passed  through  the  tunnels  afterwards,  and  a  stranger  chanced 
to  be  sitting  next  to  her,  she  used  to  put  her  hand  into  her  pocket  and  hold 
fast  to  her  purse. 

On  one  of  her  journeys  soon  after,  from  Boston  to  New  Yor%,  a  gentle- 
man got  into  the  car  at  Springfield,  and  took  the  vacant  seat  next  to  her. 
He  was  respectable  and  agreeable  in  appearance,  and  tried  more  than  once 
in  a  manner  that  was  perfectly  polite  to  get  into  conversation  with  his 
neighbor,  but  not  to  much  purpose.  She  always  answered  him  in  mono- 
syllables, showing  that  she  did  not  wish  to  hold  any  communication  with 
him.  When  the  train  entered  the  tunnel  she  remembered  the  warning  of 
her  friend  and  her  precautions,  and  put  her  hand  into  her  pocket  to  take 
hold  of  her  purse.  What  was  her  astonishment  then  to  find  another  hand 
already  there.  Being  a  resolute  woman  she  seized  it,  held  it  tightly  so 
that  the  thief  could  not  withdraw  it,  and  determined  to  hand  him  over  to 
the  charge  of  the  conductor  as  soon  as  the  train  should  emerge  from  the 
tunnel.  The  train  was  slow,  the  time  seemed  never  likely  to  end,  but, 
fortunately,  the  thief  made  no  efforts  to  release  his  hands.  Either  he  was 
thinking  how  to  escape  from  a  very  unpleasant  position,  or  perhaps  he  was 
pleased  at  feeling  his  hand  so  vigorously  pressed  by  that  of  a  pretty  woman. 
But  great  was  the  amazement  of  the  lady,  when  the  train  left  the  tunnel, 
and  all  was  light  again,  to  see  that  she  had  not  put  her  hand,  as  she 
thought,  into  her  own  pocket,  but  into  that  of  her  neighbour  !  And  there 
still  she  had  got  his  hand  and  was  squeezing  it  with  a  will !  They  were 
two  droll  faces  with  which   the  couple  now  looked    at  each  other  ;  but  an 


THE    THIEVES, 


129 


explanation  followed,  and   the  lady  and  her  presumed  thief  parted  very 
good  friends. 

sneak-Tiheves  form  again  another  class  in  the  brood,  and  a  more  dan- 
gerous class  than  that  we  have  just  spoken  of,  because  they  come  along 
imperceptibly,  and  except  for  the  very  small  chance  of  being  detected  in 
the  act,  get  away  with  their  plunder  unobserved.  They  usually  go  to  work 
when  darkness  sets  in,  their  harvest  time  being  in  the  autumn  and  winter 
months,  at  which  time  of  the  year  many  over-coats,  cloaks,  furs,  and  other 
articles  of  dress  hang  in  the  entrance  halls  of  houses  ;  left  there  cither  by 
the  inmates  of  the  house  or  by  their  visitors.  The  sneak-thief  has  seldom, 
more  than  one  confederate,  although  quite  as  often  they  work  alone.  If 
there  is  an  associate,  he  provides  himself  with  a  bag  in  which  the  stolen 
property  is  immediately  concealed  and  taken  away.  He  also  acts  as  a 
watch  for  the  other,  and  gives  a  signal,  in  case  a  policeman  approaches  ; 
upon  which  the  thief,  slipping  out  of  the  house,  takes  care  not  to  fall  into 
the  hands  of  his  enemy. 

Like  all  other  thieves,  the  sneak-thieves  have  their  receivers,  who  buy 
everything  from  them,  from  an  old  umbrella  to  a  valuable  over-coat,  or  a 
costly  fur.  They  buy  everything  and  anything,  and  always  know  how  to 
dispose  of  them  again.  Very  often  a  prize  falls  into  the  hands  of  a  sneak- 
thief  which  he  had  not  quite  looked  for.  That  is,  generally  towards  the 
end  of  winter,  when  it  is  so  cold  that  to  avoid  the  inconvenience  of  unbut- 
toning and  buttoning  up  a  coat,  a  person  is  apt  to  put  his  purses  in  the 
pockets  of  his  over-coat ;  and  then,  when  they  reach  home,  they  hang  up  the 
coat  in  the  hall  without  thinking  of  the  purse.  Later  in  the  evening  it 
comes  back  to  their  recollection,  and  when  they  go  out  from  the  room  to 
remit  their  money  to  a  safer  place,  they  find  that  both  coat  and  purse  have 
disappeared.  It  often  happens  that  a  pocket-book  gets  lost  with  a  coat, 
and  sometimes  there  are  in  the  pocket-book  papers  which  are  not  only  not 
intended  to  be  made  public,  but  which,  if  published,  would  certainly  bring 
disagreeable  consequences  upon  their  owner.  Such  papers  are  carefully 
examined  by  the  thieves  ;  if  they  find  anything  in  them  upon  which  an 
exaction  can  be  based,  they  go  to  work  about  it  forthwith,  and  it  has  often 
happened  that  such  papers  have  been  bought  back  again  by  their  owners 
at  a  very  high  price. 

When  the  sneak  and  his  associate  have  agreed  as  to  what  part  of  the 
town  they  will  make  as  the  field  of  their  depredations,  they  wander  about 
all  over  the  neighborhood  until  they  find  a  house  which  seems  suitable  for 
their  purpose.  The  thief  then  sneaks  up  the  steps  and  opens  the  door  with 
a  picklock  while  his  confederate  keeps  watch,  and  when  this  latter  gives 
the  signal  that  the  coast  is  clear,  then  both  set  to  work  to  get  together 
everything  that  hangs  in  the  hall,  cram  them  all  into  the  bag  and  make  off 
with  them.     If  the  prize  is  too  heavy,  they  avail  themselves  of  the  first 

9 


130  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK   LIFE. 

car  or  omnibus  that  passes,  or  sometimes  engage  a  hackney  carriage. 
The  plunder  is  then  taken  first  home  to  be  examined,  and  afterwards  goes 
to  the  receiver  to  be  sold. 

The  sneak-thief,  too,  is  generally  well  and  respectably  dressed,  so  that 
his  real  occupation  is  well  concealed  by  his  external  appearance.  Besides 
which  it  serves  him  in  good  stead  when  he  happens  to  be  surprised  by  a 
maid  servant,  or  anybody  residing  in  the  house  etc.,  who  finds  him  in  the 
hall.  He  is  at  no  loss  for  an  excuse  under  those  circumstances.  He 
always  has  something  ready,  for  example,  he  will  perhaps  say  that  he 
found  the  door  open,  and  just  came  in  to  tell  them.  Then  he  takes  his 
leave. — Or  he  will  say  that  he  has  come  from  Mr.  Jones,  or  Mr.  Thomp- 
son, in  Madison  Square,  with  a  message  from  that  gentleman  to  the  effect 
that  he  cannot  call  this  evening,  but  that  he  will  come  around  the  first 
thing  in  the  morning. — The  girl  is  requested  to  deliver  the  message,  and 
he  moves  as  if  to  leave.  Away  goes  the  girl  up  stairs  to  fulfil  her  mis- 
sion. But  the  gentleman  of  the  house  knows  nothing  of  Mr.  Jones  or  Mr. 
Thompson  in  Madison  Square,  and  says  that  there  must  be  some  mistake, 
and  that  the  messenger  had  better  be  told  to  go  next  door.  But  the  thief 
did  not  go  away  when  he  pretended  to.  He  left  the  door  on  the  latch,  and 
directly  the  girl  had  gone  up  stairs  he  went  in  again,  gathered  up  every- 
thing in  the  hall  that  he  could  lay  his  hands  on,  with  the  utmost  speed,  and 
is  off.  When  the  girl  comes  down  stairs  and  sees  what  has  happened,  she 
does  not  lose  much  time  in  running  back  to  her  master  wdth  the  news  that 
everything  in  the  place  has  been  stolen.  People  cannot  be  too  careful  to 
enjoin  upon  their  servants  never  under  any  circumstances  whatever,  no 
matter  how  respectable  they  may  appear,  or  how  plausible  their  purpose 
may  seem,  to  leave  strangers  in  the  entrance  hall ;  or,  as  not  unfrequently 
happens,  and  as  has  often  led  to  robberies,  to  invite  them  into  a  room. 

Often  when  a  sneak-thief  gets  into  a  house  and  finds  nothing  that  he  can 
take  in  the  entrance  hall,  but  seesjthat  the  inmates  are  down  stairs,  in  the 
dining-room  for  example,  he  makes  a  survey  of  the  up  stairs  rooms,  and 
rarely  fails  to  find  some  plunder  that  is  worthy  of  his  attention. 

It  also  more  frequently  happens  that  whilst  the  inmates  of  a  house  are 
sitting  at  table  down  stairs,  the  thief  climbs  up  by  the  balcony  of  the  parlor 
floor,  perhaps  to  the  second  story,  his  confederate  all  the  while  keeping 
watch.  He  then  with  instruments,  with  which  he  is  provided,  quietly  opens 
the  fastening  of  the  window,  and  finding  all  the  doors  on  the  upper  floor 
open,  as  well,  probably,  as  the  drawers  and  cupboards,  he  makes  a  rich 
booty.  To  escape  with  it  he  will  sometimes  slip  cautiously  down  stairs 
and  go  out  of  the  front  door,  or,  throwing  the  things  out  of  the  window  to 
his  companion,  leaves  the  house  by  the  same  way  as  he  entered  it. 

During  summer  time,  the  sneak-thief  keeps  his  eye  very  carefully  upon 
basement  dining-rooms.  At  that  time  of  the  year  people  are  very  much 
in  the  habit  of  leaving  the  lower  doors  open  to  get  relief  from  the  heat. 


THE    TIIIKVK3.  131 

Then,  when  the  table  is  lai«l  for  meals,  and  silver  spoons  and  knives  and 
forks  are  lying  about,  before  the  people  of  the  house  are  down,  he  creeps 
nimbly  into  the  room,  sweeps  off  all  the  silver  in  the  place,  and  in  another 
moment  is  gone.  The  silver  is  of  course  very  soon  in  the  melting-pot  and 
all  means  of  identification  are  destroyed. — In  the  upper  part  of  the  city 
there  are  whole  rows  of  houses  in.  which  every  house  has  been  robbed  in 
this  manner. 

But  when  the  sneak-thief  sees  the  door  in  the  basement  open,  but  that 
the  servant  is  down  stairs,  he  statious  himself  in  the  neighborhood  of  the 
open  door,  while  his  confederate  rings  the  bell  of  the  house-door,  and  when 
it  is  answered,  asks  some  frivolous  question.  In  the  meantime,  though  it 
be  but  a  couple  of  minutes  that  the  girl  is  away  up  stairs,  the  silver  takes 
its  departure  from  the  dining-room,  and  the  girl  comes  back  to  see  with  no 
little  astonishment  what  has  happened. 

There  are  yet  two  other  tricks  of  these  thieves  which  we  have  to  men* 
tion.  One  is  practised  in  a  boarding-house,  and  more  especially  in  those 
of  the  better  class.  They  hire  rooms  in  such  a  house,  if  possible  on  the 
top  floor,  because  that  gives  them  an  excuse  for  going  through  the  whole 
house.  They  then  wait  their  opportunity,  and  when  in  any  of  the  rooms 
they  see  valuables  lying  about,  they  go  in,  take  all  they  can  find,  and  soon 
after  leave. — Not  long  ago,  in  October  of  last  year,  a  thief  of  this  kind 
named  Stuyvesant,  but  who  had  also  used  the  names  of  De  Peyster  and 
Cornstock,  was  arrested.  This  man,  so  far  as  could  be  ascertained,  had 
in  a  very  short  time  robbed  no  less  than  twelve  boarding-houses  in  the 
upper  part  of  the  city,  between  vSixteenth  and  Nineteenth  Streets,  the  total 
value  of  his  depredations  amounting  to  SI, 105.  He  was  detected  at  last, 
through  one  of  the  persons  he  had  robbed,  sending  a  personal  description 
of  him  to  all  the  principal  boarding-houses  in  the  city.  In  consequence  of 
this  he  was  arrested  just  as  he  had  engaged  a  room  at  No.  18  East  Forty- 
sixth  Street. 

Then  lastly  there  are  sneak-thieves  who  work,  not  in  private  houses,  but 
in  places  of  business.  It  is  well  known  that  in  business  houses,  when 
goods  are  got  ready  for  the  express  men  and  await  removal,  it  is  the  cus- 
tom to  hang  out  a  board  with  the  name  of  the  express  that  is  wanted, — i;i 
order  that  the  driver  of  any  passing  wagon  may  know  when  he  is  to  call, 
lie  then  takes  the  packages  and  gives  a  receipt  for  them,  upon  which  the 
persons  who  send  them  take  no  further  trouble  in  the  matter.  Thieves 
turn  this  custom  to  their  advantage.  They  see  a  house  from  which  hangs 
a  notice,  let  us  say  for  "  Adams  Express."  One  of  them  drives  up  a 
wagon  to  the  door,  while  another  goes  in  and  boldly  asks  for  the  parcels 
for  Adams  Express.  The  merchants  cannot  of  course  be  expected  to  know 
all  the  servants  of  every  express  company  and  so  the  thief  gets  the  goods, 
giving  a  receipt  in  the  name  of  the  company  ;  and  then  putting  them  in  his 
wagon,  disappears. 


132  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

We  now  come  to  a  higher  order  of  the  thieving  profession,  namely 
Housebreakers,  gentlemen  who  think  themselves  far  above  pickpockets, 
shoplifters,  car  and  sneak-thieves,  and  who  look  down  upon  these  latter 
with  a  considerable  amount  of  conceit.  The  term  "  house-breaker"  implies 
the  use  of  force  in  entering  a  house,  but  force  is  not  by  any  means  always 
used,  for  these  people  seek  to  attain  their  ends  by  various  ways,  and  for 
the  most  part  probably  without  violence.  In  one  of  these  they  make  use 
of  the  sneak-thieves,  by  whose  assistance  they  are  enabled  to  obtain  false 
keys  for  the  houses  which  they  want  to  rob.  If  they  are  business  housesr 
the  sneak-thieves  know  that  the  keys  are  usually  in  charge  of  the  porterr 
who  takes  them  home  with  him.  By  some  means  or  other  they  then  seek 
to  get  access  there  and  to  take  a  wax  impression  of  the  key,  although  to 
accomplish  this  they  often  have  to  wait  a  very  long  time  before  an  oppor- 
tunity offers.  When  the  impression  of  a  key  to  a  private  residence  is 
required,  the  task  is  easier.  They  then  make  the  acquaintance  of  the 
maid-servants ;  and  in  due  course  assume  the  character  of  a  sweetheart, 
when  it  is  very  easy  to  get  the  opportunity  wanted  without  the  girl  having 
the  slightest  suspicion.  They  do  not,  however,  avail  themselves  of  the 
opportunities  thus  presented  to  do  any  stealing  themselves.  Their  com- 
mission for  the  house-breaker  suffices  to  absolve  them  from  this  duty. 
Neither  do  they  ever  take  the  original  key,  because  the  loss  of  that  would 
create  suspicion.  Moreover,  as  false  keys  are  always  in  much  demand 
among  house-breakers,  many  sneak-thieves  make  it  their  special  business 
to  provide  themselves  with  the  impressions  of  keys  to  different  houses,  so 
as  to  have  a  supply  from  which  a  choice  may  be  made.  With  false  keys 
made  by  this  means  the  entrance  into  houses  is  a  very  easy  matter. 

Often  when  the  house-breaker  cannot  get  a  key  to  any  particular  house 
which  he  wants  to  rob,  he  looks  for  an  empty  house  in  the  same  block. 
Entering  this,  he  gets  out  of  an  upper  window  and,  going  along  the  roof 
over  the  intervening  houses,  comes  to  that  upon  which  he  has  decided  to 
devote  his  attention.  Here  he  carefully  opens  the  up  stairs  window,  and 
secures  an  entrance.  The  family  is  probably  down  stairs  quietly  assembled 
at  the  dinner  table,  or  if  it  be  summer  time,  the  members  may  be  seeking 
a  little  fresh  air  near  the  door.  Nothing  could  be  more  desirable.  The 
thief  has  all  the  up  stairs  rooms  to  himself.  He  ransacks  bureaus,  closets,, 
toilet-tables  &c.  of  money,  gold  and  silver,  jewelry  and  everything  of  value 
that  he  can  find  ;  packs  them  all  up  together  in  one  of  the  rooms,  and 
returns  by  the  same  way  that  he  came  ;  while  the  family  do  not  discover 
the  robbery,  perhaps  for  hours,  or  till  they  come  to  bed.  The  stolen 
money  cannot  of  course  be  identified.  Diamonds  and  other  precious  stones 
are  taken  out  to  be  reset,  and  the  gold  and  silver  being  melted  down,  all 
clue  to  the  discovery  of  the  thief  is  destroyed. 

Summer  brings  to  the  housebreaker  prospects  of  rich  plunder.  At  that 
time  thousands  of  the  inhabitants  of  New  York   go  to  country  houses, 


tiik  rmuvES.  ISS 

watering  places,  the  sea-side  or  to  Europe,  and  return  again  in  the  autumn 
or  winter.  But  the  houses  of  these  families  are  left,  with  very  few  excep- 
tions, quite  unoccupied  during  this  time.  The  keys,  perhaps,  are  given 
over  into  the  keeping  of  the  police  captain  of  the  precinct,  and  the  only 
protection  the  place  has,  depends  entirely  upon  the  patrolman  of  the  beat, 
who  sees  to  it  that  the  door  is  fastened  when  he  passes  it  upon  his  round*. 
In  the  twenty-ninth  precinct  alone,  a  district  which  is  bounded  by  Fourth 
and  Seventh  Avenues  and  Fourteenth  and  Forty-second  Streets,  there 
were,  during  the  summer  of  last  year,  more  than  eight  hundred  houses, 
whose  occupants  having  gone  into  the  country,  left  them  unoccupied.  In 
all  of  these  were  costly  furniture,  besides  all  the  winter  clothing  of  the 
families,  table  linen  and  very  often,  too,  all  the  silver  plate.  Such  a  house 
is,  as  it  were,  hermetically  closed.  No  servant  is  in  it,  nobody  to  take 
care  of  it.  Where  then  could  a  better  opportunity  be  found  for  thieves? 
The  window  shutters  are  fastened ;  it  is  impossible  for  passers-by.  or  for 
the  policeman  whose  duty  it  is  to  see  that  the  door  remains  locked,  to 
know  what  is  going  on  inside  the  house  ;  and  thus  the  thieves,  who  get 
access  to  the  inside  either  through  the  roof  or  the  coal  cellar,  or  perhaps 
through  a  window  in  the  back  of  the  building,  have  a  clear  field  and  cau 
pack  up  their  plunder  at  their  leisure.  It  has  often  happened  that  in  such 
houses  the  thieves  have  even  taken  up  the  carpets,  broken  open  bureaus 
and  drawers  and  stripped  them  of  their  contents,  and  taken  away  all  the 
porcelain,  glass,  wearing  apparel,  and  linen,  of  the  whole  family,  without 
being  discovered  or  disturbed.  To  require  that  the  police  shall  protect 
such  houses  against  robbery,  is  to  demand  what  is  impossible.  To  do  this 
would  necessitate  a  constant  inspection  by  night  and  day  of  all  unoccupied 
houses,  and  for  that  purpose  the  numerical  strength  of  the  entire  police 
department  would  not  suffice. 

As  a  protection  against  the  burglarious  entry  of  a  house  through  the 
roof,  when  the  house  is  occupied,  a  very  simple  contrivance  was  devised 
about  two  years  ago  by  police  Captain  Thome  ;  and  where  it  has  been 
introduced,  it  has  answered  well.  It  consisted  merely  in  connecting  the 
inside  of  the  top  window  with  a  loudly  sounding  bell,  which  would  ring  as 
soon  as  the  window  was  opened.  By  means  of  this  very  simple  expedieut 
many  attempts  at  burglary  have  been  frustrated  and  it  ought  to  be  brought 
into  use  by  all  owners  or  occupants  of  houses  in  the  city  who  do  not  wish 
to  have  their  places  entered. 

"We  may  conclude  this  section  upon  the  house-breakers  by  mentioning  a 
case  that  comes  to  our  recollection  where  one  of  them  was  detected  in  his 
offence,  and  which  shows  what  apparently  unimportant  circumstances  will 
sometimes  lead  to  discovery. — A  large  silk  house  was  robbed  by  burglars 
of  silks  and  velvets  to  the  value  of  many  thousand  dollars.  The  thieves 
had  broken  a  hole  through  the  wall,  by  which  they  got  into  the  warehouse 
and'  also  escaped  again,  taking  the  goods  with  them.     They  had  left  no 


13-4  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

clue  behind.  The  poliece  shook  their  heads,  and  the  firm  who  bad  been 
robbed  concluded  that  they  must  submit  to  their  loss  quietly.  But  the 
affair  was  placed  in  the  hands  of  one  of  our  ablest  detectives.  He  searched 
the  place  carefully,  and  found  in  a  crack  of  ,the  floor,  near  the  hole,  a  but- 
ton, to  which  a  piece  of  plaster  was  adhering.  It  was  evident  that  this 
button  had  been  torn  off  the  clothes  of  one  of  the  men  as  he  was  getting 
out  of  the  narrow  hole.  The  detective  took  it,  therefore,  thinking  that 
possibly  it  might  lead  to  the  discovery  of  the  thief.  Now,  as  we  have  said 
before,  there  are  in  the  city  a  large  number  of  places  where  the  thieves 
resort  when  they  are  not  at  their  "  work."  All  of  these  were  carefully 
scrutinized  by  the  officer,  and  as  the  thieves  know  very  well  that  detec- 
tives are  always  well  armed  and  moreover  that,  when  necessary,  they  are 
not  very  fastidious  about  using  their  arms,  no  hindrance  was  ever  offered 
to  the  examination.  The  detective,  who  had  the  button  in  his  pockety 
however,  kept  a  sharper  lookout  than  usual  upon  these  places,  and  this  the 
thieves  of  course  observed,  remarking  that  there  must  be  something  in  the 
wind  ;  yet  the  officer  did  not  speak  to  them,  neither  did  they  say  anything 
to  him.  But  as  it  turned  out,  all  these  visits  of  the  officer  were  to  no  pur- 
pose. Notwithstanding  all  his  efforts  he  could  not  find  anybody  that  was 
deficient  in  a  coat  button  ;  at  least  not  of  such  a  button  as  the  one  in  his 
possession.  However,  after  a  time,  as  he  was  standing  one  evening  at  the 
entrance  of  one  of  the  pleasure  resorts  of  the  lower  classes,  a  man  passed 
him  and  went  in,  the  buttons  of  whose  coat  were  like  that  which  the  detec- 
tive had  in  his  pocket.  The  latter  now  felt  sure  that  he  had  found  his 
man.  He  followed  him,  took  a  seat  beside  him,  and  seemed  to  be  taking 
a  great  interest  in  the  performance,  although,  in  truth,  he  was  contem- 
plating the  buttons  on  the  man's  coat,  to  find  to  his  gratification  that  one 
of  them  was  missing.  Having  made  this  discovery,  he  went  out  and  pro- 
cured assistance,  then  getting  the  man  outside  the  building,  he  arrested 
him.  But  well  knowing  that  the  button  alone  presented  only  the  weakest 
kind  of  evidence,  and  that  no  judge  would  hold  a  prisoner  upon  such  testi- 
mony, he  openly  charged  the  man  with  the  robbery,  declared  to  him  how 
it  had  been  done,  how  he  had  lost  the  button  off  his  coat,  and  in  short 
managed  everything  so  well,  that  the  thief  thinking  that  some  of  his  com- 
rades had  confessed  and  betrayed  him,  made  a  full  confession  himself  with- 
out any  more  ado  ;  and  even  took  the  policeman  to  the  place  where  the 
stolen  property  was  concealed. 

But  that  button  led  to  yet  other  and  more  important  consequences.  The 
arrest  of  this  thief  put  the  detectives  on  the  track  of  other  burglars,  which, 
being  followed  up  for  several  months,  led  ultimately  to  the  breaking  up  of 
a  most  formidable  band  of  thieves. 

Bond  Thieves  and  Bank  Robbers  do  not  numbe/  more  than  about 
fifty  persons,  who  "  work"  in  six  gangs.     They  usually  live  in  the  city, 


THE    THIEVES.  135 

but  do  not  limit  their  operations  to  it.  They  are  here,  there,  and  every- 
where, sometimes  busy  in  one  town,  sometimes  in  another.  They  take 
first  place  in  the  community  of  thieves,  they  are  the  first  power  in  the 
criminal  ranks,  and  they  merit  it  by  the  possession  and  concentration  of 
a  number  of  faculties  which  are  not  often  found  in  any  one  person,  but 
which  would  raise  them  to  positions  of  high  consideration  if  only  they 
would  devote  themselves  to  honest  ends.  Such  a  criminal  must  exhibit 
the  greatest  patience  in  everything  that  tends  to  the  fulfilment  of  his 
object ;  he  must  have  a  profound  and  practical  knowledge  of  human  nature  ; 
be  ever  prepared  for  any  eventualities  ;  and  enjoy  under  all  circumstances, 
and  in  all  dangers,  the  most  perfect  presence  of  mind  and  self-control.  It 
is  a  noteworthy  fact  that  for  a  long  time  past,  in  the  State  of  New  York, 
not  one  criminal  of  this  kind  has  been  convicted,  if  we  except  Henry  Neu- 
mann, alias  Dutch  Heinriehs,  in  whose  case,  however,  a  new  trial  was 
allowed,  and  upon  that  he  obtained  his  freedom. 

The  reason  for  this  is  no  testimony  to  the  purity  of  society,  or  to  the 
spirit  of  that  class  of  people  who  are  usually  the  victims  of  this  kind  of 
thieves.  The  business  men  of  Wall  and  Broad  Streets  are  afflicted  with 
such  a  ruinous  greed  for  money,  that  every  better  feeling  seems  to  be 
swept  out  of  their  hearts.  Least  of  all  is  their  public  patriotism.  Indeed, 
from  some  aspects,  there  seems  to  be  none  left.  They  care  nothing  for 
anybody  else  so  long  as  their  own  dollars  multiply.  If  they  are  robbed  of 
twenty  thousand  dollars  they  will  gladly  give  half  that  amount  to  get  the 
other  halfback.  Better,  say  they,  to  lose  $10,000  and  compound  a  felony, 
than  be  mulcted  in  §20,000  and  do  a  public  service  by  prosecuting  the 
thief.  So  much  for  the  public  patriotism  of  Wall  Street !  And  yet  such 
selfish  cowardice  ought  not  to  be  necessary  under  a  more  pure  or  less  cor- 
rupt system ;  as  witness  the  American  forgeries  on  the  Bank  of  England, 
where  in  spite  of  a  loss  of  $300,000,  the  most  vigorous  prosecution,  as  is 
usual  in  that  country,  was  immediately  set  on  foot  by  the  bank  authorities 
through  the  very  able  detective  force  of  London,  and  so  thoroughly  and 
honestly  was  the  matter  carried  through  that  in  a  very  short  time  the 
alleged  criminals  were  secured,  and  the  money,  all  but  a  very  trifling  sum, 
recovered.  The  truth  is  that  in  our  city  the  rapacity  for  money  defeats 
itself  in  these  cases,  and  protects  the  thieves  from  punishment.  That  is 
why  they  are  so  seldom  brought  to  justice.  When  a  bond  or  bank  rob- 
bery takes  place  in  New  York,  negotiations  are  entered  into  between  the 
thief  and  his  victim  directly  there  looms  up  any  prospect  of  his  not  being 
able  to  do  anything  better  with  his  spoils.  The  result  of  this  very  often  is 
thaf  fifty  per  cent,  is  retained  by  the  robber  by  consent,  on  condition  that 
the  other  moiety  be  paid  to  the  rightful  owners.  It  is  very  rare  that  one 
of  these  thieves  is  taken  in  the  act.  They  are  too  cautious,  too  wary,  too 
clever, -too  bold,  too  self-possessed,  to  suffer  anything  of  that  kind  ;  and  if 


136  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK   LIFE. 

they  secure  only  tea  per  cent,  by  their  plunder  out  of  the  subsequent  nego- 
tiations, they  are  not  badly  paid  for  the  exercise  of  their  talents.*) 

But  a  thief  of  this  kind  must  not  only  be  endowed  with  valuable  quali- 
ties, he  must  possess  a  superior  appearance  and  a  faultless  demeanor.  The 
danger  of  all  this  can,  however,  be  testified  too  very  strongly  by  many 
banks,  brokers,  and  other  prominent  business  people.  Such  a  man  enter- 
ing a  broker's  office  and  asking  either  to  write  a  letter  or  to  be  allowed  to 
look  at  the  directory  does  not  at  first  create  suspicion.  His  request  being 
granted,  he  is  careful  to  get  as  near  as  possible  to  the  safe,  the  door  of 
weich  is  almost  invariably,  and  always  very  unwisely,  left  standing  open. 
Whilst  engaged  in  getting  the  information  he  pretends  to  want,  or  in  writ- 
ing the  letter,  two  of  his  confederates  enter  and  engage  the  broker's  atten- 
tion by  some  enquiries  which  he  thinks  may  lead  to  more  profits  for  him- 
self. Absorbed  in  this,  he  gives  no  heed  to  the  first  of  his  three  visitors, 
who,  seizing  his  opportunity,  appropriates  anything  that  lies  conveniently 
in  the  safe  within  reach.  Then,  politely  thanking  the  broker  for  his 
courtesy,  he  leaves.  His  confederates  also  take  their  departure  presently, 
though  not  with  any  undue  haste  ;  and  it  may  possibly  be  some  time  before 
the  broker  discovers  that  he  has  lost  anything.  Robberies  of  this  kind  are 
continually  occurring,  and  yet  they  are  rendered  possible  only  by  the  care- 
lessness and  negligence  of  business  people,  who  not  only  leave  their  safe 
doors  open,  but  even  allow  strangers  to  come  within  the  enclosure  of  their 
office. 

A  case  which  occurred  about  two  years  ago  in  a  broker's  office  in  Wall 
Street  serves  to  show  the  extraordinary  audacity  of  the  thieves.  A  broker 
who  does  a  very  considerable  business,  and  employs  a  large  number  of 
clerks,  was  standing  one  day,  during  the  most  active  business  time,  directly 
in  front  of  his  open  safe  engaged  in  conversation  with  a  gentleman.  Pre- 
sently a  man  without  a  hat,  with  a  pen  behind  his  ear  and  a  sheet  of  paper 
in  his  hand,  came  in,  opened  the  railing  without  any  ceremony  and  went 
through,  merely  addressing  the  broker  with  "  Permit  me,  one  moment." 
The  broker,  whose  attention  was  quite  absorbed  in  his  conversation  with 
the  gentleman,  took  scarcely  any  notice  of  the  person  going  in,  supposing 
probably  by  his  manner  and  appearance  that  he  was  one  of  his  own  clerks, 
and  he  made  room  for  him  before  the  safe  ;  upon  which  the  visitor  took 
out  a  parcel  of  United  States  bonds  to  the  value  of  nearly  $100,000  and 
went  away.  The  robbery  was  not  discovered  till  some  time  in  the  course 
of  the  afternoon,  but  not  a  trace  either  of  the  thief  or  of  the  property  has 
been  found  even  to  this  day. 

We  have  incidentally  mentioned  the  notorious  Dutch  Heinrich.     The 


*)  At  date  of  our  writing  (May  31st,  1873)  the  following  announcement  appears  in  a  morning  paper: 
"Three  thousand  dollars  worth  of  the  bonds  stolen  from  the  Waterford  (New  York)  Bank  have  been 
returned  by  the  thieves,  who  have  received  thirty-five  per  cent,  and  immunity  from  punishment  for  their 
trouble." 


THE    THIKVES.  137 

man  is  one  of  the  most  daring,  as  well  as  one  of  the  most  successful,  crimi- 
nals of  the  class  now  under  consideration.  His  career  has  been  so  remark- 
able, throwing  so  completely  into  the  shade  all  the  acts  of  his  associates, 
and  is  in  many  details  so  interesting,  that  it  may  uot  be  out  of  place  to 
refer  to  it  a  little  more  particularly. 

The  offence  for  which  he  was  brought  to  justice  iu  March  1872  and  ulti- 
mately convicted  was  the  robbery  of  $33,000  worth  of  railroad  bonds 
which  he  was  charged  with  having  taken  on  the  14th  of  February  from 
the  office  of  Kennedy  &  Co.,  at  the  corner  of  Cedar  and  William  Streets. 
The  parcel  was  missed  a  quarter  of  an  hour  after  Dutch  Heinrich  and  his 
confederate  had  left  the  counter,  and  during  the  interval  no  one  had  been 
in  the  place  except  those  employed  there.  Dutch  Henry,  however,  who 
had  been  often  before  arrested  and  as  often  escaped  punishment,  was  well 
recognized  by  the  people  of  the  house.  On  previous  occasions  he  had  fre- 
quently escaped  prosecution  either  by  restoring  his  plunder  or  by  some 
arrangement.  Independently  of  the  great  robbery  at  Lord's,  where,  with 
two  associates,  he  stole  United  States  bonds  to  the  value  of  SI, 700,000, 
the  amount  of  this  man's  depredations  during  his  career  has  been  estimated 
at  more  than  a  million  of  dollars. 

It  may  be  ten  or  twelve  years  ago  now,  when  in  company  with  an 
equally  notorious  tbief  of  the  same  kind,  one  Chauncey  Johnson,  he  took 
two  bags  of  gold  coin,  each  with  $5,000,  from  the  Bank  of  the  State  of 
New  York.  Both  separated  when  they  left  the  bank.  Johnson  escaped 
with  his  plunder,  but  Dutch  Heinrich  was  arrested  with  one  of  the  bags  of 
money  in  his  possession.  Nevertheless,  he  was  never  brought  to  trial. 
It  is  said  that  Johnson  gave  back  the  $5,000  in  his  possession  on  the  con- 
dition that  Dutch  Heinrich  should  be  set  at  liberty. 

Not  long  after  this  Dutch  Heinrich  snatched  a  bundle  of  bonds  to  the 
value  of  $10,000  from  the  hand  of  a  gentleman  before  the  Astor  House, 
and  knocked  a  man  down  who  attempted  to  hold  him.  He  was  arrested, 
identified  by  the  person  from  whom  he  stole  the  papers  and  brought  up  for 
examination.  But  he  was  never  tried ;  having  given  up  the  greater  por- 
tion of  the  bonds  to  their  owner  on  condition  that  no  charge  should  be 
made  against  him. 

Again,  a  parcel  containing  816.000  worth  of  United  States  five-twenties 
was  taken  from  the  office  of  the  President  of  the  Central  National  Bank. 
Dutch  Heiurich  having  been  seen  in  the  bank,  there  was  no  doubt  enter- 
tained as  to  his  being  the  thief.  He  was  arrested.  Soon  afterwards,  how- 
ever, the  police  received  information  that  the  bonds  had  been  "  found" 
again,  and  Dutch  Heinrich  was  consequently  released  from  custody. 

One  Sunday  afternoon,  shortly  after  one  of  his  most  successful  opera- 
tions in  Wall  Street,  Dutch  Heinrich  visited  a  gaming  house  in  Prince 
Street  and  there  lost  over  $11,000.  With  a  curse  on  his  ill-luck  he  left 
the  house  and  went  home.     Soon  after,  as  he  was  sitting  in  his  room  in 


138  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

the  twilight  of  the  evening,  he  was  suddenly  seized  from  behind,  threatened 
with  instant  death  if  he  offered  any  resistance,  bound  and  gagged,  and 
everything  he  had  about  him,  which  he  had  got  by  his  rascality  a  few  days 
before,  was  taken  from  him.  His  aggressor,  who  also  arrested  him,  was 
the,  at  that  time,  police  captain,  and  more  recently  police  superintendent 
Jourdan,  and  for  a  short  time  Dutch  Heinrich  found  himself  once  more 
under  lock  and  key.  A  part  of  the  stolen  money  was,  however,  presently 
returned,  and  as  a  consequence  proceedings  against  the  thief  were  once 
more  set  aside. 

It  was  also,  without  doubt,  Dutch  Heinrich  who  towards  the  end  of  1871 
stole  a  parcel  containing  $54,000  worth  of  bonds  from  a  gentleman  named 
Blatchford,  which  that  careless  wiseacre  had  laid  down  on  a  table  in  a 
fruiterer's  shop  while  he  was  buying  some  fruit.  Another  time  he  was 
discovered  behind  the  counter  in  Adams  Express  Office  among  a  number 
of  valuable  packages  of  money,  for  the  removal  of  which  he  was  certainly 
only  awaiting  an  opportunity.  He  wore  a  linen  coat,  and  carried  a  pen 
behind  his  ear,  so  that  he  was  generally  taken  for  one  of  the  many  clerks 
who  are  engaged  in  the  office.  The  same  gentleman  was  likewise  con- 
cerned in  the  robbery  of  $99,000  worth  of  railroad  bonds,  which  were 
taken  from  the  private  office  of  the  president  of  the  Union  Trust  Company 
in  1871.  And  in  fact  there  has  scarcely  been  any  robbery  of  any  import- 
ance for  some  time  past  in  which  Dutch  Heinrich  has  not  had  a  hand. 

The  career  of  this,  the  most  important  of  all  our  thieves,  and  his  Abso- 
lute immunity  from  punishment,  show  beyond  a  doubt,  and  in  the  most 
unanswerable  manner,  how  sad,  how  pitiful,  how  contemptible,  is  the  posi- 
tion held  by  Right  and  Justice  in  this  great  city  of  New  York — the  Me- 
tropolis of  the  "  Land  of  Liberty  !"  Corruption  in  high  places  has  under- 
mined and  threatened  everything,  and  even  as  it  has  in  past  times  torn 
Republics  to  pieces,  so  in  truth  it  now  threatens  to  destroy  this  our  Repub- 
lic of  North  America.     It  is  terrible,  but  true  ! 

What  we  have  thus  far  written  refers  only  to  those  bond  and  bank  rob- 
beries wrhich  have  been  perpetrated  more  after  the  fashion  of  the  sneak- 
thieves  and  without  the  employment  of  force.  But  there  are  also  bank 
thieves,  who  obtain  excess  to  the  places  burglariously,  and  we  must  say  a 
few  wTords  concerning  them. 

This  species  of  thief  may  be  characterized  by  the  operations  tfpon  the 
Ocean  Bank  in  Greenwich  Street,  which  occurred  about  two  ye&rs  ago. 
The  thieves  had  rented  an  office  in  the  basement  of  the  Ocean  Bauk  from 
a  broker  named  O'Kell,  who  was  afterwards  sent  to  Sing  Sing  as  having 
been  the  receiver  of  some  stolen  United  States  bands.  In  this  office  the 
burglars  passed  their  time  from  Saturday  evening  to  Monday  morning, 
engaged  in  breaking  a  way  through  the  ceiling  and  then  through  the  floor 
of  the  bank.  Having  by  this  means  obtained  access  to  the  latter  office, 
they  opened  the  large  safe  and  took  from  it  more  than  $200,000  in  cash 


THE    TIIIKVES. 


139 


and  valuable  papers,  of  which  no  part  has  ever  been  recovered.  Much  in 
l he  same  manner  the  Third  National  Bank  of  Baltimore,  Maryland,  was 
robbed  in  the  summer  of  1872  ;  and  again  before  that  the  Boylston  Bank 
in  Boston.  In  this  case  the  thieves  rented  the  house  which  stood  at  the 
rear  of  the  bank  building,  then  broke  through  the  walla  and  so  obtained 
access  to  the  bank.  A  man  named  Glover,  from  this  place,  one  of  the 
confederates  in  that  robbery,  attempted  to  sell  some  of  the  stolen  bonds  in 
New  York,  but  he  was  arrested,  and  being  transferred  to  Boston,  he  was 
there  sentenced  to  a  long  term  of  imprisonment  ;  for  the  people  of  other 
States  are  not  always  so  thin  skinned  in  their  dealings  with  criminals  as 
we  in  New  York  are.  And  yet  even  in  that  case  the  actual  robbers  have 
never  been  detected. 

Again,  in  the  summer  of  1872  an  attempt  of  an  exactly  similar  kind 
was  made  to  enter  the  First  National  Bank  in  Jersey  City.  Here,  how- 
ever, the  thieves  did  not  effect  their  object,  for  being  discovered  while  at 
work  they  took  flight  and  disappeared.  All  these  robberies  were  no  doubt 
done  by  the  bank  thieves  of  this  city.  That  is  clear  from  their  manner  of 
operating,  and  is  a  proof  of  the  foresight  of  these  people,  and  of  the  ex- 
tremely dangerous  character  of  the  gangs  to  which  they  belong. 

But  there  are  bank  robberies,  which  are  not  perpetrated  by  the  regular, 
•  professional  bank  thieves,  and  an  example  of  these  is  related  by  Mr. 
McWaters,  of  which  we  avail  ourselves. 

He  says: — "I  was  one  day  called  suddenly  to  see  the  president  of  a 
bank  in  Wall  Street.  I  hastened  to  his  office  and  he  informed  me  that 
within  the  previous  two  hours  a  bag  containing  $10,000  in  gold  has  been 
;  missed.  All  search  for  it  had  been  fruitless,  and  scarcely  one  of  the  clerks 
could  call  to  mind  anybody  who  could  have  taken  it  from  the  shelf  where 
it  had  been  placed.  Nor  is  such  a  statement  surprising  when  we  recollect 
the  number  of  persons  who  have  business  in  a  large  bank,  and  how  each 
one  has  his  hands  full,  and  attends  only,  and  can  attend  only,  to  the  duty 
that  is  immediately  before  him.  Besides  which  business  on  that  particu- 
lar day  had  been  particularly  active  in  the  bank.  I  examined  the  place 
carefully,  and  thought  myself  constrained  to  say  that  no  one  could  have 
slipped  into  the  place  and  taken  the  bag  away  from  the  shelf  in  the  safe, 
because  the  clerks  wrere  engaged  at  their  desks  all  about,  and  the  thief 
would  have  had  to  get  round  behind  them.  But  the  president  assured  me 
that  he  could  not  rest  the  smallest  suspicion  upon  any  of  the  clerks,  that 
without  exception  the  honor  of  them  all  had  been  thoroughly  proved,  and 
they  had  shown  themselves  quite  worthy  of  all  the  confidence  that  had 
been  placed  in  them.  Besides  which  none  of  the  clerks  had  that  morning 
left  the  bank,  except  at  lunch-time,  when  they  never  went  out  singly,  but 
two  or  three  together.  That  the  bag  was  in  the  safe  in  the  morning  when 
the  bank  opened  was,  nevertheless,  an  undoubted  fact  ; — and  I  told  the 
president  that  in  my  opinion  where  there  was  at  present  nothing  to  take 


140  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

hold  of,  it  would  be  very  difficult  to  do  anything,  and  that  it  seemed  to  me 
that  it  would  be  better  to  keep  quiet  and  wait  patiently.  If  some  accident 
did  not  lead  to  a  discovery  he  would  be  hardly  likely  to  see  the  money 
again,  for  it  was  very  probable  that  some  bold  thief,  having  the  appearance 
of  a  clerk  and  who  had  carefully  studied  the  place  before,  had  slipped  in 
among  the  other  clerks  some  time  during  the  height  of  business  when  the 
bank  was  full  of  people,  and  so  had  completed  the  robbery.  That  was  my 
opinion,  although  I  gave  it  with  some  scruple  of  conscience.  But  how  was 
it  possible  to  identify  even  one  of  the  thousand  ten  dollar  pieces  which 
were  in  the  bag !     That  was  a  difficulty  which  could  not  be  got  over. 

Still  I  set  to  work  to  consider  what  ought  to  be  done.  I  got  them  to 
show  me  one  of  the  bags  like  that  in  which  the  money  had  been  stolen, 
and  carefully  noted  its  marks.  The  president,  who  was  exceedingly  angry 
that  such  a  thing  should  have  happened  in  his  bank,  imposed  the  strictest 
silence  upon  all  his  clerks,  and  requested  the  same  also  of  me  ; — for  which 
reason  I  do  not  mention  the  name  here  either  of  the  bank  or  of  any  of  the 
persons  concerned. 

The  first  thing  I  did  was  to  seek  out  the  rag  collectors  and  people  who 
go  about  the  streets  buying  up  old  rags  and  such  things,  and  promised 
them  a  good  reward  if  they  could  find  me  a  bag  with  certain^markings 
upon  it,  such  as  I  described.  By  this  means  I  in  a  measure  converted  a 
number  of  people  into  detectives.  I  must  certainly  confess,  that  if  the 
thief  had  his  right  senses  about  him,  he  must  have  destroyed  the  bag  as 
soon  as  possible  ;  still  it  was  just  a  chance  that  he  might  have  thrown  it 
on  one  side,  and  in  that  case  it  would  most  surely  come  with  other  scraps 
and  papers  into  the  hands  of  the  rag-collectors.  Besides  this  I  visited  the 
different  resorts  of  thieves  and  gaming  houses  to  find  out  whether  per- 
chance any  of  their  visitors  had  exhibited  a  quantity  of  money,  and  I  got 
the  co-operation  for  this  purpose  of  several  other  detectives.  But  time 
passed  on,  and  in  this  way  we  could  not  discover  anything.  Indeed,  a  long 
while  intervened,  till  at  last  I  heard  something  from  one  of  the  rag  men. 
One  of  these  people  at  length  came  to  me  and  informed  me  that  he  thought 
he  had  seen  the  bag  I  wanted,  but  that  he  had  not  brought  it  with  him  nor 
interfered  in  any  way,  because  he  thought  it  would  be  better  for  me  to  go 
and  see  the  bag  myself.  It  was  in  a  stable  belonging  to  a  rich  family  in 
the  upper  part  of  the  city,  and  belonged,  as  he  thought,  to  the  coachman, 
— having  seen  it  there  when  he  called  once  to  buy  a  lot  of  rags.  It  was 
filled  with  something,  tied  up,  and  was  hanging  from  a  nail.  He  added 
that  he  had  carefully  noticed  the  marks,  was  convinced  that  it  was  the  bag 
I  wanted,  and  begged  me  to  go  with  him  and  see  it  for  myself. 

On  the  following  morning  we  went  together  to  the  stable  and  found  it 
open,  a  carriage  standing  in  the  entrance.  I  had  previously  instructed  the 
rag  man  that  he  shonld  get  into  conversation  with  the  coachman  about  the 
rag  business  that  he  had  done  with  him  the  day  before,  so  that,  without 


THE    THIEVES.  141 

arousing  any  suspicion,  I  could  get  an  opportunity  to  examine  the  bag. 
We  did  so,  and  in  truth  it  was  the  identical  bag  I  was  looking  for.  I  then 
sat  down  on  a  chest  that  was  standing  conveniently  and  began  to  chat  with 
the  coachman  upon  things  generally ;  from  which  conversation  I  was 
enabled  to  glean  that  the  coachman  was  quite  innocent  of  the  robbery  and 
knew  nothing  whatever  about  it.  To  make  a  convenient  opportunity  for 
fretting  close  to  the  bag,  I  began  to  walk  about  the  stable,  and  to  look  first 
at  the  carriage,  then  at  one  thing  after  another,  till  at  last  I  stood  opposite 
where  the  bag  was  hanging  and  said  "  What  a  cnrious  mark,  it  looks  like 
a  coat  of  arms."  "  No,'*  replied  the  coachman  laughing,  "  It  is  not  my 
coat  of  arms,  but  it  is  my  bag."  We  chatted  on  and  to  the  question  where 
he  had  got  the  bag  from,  he  replied,  that  he  had  bought  it  some  time 
before  of  a  rag  man  at  the  next  corner,  and  had  paid  six  cents  for  it.  To 
my  further  enquiry  what  he  wanted  it  for,  he  answered  laughing  that  if  I 
fancied  the  bag  so  much  I  might  have  it.  There  was  nothing  in  it  but 
some  old  screws  and  nails,  and  these  he  could  easily  put  somewhere  else. 

I  thanked  him  and  took  the  bag.  I  then  asked  him  whether  he  had 
ever  seen  the  man  he  bought  the  bag  of  since,  and  whether  he  would  know 
him  if  he  saw  him.  To  this  he  answered  that  the  man  often  came  around 
with  his  barrow.  Now  I  asked  the  coachman  whether,  if  I  paid  him,  he 
would  so  with  me  and  look  for  the  man.  He  consented,  and  so  we  soon 
set  out  towards  Sixty-second  Street,  where  at  that  time  many  rag  collectors 
resided.  We  got  on  to  a  Fourth  Avenue  car,  but  had  not  ridden  far 
before  the  coachman,  who  remained  on  the  platform,  suddenly  gave  the 
signal  to  stop  and  calling  to  me,  said  : — "  Look,  there's  the  man  we  want." 
We  got  off,  and  he  ran  to  the  barrow  and  stopped  the  man.  When  the 
latter  heard  that  I  wanted  to  speak  to  him,  he  seemed  a  little  frightened. 
But  I  soon  set  him  at  his  ease  when  I  told  him  that  I  would  not  detain 
him  long,  but  that  for  the  time  I  detained  him  I  would  pay  him  twenty- 
five  cents,  at  the  same  time  putting  that  sum  into  his  hand.  That  gave 
him  confidence  ;  and  now  I  asked  him  what  route  he  traversed,  for  all 
these  rag  collectors  have  certain  defined  rounds.  He  told  me  this,  but  to 
my  further  question  whether  he  knew  this  man,  pointing  to  the  coachman, 
he  was  at  first  unable  to  answer  with  any  certainty.  When,  however,  I 
showed  him  the  bag,  and  asked  him  if  he  knew  that,  he  looked  at  it  and 
after  a  moments  consideration  said  u  Yes,  and  I  think  that  is  the  man 
who  bought  it  from  me  and  gave  me  six  cents  for  it.     Yes,  that  is  the  man." 

"Now,  my  frieud,"  I  continued,  "I  want  to  know  where  you  bought 
the  bag.  That  is  what  I  have  been  trying  to  find  you  for.  Can  you  tell 
me  anything  about  it !"  The  man  had  a  good  memory  and  he  told  me 
where  he  had  received  it.  On  the  same  day  that  he  sold  it  to  the  coach- 
man he  had  bought  a  parcel  of  rags  and  old  paper  for  a  few  cents  from  a 
woman,  ,and.  as  he  grumbled  about  his  bargain,  that  he  had  given  her  too 
much,  she  afterwards  threw  the  bag  hi  with  the  lot. 


142 


THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 


Now  that  I  had  found  the  rag  man,  I  let  the  coachman  go.  Bu-t 
although  I  offered  him  money,  he  would  not  take  any,  but  said  he  was 
glad  he  had  been  able  to  render  me  any  service.  Now  I  took  the  man's 
barrow  into  a  livery  stable  where  I  was  known,  and  he  then  led  me  to  a 
house  in  Bayard  Street  where  the  woman  lived  from  whom  he  had  received 
the  bag  and  with  whom  he  often  had  little  business  transactions.  Upon 
enquiry  the  woman  well  remembered  the  particular  dealing  with  William 
— as  she  called  the  rag  man — and  also  that  she  had  given  the  bag  into  the 
parcel  of  stuff  he  had  purchased.  She  also  recollected  where  she  had  got 
it  from.  She  had  a  daughter  in  Pine  Street,  and  it  was  from  her  she  had 
bought  the  bundle  of  scraps  and  papers,  among  which  was  this  bag.  In 
answer  to  further  questions  I  learned  that  the  little  transaction  referred  to 
had  taken  place  on  a  date  which  was  some  days  after  the  robbery  at  the 
bank,  and  I  now  induced  the  old  lady  to  go  with  me  to  her  daughter.  This 
she  did,  and  in  that  daughter  I  found  a  respectable  young  woman  whose 
business  was  to  clean  a  number  of  offices  down  town,  in  which  herifrusband 
acted  as  watchman.  She,  too,  was  quite  willing  to  answer  my  questions, 
and  she  told  me  that  she  had  received  the  bag  from  a  young  man  who  was 
in  a  broker's  office  in  Wall  Street.  Now  a  light  began  to  dawn.  I  did 
not  know  the  broker  at  all  and  did  not  care  to  ask  the  woman  much  about 
him,  but  to  my  enquiries  how  it  happened  that  the  young  man  came  to 
give  her  the  bag,  she  told  me  the  following  tale  : — 

The  young  man  often  used  to  come  and  joke  and  play  with  her.  One 
day,  it  was  on  a  Friday,  the  day  after  the  bank  robbery,  she  went  after 
business  hours  into  the  office  to  clean  the  place.  While  so  engaged  the 
young  man  in  joke  threw  a  lot  of  paper  over  her  head,  and  which  she  had 
to  take  away  with  her  ;  upon  which  she  made  a  ball  of  a  few  pieces  of 
paper  and  threw  them  at  him  in  return.  This  went  on  for  some  little 
time,  and  when  she  opened  the  door  to  leave,  he  picked  up  the  bag  from 
under  a  counter  in  the  office  and,  crumpling  it  up  together,  threw  it  at  her 
head,  too  ;  upon  which  with  some  joking  remark  she  brought  it  away 
with  her. 

That  was  the  purport  of  her  very  circumstantial  story,  and  much  pleased 
I  of  course  was  to  find  that  she  recollected  all  so  well.  This  testimony 
was  clear.  My  next  step  was  to  make  the  acquaintance  of  the  young  man, 
the  broker's  clerk  ;  and  for  that  purpose  I  went  the  next  day  to  the  office 
to  change  some  money.  The  clerk  was  there,  and  after  I  had  changed  the 
money,  I  got  into  conversation  with  him,  having  designedly  chosen  an 
early  hour  when  I  guessed  that  he  would  most  likely  be  alone.  I  found 
him  to  be  a  good  hearted,  intelligent,  and,  as  it  seemed  to  me,  an  honest 
young  man.  His  principal  had  not  arrived,  and  I  went  later  in  the  day  to 
see  him  at  a  time  when  I  felt  sure  the  clerk  would  be  out.  I  again  took 
some  money  to  exchange,  and  that  gave  me  an  opportunity  to  take  a  good 
look  at  the  broker.     He  was  a  thin,  haggard  looking  man  of  middle  size, 


THE    THIEVES.  11' 

with  a  physiognomy  which  indicated  the  determination  and  ability  to  do 
any  bad  and  desperate  actions. 

I  was  now  quite  certain  that  I  had  found  the  man  who  had  stolen  the 
money  ;  but  how  was  I  to  get  hold  of  him?  I  was  quite  convinced  that 
the  clerk  was  an  honest  young  fellow.  I  saw  plainly  that  the  broker  could 
not  be  doiug  a  very  large  busiuess,  and  therefore  that  he  could  not  be  pay- 
ing his  clerk  a  very  high  salary.  I  recognized,  moreover,  the  first  neces- 
sity of  getting  the  clerk  out  of  the  office,  and  that,  to  that  end,  I  must 
endeavor  to  provide  him  with  some  position  where  the  pay  would  be 
better. 

I  now  called  upon  the  bank  president  and  told  him,  that  I  had  followed 
up  the  clue  into  a  broker's  office  in  Wall  Street,  but  did  not  mention  to 
him  yet  the  broker's  name.  I  informed  him,  however,  that  in  that  office 
there  was  a  young  man,  as  clerk,  whom  I  believed  to  be  honest  and  useful, 
and  that  I  wanted  him  removed ;  to  which  end  I  desired  to  provide  him 
another  situation,  and  as  soon  as  I  had  done  that  I  would  cause  him  to 
give  up  the  present  one. 

The  president  was  at  once  willing  to  arrange  this,  and  he  requested  me 
to  call  again  on  the  following  day  when  he  would  have  found  an  appoint- 
ment for  him,  at  a  much  better  salary,  too,  than  the  young  man  was  then 
receiving.  "  But  now,  tell  me,"  said  the  president,  u  who  the  broker  is." 
This,  however,  I  at  once  refused,  as  I  wished  to  get  the  affair  in  a  condi- 
tion of  more  certainty  first. 

On  the  next  morning  the  president  informed  me  that  he  had  found  a 
position  for  the  young  man  ;  and  as  I  knew  the  time  when  the  latter  went 
out  in  the  middle  of  the  day  to  get  his  lunch,  I  watched  for  him,  and  we 
went  and  had  our  luncheon  together.  On  our  return  I  slopped  suddenly, 
saying : — u  But  I  must  go  another  way,  and  shall  hope  to  see  you  again." 
At  the  same  moment  I  took  my  pocket-handkerchief  out  of  my  inner  pocket 
as  if  I  wanted  to  use  it,  and  with  it  threw  out,  as  if  by  accident,  two  tickets 
for  the  theatre  with  which  I  had  provided  myself  for  the  purpose.  I 
picked  up  the  tickets  and  said  "Look  here,  perhaps  you  would  like  to  go 
to  the  theatre  to-night.  I  have  had  these  two  tickets  given  to  me  and  I 
can  only  use  one  of  them." 

He  took  it.  We  met  at  the  theatre,  sat  together,  and  entertained  our- 
selves between  the  acts,  so  that  I  was  sure  of  getting  well  into  his  favor. 
On  our  return  I  spoke  to  him  twice  to  come  and  have  something  to  drink, 
but  I  found  that  he  would  not  drink  anything  but  lemouade,  and  was  in 
every  way  a  very  temperate  man.  Before  we  reached  his  residence,  too, 
I  had  learned  from  him  the  amount  of  salary  he  was  getting  at  the  broker's 
and  when  I  remarked  that  he  ought  to  be  doing  better  than  that,  he  said 
that  he  had  no  friends  who  could  help  him  to  a  better  position.  So  one 
thing  led  to  another  ;  and  after,  in  reply  to  my  enquiries,  he  had  told  me 
that  he  could  leave  his  present  situation  at  any  time,  I  told  him  that  I  was 


144  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK   LIFE. 

willing  to  procure  him  a  better  situation  ;  for  which  offer  he  was  very 
thankful.  Suffice  it  to  say  that  in  less  than  four  days  the  young  man  had 
a  book-keepers  situation,  with  a  salary  double  that  which  he  had  been 
receiving.  I  had,  however,  learned  so  much  from  him  during  the  oppor- 
tunities afforded  by  my  frequent  communications  with  him  in  the  past  few 
days  respecting  the  broker,  his  late  principal,  that  now  no  doubt,  what- 
ever, remained  in  my  mind  as  to  his  having  been  the  man  who  robbed  the 
bank. 

I  now  returned  once  more  to  the  president,  told  him  the  name  of  the 
broker  and  the  nature  of  the  proof  I  had  attained.  I  also  added  that  thus 
/ar  I  had  said  nothing  to  the  young  man  either  of  him  or  of  the  bag,  and 
we  agreed  that  I  should  invite  the  young  man  to  meet  him  on  the  following 
night  and  that  I  should  also  be  present. 

As  I  went  with  the  young  man  on  the  next  evening  to  the  president,  ) 
had  an  opportunity  to  speak  to  him,  and  then  told  him  that  it  wai  not  I, 
but  the  gentleman  whom  he  was  going  to  see  that  he  was  indebted  to  for 
his  promotion.  He  thereupon  lost  no  time  in  thanking  the  president  for 
his  kindness,  and  as  he  did  so  I  took  up  a  paper  from  the  table  as  if  casu- 
ally. But  I  had  previously  placed  the  bag  under  it,  so  seeing  this  again, 
now  I  looked  at  it  carefully  and  said  to  the  president,  "  I  beg  pardon,  sir, 
but  this  peculiar  mark  rather  excites  my  curiosity.  Allow  me  to  ask 
what  it  means  ?"  And  thereupon  I  took  the  bag  up  and  examined  the 
mark  more  closely. 

*'  Oh  !"  he  answered,  "  it  is  a  kind  of  private  crest."  And  before  he 
had  finished  speaking  I  passed  it  over  to  the  young  man  asking  him 
whether  he  had  ever  seen  such  a  mark. 

"  No,  not  that  I  know  of,"  he  replied,  "  and  yet  it  seems  1  ought  to 
know  the  bag."  Upon  this  he  examined  it  carefully,  and  presently  laid  it 
back  upon  the  table,  saying  "  No,  I  do  not  remember  ever  to  have  seen 
such  a  mark  as  that." 

The  conversation  now  turned  upon  his  former  appointment,  and  the  busi- 
ness  and  practices  of  his  late  principal,  from  all  of  which  it  was  evident 
that  he  had  no  very  great  respect  for  him.  Finally  I  directed  the  conver- 
sation towards  the  pretty  Sarah,  who  used  to  clean  and  attend  to  his  office, 
and  I  said  to  him  u  Sarah  gave  me  this  bag,  and  through  the  kindness  of 
this  gentleman  it  has  since  been  the  means  of  procuring  you  your  present 
situation. 

The  young  man  gave  me  an  astonished  and  enquiring  look,  as  though 
he  would  be  very  glad  to  have  an  explanation. 

u  Well,  I  will  enlighten  you.  You  remember  one  day  (and  here  I 
noted  the  day)  when  after  business  hours  Sarah  came  into  your  office  to 
clean  it,  and  you  two  romped  together  and  threw  balls  of  paper  at  each 
other?" 


THE    THIEVES. 


145 


M  Yes,  indeed,"  he  replied,  "  aud  I  picked  up  a  bag  that  lay  under  the 
table  and  threw  it  at  her." 

M  You  are  right  ;  that's  just  what  Sarah  told  us..  Now  let  me  ask  you, 
do  you  know  how  that  bag  got  uuder  the  table  ?" 

"To  be  sure  I  do.     Mr. (the  broker)  took  it  out  of  his  pocket 

two  or  three  days  before  and  threw  it  there." 

"  IIow  did  the  gentleman  behave  himself  on  that  day?  I  mean,  in  what 
kind  of  temper  was  he  on  that  day?'* 

"  Oh  !  he  was  very  nervous,  very  much  out  of  sorts." 

"  What  was  lying  there,  where  he  threw  the  bag?" 

u  It  is  a  shelf  on  which  things  are  put  out  of  the  way.  On  the  day  I 
threw  the  bag  at  Sarah,  I  had  put  a  lot  of  old  paper  there  and  that  was 
how  the  bag  came  into  my  mind." 

u  Then  would  Mr. not  have  seen  the  bag,  and  thu^  be  able  to 

remember  it  ?" 

"  No,  not  unless  he  stooped  down  to  look  for  something. " 

Now  I  understand  how  it  was  that  the  broker  had  allowed  the  bag  to 
escape  his  attention.  We  now  made  further  enquiries  and  ascertained 
that  the  broker  on  the  day  in  question  was  very  much  agitated,  and  that 
he  had  on  that  day  also  bought  several  building  lots  in  East  New  Y'ork 
and  paid  for  them.  He  speculated  a  great  deal  in  real-estate,  and  accord- 
ing to  the  opinion  of  the  young  man  he  was  quite  rich  enough  to  do  so. 

Our  evidence  was  possibly  now  sufficient,  but  we  said  nothing  to  the 
clerk  of  the  purpose  for  which  we  had  the  bag,  nor  why  it  was  of  so  much 
importance  to  us.  The  next  thing  to  be  done  was  to  get  hold  of  the  broker. 
We  made  enquiry  about  his  landed  property  and  it  turned  out  as  the  young 
man  had  said  that  he  was  very  well  off  in  that  respect. 

I  now  laid  my  plans,  and  what  I  must  do  in  order  to  attain  my  object ; 
for  I  made  up  my  mind  that  we  must  get  the  money  back.  The  broker 
was  a  desperate  man,  although  a  nervous  one,  and  I  came  to  the  conclu- 
sion that  the  best  thing  to  do  would  be  to  take  the  bull  by  the  horns.  So 
I  went  well  armed  into  his  office  and  asked  him  to  walk  with  me  into  his 
private  room  ;  while  I  left  the  bank  president  out  of  doors  with  a  request 
that  he  would  follow  me  in  a  couple  of  minutes.  I  was  speaking  to  the 
broker  for  probably  half  a  minute  before  I  suddenly  pulled  the  bag  out  of 
my  pocket,  held  it  up  before  his  eyes,  and  moving  towards  the  front  office 
where  the  new  clerk  was,  I  whispered  to  him  "  No  noise  !  It  will  only 
injure  you."     And  then  I  asked  :  — "  Did  you  ever  see  this  bag  before  ?" 

He  was  quite  pale,  and  reaching  out  his  hand  to  the  bag,  he  said : — 
"No,  I  do  not  know  it." 

"  Do  you  know  who  it  belongs  to?" 

"  No,  I  do  not,"  he  said,  stammering,  but  with  a  somewhat  decided 
appearance. 

At  this  moment  the  president  came  in. 

10 


146  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

"  Then  here,"  I  replied,  "  is  the  gentleman  to  whom  it  belongs." — And, 
as  the  president  stopped,  I  asked  him  "  who  does  this  bag  belong  to?" 

"  To  me,"  he  replied,  "  but  the  gold  that  was  in  it  belongs  to  the ■ 

Bank,"  and  then  sending  a  piercing  look  at  the  broker  he  continued,  "And 
you  are  the  man  who  stole  it." 

"Upon  my  word,"  said  the  broker,  "I  never  saw  it  before,"  although 
his  whole  appearance  and  manner  showed  beyond  a  doubt  that  he  was 
guilty. 

"  Very  well,"  said  I,  "  we  will  see  all  about  that.  Permit  me,  one 
moment,"  and  thereupon  I  went  to  the  door  and  gave  a  sign  to  the  old 
clerk  (whom  I  had  caused  to  be  near  at  hand)  to  come  inf  He  did  so, 
and  immediately  there  was  a  strange  mixture  of  terror  and  astonishment 
on  the  face  of  the  broker. 

"  Have 'you  ever  seen  this  bag  before?  And  if  so,  where?"  I  asked  the 
clerk. 

"Yes,  in  the  hands  of  Mr. ,"  (the  broker). 

"  Where  did  he  get  it  from  and  what  was  he  doing  with  it?" 
The  young  man  now  related  all  that  is  already  known  to  the  reader,  and 
when  he  had  finished  I  told  him  that  now  he  might  go.     He  left  us,  and 
as  he  knew  nothing  whatever  of  the  robbery,  he  must  have  been  very  much 
wondering  what  it  was  all  about. 
Now  I  turned  to  the  broker. 

"  You  see  that  you  are  discovered.  That  young  man  is  only  one  of  our 
witnesses.  At  present  he  knows  nothing  of  your  robbery.  You  are  sur- 
rounded on  all  sides,  but  if  you  do  not  provoke  us  to  anything  worse,  I 
will  undertake  to  send  out  your  clerk  and  to  arrange  this  business  on  the 
spot.  We  must  have  the  money  back,  and  you  must  restore  to  the  presi- 
dent the  expenses  you  have  put  him  to." 

The  broker  seemed  to  be  having  an  inward  struggle  with  himself  for  a 
moment.  He  was  pale  as  death  and  his  thin  pointed  chin  trembled.  He 
was  clearly  considering  it.  But  I  did  not  think  it  well  to  leave  him 
entirely  to  his  own  reflections,  and  as  I  was  now  quite  satisfied  how  he 
had  schemed  the  theft  of  the  bag,  I  said  to  him  "  You  must  know,  that 
from  the  hour,  when  under  the  assumed  appearance  of  a  clerk  you  slipped 
into  the  bank  and  stole  the  money,  we  have  known  that  you  were  the  thief. 
We  have  only  been  waiting  for  more  evidence  in  order  to  bring  it  home  to 
you.  The  bag  has  been  our  final  piece  of  proof.  If  we  had  arrested  you 
sooner,  and  even  if  we  had  found  the  stolen  gold,  still  we  could  not  have 
identified  it.  Nevertheless,  we  have  followed  up  the  business,  and  have 
been  keeping  an  eye  upon  you  with  untiring  patience,  and  we  could  have 
arrested  you  a  year  ago,  if  it  had  been  necessary.  You  now  know  your 
position.  We  will  not  prosecute  you  criminally,  if  you  do  not  force  us  to 
do  so.  You  may  in  a  moment  be  in  a  worse  perplexity,  and  have  to  sub- 
mit to  a  search,  which  would  do  you  lasting  injury.     We  demand,  as  I 


THE   THIEVES.  1  W 

jfigt  now  said,  tke  return  of  our  money  and  our  expenses  ;  but  we  are  not 
going  to  wait  another  minute.     I  think  now  you  understand  us. 

The  man  trembled.  He  still  seemed  to  be  contending  with  himself. 
Then  with  a  terrible  oath,  he  cursed  his  crime  and  himself  to  the  depths 
of  hell ;  and  instantly  fell  back  into  his  chair  and  a  flood  of  tears  roiled 
down  his  cheeks. 

"  Gentlemen,"  he  began,  after  a  little  while.  "  I  give  myself  up.  You 
•are  treating  me,  as  I  see,  leniently.  I  have  cursed  that  stolen  gold  many 
•days.  I  was  mud  when  I  took  it.  I  had  been  drinking.  It  was  only 
one  glass  of  brandy  ;  but  I  so  seldom  take  any  spirits,  that  even  that  one 
glass  did  the  mischief.  I  had  been  reading  in  a  London  paper  a  week  or 
two  before  the  report  of  a  similar  daring  robbery  in  Loudon,  in  which,  up 
1o  that  time,  the  thief  had  not  been  discovered.  That  venturesome  act 
incessantly  haunted  me,  and  one  day  the  devil  must  have  got  possession  of 
me.  I  wrent  into  the  bank  and  sawr  it  full  of  people.  I  took  off  my  hat 
(a  white  hat)  and  hid  it  here  (pointing  to  the  inside  of  his  waistcoat),  and 
almost  before  I  knew  it  I  had  committed  the  robbery.  There,  now  you 
have  my  confession.  Now  do  what  you  like  with  me.  Often  have  I 
wanted  to  return  the  money  ;  but  I  always  gave  up  the  thought  again, 
from  fear  that  by  so  doing  my  crime  would  be  discovered." 

"  Well,"  I  replied,  "  you  now  know  what  we  want." 
*"  That  you  shall  have,  but  for  God's  sake  forgive  me  and  keep  the  thing 
a  secret.     I  shall  not  do  the  same  again.     I  have  suffered  enough  for  this 
already." 

As  he  had  not  enough  cash  in  the  safe,  he  gave  the  president,  by  way  of 
security,  mortgages  to  the  value  of  five  times  the  amount  of  the  stolen 
property,  and  thus  the  bank  recovered  the  whole  ten  thousand  dollars." 

Here  then  we  have  the  account  of  a  bank  robbery  which  was  not  done 
by  professional  bank  thieves,  but  by  a  man  whom  one  could  not  well  have 
expected  to  undertake  such  a  business.  We  have  already  expressed  our 
•disapprobation  of  the  practice  by  which  so  many  crimes  against  property 
are  hushed  up  with  the  return  in  some  way  of  the  things  that  were  stolen, 
instead  of  the  thief  being  brought  to  the  punishment  he  deserves.  And 
this  is  another  illustration  of  the  kind. 

Where  a  young  man  commits  a  first  offence  against  property — led  astray 
perchance  by  bad  associations — it  may  be  well,  and  it  may  lead  to  good 
results  to  forgive  him,  and  to  set  him  at  liberty  again  with  a  warning, 
even  when  the  stolen  property  is  not  restored  to  its  owners  ;  but  surely  the 
concealment  of  an  offence  of  the  kind  mentioned  is  a  great  injustice  against 
the  public  weal,  not  only  when  the  guilty  person  happens  to  be  a  profes- 
sional thief,  but  even  when  without,  being  that,  he  is  a  man  of  advanced 
years,  who  has  not  the  extenuating  excuse  of  youth  and  misguidance. 
"The  narrator  of  the  above  case  concludes  his  statement  with  the  following 
words  : — 


148  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

"  It  remains  for  me  only  to  say  that  the  broker  did  in  reality  reform. 
His  face  did  not  please  me,  and  I  had  not  thought  so  well  of  his  declara- 
tions of  repentance.  There  was  something  gloomy  and  bad  in  his  per- 
sonal appearance,  but  so  much  I  know,  that  he  never  committed  a  similar 
offence  again,  and  that  he  afterwards  filled  the  position  of  a  member  of  the 
Common  Council,  to  which  he  was  elected  after  he  gave  up  the  brokerage 
business  and  became  a  ward  politician." 

Thus  then  the  same  man  who  was  guilty  of  such  a  daring,  impudent 
bank  robbery,  became  soon  after  a  member  of  the  New  York  magistracy, 
one  of  the  "  city  fathers"  of  New  York,  as  the  members  of  that  body  are 
called !  Would  not  a  prison  have  been  a  more  suitable  place  for  him  ? 
And  ought  we  to  wonder  that  the  government  of  New  York  has  been  for 
many  years  so  corrupt  as  it  has,  when  such  people  are  placed  into  positions 
of  honor  and  responsibility?  In  truth  it  is  one  of  the  evils  for  which,  as 
well  as  for  all  others  that  flow  out  of  it,  the  citizens  themselves  are  alone 
to  blame  ;  for  in  a  commonwealth  which  elects  its  own  officers,  and  in 
such  an  election  has  the  most  unresisted  choice,  evil  elements  can  be 
brought  into  power  only  by  the  will  of  the  citizens. 

Following  next  to  the  bank  robbers  and  bank  thieves  come  the  Safe 
Busters  ;  or  rather,  perhaps,  they  should  be  enumerated  with  bank  thieves. 
They  fall  naturally  into  three  classes  ;  namely :  first  those  who  burst  open 
the  safe  with  gunpowder, — "  safe  blowers"  ;  then  those  who,  not  using 
powder,  have  recourse  to  mechanical  means,  these  are  "  safe  bursters" 
par  excellence;  and  lastly,  those  who,  from  their  custom  of  smashing  open 
the  safe,  are  known  as  "  safe  breakers."  The  three  classes  together  num- 
ber about  three  hundred  persons,  and  as  they  by  no  means  confine  their 
speculations  to  bank  safes,  but  also  attack  those  belonging  to  private  peo- 
ple, and  in  private  residences,  they  are  inflicting  a  large  amount  of  injury 
at  all  times. 

The  safe  robber,  like  a  description  of  house-breakers  before  described, 
usually  obtains  access  to  houses  by  means  of  false  keys.  Once  inside, 
they  go  to  work  with  a  rapidity  and  certainly  which  can  only  be  attained 
by  long  experience.  They  drill  holes  in  the  safe,  near  the  lock,  so  as,  if 
possible,  to  obtain  access  into  the  lock  itself.  When  this  has  been  done  to 
a  sufficient  extent,  in  their  judgment,  they  fill  the  bores,  so  made,  with 
gunpowder,  attaching  a  fuse  by  which  it  may  be  ignited.  But  now  two 
precautions  are  necessary.  The  explosion  may,  and  very  likely  will,  break 
the  windows  of  the  room  ;  and,  moreover,  the  noise  may  be  heard  by  some 
person  near  by  who  would  give  an  alarm.  As  a  safe-guard  against  the 
former  of  these  obstacles,  all  the  windows  in  the  room  are  gently  lowered 
about  a  couple  of  inches,  thus  giving  egress  to  the  air  when  the  gunpowder 
is  fired.  And  next,  the  whole  safe  is  wrapped  from  top  to  bottom  in  a 
number  of  wet  blankets,  as  thickly  as  possible,  by  which  means  the  sound 


THE    THIEVES.  143 

of  the  explosion  is  made  barely  audible  outside  of  the  room.  The  fuse  is 
then  ignited,  the  powder  tired,  and  the  safe  almost  certainly  blown  open  ; 
or  at  least  sufficiently  damaged  to  enable  the  thieves  to  get  access  to  the 
inside  in  a  very  brief  space  of  time.  But  there  is  danger  still,  in  spite  of 
all  precautions,  in  this  mode  of  opening  a  safe,  and  thieves  seldom  run 
extra  risk  without  good  reason  for  it.  Whenever,  therefore,  this  system 
is  resorted  to.  we  may  be  certain  that  the  thieves  have  well  informed  them- 
selves beforehand  of  the  reward  that  will  be  theirs  for  a  successful  opera- 
tion. They  have  probably  been  workiug  for  some  time,  learning  exactly 
the  time  when  the  contents  of  the  safe  are  likely  to  be  most  valuable,  and 
what  the  value  is.  They  do  not  blow  open  a  safe  with  the  chance  of  find- 
ing in  it  only  a  small  prize. 

The  same  may  be  said  of  the  second  class  we  have  mentioned,  the  safe- 
bursters  proper.  They  work  more  scientifically  than  the  last  and  conse- 
quently hold  a  higher  position  in  the  fraternity.  They  obtain  admission 
to  houses  by  similar  means,  but  do  not  undertake  any  "  job"  which  they 
are  not  confident  will  pay  them  well,  if  successful.  Having  perfected  all 
their  arrangements,  the  first  thing  necessary  is  to  fasten  the  safe  firmly  to 
the  floor.  This  they  do  with  strong  iron  fastenings  and  screws.  Openings 
are  now  drilled  into  the  door,  through  which  are  inserted  attachments, 
worked  by  powerful  jack  screws  and  strong  levers.  The  force  of  two  or 
three  men  at  the  most  is  now  sufficient  to  tear  the  strongest  safe  into 
shreds  ; — and  a  very  few  minutes  suffice  to  complete  the  work.  It  is  diffi- 
cult to  form  any  conception  of  the  ruin  which  may  be  effected  in  this  way  ; 
and  even  persons,  who  have  seen  a  safe  after  the  operation,  have  been  loth 
to  believe  that  such  complete  destruction  could  possibly  have  been  effected 
by  purely  mechanical  means,  without  the  use  of  some  explosive  material. 
The  risk  in  this  case  is  not  quite  as  great  as  in  the  last,  the  whole  work 
being  completed  without  any  noise  or  disturbance,  whatever  ; — and  it  muse 
be  noticed  further  that,  practically,  it  is  less  than  it  seems,  for  operators  in 
this  method  are  generally  successful,  both  in  getting  valuable  booty  and  in 
enjoying  almost  absolute  immunity  from  detection.  The  tools  used  by 
these  two  classes  are  expensive,  for  to  secure  an  opening  through  the  hard 
iron  plates  with  celerity  and  certainty,  they  must  be  very  carefully  made? 
and  the  drills  must  be  pointed  with  diamonds. 

The  third  class  of  these  thieves  is  the  lowrest.  They  seldom  enter  a 
building  by  means  of  a  false  key,  although  sometimes  a  pick-lock  serves 
their  purpose.  But  they  prefer  the  crowbar  or  "'jimmy  ;"  and  when  they 
get  to  the  safe,  they  hammer  it  to  pieces  with  heavy  hammers,  deadeniug 
the  noise  of  their  blows  with  blankets.  Their  method  is  thus  the  rudest, 
and,  as  might  be  supposed,  the  least  successful.  They  are  ready  to  attack 
anything  in  the  shape  of  a  safe  that  they  can  come  within  reach  of,  irre- 
spective of  any  knowledge  as  to  its  contents.  Thus  they  often  open  a 
sate  without  finding  enough  inside  to  repay  them   for  their  trouble,  and, 


150  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK   LIFE. 

moreover,  discovery  very  frequently  attends  their  operations.  But  they 
gain  practice  and  experience,  both  of  which  are  necessary  to  raise  them  to 
the  higher  grades  of  their  profession,  and  thus  indirectly  their  labors  may 
be  of  value  to  them.  Otherwise  it  is  more  by  good  luck  than  by  scientific 
management  if  they  escape  discovery  and  find  their  efforts  rewarded- 
They  often  enter  houses  by  force,  especially  in  the  country,  and  in  <he 
autumn  of  1872  there  occurrsd  an  incident  illustrative  of  their  mode  of 
operations,  in  the  neighborhood  of  New  York,  which  we  may  relate. 

In  a  not  distant  village  four  people  had  been  staying  for  about  two  days- 
They  took  up  their  residence  at  a  hotel,  and  were  looked  upon  merely  as 
people  who,  like  many  others,  visited  the  place  for  a  "  spree."  They  often 
conversed  with  the  proprietor  of  the  house,  and  enquired  of  him  whether 
there  were  many  wealthy  people  in  the  place,  and  who  the  richest  man 
was  and  where  he  lived.  These  questions,  made  as  if  for  the  sake  of  con- 
versation, were  duly  answered,  and  nothing  more  was  thought  about  them 
at  the  time,  till  a  few  days  afterwards  the  explanation  became  apparent. 

One  evening,  soon  after  nine  o'clock,  a  farmer — reputed  as  being  the 
richest  man  in  the  village — having  returned  home  tired,  had  gone  to  sleep 
in  an  up-stairs  room.  His  wife  and  daughter  were  sitting  down  stairs- 
reading.  At  about  eleven  o'clock  the  women  remarked  that  a  man  was 
peeping  in  at  the  window.  They  opened  the  door  of  the  house  to  look 
who  it  was,  but  it  was  a  very  dark  night  and  they  could  not  see  anything.. 
So  they  went  in  again  without  thinking  of  any  mischief.  Soon  afterwards, 
however,  the  door  of  their  room  was  suddenly  opened,  and  three  fellows,, 
with  masks  on  and  revolvers  in  their  hands,  walked  in.  The  women  were 
so  astonished  at  this  sudden  appearance  of  robbers,  that  they  did  not  once^ 
call  for  assistance.  One  of  the  men  immediately  demanded  the  key  of  the 
safe,  holding  at  the  same  time  a  revolver  to  the  breast  of  the  wife  and 
threatening  her  with  instant  death  ;  a  second,  in  like  manner,  threatened 
the  daughter  ;  while  a  third  kept  watch  at  the  door  which  opened  on  to  the- 
stair-case,  that  led  up  stairs  where  the  farmer  was  asleep.  What  could 
the  women  do  under  such  circumstances  but  give  up  the  key  ?  The  thief 
seized  it,  and  the  next  moment  the  safe  was  opened  and  its  entire  contents 
cleared  out.  The  fellow  then  locked  the  safe  again  and  took  the  key, 
after  which  they  tied  the  womens'  hands  and  feet,  gagged  their  mouths  to 
prevent  them  raising  an  alarm,  and  left  the  house  as  noiselessly  as  they 
had  entered  it.  During  the  night  the  farmer  woke,  and,  missing  his  wife 
and  daughter,  he  went  down  stairs,  where  he  found  them  both  helpless- 
and  exhausted  lying  on  the  floor.  He  raised  an  alarm  in  the  village,  and 
the  neighbors  turned  out  and  set  up  a  hunt  for  the  robbers  ;  but  in  vain. 
They  were  never  discovered. 

We  come  lastly  to  the  Eiver  and  Harbor  Thieves,  who,  of  all  the 
whole  tribe,  undoubtedly,  hold  the  lowest  place. 


THE    THIEVES.  l»l 

The  life  of  these  people  is  not  only  of  the  very  roughest,  for  they  are 
exposed  at  all  times  to  wind  and  weather,  and  must  carry  on  their  bu-. 
essentially  in  the  worst  seasons,  in  storm  and  rain  ;  but  because  their  crimi- 
nalizes, which  comprise  not  only  robberies  on  the  wharves,  but  also  pirati- 
cal depredations  on  the  rivers  and  harbor,  are  particularly  dangerous, 
involving,  as  they  do.  the  necessity  of  escaping  the  watchfulness  of  the 
police,  and  in  addition  the  perils  of  the  water  and  of  the  tempest. 

Among  the  general  public  comparatively  little  is  known  of  these  thieves, 
but  the  commercial  world  suffer  much  from  them,  and  the  more  so,  because 
their  field  of  operations  is  very  extensive  and  the  river  police  is  too  scanty 
in  its  number  of  men  to  be  able  to  act  against  them  with  the  necessary 
effect.  The  water  front  of  the  city,  so  far  as  concern  the  ordinary  ship- 
ping, begins  at  Sixty-fifth  Street  on  the  Hudson  River,  runs  down  to  the 
Battery  and  from  there  round  and  up  the  East  River  to  the  neighborhood 
of  Harlem.  In  addition  to  this  there  are  the  water  fronts  of  Brooklyn  and 
Williamsburg,  as  well  as  of  Jersey  City  and  Hoboken,  where  also  the 
steamship  companies  have  their  wharves  ;  and  lastly  there  remains  the 
whole  of  the  lower  bay  to  Quarantine,  where  ships  are  at  all  times  to  be 
found  lying  at  anchor. 

The  river  and  harbor  thieves,  like  the  others,  are  separated  into  differ- 
ent classes.  The  first  of  these  operates  on  shore,  never  using  a  boat,  but 
sneaking  around  the  wharves  before  daylight,  in  the  mornings  and  after 
dark  in  the  evenings,  and  stealing  anything  that  is  left  for  a  moment  with- 
out a  watch. 

Then  come  the  so-called  "  dock  rats,"  who,  like  the  noxious  quadrupeds, 
from  which  they  have  their  title,  live  in  true  nests.  They  are  young 
creatures  from  six  to  fifteen  years  old,  and  the  peculiar  construction  of  our 
wharves,  which  are  not  solid,  but  only  erected  on  piles,  furnishes  them  at 
once  lodgings  and  hiding-places.  They  build  themselves  a  place  of  shelter 
under  the  wharves  with  boards  and  pieces  of  old  planks,  and  there  they 
sleep  and  conceal  themselves.  A  few  bundles  or  handfuls  of  straw  fur- 
nishes their  bed,  and  with  a  few  bricks  they  make  a  little  fire-place  that 
enables  to  do  as  much  cooking  as  they  require.  When  not  on  a  stealing 
excursion  they  are  generally  to  be  found  in  these  retreats.  Usually  they 
herd  together  in  bands  of  from  five  to  ten  in  number,  but  they  steal  rather 
to  maintain  their  own  wretched  existence  than  to  enrich  themselves,  and 
accordingly  what  they  do  steal  is  rarely  of  much  value.  A  few  handfuls 
of  coffee,  some  cotton,  bits  of  old  cordage,  iron  tools,  fruit,  and  such  like 
things  constitute  the  bulk  of  their  plunder.  To  get  rid  of  these  gives  them 
no  more  difficulty  than  other  thieves  have  in  disposing  of  their  booty,  for 
in  many  of  the  streets  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  river  banks  there  are  a 
number  of  dealers,  or  junk  shops,  where  for  the  most  part  the  river  thieves 
find  a  reception  for  their  goods.  It  is  a  part  of  the  thankless  duty  of  the 
river  police  to  rout  out  these  dock  rats  and  to  hunt  them  down  ;  but  when 


152  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

driven  out  of  one  wharf,  they  go  straight  away  and  build  up  a  new  hidin» 
place  under  another. 

The  quantity  of  goods  of  all  kinds  that  is  constantly  lying  about  the  New 
York  wharves,  and  the  extreme  difficulty  of  watching  them  every  moment, 
makes  the  work  of  the  dock  rats  much  easier  than  is  that  of  the  river 
thieves,  upon  whom  a  closer  watch  can  be  maintained.  For  it  is  almost 
impossible  to  remove  by  evening  all  the  goods  which  are  unloaded  from 
ship-board  during  the  day  ;  and  in  consequence  they  are  allowed  to  remain 
through  the  night  under  the  protection  of  a  watchman  or  of  the  police. 
The  wharves  of  the  large  steamship  companies  are,  it  is  true,  covered  over 
and  closed  in.  They  are  also  lighted  and  left  in  charge  of  a  private 
watchman  ;  but  the  thieves  very  rarely  attempt  any  inroads  in  such  places. 

When  the  dock  rat  has  become  too  old  for  his  present  calling,  he  seeks 
a  wider  field  for  his  operations,  which,  if  it  be  no  more  profitable  than  the 
last,  is  a  little  more  dangerous.  He  becomes  now  a  veritable  river  thief, 
working  mostly  in  bands  of  three  or  four,  and  going  out  upon  the  river  in 
a  boat.  These  bands  are  numerous,  but  only  two  of  them  practice  on  the 
Hudson,  and  they  chiefly  frequent  the  neighborhood  of  Charlton  Street. 
The  others  busy  themselves  on  the  East  River.  The  reason  of  this  is  that 
the  Hudson  just  here  is  very  little  watched,  a  large  part  of  the  place  being 
occupied  by  steamboat  wharves,  which  are  protected,  lighted  at  night,  and 
guarded.  Both  of  the  Hudson  bands  have  small  fast  sailing  boats  ;  and 
they  do  not  confine  themselves  in  their  business  to  the  field  presented  by 
the  water  front  of  the  city ;  but  often  go  up  the  river  even  as  far  as 
Albany,  looking  out  all  the  while  for  opportunities  to  steal,  and  not 
despising  a  little  burglary  among  farm  houses  or  other  dwelling  places 
along  the  shore. 

The  last  river  thieves,  who,  as  we  have  said,  are  by  far  the  more  numer- 
ous, have  their  several  rendezvous  chiefly  about  James  Street,  and  at  the 
foot  of  Cherry,  Rosevelt,  and  Rivington  Streets. 

When  the  weather  is  favorable,  that  is  when  it  is  very  dark,  and  no 
moon  nor  stars  are  shining,  more  especially  if  it  be  raining  and  stormy, 
the  river  thieves  in  companies  of  three  or  four  slip  into  a  boat  under  the 
wharf  and  as  fast  as  possible  get  away  into  the  middle  of  the  stream.  It 
matters  not  whether  it  is  a  ship  on  the  Brooklyn  side  with  a  cargo  of  tea 
or  coffee,  or  one  on  the  New  York  side  with  a  cargo  of  rice,  they  always 
make  the  effort  to  reach  mid-stream,  as  they  thus  have  a  better  opportu- 
nity to  defeat  the  intentions  of  any  pursuers.  Then  they  row  slowly  and 
cautiously  to  their  object  and  come  up  to  the  water  side  of  the  ship  that 
they  intend  to  rob.  If  a  rope  hangs  down  conveniently,  they  climb  up  by 
it  to  the  deck  ;  if  not,  they  move  silently  round  and  board  her  from  the 
wharf.  The  sailors,  wearied  with  the  hard  work  of  the  day  in  loading  or 
unloading,  are  fast  asleep  ;  so  that  there  is  little  danger  of  the  thieves  being 
interfered  with  in  their  work  of  plunder.     Their  attention  is  always  espe- 


TIIE   THIEVES.  153 

cially  directed  to  staple  articles  of  trade,  for  instance  they  prefer  to  take 
such  things  as  sugar,  coffee  or  rice,  and  accordingly  they  chiefly  look  after 
those  ships  which  have  such  things  in  their  cargo.  But  they  never  take 
away  their  booty  in  the  original  packages.  They  have  with  them  bags, 
without  any  marks  upon  them,  and  in  these  they  pack  as  much  rice,  coffee, 
or  su.2;ar,  as  they  think  their  boat  will  carry  ;  which  done,  they  row  as 
quickly  as  they  can,  but  noiselessly,  to  some  place  previously  agreed  upon, 
near  to  where  their  receiver  has  his  den.  The  return  from  the  ship  is  the 
most  dangerous  part  of  their  operations,  since  the  heavily  laden  boat  sinks 
low  into  the  water,  and  moves  but  slowly  in  comparison,  so  that  there  is 
additional  danger  of  being  overtaken  by  the  police-boat  and  arrested. 
This  happens  sometimes,  causing,  however,  rarely  more  inconvenience  to 
the  thieves  than  a  short  loss  cf  liberty.  They  are  taken  to  the  nearest 
station-house,  but  the  cargo  of  their  boat  is  conveyed  to  police  headquar- 
ters, and  when  the  prisoners  are  on  the  next  morning  brought  before  the 
magistrate,  the  goods  cannot  be  identified.  Thus  there  is  but  a  suspicion 
against  the  thieves,  and  that,  of  course,  is  insufficient  to  justify  their  deten- 
tion. They  were,  it  is  true,  taken  in  the  possession  of  certain  goods  which 
there  can  be  no  doubt  were  stolen,  which  in  fact  were  stolen.  But  how 
are  we  to  reach  even  a  moral  certainty  as  to  what  ship  they  were  stolen 
from  ?  The  law  requires  that  stolen  property  must  be  positively  identified. 
It  is  not  enough  that  the  captain  or  the  freight-owner  shall  swear  that  the 
ship  was  robbed  on  the  same  night  as  that  upon  which  the  thieves  were 
arrested,  and  that  the  goods  found  in  their  possession  are  of  the  same 
character  as  those  with  which  the  ship  is  loaded ;  the  owner  must  swear 
distinctly  that  the  stolen  goods  are  actually  his  property.  But  how  is  it 
possible  for  him  to  know  one  coffee  berry  from  another,  or  one  grain  of 
rice  from  another?  And  the  same  applies  to  sugar,  cotton,  and  other  simi- 
lar articles,  as  long  as  they  are  not  in  the  same  packages  as  they  were  in 
on  board  the  ship,  and  which  the  thieves  in  their  foresight  carefully  left 
behind.  Thus  it  is  that  these  thieves  so  often  escape.  They  then  make  a 
demand  for  the  return  of  their  "  property,"  and  the  magistrate  has  no 
other  resource  but  to  give  them  back  their  stolen  things. 

One  of  the  most  able  members  of  our  river  police  took  in  a  single  year 
fifty-seven  boats  with  river  thieves  and  stolen  property  in  them  ;  but  out  of 
all  this  number  there  were  only  three  convictions,  because  the  goods  could 
not  be  identified  without  the  original  package. 

o  r  o 

Some  years  ago,  however,  a  number  of  river  thieves  were  brought  to 
punishment  in  a  somewhat  peculiar  way  and  were  sent  to  Sing  Sing. 
These  thieves  had  robbed  a  ship  that  was  lying  at  quarantine  and  it  was 
upon  their  long  journey  back  to  town  that  they  were  arrested.  To  secure 
the  detention  of  these  thieves  for  the  robbery  and  to  obtain  their  arraign- 
ment, the  officer  engaged  in  the  seizure  bethought  him  to  charge  them  with 
a  breach  of  the  quarantine  laws,  in  having  boarded  a  ship  before  she  had 


154  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK   LIFE. 

been  cleared  by  the  quarantine  officers.  The  prosecution  was  successful, 
the  thieves  were  convicted,  and  the  conviction  frightened  others  for  a  long 
time  from  operating  upon  vessels  lying  at  quarantine. — In  other  cases 
again  a  charge  was  made  against  the  men  for  robbery  and  also  for  smug- 
gling, and  as  they  were  not  in  a  position  to  prove  that  they  had  paid  the 
duties  on  the  goods  found  in  their  boats,  their  conviction,  and  with  it  the 
confiscation  of  the  stolen  goods,  were  rendered  possible. 

Another  class  of  river  thief  is  concerned  chiefly  with  stealing  cordage, 
sail  cloth,  blocks,  and  such  trifles  from  the  decks  of  ships.  These  are  not 
usually  of  much  value,  and,  moreover,  they  briug  very  little  profit  to  the 
thieves.  They  work  chiefly  on  ships  as  they  lie  at  anchor  in  the  harbor, 
climbing  adroitly  on  to  the  decks,  picking  up  anything  that  they  find  lying 
about,  throwing  it  into  their  boat,  and  leaving  the  ship  as  unobserved  as 
they  boarded  her. 

Still  another  class  there  is  which,  disdaining  to  concern  itself  about  such 
trifles,  aims  to  get  to  the  cabin  and  the  deck  where  the  sailors  sleep.  They 
then  steal,  often  with  the  aid  of  the  application  of  chloroform,  watches, 
chronometers,  money,  and  other  valuables  which  they  can  readily  remove  ; 
and  they  find  little  difficulty  in  doing  this,  because  very  often  ships  lying 
at  anchor  are  left  without  any  watch.  It  has  often  happened  that  by  this 
class  of  thieves  everything  found  on  board  has  been  of  sufficient  value  to 
be  removed  ;  indeed,  it  has  sometimes  been  the  case  that  when  the  sailors 
woke  in  the  morning  and  prepared  to  dress,  they  had  no  clothes  to  put  on  ! 

There  is  yet,  again,  another  class,  different  from  all  we  have  mentioned, 
and,  too,  the  worst,  because  it  betrays  a  trust  and  is  not  readily  reached 
by  the  law.  The  police  affirm  that  there  are  no  river  thieves  so  bad  as 
many  of  the  lightermen.  One  of  the  lighters  takes  a  cargo  of  goods  on 
board,  perhaps  somewhere  in  Brooklyn,  to  come  to  a  wharf,  let  us  say  in 
Hudson  City,  so  that  the  men  on  board  are  in  fact  placed  in  charge  for  the 
time  of  hundreds  of  tons  of  goods.  During  the  trip,  and  as  far  as  time 
will  allow,  perhaps  a  couple  of  pounds  of  coffee  are  taken  out  of  every  bag, 
a  loss  which  is  not  recognized  on  delivery,  but  which  in  the  aggregate  often 
amounts  to  a  great  deal,  and  leads  frequently  to  serious  disputes  between 
the  sender  and  the  receiver. 

It  must  here  be  remarked  that  the  river  thieves  often  have  among  their 
accomplices  and  confederates  the  sailors  on  board  ships  and  lighters,  and 
likewise  the  watchmen  who  are  placed  in  charge  of  the  goods  lying  upon 
the  wharves  ;  and  further  that  those  river  thieves  who  do  not  work,  prob- 
ably, on  the  water,  but  rather  frequent  and  rob  the  wharves,  sometimes 
engage  in  great  crimes  in  the  streets  immediately  neighboring  to  the  river 
sides.  Sometimes  a  belated  wanderer  or  a  drunken  sailor  on  his  way  to 
his  ship,  falls  into  their  hands  in  those  lonely  streets  late  in  the  evening  or 
during  the  night.  An  unexpected  blow,  or  the  stab  of  a  knife,  suffices. 
The  victim,  knocked  down  or  rendered  senseless,  is  robbed  and  the  Hudson 


the  tiiif.n  i  9.  155 

or  Easl  River  forthwith  receives  bis  body.  Months  pass  by,  perhaps, 
before  it  is  seen  again,  and  if  at  last  it  be  found,  it  is  so  disfigured  that 
identification  is  no  longer  possible,  and  thus  the  murder  can  scarcely  be 
traced. 

The  river  police  are  doing  their  utmost  to  check  the  crimes  of  the  river 
thieves  ;  but,  as  we  have  said  before,  their  number  is  too  limited  to  accom- 
plish anything  like  perfect  results.  They  consist  of  one  captain,  three  ser- 
geants, and  only  twenty-five  men,  and  these  have  at  their  disposal  one 
steamer  and  six  rowing  boats  ;  yet  this  small  force  is  expected  to  keep 
watch  over  the  two  river  fronts  of  the  city,  the  river  in  its  entire  breadth, 
and  the  bay  even  as  far  as  Sandy  Hook  !  Up  to  the  year  1857  there  was 
no  river  police,  and  then  the  thieves  had  it  all  their  own  way  ;  but  when 
the  metropolitan  police  came  into  existence,  the  river  police  was  a  part  of 
the  organization,  and  since  then  all  the  supervision  possible  has  been 
rendered. 

Formerly  a  station  house  was  established  on  the  shore,  and  the  force 
consisted  of  about  sixty  people.  Then  it  was  possible  to  have  at  any  time 
at  least  four  boats  afloat,  but  now  it  is  barely  possible  to  have  more  than 
one  boat,  which  has  then  to  do  duty  on  the  two  rivers.  That  arrange- 
ment, although  there  was  s: ill  left  in  it  much  room  for  improvement, 
effected  very  much  good  and  for  a  time  limited  very  materially  the  depre- 
dations on  the  river.  But  instead  of  perfecting  the  good  work,  the  police 
commission  made  changes  which  very  much  injured  it.  The  station  house 
on  the  shore  was  given  up,  the  force  reduced  to  a  minimum,  and  a  steamer 
provided,  which  was  to  be  always  running  about  the  rivers  to  break  up  the 
bands  of  thieves,  whenever  they  emerged  from  their  lurking  places  under 
the  wharves.  But  the  steamer  proved  of  little  avail,  for  against  the  strong 
stream,  especially  on  the  Hudson,  it  could  not  go  fast  enough  to  come  up 
with  the  thieves  and  their  booty.  Besides  which  small  boats  are  necessary 
if  we  would  place  the  men  in  a  position  to  pursue  the  thieves  under  the 
wharves  or  around  the  shipping.  Consequently  the  steamer  has  now 
become  nothing  more  than  a  station  ship  for  the  force,  and  as  this  is  too 
weak  in  numbers,  the  six  police  boats  cannot  be  usefully  employed  oa  the 
rivers  in  the  interest  of  commerce.  The  steamer  in  question  should  be 
given  up,  and  in  place  of  it  four  or  six  small  steam  launches  should  be 
added  to  the  six  rowing  boats.  Then  the  force  should  be  increased  to 
seventy  or  eighty  men,  and  a  station  house  erected  on  the  bank  of  both  the 
Hudson  and  the  East  Rivers.  Then,  and  only  then,  it  would  be  possible 
to  make  an  end  of  the  river  thieves. 

The  following  is  an  interesting  case  of  river  thieving  which  happened 
not  very  long  ago. — The  mate  of  a  ship,  trading  between  New  York  and 
the  coast  of  Brazil,  wishing  to  make  a  speculation  that  he  thought  would 
be  profitable,  bought,  in  Para,  the  port  from  which  the  vessel  cleared  for 
here,  four  very  fine  Anaconda   snakes,  from  fourteen  to  twenty-one  feet 


156  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK   LIFE. 

long.  They  were  splendid  specimens,  and  arrived  at  their  destination  safe 
and  well.  But  such  was  the  excitement  among  the  "  trade"  that  the  mate 
was  fairly  besieged  with  persons  coming  to  buy.  The  news  seemed^to 
spread  as  soon  as  the  ship's  anchor  fell,  and  the  owner  of  the  Anacondas 
began  directly  to  congratulate  himself  on  the  success  of  his  investment. 
Many  offers  were  made  him,  but  he  for  a  long  time  refused  to  sell,  hoping 
to  be  able  to  make  yet  better  terms ;  although,  as  the  sequel  proved,  he 
had  better  have  closed  the  bargain  earlier.  An  offer  being  at  length  made 
by  two  men,  which  the  owner  seemed  to  think  desirable,  he  consented  to 
give  them  the  refusal  at  the  price  agreed  upon  till  next  morning ;  and  to 
confirm  this  bargain  the  would-be-purchasers  insisted  upon  his  accepting 
the  sum  of  $5.00  as  earnest  money,  all  now  seemed  satisfactory.  But 
during  the  night  two  small  boats,  each  manned  by  three  people,  were 
rowed  silently  up  to  the  side  of  the  ship,  the  crews  went  on  board,  admin- 
istered chloroform  to  the  captain  and  mate  as  they  lay  asleep,  broke  open 
the  hatchway,  took  up  the  boxes  containing  the  snakes,  put  them  on  board 
their  boats,  and  got  away. 

The  fact  of  the  robbery  being  made  known  to  the  police  on  the  following 
morning,  there  was  not  much  difficulty  in  tracing  the  property  and  arrest- 
ing the  thieves  ;  for  snakes  are  such  a  rare  article  of  commerce  that  their 
possession  could  hardly  be  kept  secret.  But  clear  as  the  whole  affair  was, 
it  was  not  found  possible  to  establish  the  charge  of  robbery.  It  was  proved 
tl'iat  the  leaders  of  the  gang,  and  the  two  men  who  had  paid  five  dollars  to 
the  mate,  were  notorious  river  thieves,  but  they  now  took  the  position  that 
they  were  the  "  purchasers"  of  the  property.  Under  these  circumstances 
they  could  not  be  prosecuted  criminally,  and  could  only  be  reached,  if 
reached  at  all,  by  civil  process.  But  that  was  little  comitation  to  the  mate. 
The  poor  man  took  the  shorter  course  and  lost  his  snakes.  In  truth  the 
young  lady  whom  we  call  "justice,"  is,  in  this  country  at  least,  a  very 
trickry  little  person, 

But  we  may  now  repeat  the  outline  of  a  still  more  remarkable  case  of 
river  thieving ;  in  fact  that  word  does  not  describe  it,  for  it  was  a  true 
example  of  piracy,  as  much  as  any  that  has  ever  been  recorded,  even 
though  not  committed  on  the  "  high  seas."  Four  of  the  youngsters  whom 
we  have  already  defiued  as  "  dock  rats,"  were  one  day  taking  a  quiet  row 
in  their  boat  on  the  middle  of  the  Hudson.  Presently  they  came  upon  a 
small  sailing  boat  in  which  three  lads  were  taking  their  pleasure.  The 
young  thieves  at  once  rowed  up  alongside,  fastened  their  boat,  and  by  the 
free  use  of  knives  and  oaths  so  frightened  the  boys,  that  these  latter  gave 
up  all  the  money  they  had,  and  a  watch.  Two  of  the  thieves  now  took 
one  of  the  boys  into  their  boat  and  rowed  him  to  the  Jersey  shore,  where 
they  put  him  out ;  while  the  other  two  got  into  the  sail-boat  with  the 
remaining  two  boys  and  took  them  to  the  foot  of  Thirty-fourth  Street, 
where  they  intended  to  put  them  out,  and  then  go  away  with  their  plunder. 


THE    THIEVES. 


157 


But  as  they  were  landing,  a  detective,  who  knew  one  of  the  boys,  was  on 
the  wharf.  The  lad  immediately  called  to  him  for  assistance  and  the  two 
young  thieves  were  arrested.  Soon  afterwards  their  two  companions  also 
were  taken,  and  happily  all  four  were  ultimately  convicted. 

A  remarkable  robbery  also  took  place,  not  long  ago,  upon  the  wharf  of 
the  Cunard  Steamship  Line  in  Jersey  City.  The  thieves  got  underneath 
the  wharf,  cut  a  large  hole  through  the  floor,  and  by  that  means  removed 
a  great  number  of  cases  of  valuable  property.  They  then  fastened  up  the 
hole  again  with  strong  screws  so  firmly,  that  no  one  could  fall  through  it ; 
and  so  they  continued  their  depredations  many  nights,  opening  the  hole, 
taking  out  what  they  wanted,  and  then  closing  it  up  again.  The  agent  of 
the  company,  in  order  to  discover  the  thieves,  took  a  great  deal  of  trouble  » 
to  learn  the  means  they  used,  but  he  did  not  succeed.  The  watchmen  on 
shore  were  certain  that  the  dock,  which  was  fast  locked  up,  could  not  be 
entered  from  the  land  side  ;  but  as  there  was  no  indication,  whatever,  to 
show  that  it  could  be  opened  from  the  water  side,  suspicion  began  to  rest 
upon  the  watchmen  themselves.  One  night,  however,  the  river  police  very 
opportunely  chanced  to  make  an  incursion  under  the  wharf,  and  surprised 
the  thieves  in  the  very  act  of  taking  out  the  cases. 

Having  now  given  in  these  foregoing  chapters  an  outline  of  the  various 
tribes  of  thieves  which  infest  New  York,  it  may  occur  to  the  reader  to 
ask: — What  do  all  these  people  attain  to  by  their  criminal  proceedings ? 
With  the  exception  of  a  few  bond  thieves  and  bank  robbers — whose  time, 
however,  will  also  surely  come — they  attain  to  nothing  ;  unless  it  be  a  con- 
stant fear  of  detection,  arrest,  and  imprisonment,  with  contempt,  shame, 
and  a  most  miserable  existence  ;  dragging  along  from  day  to  day,  and 
caring  for  the  morrow  only  by  planning  new  crimes.  While  the  value  of 
their  plunder  may  be  set  down  at  hundreds  of  thousands,  their  surplus 
money  always  goes  to  the  gaming  houses,  and  the  result  of  that  is  that 
they  have  nothing.  The  receivers  are  the  only  people  who  get  any  dura- 
ble profit  out  of  their  crimes,  buying  the  goods,  as  they  do,  at  prices  far 
below  their  value,  often  not  exceeding  one-twentieth  part  of  it.  Ane  how 
much  skilled  energy,  how  much  talent,  dexterity,  and  ability,  are  thrown 
away  in  the  service  of  crime  ;  wThich,  if  they  were  turned  to  an  honorable 
end  and  to  good  uses,  would  bring  respect  upon  their  possessor,  and  insure 
to  him  an  ample  livelihood  and  a  peaceful  life  ! 

A  movement  has  been  on  foot  for  some  time  to  establish  a  company  for 
insurance  against  robberies  on  the  princsple  of  the  fire  insurance  compa- 
nies, with  the  intention  of  taking  long  risks  for  warehouses  and  private 
residences,  and  shorter  risks  for  the  transit  of  goods  by  railroads,  steam- 
ships, canal  boats,  &c,  so  that  the  insurer  would  be  recouped  for  all  losses 
that  he  might  incur  by  theft,  burglary,  or  any  cause  of  the  kind.  The  experi- 
ment, if  new,  is  worth  accomplishment,  and  a  fair  trial — for  its  use  would 


158  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

not  be  restricted  to  that  already  given — the  insurance  against  loss  of  per- 
sons who  are  robbed.  Such  a  company  would  bring  people  to  a  sense*of 
looking  more  carefully  after  their  own  interest  and  thus  it  would  lead  to 
the  detection  and  the  punishment  of  thieves,  thereby  striking  a  blow  at  the 
whole  criminal  classes,  from  which  they  would  with  but  great  difficulty  re- 
cover. 


FENCES,  or  Receivers  of  Stolen  Property. 

A  well  known  proverb  says  that  "  the  receiver  is  as  bad  as  the  thief,'* 
but,  like  many  other  proverbs,  it  does  not  reach  far  enough,  for  the  recei- 
ver is  not  only  as  bad  as  the  thief,  but  very  much  worse. 

While  the  latter  is  constantly  exposing  himself  to  the  danger  of  being 
apprehended  for  his  deeds  and  sent  to  the  jail,  the  receiver  sits  quietly  in 
his  den  waiting  for  the  thief,  who  is  to  bring  the  stolen  property  to  him, 
for  which  he  gives  but  a  mere  trifle  of  its  value  and  thus  in  his  turn  cheats 
the  dishonest  plunderer.  War  to  the  knife  against  the  receivers  would 
take  away  from  thieves,  as  such,  the  means  of  living,  and  compel  them  to 
obtain  a  livelihood  by  more  honest  work.  For  example,  of  what  use  is  it 
to  a  burglar  to  have  stolen  and  to  have  in  his  possession,  let  us  say,  a  valu- 
able piece  of  silk  goods,  if  he  cannot  turn  it  into  money,  even  though  he 
should  get  but  a  small  portion  of  its  value.  But  how  can  he  do  even  that? 
Respectable  merchants,  who  deal  in  this  class  of  goods,  could  not  offer  it 
in  wholesale,  for  others  in  the  trade,  conjecturing  whence  it  came,  would 
probably  give  notice  of  their  conjectures  to  the  police  and  give  the  man  up 
to  justice.  Then  to  offer  such  goods  for  sale  in  small  quantities  at  private 
houses  would  be  equally  dangerous,  for  if  sometimes  he  should  find  people 
who  would  buy  the  stuff  for  a  dress,  and  although  getting  it  cheap,  would 
not  make  enquiries  as  to  whether  or  not  he  came  by  it  honestly,  he  at  the 
same  time  might  meet  with  people  of  a  very  different  way  of  thinking,  who 
would  have  him  arrested.  There  is  then  nothing  left  for  him  but  to  go  to 
the  receiver,  who,  although  he  fleeces  him,  at  least  makes  him  secure  from 
detection. 

The  amount  stolen  every  year  in  New  York  and  which  passes  through 
the  hands  of  the  receivers  is  not  less  than  four  or  five  million  dollars,  but 
a  comparatively  very  small  portion  of  this  remains  with  the  thieves.  By 
far  the  greater  part  goes  into  the  pockets  of  the  many  receivers  whom  the 
city  conceals,  and  thus  enriches  the  people  who  are  of  all  others  the  worst 


THE    THIEVES.  159 

and  the  lowest.  Aiul  how  seldom  it  is  that  these  people  caii  be  brought  to 
punishment!  During  the  year,  from  April  1870  to  1871,  there  were  168 
arrests  made  for  "receiving,"  but  to  these  only  two  convictions  followed. 
For  these  people  are  not  so  easy  to  be  caught.  They  are  generally  well 
acquainted  with  the  law  and  kuow  right  well  how  to  slip  through  its 
meshes.  Besides  which  there  is  the  chance — as  we  have  seen  in  a  former 
chapter — that  the  owner  of  the  property  will  pay  to  the  receiver,  who  has 
given  possibly  only  five  or  ten  per  cent,  of  its  value,  as  much  as  fifty  per 
cont.  to  have  it  returned.  And  this  it  is  that  the  receiver  is  encouraged 
in  the  continued  following  of  his  most  iniquitous  traffic. 

The  "  fences"'  of  New  York  are  a  numerous  body,  and  they  are  all  well 
known  to  the  police.  They  are  to  be  found  in  many  streets,  but  especially 
in  the  Bowery,  Spring,  Rivington,  Clinton,  and  other  places.  Nay,  even 
in  Broadway,  in  the  neighborhood  of  Eighth  Street,  there  is  an  establish- 
ment where  thieves  may  readily  dispose  of  their  plunder.  Then  in  the 
neighborhood  of  the  rivers  come  an  immense  number  of  so-called  junk 
shops,  which,  however,  are  chiefly  receiving  places  for  the  river  thieves. 
Many  of  the  receivers  are  very  shabby  people,  carrying  on  their  business 
in  common  little  shops  ;  others  play  the  gentleman,  and  go  about  fashion- 
ably dressed  with  genuine  rings  on  their  fingers.  Others,  again,  ply  their 
■wretched  trade  as  hawkers,  going  about  every  day  to  the  different  resorts 
of  the  thieves  and  buying  from  them  whatever  they  may  have  stolen,  per- 
haps, during  the  day.  All,  however,  are  alike,  in  that  they  are  ready  to 
purchase  anything  that  has  been  stolen  ;  that  they  only  pay  the  thief  the 
least  possible  price  for  the  property  ;  and  when  any  article  is  announced  as 
having  been  stolen  or  lost,  and  a  reward  is  offered  for  its  return  with  the 
remark  "  no  questions  asked,"  they  invariably  go  for  the  reward  if  the 
article  has  come  into  their  possession.  The  police  have  on  many  occa- 
sions taken  much  trouble  to  bring  some  of  these  receivers  to  punishment, 
but  very  rarely  have  they  been  successful,  because  of  the  impossibility  of 
getting  sufficient  proof  against  them.  Receivers  well  understand,  as  a 
part  of  their  business,  how  to  remove  all  marks  by  which  any  goods,  that 
come  into  their  possession,  could  be  identified,  and  they  always  attend  to 
that.  A  melting  pot  is  kept  ready  at  all  times  on  the  fire,  for  the  recep- 
tion of  silver-ware,  which  is  immediately  put  in  and  melted  down.  Marks 
on  bed  linen,  under-clothings  or  table  linen,  if  stamped  or  written,  are 
removed  by  the  application  of  chemicals  ;  if  embroidered,  they  are  cut  out 
with  a  fine  pair  of  scissors.  The  gems  in  jewelry,  rings,  &c,  are  broken 
out,  the  engraving,  if  any,  is  obliterated,  and  the  setting  melted  down. 
Valuable  velvet  or  silk  dresses  are  altered  so,  that  in  a  wonderfully  short 
space  of  time  they  are  not  recognizable  by  their  owners.  They  are  fur- 
nished with  different  trimmings  ;  sharp  corners  are  made  round,  and  round 
corners  are  pointed,  and  the  whole  appearance  is  so  changed  that  the  lady, 
who,   perhaps,   wore  the   dress   in  the  morning,  would  on  the   following 


160  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

morning  not  be  able  to  identify  it,  and  certainly  not  to  swear  to  i^  In 
ehort,  there  is  nothing  which  comes  within  the  possibility  of  being  stolen, 
that  the  receiver  is  not  able  to  alter  in  such  a  way  as  to  render  identifica- 
tion impossible.  The  places  occupied  by  the  receivers  are  so  arranged, 
that  hiding  places  are  numerous,  secret  doors  and  movable  boards,  too,  are 
everywhere,  leading  to  dark  rooms,  and  in  the  partition  walls  little  holes 
are  made,  through  which  anybody  coming  in  can  be  carefully  watched. 
As  already  remarked,  they  are  all  familiar  with  the  law,  as  familiar  as  the 
Tombs  lawyers,  whose  jurisprudence  consists  practically  in  snapping  their 
fingers  at  the  law,  and  in  twisting  right  into  wrong  and  wrong  into  right. 
The  receiver  is  never  in  any  embarrassmeut  about  suspicions,  no  matter 
how  strong  they  may  be  against  him  ;  he  knows  that  suspicion  must  be 
converted  into  proof,  and  that  he  has  nothing  really  to  fear  so  long  as  there 
is  no  actual  testimony  against  him.  Among  the  New  York  receivers  there 
are  numbers,  who  have  been  many  times  brought  before  the  court,  but 
they  have  never  yet  been  punished. 

Although  a  "  fence"  will  hardly  ever  refuse  to  purchase  anything  that 
has  been  stolen,  be  it  what  it  may — that  is,  of  course,  if  the  price  does  not 
exceed  his  means — still  many  of  them  have  special  branches  in  which  they 
prefer  to  engage.  First  there  are  those  who  go  about  as  pedlers  to  seek 
out  thieves — especially  pickpockets — in  their  retreats  and  then  to  trade  for 
the  plunder.  Others  prefer  to  purchase  new  goods,  such  as  they  would 
have  from  the  shoplifters,  or  from  dishonest  clerks,  or  porters,  who  steal 
from  their  employers  ;  and,  again,  others  would  rather  buy  silks  and  dry 
goods  in  large  quantities,  as  they  are  procured  by  burglars.  A  fourth 
class  are  the  proprietors  of  the  junk  shops,  where  especially  the  river 
thieves  dispose  of  their  booty.  These  junk  shops  are  most  generally  to  be 
found  in  basement  floors,  and  especially  in  South  and  West  Streets. 

Lately  we  availed  ourselves  of  an  opportunity  to  look  over  one  of  these 
cellars,  and  what  a  medley  of  contents  there  was  !  There  were  cordage,  in 
whole  rolls  and  in  pieces,  chains,  sail  cloth,  watches,  inkstands,  candles, 
hides,  bottles,  meerschaum  pipes,  bags  of  coffee,  zinc  pails,  anchors,  car- 
pets, kegs  of  white  lead,  a  sextant,  a  case  of  oranges,  a  compass,  knives, 
axes,  lanterns,  and  a  hundred  other  things,  none  of  which,  probably,  or  at 
least  a  very  little,  had  changed  owners  in  an  honest  way. 

Besides  these  professional  receivers  there  are  also  many  people  who, 
when  perchance  an  opportunity  comes  in  their  way  to  buy  stolen  property, 
do  not  hesitate  to  accept.  These  people  buy  mostly  from  amateurs  or 
beginners  in  the  art  of  theft,  from  dishonest  assistants,  carters,  &c,  who 
have  appropriated  goods  committed  to  their  care  ;  and  the  fact  that  in  such 
cases,  both  parties,  the  thief,  as  well  as  the  purchaser  of  the  stolen  goods, 
are  novices,  is  the  reason  why  so  many  such  persons  are  brought  before 
the  courts  as  receivers.  As  a  general  rule  the  transactions  with  these  peo- 
ple are  only  in  reference  to  things  of  comparative  insignificance,  very  rarely 


FENCES. 


161 


in  regard  to  the  disposal  of  property  of  ranch  value.  Oaly  lately  there 
occurred  an  instance  where  a  great  quantity  of  kid  gloves  came  iuto  dis- 
possession of  a  pawnbroker  in  the  original  packages,  and  they  were  found 
unopened  and  seized.  They  had  been  stolen  a  year  before  on  the  occasion 
of  a  great  burglary,  and  the  person  who  sold  them  to  the  pawnbroker  was 
without  doubt  one  of  the  thieves. 

There  is,  however,  also  a  class  of  people  who  buy  stolen  property  and 
whom  we  ought  to  distinguish  as  "unintentional"  receivers.  There  is  for 
instance  scarcely  a  pawnbroker,  or  a  watchmaker,  or  jeweller,  who  has 
not  been  liable  to  become  the  receiver  of  stolen  goods,  that,  too,  quite 
unknowingly  and  quite  innocently.  Very  often  a  thief,  tired  of  the  impo- 
sitions practised  upon  him  by  the  regular  receivers,  goes  to  them  no  more. 
He  then  visits  the  first  good  jeweller's  store  that  lies  in  his  way  and  offers 
the  stolen  watch  for  sale  as  his  own  property.  In  such  a  case  he  does  not 
betray  the  means  by  which  he  acquired  the  possession  of  the  article  by  any 
over  anxious  desire  to  sell,  or  by  asking  any  suspiciously  low  price.  On 
the  contrary  he  usually  seems  somewhat  indifferent  about  it.  demands  a^ 
price  which  is  somewhere  near  the  real  value  and  usually  receives  it.  The 
jeweller  in  most  such  cases  sells  the  watch  without  any  knowledge  that  it 
has  been  stolen.  But  if  he  has  any  suspicion,  he  makes  all  the  haste  he 
can  to  get  rid  of  the  thing  again  and  thus  to  avoid  the  loss  of  his  money. 
More  often,  however,  the  pawnbrokers  are  the  thieves'  victims,  and  scarcely 
a  day  passes  when  very  many  of  them  do  not  suffer  the  vexation  of  being 
visited  by  detectives  in  their  search  for  stolen  property.  Often,  too,  the 
property  is  found  with  them,  and  in  that  case  it  is  confiscated,  irrespective 
of  the  fact  that  the  pawnbroker  acted  in  good  faith  when  he  took  it  in 
pledge. 

The  professional  trade  in  stolen  goods  has  been  thus  far  followed  in  New 
York  without  let  or  hindrance.  At  first  sight  it  would  seem  easy  enough 
to  exterminate  the  evil  by  punishing  the  receivers,  for,  as  the  possession 
of  the  stolen  property  is  the  point  upon  which  any  complaint  must  rest,  the 
establishment  of  that  fact  is  perfectly  easy.  But  even  if  the  property  be 
found  in  possession  of  the  receiver,  there  are  still  two  difficulties  which 
oppose  themselves  to  his  arrest  and  punishment. 

The  first  is  that  everybody  concerned  seeks  to  avoid  an  appearance  in 
court ;  the  owner  desires  above  all  things  to  get  back  his  goods,  the  detec- 
tive does  not  want  to  lose  his  reward,  and  hence  the  receiver  escapes  with 
impunity  ;  and  not  that  only,  but  he  often  makes  something  out  of  the  busi- 
ness, even  under  arrest. 

The  next  difficulty,  if  we  suppose  that  the  owner  and  the  detective  are 
ready  to  prefer  the  interests  of  the  public  before  their  own,  consists  in  the 
almost  in  surmountable  obstacle  presented  to  a  full  establishment  of  proof, 
that  the  goods  are  really  those  which  were  stolen  and  which  are  being 
looked"  for  ;  such  is  the  skill  of  the  receiver  in  altering  their  appearance. 

11 


162  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

While  these  two  difficulties  remain,  it  is  hardly  possible  that  the 
receivers  of  New  York,  who  number  more  than  a  hundred  individuals,  can 
be  thoroughly  exterpated. 


THE  ROGUES'  GALLERY. 

Since  the  year  1864  an  arrangement  has  been  in  operation  at  police 
headquarters  in  this  city  which  has  already  been  productive  of  very  good 
results,  but  which,  if  systematically  adopted,  would  be  of  still  greater  use 
in  the  defence  against  thieves  and  house-breakers.  This  is  a  collection  of 
portraits  of  thieves  and  criminals  of  every  kind,  which  very  much  facili- 
tates the  pursuit  of  these  classes,  so  that  when  anyone  has  been  robbed  or 
assaulted  by  them,  and  has  any  recollection  of  their  appearance,  he  can 
point  out  his  assailant  in  the  portrait  gallery  and  thus  materially  assist 
towards  his  arrest. 

This  gallery  already  fills  four  large  folio  albums,  and  contains  altogether 
more  than  a  thousand  likenesses,  of  which  123  are  those  of  women.  Look- 
ing this  collection  through,  we  find  people  of  all  ages,  from,  perhaps,  six- 
teen years  to  old  grey-haired  men  and  women  too.  An  examination  of 
the  faces  represented  here  must  bring  the  observer  to  the  conclusion,  not- 
withstanding that  in  a  few  cases  they  may  lead  to  error,  that  they  are  an 
important  contribution  to  the  study  of  character.  For  among  them  there 
are  very  few  to  be  met  with  of  whom  no  mischief  would  be  anticipated, 
or  where  the  originals  would  be  mistaken  for  honest  men,  while  the  ma- 
jority— nay,  almost  all — bear  upon  their  face  the  brand  of  vulgarity  and 
crime.  That  criminals  are  averse  to  being  photographed  is  not  to  be 
wondered  at,  hence  it  is  that  in  these  collections  we  meet  with  so  many 
faces  that  are  intentionally  distorted.  At  first  the  attempt  was  made  to 
restrain  refractory  prisoners  by  the  use  of  force,  that  plan  has  been  given 
up  since  it  was  powerless  to  prevent  them  distorting  their  faces,  and  a  law 
for  the  punishment  of  such  refractoriness  failed. 

The  first  intention  in  the  formation  of  this  portrait  gallery  of  profes- 
sional criminals  is  to  obtain  a  collection  of  those  who,  having  been  once 
previously  arrested,  have  again  fallen  into  the  hands  of  the  police  for  some 
new  offence  ;  and  the  police  are  instructed,  whenever  they  take  such  people, 
to  have  their  portraits  photographed  before  they  are  taken  before  a  magis- 
trate. But  a  careful  examination  of  the  collection  will  show  that  there  are 
many  portraits  of  people  who  have  been  but  once  arrested  for  some  offence 


Tiir:    ft  "    -  .  -     ,,  UXBBT.  163 

against  property,  while  we  may  look  in  vain  for  the  portraits  of  known 
and  notorious  burglars,  bond  and  bank  thieves,  safe-bursters  and  the  like. 
In  this  way  then  the  collection  is  very  incomplete,  and  cannot  fully  answer 
the  purpose  for  which  it  was  intended,  although  it  might  be  made  to  do  so 
it  the  portraits  of  those  who  are  charged  but  once  were  removed,  and  it 
to  all  ihe  other  portraits  were  attached  the  name  and  aliasses,  description 
branch  of  criminal  occupation,  date  of  arrest,  &c. 

They  should  also  be  arranged  differently,  and  instead  of  being  as  now 
placed  in  order  of  arrest,  all  mixed  up  together,  a  separate  album  should 
be  devoted  to  the  followers  of  each  kind  of  crime.  Or  better  still  the  por- 
traits might  be  arranged  in  frames  on  the  walls  of  a  room  for  the  purpose 
so  that  the  officers  of  the  police  might  have  them  always  before  them,  and 
thus  they  would  become  more  familiar  with  the  faces  than  they  possibly 
can  now. 

But  the  value  of  this  portrait  gallery  would  be  considerably  iucreased 
also,  if  a  copy  of  it  were  hung  in  every*  police  station  throughout  the  city, 
instead  of  being  limited  as  now  to  police  headquarters.  For  while  now  it 
is  only  the  detectives  who  have  access  to  the  pictures,  they  would  then  be 
constantly,  without  exception,  before  the  eyes  of  all  the  police  force,  so 
that  every  officer  would  at  any  time  be  in  a  position  to  recognize  a  crimi- 
nal when  he  met  him.  The  object  at  which,  in  our  opinion,  we  should  aim 
is  to  make  the  residence  of  all  criminals  in  the  city  disagreeable  and  unpro- 
fitable. The  best  plan  would  be,  however,  to  have  the  pictures  carefully 
engraved  in  wood  and  distributed  to  the  police  quarters  in  every  town  of 
any  importance,  also  perhaps  to  the  country  court  houses,  there  to  be  dis- 
played ;  and  to  effect  such  arrangements  with  the  various  authorities  that 
each  place  shall  be  a  branch  of  one  common  system.  By  such  a  means  as 
that  it  is  more  than  possible  that  very  soon  the  whole  country  would  be- 
come too  hot  for  the  criminal  classes,  who  would  thus  be  constrained  to 
seek  other  regions  for  occupation. 

It  is  not  the  city  of  New  York  only,  but  in  truth  the  whole  country  that 
should  press  forward  to  the  purging  of  criminality.  Any  American  pub- 
lisher who  would  undertake  the  publication  in  weekly  parts  of  the  portraits 
in  the  thieves  gallery,  well  cut  in  wood,  with  descriptions,  &c,  would  not 
•only  be  rendering  a  jrreat  service  to  the  public,  but  he  would  also  make  a 
very  profitable  business  for  himself.  In  this  way,  just  as  when,  in  former 
times  the  States  banks  were  in  existence,  a  banknote  reporter  was  a  neces- 
sity in  every  business  house  to  protect  the  public  against  counterfeits,  so 
would  a  "rogue  detector"  become  a  welcome  friend  not  only  at  the  police 
offices,  but  among  all  business  people,  with  whom  strangers  are  constantly 
coming  in  contact. 


164  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 


STREET  ROBBERS  AND  GAROTTERS. 

The  annual  report  of  the  police  authorities  in  this  city  for  the  year  from 
April  1870  to  April  1871  indicates  that,  during  that  period,  320  persons 
(including  nine  women)  were  arrested  for  street  robberies.  That  makes 
nearly  one  every  day,  and  it  serves  also  to  illustrate  a  feature  in  city  social 
life.  The  robberies  were  not  invariably  committed  under  the  darkness  of 
night,  but  often  in  the  broad  daylight. 

A  striking  case  of  the  kind  occurred  quite  recently,  on  the  first  of  Feb- 
ruary of  this  current  year.  A  gentleman,  who  during  the  afternoon  had 
drawn  $600  from  the  Bowery  Bank,  was  set  upon  by  some  scoundrels  on 
his  way  home,  who  threw  a  shawl  over  his  head  and  robbed  him  of  all  the 
money  he  had.  Having  done  this,  they  made  off  and  succeeded  in  effect- 
ing their  escape.  And  this  took  place  in  the  Bowery,  a  busy  business 
street,  on  Saturday,  too,  the  day  upon  which  traffic  is  thickest,  and  not  in. 
the  evening  or  under  the  twilight,  but  in  full  daylight,  before  three  o'clock 
in  the  afternoon  !  We  mention  this  case  here  not  because  it  is  anything 
very  remarkable,  but  because  at  the  time  we  write,  it  is  one  of  the  most 
recent  examples  of  the  kind.  Such  cases  are  in  fact  very  frequent.  How 
often,  for  instance,  are  we  not  hearing  of  ladies  having  their  purses  snatched 
out  of  their  hands  ! 

There  are  various  divisions  also  of  the  street  robbers.  There  are  some 
who  especially  work  by  daylight ;  others  who  waylay  solitary  pedestrians 
in  the  evening  and  night ;  others  who  lie  in  wait  about  the  wharves  for 
seamen  returning  to  their  ships  ;  others  who,  if  they  know  that,  perhaps, 
only  one  or  two  women  are  left  in  a  house,  or  that  a  business  man  is  alone, 
enter  the  residence  or  the  store,  gag  the  inmates,  and  steal  at  their  leisure. 
Besides  these  there  are  in  New  York  a  number  of  street  thieves  who  work 
with  a  horse  and  wagon,  and  who  are  known  as  the  "  butcher-cart  thieves." 
Formerly  these  last  engaged  chiefly  in  the  pig  stealing  business.  They 
used  to  scour  the  upper  parts  of  the  city,  and  if  they  chanced  to  fall  in  with 
a  respectable  looking  hog  on  his  perambulations  they  would  stop  their  cart, 
jump  out,  seize  the  pig  and  be  off  with  him  before  hindrance  could  be 
thought  about.  But  pigs  are  not  as  numerous  as  they  once  were  in  the 
streets  oi  New  York,  and  in  consequence  the  butcher-cart  thieves  have  had 
to  find  some  other  field  for  the  exercise  of  their  labors.  They  now  lie  in 
wait  for  bank  messengers  and  such  people  whom  they  know  to  be  in  the 
habit  of  carrying  large  sums  of  money  to  and  from  the  banks,  while  the 
cart  remains  at  or  near  the  place  where  the  robbery  is  to  be  accomplished. 
When  the  right  moment  has  arrived  the  bag  or  cash-box,  in  which  the 
money  is  contained,  is  snatched  away,  while,  perhaps,  the  victim  has  pep- 
per or  snuff  thrown  into  his  eyes,  or  he  may  even  be  knocked  down.     At. 


STUKET    RORBKR3    AND    OABOTTEB8.  165 

the  next  instant  the  thieves  jump  into  their  cart  and,  with  a  quick  horse  in 
the  shafts,  are  gone  in  a  moment. 

There  arc  many  streets  and  localities  in  New  York,  which  no  resident 
in  the  city  knowing  the  circumstances  would  care  to  pass  through  in  the 
evening  or  night  time,  unless  absolutely  necessary.  Such  are,  for  exam- 
ple, the  Five  Points  with  their  complication  of  streets,  Cherry  Street, 
Water  Street,  and  many  others.  And  then  in  the  environs  of  the  city  are 
certain  portions  of  "Williamsburg  and  Brooklyn,  also  the  so-called  Elysian 
Fields  at  Hoboben,  the  neighborhood  of  Woodlawn  and  the  foot  of  the 
slope  which  leads  up  to  Union  Hill.  Such  places  are  cautiously  avoided 
by  the  New  Yorker  after  night-fall.  It  is  otherwise  with  new  arrivals,  or 
with  strangers  generally,  who,  not  knowing  the  dangerous  character  of  cer- 
tain streets  and  neighborhoods,  come  upon  them  by  chance  and  then  suffer 
assault  or  robbery,  and  sometimes  even  get  murdered.  The  New  York 
papers  attest  to  the  frequency  of  these  outrages,  and  it  is  a  fact  that  one 
can  scarcely  ever  take  up  a  daily  paper  without  finding  an  account  of 
something  of  the  kind.  Here  is  an  example  of  one,  as  a  warning  to 
strangers. 

A  well  known  grazier  brought  a  lot  of  pigs  from  Cincinnati  to  this  mar- 
ket. He  sold  them  aud  received  some  two  thousand  dollars,  which  he  car- 
ried about  with  him.  On  the  evening  before  he  purposed  leaving  the  city, 
he  visited  a  theatre  in  the  Bowery.  On  his  way  home  from  there  to  his 
hotel  in  Broadway  he  strolled  into  Centre  Street,  instead  of  following 
Canal  Street  into  Broadway,  and  there  he  found  himself  in  a  neighborhood 
that  was  quite  unknown  to  him.  He  now  looked  about  for  a  policeman  to 
direct  him,  and  while  thus  engaged  he  was  suddenly  knocked  down  from 
behind,  and  lay  senseless  in  the  street.  After  a  time  he  gradually  recov- 
ered himself,  but  he  could  not  tell  what  had  happened  to  him,  feeling  only 
a  violent  pain  in  his  hand.  At  length  he  managed  to  get  up,  and  collect- 
ing his  thoughts,  he  leaned  against  a  lamp  post.  Presently  a  policeman 
noticed  him,  and  thinking  that  the  man  was  drunk,  he  took  him  to  the 
station  house.  In  the  meantime,  however,  he  fully  recovered  his  senses, 
and  was  able  to  tell  the  captain  what  had  passed.  Upon  the  captain's 
advice  he  felt  in  his  pockets,  and  then  found  that  he  had  been  robbed  of  all 
his  money,  and  of  a  breast-piu  which  he  had  been  wearing.  The  thieves 
must  of  course  have  struck  him  from  behind,  as  he  had  not  seen  them.  A 
great  amount  of  trouble  was  taken  by  the  police  to  try  and  find  out  the 
thieves,  but  as  is  too  often  the  case — without  any  satisfactory  result.  The 
man  lost  his  two  thousand  dollars,  and  might  think  himself  fortunate  in 
having  escaped  with  his  life. 

But  it  is  not  only  in  remote  and  lonely  streets  that  instances  of  robbery 
occur,  but  also  in  the  full  blaze  of  the  gas  in  Broadway  and  in  the  much 
frequented  avenues  ;  that,  too,  without  the  notice  of  the  police  on  the  beat. 
It  is  well  known  that  when  these  thieves  meet  with  any  resistance  they  do 


1 66  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE.  • 

not  for  a  "moment  hesitate  to  use  a  slung-shot  or  the  knife,  as  has  been 
proved  in  numerous  instances  where  persons  have  been  found  murdered 
and  robbed. 

The  garotters  who  were  in  full  swing  a  few  years  ago  have  nearly  come 
to  an  end,  since  one  of  the  judges  seeing  the  necessity  for  stopping  this 
kind  of  crime  if  it  was  possible,  sent  one  of  the  rascals  to  prison  for  life,, 
and  two  others  for  twenty-one  years  each.  Since  that  was  done  garotting 
has  ceased. 

Gu rotting  has  its  name  from  the  death  punishment  customary  in  Spain, 
where  strangulation  is  effected  by  means  of  an  iron  ring  fastened  to  a  post. 
Here  the  garotter  accomplishes  something  of  the  same  kind  with  his  handsr 
working  usually  in  bands  of  four.  They  approach  their  victim  generally 
from  behind,  and  while  two  of  their  number  hold  his  arms  fast,  a  third 
throws  his  arm  round  his  neck,  chokes  him,  and  bends  his  head  completely 
backwards,  at  the  same  time  pressing  his  jaws  so  closely  together  that  the 
man  can  neither  breath  nor  make  any  noise.  The  fourth  now  commits 
the  robbery,  after  which  a  knock  on  the  head  is  usually  applied  to  the  vic- 
tim to  render  him  senseless  for  a  time  till  the  thieves  have  had  time  to 
make  their  escape.  As  long  as  the  streets  are  filled  with  people  in  the 
evening,  these  companies  of  scoundrels  keep  about  the  side  streets,  idle 
around  the  public  parks,  or  lurk  about  for  solitary  passengers  along  the 
lonely  part  of  the  avenues  up  town,  but  as  soon  as  the  principal  streets  are 
quiet,  they  make  their  appearance  in  them. 

They  do  not  always  approach  their  victim  from  behind.  One  of  them 
will  sometimes  walk  up  and  ask  a  person  some  trivial  question  about  the 
direction  to  a  place,  or  the  name  of  a  street,  or  what  the  time  is,  while  his 
companions  remain  in  the  back  ground.  In  such  cases,  especially  at  even- 
ing-time and  in  lonely  neighborhood,  the  person  so  addressed  should  be  care- 
fully on  his  guard  how  he  answers  the  enquiries  and  never  to  take  out  his 
watch.  The  better  plan  is  not  to  stop  at  all,  but  to  turn  sharply  away  and 
then  to  be  in  readiness  to  ward  off  any  attack.  Here  is  an  illustration  of 
this  kind  of  thing. 

An  officer  of  the  garrison  on  Governor's  Island  had  been  in  the  company 
of  a  friend  in  Fourteenth  Street.  He  had  ordered  his  boat  to  be  at  the 
battery  at  three  o'clock  in  the  morning,  but  leaving  his  friends  house  a 
little  later,  at  which  time  there  were  no  omnibuses  nor  street-cars,  he  set 
out  to  make  the  journey  down  town  on  foot.  On  arriving  at  the  part  of 
Broadway  near  Trinity  Church  three  fellows  suddenly  passed  him  hur- 
riedly, but  directly  afterwards  turned  back,  and  one  of  them  went  up  and 
asked  him  what  the  time  was.  Before  he  had  time  to  answer  he  was 
seized  by  a  second,  tripped  up  and  thrown  on  the  foot-path,  while  the  third 
knelt  upon  his  chest  and  nearly  choked  him.  The  other  two  now  robbed 
him  of  his  watch  and  all  his  money  ;  which  done,  they  knocked  him  sense- 
less and  escaped. 


IWIMM.XRS.  107 

If  anyone  wishes  to  feel  himself  in  some  kind  of  security  agaiust  such 
attacks  as  these  he  must  avoid  all  isolated  and  lonely  streets,  and  especi- 
ally neighborhoods  of  ill-repute,  in  the  evening  and  night.  For  if  a  reaped" 
able  man  who,  perhaps,  has  been  working  late,  or  is  returning  from  some 
society,  or,  perhaps,  on  a  mission  to  fetch  a  physician,  is  attacked  in  this 
way.  he  will  mostly  meet  only  those  night-revellers,  who,  perhaps,  under 
the  influence  of  drink,  are  returning  from  boveefl  which  decent  people  would 
not  care  to  enter.  And  it  is  not  to  be  overlooked  that  those  are  the  people, 
whose  heads  are  a  little  heated,  that  the  New  York  street  robber  prefers 
to  look  after. 

We  said  at  the  beginning  of  this  chapter  that  in  the  course  of  one  year 
there  were  320  arrests  on  the  charge  of  robbery  in  the  public  streets  ; 
truly  an  alarming  number  !  Nor  must  we  look  for  any  diminution  of  sucli 
cases  until  all  the  criminals  are  promptly  prosecuted  and  sentenced  to  the 
severest  punishments  that  the  law  allows. 


SWINDLERS. 

As  it  is  our  chief  aim  in  this  book  to  iuftruct  the  reader  in  some  meas- 
ure upon  the  dangers  that  threaten  him  in  and  around  New  York,  so  is 
that  object  especially  prominent  in  the  present  chapter  ;  and  thousands  who 
read  it  will  doubtless  call  to  mind  that  they  themselves  have  been  swindled 
in  one  or  other  of  the  different  ways  below  mentioned,  or  will  be  able  to 
point  on  the  following  list  to  some  class  of  swindlers  whose  victims  they 
have  already  been.  When  the  States  banks  were  in  existence  with  their 
almost  numberless  varies  of  notes,  every  business  man  was  obliged  to  keep 
a  banknote  reporter  with  a  description  of  counterfeit  notes.  In  like  man- 
ner will  this  chapter  be  of  use,  since  whoever  is  once  made  acquainted  with 
the  various  devices  of  the  swindling  profession,  will  hardly  himself  be 
deceived  ;  and  persons  who  receive  from  strangers  circulars  or  offers  in 
writing  which  hold  out  some  extraordinary  profit,  will  immediately  see 
whether  the  concern  in  question  does  not  come  under  one  of  the  heads  in 
the  annexed  list,  and  then  set  it  down  as  rubbish  accordingly. 

To  show  the  sreat  extent  of  the  swindlers  realm  we  will  enumerate  at 
once  the  different  branches  which  are  practised.  They  are  as  follows  : — 
Adoption  swindle — ageucy  swindle — Alaska  diamonds — the  selling-out 
swindle — building  lots  swindle — lightning  rod  swindle — flower  swindle — 
Wall  Street   swindle —  bond  and  stock   swindle — bounty  swindle — specta- 


168  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NETf    YORK    LIFE. 

cles — the  bunco  game — butter  powder  swindle — security  swindle — check 
swindle — segar  swindle  —partnership  swindle — confidence  swindle — custom 
house 'swindle — loan  swindle — diplomas — dollar  stores — envelope  swindle 
— inheritance  swindle — express  swindle — counterfeit  and  saw-dust  swindle 
— false  firms— gift-concerts  and  gift^enterprises— mysteries  and  spirits — 
alchymy — pedling — advertising  swindle — church,  school  and  charity  swin- 
dles— comb  swindle — real-estate  swindle — circulating  library  swindle  — 
love  powders — lottery  swindle — dry  goods  swindle — music  box  swindle  — 
sewing  machine  swindle — note  swindle — oil  swindle — patent  and  family 
rights  swindle — perfumery  swindle — the  pawnbrokers  ticket  swindle — 
photograph  swindle — the  graft  swindle — prize  candies — the  recipes  swindle 
— the  repair  swindle — the  revolver  swindle — rhubarb  wine  swindle — the 
safe  deposit  swindle — the  secret  order  of  money  finders — soap  swindle — 
telegram  swindle — tea  swindle — watches  swindle — whisky  swindle — the 
charm  swindle — interest  swindle,  &c. 

Truly  a  copious  list,  which  must  somewhat  astonish  those  who  have  not 
had  an  opportunity  to  examine  long  and  thoroughly  this  feature  in  the  dark 
side  of  our  social  life. 

Many  of  these  branches  of  the  swindling  art  are  practised  only  here  and 
by  the  people  in  person,  while  the  far  greater  number  look  for  their  vic- 
tims all  over  the  country,  and  find  them — yea,  find  them  by  thousands. 

The  outside  business  is  conducted  by  means  of  printed  or  lithographed 
circulars,  sometimes,  too,  by  written  letters,  and  the  men  who  conduct  this 
kind  of  business  employ  for  the  purpose  a  large  number  of  clerks.  In 
these  circulars  and  letters  offers  are  made  to  the  persons  addressed  under 
most  varied  pretences.  Sometimes  the  person  written  to  has  been  recom- 
mended by  some  friend  as  especially  trustworthy  ;  sometimes  the  writer 
wants  to  appoint  an  agent  for  a  certain  county  and  offers  the  appointment  ; 
sometimes  the  stock  of  a  shop  is  going  to  be  sold  off;  sometimes  it  is  a 
bankrupt  stock  which  will  be  delivered  at  prices  far  below  the  actual  value  ; 
and  very  often  such  letters  contain  besides  a  warning  against  other  swiu- 
dlers.  Suffice  it  to  say  that  the  swindling  fraternity  are  never  at  a  loss  to 
find  a  vesture  for  their  offers,  and,  too,  with  an  amount  of  success  which 
is  well  understood  by  the  immense  number  of  people  wLo  are  every  week 
being  swindled  by  them. 

But  how  do  these  people  obtain  the  hundreds  and  thousands  of  addresses 
to  which  they  are  ever  sending  their  circulars  and  letters?  Perhaps  many 
of  the  people  who  receive  these  communications,  and  whose  names  are 
scarcely  known  outside  of  the  limits  of  their  own  place  of  residence,  feel  a 
little  flattered  at  finding  that  their  name  has  been  heard  of  at  a  distance, 
and  at  receiving  such  a  mark  of  confidence  as  the  offer  implies.  But  it  is 
done  in  the  following  way.  There  are  in  New  York,  and  also  in  other 
large  cities,  people  who  collect  the  addresses  of  all  sorts  of  persons  in  any 
kind  of  business,  and  who  for  a  small  consideration,  usually  a  dollar  for  a 


SWINDLERS.  169 

hundred  names,  dispose  of  copies.  A  swindler  will  sometimes  spend  as 
much  as  five  hundred  dollars,  receiving  for  it  fifty  thousand  addresses  in 
all  places  aud  in  every  part  of  the  Union.  Now  he  lays  his  traps  and 
throws  out  his  bait,  and  it  is  a  remarkable  fact  that  more  than  half  the 
answers  he  receives  contain  mouey,  showing  how  many  people  there  arc 
who  are  ready  to  be  entrapped.  But  there  are  other  means  by  which 
addresses  can  be  procured.  First  there  are  the  directories  of  hundreds  of 
towns  ;  aud  if  it  be  necessary  to  spend  four  or  five  hundred  dollars  in  pro- 
curing these,  that  is  no  hindrance.  For  as  long  as  there  are  so  many  fools 
and  simpletons  about  ever  ready  to  be  swindled,  the  investment  will  always 
turn  out  profitably  to  the  swindler.  Often,  too,  these  people  interchange 
their  addresses  one  with  another,  or  cne  establishment  will  buy  up  the 
letters  of  another.  In  this  way  recently  one  "  Fisher  &  Co."  purchased  of 
a  Miss  Nelson,  of  Brooklyn,  some  forty  thousand  letters,  in  most  of  which 
fifty  centfl  had  been  inclosed.  These  letters  had  been  received  by  Miss 
N.  son  in  reply  to  an  advertisement  in  wrhich,  for  the  fee  named,  she  un- 
dertook to  give  a  description  of  tho  future  wife  or  husband  as  the  case 
might  be,  and  to  foretell  the  time  of  marriage. — Another  firm  of  swindlers 
bought  frcm  a  so-called  Reverend  Dr.  Chambers,  of  Williamsburg,  who 
pretended  to  have  discovered  a  certain  cure  for  consumption,  two  large 
sacks  of  letters,  in  each  of  which  he  had  received  twenty-five  cents  and  a 
three  cent  postage  stamp.  Such  firms  will  sometimes  have  as  many  as  a 
million  circulars  printed  at  one  time,  and  during  the  space  of  a  week  will 
pay  many  hundred  dollars  in  postage  for  the  distribution  of  those  circulars. 
Indeed,  two  of  the  largest  of  the  swindling  establishments  keep  presses  con- 
stantly at  work  upon  the  circulars  and  other  printing  required  in  the  busi- 
ness. 

In  accordance  with  the  maxim  that  "  a  burnt  child  dreads  the  fire"  one 
would  think  that  when  a  person  has  been  once  taken  in,  he  would  not  let 
himself  be  caught  a  second  time.  But  experience  teaches  otherwise  ;  and 
swindlers  would  often  rather  buy  the  letters  which  others  in  the  same  trade 
have  received,  and  the  addresses  of  people  who  have  been  already  victim- 
ized. Sometimes  a  person  will  receive  a  second  circular  from  the  firm 
that  has  already  cheated  him  ;  but  which  is  made  to  appear  as  coming 
from  another  concern,  and  gives  a  different  street  and  a  new  number  as  the 
place  of  business.  These  swindlers  speculate  upon  the  thoughtlessness,  the 
greed  for  gain  and  partly — as  in  the  case  of  counterfeiters — the  evil  pro- 
pensities of  men  ;  and  they  succeed  pecuniarily  better  by  far  than  many 
honest  business  men  who  harass  themselves  from  morning  till  night  in 
their  offices,  or  than  those  others  amongst  us  who  are  laboring  hard  for  the 
enlightenment  of  their  fellow-men.  There  are  many  people  who,  having 
been  once  bitten,  are  like  the  professional  gambler,  whose  passion  is  only 
stimulated  by  his  losses.  We  have  lying  before  us  the  result  of  one  man's 
experience,  who  allowed  himself  to  be  swindled  ten  times,  but  was  cured 


170  THE    ©ARK    SIDE    OE    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

by  the  eleventh.  He  had  paid  at  different  times,  and  to  different  ilrmsr 
the  following  amounts  :— $1.00— $2.25— $2.50  -$1.00— 45  cts.— 50  cts. 
$1.00 — 50  cts. — 30  cts.  and  50  cts.,  and  although  he  had  not  failed  to  use 
reminders  and  threats,  he  had  never  received  any  satisfaction.  Only  once 
did  he  have  an  answer,  and  then  it  was  to  the  effect  that  his  letter  had 
contained  no  money ! 

Either  the  swindler  puts  the  money  which  he  receives  into  his  pocket, 
and  sends  no  reply  at  all,  well  knowing  that  he  has  nothing  to  fear  from 
all  the  duunings  and  threats  which  come  to  him  from  his  victims  at  a  dis- 
tance ;  or  he  will  answer  and  say  that  the  first  letter  with  the  money  was 
not  received  ;  or  that  the  request  had  been  complied  with  ;  or  he  will  send 
an  article  worth  nothing ;  for  .example,  in  place  of  a  watch  worth  $150.00 
one  that  is  not  worth  $3.00  ;  or  which  more  correctly  has  no  value  at  all. 
It  invariably  happens  that  if  anybody  lets  himself  be  induced  to  send 
money  in  response  to  a  circular,  he  is  cheated.  To  make  more  sure  the 
swindler  often  sends  the  names  of  well  known  people  as  references.  But 
that  is  of  no  consequence,  for  it  too  is  a  swindle.  Either  the  persons  men- 
tioned know  nothing  of  the  use  or  rather  of  the  misuse  that  has  been  made 
of  their  names,  or  else  incorrect  initials  are  prefixed  to  the  surnames  and 
thus  the  whole  thing  is  a  delusion. 

Almost  all  these  firms  operate  under  different  names,  some  of  them  hav- 
ing as  many  as  ten  or  even  more  aliasses.  And  as  they  never  attach  their 
real  names  to  the  circulars,  and  as  a  rule  give  wrong  streets  and  numbers, 
it  is  exceedingly  difficult  to  find  them  in  case  any  one  of  their  victims 
should  come  to  the  city  for  that  purpose. 

As  a  large  number  of  them,  especially  those  who  deal  in  obscene  publi- 
cations "  love  powder,"  &c,  distribute  their  circulars  chiefly  among  young 
people,  and  of  both  sexes,  parents,  guardians,  and  principals  of  educational 
institutions,  should  keep  a  watchful  eye  over  the  enclosure  seat  by  mail  to 
their  children  or  wards.  The  pure  mind  of  many  a  child  has  been  forever 
ruined  by  the  wretched  work  of  these  rascals. 

Some  firms  publish  a  newspaper  at  a  subscription  of  about  a  dollar  a 
year,  the  only  object  of  which  is  to  mark  their  real  business  and  indirectly 
to  support  it.  Others  have  different  private  post  offices,  which  not  only  yield 
a  profit  to  them,  but  also  enable  them  to  have  the  answers  to  their  circu- 
lars sent  there  under  different  addresses,  without  any  possible  interference 
from  the  post  office  authorities.  Since  the  rule  has  been  made  not  to 
deliver  letters  containing  money  through  the  post  for  wrell  known  swindlers, 
such  letters  are  sent  to  the  dead  letter  office — or  unclaimed  letter  office,  at 
Washington,  and  thence  returned  to  their  senders.  But  the  swindler 
guards  himself  against  this,  and  even  if  he  have  not  an  address  which  has 
become  notorious  with  the  post  office  authorities,  he  puts  a  warning  in  his 
circulars  not  to  send  money  through  the  post,  but  only  by  express. 

If  it  be  asked  how  it  is  that  such  a  gigantic  system,  as  is  here  described, 


SWINDLER"*. 


171 


can  continue  for  years  unchecked   by  punishment,  the  answer  is  that  our 

laws  are  too  inefficient  to  reach  the  persons  engaged  in  the  pursuit.  Then 
there  are  many  lawyers  who  depend  entirely  tor  their  subsistence  upon  the 

support  they  givo  to  rascality  and  crime.  There  is  oue  large  swindling 
firm  which  especially  employs  counsel  to  examine  every  new  project  that 
is  put  forward,  and  to  see  whether  it  can  be  carried  out  without  the  inter- 
ference of  the  law  !  This  it  always  does  before  anything  fresh  is  attempted. 

It  is  said  that  the  fortune  accumulated  by  one  of  the  leading  swindlers 
here  amounts  to  half  a  million  dollars  ;  and  that  many  of  them  receive  as 
much  as  from  six  to  eight  thousand  dollars  every  week,  so  that  we  may 
fairly  estimate  the  loss  which  the  country  suffers  through  these  men  at 
from  four  to  five  millions  of  dollars  every  year.  Swindlers  are  rich,  but 
through  whom?  Through  the  simple,  the  grasping,  and  the  avaricious  ; 
among  whom  there  are  very,  very  many,  who,  so  long  as  tkey  make 
money,  care  little  or  nothing  how  they  make  it. 

Since  we  must  now  enter  upon  an  account  of  specialities  in  the  art  of 
swindling,  we  will  begin  by  noticing  those  which  depend  less  upon  the  sim- 
ple mindedness  and  folly  of  the  people,  than  upon  the  ignorance  and  crimi- 
nal tendencies,  working — as  they  do — in  the  widest  sphere,  and  throwing 
before  the  public,  as  a  bait,  the  promises  of  a  large,  if  dishonest  profit. 
The  chief  of  these  are  the  counterfeit  money  and  saw-dust  swindlers,  and 
the  dealers  in  counterfeit  revenue  stamps  and  forged  bonds.  Of  these  ras- 
cally operators  the  most  important  and  the  most  wide  reaching  are  those 
first  named— The  Counterfeit  Money  and  Saw-dust  Swindlers. 

The  seizures  that  have  been  made  in  the  "  offices"  of  such  people,  the 
thousands  of  letters  that  have  been  found  in  them  from  all  parts  of  the 
country,  and  from  persons  who  in  their  own  neighborhoods  are  regarded 
as  honorable  and  good,  set  forth  with  startling  prominence  the  depth  to 
which  the  poison  of  corruption  has  eaten  its  way  into  all  classes  of  the  peo- 
ple. Many  hundred  thousand  dollars — nay,  during  the  seven  years  that 
this  system  has  been  in  practice,  not  hundreds  of  thousands,  but  millions 
of  dollars  have  flowed  into  the  pockets  of  these  swindlers  ;  and  all  the 
money  has  come  from  people  whose  sense  of  honesty  was  so  deficient  that 
they  were  ready  to  cheat  their  neighbors  with  counterfeit  money,  although 
in  the  end — and  this  is  a  bright  spot  in  the  black  picture — they  were  them- 
selves the  individuals  who  were  cheated. 

It  will  not  be  uninteresting  if  we  relate  how  this  system,  which  has 
reached  such  enormous  dimensions,  originated. 

In  the  year  18G7  a  young  Englishman,  named  Tumbury,  who  had  tra- 
velled to  this  country,  was  swindled  out  of  all  that  he  possessed.  He  was 
afterwards  known,  under  his  own  operations  of  a  like  kind,  by  the  names 
of  Gumbridge,  Gunbridge  and  Gurmbridge,  to  which  he  subsequently 
added,  "  and  Co."  He  was  a  young  man  of  pleasing  exterior,  but  who 
had  no  great   love  for  work,  aud  so  looked  out  for  some  occupation  which 


172  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

required  but  little  money  and  no  laborious  effort.  He  began  a  commission 
business,  undertaking  to  supply  orders  for  persons  in  the  country  for  things 
which  they  could  not  procure  in  their  own  neighborhoods. 

There  are  many  trifling  things  newly  advertised  in  the  New  York  papers, 
and  which,  when  purchased  here  by  wholesale,  cost  only  about  four  or  five 
cents,  but  for  which  in  the  country  as  much  as  25  cents  are  readily  ob- 
tained, thus  turning  over  a  good  profit.  It  is  a  kind  of  business  which  is 
carried  on  by  many  respectable  firms,  but  one  which  opens  out  a  wide  field 
to  men  who  are  not  conscientious,  for  the  circulation  of  obscene  prints  and 
other  objects  with  the  sale  of  which  honest  business  men  will  have  nothing 
to  do. 

A  couple  of  years  before  this  time,  in  1864,  the  United  States  Treasury 
had  granted  permission  to  have  photographed  copies  of  the  paper  money 
in  one  quarter  of  the  genuine  size,  which  photographs  were  intended  to 
protect  the  public  against  counterfeits,  because  being  accurate  in  details, 
although  small  in  size,  a  comparison  with  any  suspected  notes  could  be 
-made.  It  soon  became  apparent,  however,  that  these  photographs  were  of 
little  use  for  the  purpose  intended,  but  were  bought  rather  as  curiosities 
and  as  such  had  already  found  a  good  market.  This  very  much  assisted 
Mr.  Tumbury,  who  presently  inserted  the  following  advertisement  in  the 
papers : — 

"  $5  for  25  cents. — $5  worth  photographic  fac  similes  of  U.  S.  Green- 
backs, will  be  sent  for  25  cents.  Address  Gumbridge  &  Co.,  Nassau 
Street,  New  York." 

At  that  time  Tumbury  had  not  the  means  to  rent  an  office,  and  in  con- 
sequence he  used  to  wait  opposite  a  place  appointed  until  the  letter  carrier 
came  along  with  his  letters,  which  soon  grew  to  an  immense  number,  each 
containing  twenty-five  cents.  Whether  or  not  Gumbridge  &  Co.  ever  sent 
the  photographs  is  not  known  ;  certain,  however,  it  is  that  before  very  long 
many  complaints  were  made  in  different  quarters,  that  the  orders  sent  and 
paid  for  were  not  filled,  and  also  that  he  was  doing  a  business  in  which 
his  profits  consisted  of  all  his  receipts.  But  by  means  of  this  25  cents  busi- 
ness the  speculative  Tumbury  was  soon  enabled  to  extend  his  sphere  of 
operations.  The  letters  of  many  of  the  people  who  ordered  the  photo- 
graphs showed  that  they  wanted  photographic  copies  the  full  size  of  the 
originals,  and  so  well  done  that  they  could  not  be  distinguished  from  them. 
But  that  he  did  not  care  for ;  he  put  the  25  cents  into  his  pocket  and  prob- 
ably sent  nothing.  The  business  flourished  ;  for  the  number  of  foolish  peo- 
ple and  of  those  who  are  ready  to  made  a  dishonest  penny,  if  it  can  be 
done  secretly,  is  great ;  and  so  many  ran  into  his  net. 

But  about  this  time  the  owner  of  the  office,  before  whose  door  Tumbury 
used  to  get  his  letters  of  the  post-man,  and  who  was  often  being  worried 
with  enquiries  for  Gumbridge  &  Co.,  caused  it  to  be  notified  to  the  post- 
master that  that  firm  occupied  no  office  in  the  building ;  upon  which  the 


IWIXDLRRS.  IT.') 

postmaster  gave  instructions  that  no  more  letters  should  go  out  to  that 
address.  Tumbury,  however,  in  the  mean  time  had  made  so  much  money 
that  he  was  now  able  to  rent  an  office  and  furnish  it,  so  presently  he  moved 
to  No.  69  Wall  Street. 

While  here  the  idea  came  into  his  mind  to  extend  his  swindling  opera- 
tions, to  give  up  the  bagatelle  twenty-five  cent  business,  and  to  climb  a 
good  deal  higher  on  the  ladder. 

He  had  seen  that  most  of  those  persons  who  had  applied  to  him  for  pho- 
tographs, were  uuder  the  impression  that  they  would  receive  imitations  of 
genuine  notes  which  they  could  pay  away  as  genuine.  This  told  him  that 
all  these  people,  not  encumbered  with  a  superfluity  of  honesty,  were  ready 
to  accept  arrangements  to  that  end,  and  so  he  determined  to  offer  them 
counterfeit  notes,  but  not  just  at  present  to  furnish  Ihem.  He  kept  the 
following  points  in  view.  First  he  received  and  retained  the  money  from 
everybody  whom  he  could  find  willing  to  put  counterfeit  notes  into  circula- 
tion ;  then  the  people  he  was  cheating  were  not  in  a  position  to  enter  an 
action,  because  they  themselves  would  have  to  be  held  guilty  of  the  inten- 
tion to  circulate  bad  money  ;  thirdly  they  could  not  make  auy  charge  for 
breach  of  contract  against  him,  because  according  to  law  no  one  can  be 
compelled  to  fulfil  the  terms  of  an  agreement  which  is  in  itself  illegal  :  and 
fourthly  no  complaint  against  him  for  supplying  counterfeit  money  could 
be  sustained,  because  in  truth  he  did  not  supply  any.  So  armed  with  all 
the  weapons  of  a  trickster,  the  cunning  rascal  went  to  work.  Whether  he 
managed  everything  himself,  or  whether  at  that  time  he  had  the  services 
of  a  lawyer,  is  not  certain.  It  is  an  unfortunate  fact  that  there  are  in 
New  York  so  many  lawyers — infamous  pettifoggers — who  are  always 
ready  to  promote  the  cause  of  rascality,  if  only  they  are  paid  enough 
for  it. 

Of  ceurse  Tumbury  had  now  to  give  up  the  advertisements  in  the  papers 
and  to  devise  some  more  secret  way  for  laying  his  bait.  He  must  now 
seek  his  customers  by  means  of  circulars  ;  and  he  already  had,  in  abund- 
ance, the  addresses  of  the  kind  of  people  he  wanted  in  the  letters  which  he 
had  received  under  the  25  cent  business.  But  a  printed  circular  would 
uot  do.  He  therefore  wrote  one  himself  and  caused  a  number  to  be  litho- 
graphed in  fac  simile,  which  most  persons  would  probably  mistake  for  a 
hand-written  and  confidential  communication.  His  first  circular  reads  as 
follows  : — 

69  Wall  Street,  N.  Y. 
Mt  Dear  Sir: 

We  have  a  large  stock  of  exact  copies  of  genuine  U.  S.  Treasury  Notes  on 
hand,  made  by  men  skilled  in  the  art  which  we  desire  to  immediately  dispose  of, 
even  if  sacrificed.  They  are  arranged  in  packages,  each  representing  over  $500,  in 
various  denominations,  60  accurate  as  to  be  a  perfect  fac-pimile  of  the  genuine  U.  S. 
Notes.     W-e  will  not  sell  a  package  for  less  than  $16,  upon  receipt  of  which  we  will 


174  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK   LIFE. 

send  it  to  you ;  or  if  you  do  not  wish  to  trust  us  to  this  amount,  we  will  send  it  to 
you  on  receipt  of  $ 5 ;  the  balance,  $10,  you  can  send  to  us  as  soon  after  you  receive 
the  package  as  possible.  We  trust  partly  to  your  honesty  to  do  this,  at  the  same 
time  thinking  that  as  you  will  consider  it  to  your  interest  to  deal  with  us  further, 
you  will  comply  with  our  request. 

After  you  have  ordered  the  package,  any  informatton  we  can  afford  will  be 
cheerfully  given.  If  you  are  afraid  to  trust  us  even  to  the  amount  of  $6,  we  will 
send  you  the  package  by  Express,  C.  0.  D.,  you  sending  us  the  balanee,  $10,  as 
soon  after  you  receive  the  package  as  possible.  We  would,  however,  prefer  to  have 
the  money  sent  by  mail,  as  it  is  less  trouble,  and  saves  both  you  and  us  the  Express 
charges.  If  you  desire  to  avail  yourself  of  this  opportunity,  you  must  do  so  at  once, 
and  address  carefully, 

GUMBRIDGE  &  CO., 

69  Wall  St.,  N.  Y. 

We  offer  special  inducements  to  any  one  desirous  of  becoming  our  confidential 
Agent. 

It  will  be  noticed  that  in  this  first  circular  Turabury  was  very  careful  to 
avoid  speaking  of  counterfeit  notes,  as  he  boldly  did  in  subsequent  circu- 
lars ;  and  further  that  he  asked  for  remittances  through  the  post,  an 
arrangement  that  was  afterwards  prevented  by  an  order  from  the  post 
office  authorities.  However,  the  circular  had  the  desired  effect.  From 
all  sides  came  orders  for  the  "fac  similes  of  genuine  notes"  with  remittan- 
ces of  five  or  fifteen  dollars,  while  Tumbury  sent  nothing  and  lived  all  the 
while  in  rioting  and  revelling. 

But  the  circulars  from  Grumbridge  &  Co.  grew  every  week  more 
numerous,  and  the  nature  of  the  business  soon  became  so  well  known  to 
the  swindling  fraternity,  that  other  swindlers  began  to  think  that  they,  too, 
might  as  well  grow  rich  in  a  short  time  in  the  same  way  as  Tumbury. 
Among  these  was  a  man  who  opened  a  commission  business  at  148  Fulton 
Street,  under  the  firm  name  of  Dai  ley  &  Co.,  in  the  same  way  as  Tumbury 
had  done.  This  man  followed  out  Tumbury's  idea,  but  resolved  to  con- 
duct the  business  on  a  larger  scale.  In  his  circulars  he  not  only  took  a 
bolder  and  more  decided  course  than  his  predecessor,  but  he  sent  them  out 
simultaneously  under  five  different  names,  one  of  which  was  Hitchcock  & 
Co.  Thus  Tumbury  was  the  founder  of  this  swindle  and  Dailey  the  per- 
i'ecter  of  it.     His  first  circular  was  as  follows  :  — 

New  York,  27th  April,  1870. 
Dear  Sir: 

We  desire  to  engage  the  services  of  a  keen,  sagacious  Agent  in  your  locality 
for  a  business  which  cannot  fail  to  yield  a  profit  of  $10,000  a  month,  if  rightly  man- 
aged. The  capital  required  is  comparatively  insignificant.  And  as  you  are  subject 
to  no  risk,  you  will  have  a  clear  "  walk  over."  We  have  been  employed  during  the 
past  three  months  in  preparing  plates  of  the  $1,  $2  and  $5  Greenbacks.  They  are 
now  oomplete,  and  a  large  quantity  of  the  bills  have  been  worked  off.  These  bills 
are,  without  exception,  the  beet  ever  executed  in  the  country,  and  cannot  be  detected 


SWINDLKKS.  175 

even  by  the  ablest  experts.  They  are  printed  on  first-class  Bank  Note  paper,  and 
are  correctly  numbered.  The  engraving  is  incomparable.  Indeed,  no  accomplish- 
ment in  the  art  of  engraving  or  of  printing  has  been  left  untaxed  to  render  you  a« 
safe  in  passing  these  bills  as  if  you  were  passing  good  money.  We  have  them  put. 
up  in  packages  of  $500,  $1,000,  $5,000,  $10,000.  In  consequence  of  the  exceeding 
excellence  of  the  bills,  and  of  the  great  expense  of  bringing  them  out,  we  shall  have 
to  charge  you  at  the  rate  of  $200  per  $1,00J.  But  to  give  you  a  start  and  to  con- 
vince you  that  we  mean  business,  we  will  send  you  a  package  containing  $500  upon 
the  receipt  of  $10  or  $20,  whichever  you  may  see  fit  to  send  us,  provided  you  pay 
the  balance  within  15  days  after  receiving  the  package.  You  will  be  required  to 
meet  jour  bills  promptly.  We  shall  insist  upon  cash  payments  upon  your  first  fail- 
ure to  comply  with  our  terms.  Do  not  think  us  unreasonable,  for  in  a  business  of 
this  kind  everything  should  be  conducted  on  the  square.  We  must  have  the  cost  of 
printing,  at  least;  and  15  days  is  certainly  ample  time  for  the  payment  of  the  bal- 
ance. You  may  form  some  idea  about  the  quality  of  our  stock  by  reading  the  en- 
closed extract,  cut  from  the  "  Herald".  Don't  exhibit  more  than  $50  or  $100  at  a 
time  in  a  place.  So  many  new  bills  might  excite  suspicion.  If  you  could  manage  to 
come  on,  we  could  have  a  free  talk  over  the  matter,  and  make  arrangements  for  a 
big  business.  In  case  you  come  on,  show  this  envelope  to  the  man  at  the  desk,  and 
lie  will  introduce  you.  When  you  send  us  an  order,  endeavor  to  send  by  Express. 
It  is  likely  to  be  lost  in  the  mails,  but  it  is  perfectly  secure  from  all  eyes  in  the  Ex- 
press. We  are  exposed  to  all  the  risk  in  this  matter,  and  we  implore  you  not  to 
betray  us  in  any  manner.  Depend  upon  it.  as  long  as  you  are  true  to  us,  you  will 
not  be  out  of  funds.  We  would  prefer  to  have  you  come  on  or  send  the  money  in 
advance.  But  if  it  suits  you  better,  we  will  send  it  by  Express.  Collect  on  delivery, 
and  pack  it  in  such  a  way  that  no  one  will  suspect  the  contents  of  the  box.  A  per- 
sonal interview  would,  of  course,  be  desirable  for  both  parties.  Then  you  can  ex- 
amine the  stock  at  leisure,  and  be  able  to  judge  better  as  to  the  quantity  you  want. 
In  case  any  of  your  friends  desire  to  take  a  hand,  dou't  permit  it,  as  we  wish  to  deal 
with  Agents  of  our  own  selection  only.  When  you  send  an  order,  state  plainly  what 
denominations  you  wish,  how  much  you  want,  and  address, 

A.  J.  HITCHCOCK  and  CO.. 

148  Fulton  Street, 

New  York. 

Your  letter  will  be  destroyed  as  soon  as  read.  Be  sure  and  write  your  nam« 
and  address  as  plain  as  possible  when  you  write  to  us,  and  either  destroy  this  or 
send  it  back  with  your  order. 

The  foregoing  circular  shows  that  more  ability  was  possessed  by  Dailey 
than  had  been  displayed  by  Tumbury.  Ilis  circulars  very  soon  began  to 
carry  the  names  of  the  following  five  firms  : — Dailey  &  Co.,  A  J.  Hitch- 
cock &  Co.,  Wogan  &  Co.,  (Wogac  was  one  of  Dailey's  clerks,  to  whom 
we  shall  have  to  return  presently)  W.  J.  Ferguson,  and  John  F.  Hamil- 
ton ;  while  to  these  aliases  he  at  a  later  period  added  very  many  more. 
And  in  order  to  keep  the  thing  going,  when  the  business  had  almost  come 
to  an  ei*d  in  one  office,  he  had  four  others,  at  13  Nassau  Street,  148  Nas- 
sau Street,  208  Broadway,  and  234  Broadway.  Whether  Adam  Smith, 
Rufws  Stockton,  Hamilton,  and  others,  who  later  played  their  part  in  the 


176  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

counterfeit  money  swindle,  were  clerks  of  Dailey,  or  only  his  pupils,  we  do 
not  know. 

Wogan  &  Co.,  the  firm  before  mentioned,  became  afterwards  Logan  & 
Co.,  Thomas  W.  Pierce  &c,  in  89  Nassau  Street  and  15  Dutch  Street. 

Wogan  was,  as  we  have  said,  a  clerk  in  the  office  of  Dailey  &  Co.  But 
when  this  firm  got  notorious,  Dailey  made  an  agreement  with  Wogan  by 
which  the  new  firm  was  created  with  the  consent  of  the  latter.  This  went 
on  till  Wogan  grew  tired  of  holding  the  inferior  position  of  clerk,  and  he 
asked  for  an  increase  of  salary  ;  upon  which  Dailey  told  him  "  to  go  to  the 
devil." 

He  did  not  do  that,  but  he  wTent  to  the  postmaster  instead,  and  told  him 
that  the  firm  of  Wogan  &  Co.  had  been  dissolved,  and  that  he,  Wogan, 
the  head  of  the  firm,  required  that  no  mere  letters  should  be  delivered  at 
the  office  for  Wogan  &  Co.  He  wanted  them  to  be  given  to  him,  but  the 
consequence  was  that  letters  went  to  the  Dead  Letter  Office  at  Washington 
containing  in  the  aggregate  some  $6,000,  all  of  which  of  course  Dailey 
lost.     So  did  one  swindler  betray  and  injure  another. 

Wogan  then  established  himself  as  Logan  &  Co.,  and  for  a  time  he  did 
Dailey  &  Co.  a  great  deal  of  harm.  But  he  did  not  long  remain  in  the 
business,  and  soon  was  succeeded  by  Waters  &  Howard. 

When  Tumbury  had  carried  on  his  affairs  for  a  long  time,  the  Internal 
Revenue  officers  determined  one  day  to  arrest  him,  because  he  had  not 
taken  out  a  license  for  his  so-called  commission  business.  But  it  had  been 
far  too  profitable  to  leave  room  for  such  an  incident  as  that  to  trouble  him, 
— the  matter  was  "  settled." 

At  that  time  the  officers  estimated  his  yearly  profits  at  $30,000,  and 
Dailey,  who  in  the  space  of  a  week  sometimes  sent  out  as  many  as  a  hun- 
dred thousand  circulars,  admitted  that  he  had  already  made  $35,000. 
Logan  and  Co.  often  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  poliee,  and  at  those  times 
admitted  that  they  often  received  as  many  as  two  thousand  letters  in  a 
week  ;  and  Colonel  Whitley,  the  chief  of  the  United  States  detective  police, 
in  breaking  up  another  swindling  concern  found  more  than  60,000  letters, 
say  sixty  thousand,  in  the  office.  These  letters  were  from  people  in  every 
kind  of  business  and  from  all  parts  of  the  Union  and  the  Dominion  of 
Canada,  who  had  sent  money  for  counterfeit  notes,  or  had  ordered  them  to 
be  sent  C.  O.  D.,  or  who  asked  for  samples.  Many  were  from  contractors 
and  persons  who  employed  a  large  number  of  work-people,  and  who  pro- 
posed to  use  the  counterfeits  in  paying  these  people  their  wages.  On  the 
arrest  of  a  man  named  Heckling  it  was  found  that  he  had  about  $10,000 
lying  in  two  banks,  and  his  books  showed  that  in  the  short  space  of  three 
months  and  a  half  he  had  received  $56,869  ;  and  when  Dailey  and  Wogan 
were  arrested,  they  admitted  that  they  had  received  as  much  as  $7,000  in 
one  day  ! 

These  few  facts  suffice  to  show  what  immense  sums  these  people  make, 


BW1ML>LER8.  l<< 

and  how  many  there  are  in  the  country  who  are  wicked  enougb  U  BCCnre 
a  dishonest  profit  by  the  use  of  couuterfeit  money. 

At  first  these  swindlers  did  their  business  in  such  a  way  that  they  simply 
put  the  money  which  they  got  into  their  pockets,  and  then  never  troubled 
themselves  any  further  about  it.  But  at  length  it  frequently  occurred  that 
people  who  had  received  a  circular,  instead  of  writing  and  sending  money, 
eame  personally  to  the  office.  Such  people  were  not  to  be  put  off  with 
empty  words,  if  the  fellows  wanted  to  have  their  money  ;  and  hence  arose 
the  saw-dust  swindle,  which  has  since  been  practised  by  almost  all  these 
operators,  even  in  .regard  to  the  smallest  orders. 

The  following  is  the  manner  in  which  this  is  worked.  When  the  swin- 
dler has  received  a  number  of  addresses,  as  described  at  the  beginning  ot 
the  chapter,  he  sends  to  each  a  circular  in  which  he  offers  counterfeit  notes 
at  a  certain  price  per  hundred  or  thousand  dollars,  and  gives  prominence 
to  the  mode  of  seuuing  the  order  and  the  value. 

As  a  further  sample  of  one  of  these  circulars  we  here  reprint  one  of  the 
most  recent  that  have  come  under  our  notice.      It  runs  as  follows  : 

Dear  Friend  : 

We  are  being  at  some  trouble  to  obtain  the  assistance  of  a  smart  man  who  will 
push  our  business  as  explained  in  this  letter  ;  and  we  have  been  informed  by  a 
friend,  who  knows  you  well,  that  you  would  just  suit  us.  As  we  have  done  a  good 
deal  of  business  with  your  friend,  and  have  always  found  him  to  be  an  honorable 
and  upright  man,  we  feel  induced  to  intrust  you  with  our  secret. 

If  you  are  agreeable  to  enter  upon  this  business  at  once,  we  will  depart  from 
our  accustomed  business  rule  of  selling  only  for  cash  and  will  supply  you  upon  the 
following  terms : — 

We  have  on  hand  a  large  quantity  of  $1,  $2,  and  $5  imitation  United  States 
Currency  Notes,  which  are  as  well  got  up  as  those  issued  by  the  government.  If 
you  will  forward  to  us  the  sum  of  $10  by  Express,  carriage  paid,  we  will  send  to 
you,  delivered  at  your  nearest  Railway  Station,  or  by  Express,  a  packet  containing 
$1,000  in  our  money.  For  $15  in  advance  you  can  have  $2,000  of  our  money.  For 
$26  we  will  send  you  $4,000,  and  for  $30  you  can  get  a  packet  with  $5,000.  Of 
course  the  above  named  sums  do  not  pay  tho  whole  amount  to  be  due  ;  they  are 
rather  payments  on  account,  and  the  balance  must  be  paid  as  soon  after  as  you  pos- 
sibly can.  By  ordering  a  packet  of  $4,000  you  may  have  the  rights  for  your  county, 
and  if  you  take  $5,000  you  can  secure  the  whole  of  your  State.  Our  Notes  are  en- 
graved to  perfection,  and  printed  upon  United  States  Bank  Note  paper,  and  would 
be  pronounced  genuine  by  bankers  or  any  competent  authorities.  We  know  that 
you  will  serve  us  honorably  and  faithfully,  since  you  would  only  injure  yourself  by 
deceiving  us.  Let  us  know  the  amount  and  the  denominations  that  you  require. 
When  you  send  the  money,  have  the  goodness  to  pay  the  Express  charges  and  to 
deduct  the  amount.  Under  no  circumstances  write  by  mail,  for  we  neither  enquire 
for  letters  at  the  Post  Office  nor  will  we  take  any  letters  out  from  there.  Send  only 
by  Express.     We  are  fraternally  yours 

J.  W.  LANG  &  CO., 

NO.  27  Lispenard  Street, 

New  York  City. 
12 


178  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

If  it  is  anyway  possible,  come  on  yourself;  if  not,  bs  careful  to  do  all  the 
business  by  Express. 

What  strikes  us  upon  the  perusal  of  many  such  circulars  lying  before, 
us,  is  the  fact  that  these  people,  whose  business  is  a  swindle,  and  who  rely 
also  upon  those  to  whom  they  write,  being  ready  to  cheat  their  neighbors, 
should  talk  of  "  honor"  and  "  uprightness."  To  us,  such  language,  under 
the  circumstances,  is  the  most  gross  impudence— might  we  not  say  blas- 
phemy ? 

We  now  subjoin  a  circular  issued  by  W.  Dailey,  wherein  the  swindler 
is  more  diffuse  in  his  style,  and  furnishes  a  new  ground  altogether  upon 
which  to  advocate  the  excellence  of  his  fabrications.     It  runs  thus  : 

STRICTLY   SUB-ROSA,    AND   THE   SECRET   NEVER   TO  BE  IMPARTED  TO 

A  LIVING  BEING. 

My  Dear  Sir  :  I  take  the  liberty  of  sending  you  a  Circular  that  is  printed 
by  myself  in  my  own  printing  office,  in  order  that  its  contents  may  be  known  only 
to  the  few  that  I  conclude  to  take  into  my  confidence. 

I  hope  that  after  I  have  placed  confidence  enough  in  you  to  send  a  circular 
of  this  kind,  relating  the  nature  of  my  business,  that  you  would  not  be  so  treacher- 
ous as  to  even  breathe  the  contents  of  this  document  to  a  living  being  ;  should  yoftr 
betray  me,  J  will  find  means  to  be  avenged  in  a  way  perhaps  you  would  not  dream  of.  If 
you  do  not  wish  to  enter  into  this  confidential  business  with  me,  all  I  ask  is,  that 
you  burn  this  circular  and  let  the  secret  die  with  the  flame.  On  the  other  hand,  if 
you  conclude  to  enter  into  this  speculation,  that  will  in  a  few  weeks  make  you  a 
wealthy  man,  I  would  also  advise  you  to  burn  the  circular  and  preserve  the  secret, 
as  when  this  circular  is  destroyed  all  evidence  against  you  and  me  is  obliterated. 

All  persons  in  a  business  of  this  character  must  be  true  to  themselves,  and  as 
true  as  steel  to  the  person  they  are  doing  business  with.  You  should  always  abstain 
from  the  use  of  strong  drink,  for  in  that  there  is  great  danger,  as  a  person  knows 
not  what  he  might  say  when  drunk.  You  should  also  keep  the  secret  of  the  busi- 
ness as  still  as  the  grave,  not  even  hint  at  it  to  your  nearest  relation  or  breathe  it  to 
your  second  self.  Now,  with  all  the  warning  I  have  given  you  that  is  most  neces- 
sary to  adhere  to  without  a  single  exception,  I  will  proceed  to  state  facts  in  refer- 
ence to  the  business,  which,  if  managed  with  care  and  shrewdness,  will  lead  you  to 
fortune  without  any  one  dreaming  from  whence  your  wealth  came. 

In  the  first  place,  I  wish  to  state  that  I  am  an  engraver,  and  said  to  be  by 
those  who  are  competent  of  judging,  the  most  expert  one  in  America.  I  have  been 
employed  by  the  U.  S.  Government  for  ten  years.  I  superintended  the  engraving 
of  all  the  plates  for  the  United  States  money.  When  the  Government  ceased  to  issue 
Greenbacks  my  services  were  no  longer  required,  and  as  soon  as  I  found  that  my 
time  was  my  own  I  conceived  the  idea  of  engraving  a  few  plates  for  myself  and  for 
my  benefit,  as  I  am  well  aware  that  a  man  can  never  become  wealthy  working  for  a 
salary.  I  have  only  recently  finished  the  work  that  I  began  almost  two  years  since, 
that  is,  the  engraving  of  six  plates  which  are  exact  duplicates  of  the  Governments. 
Mine  are  the  Fifty  Cents,  the  One,  Two,  Five,  Ten,  and  Twenty  Dollars  plates.  I 
have  taken  the  greatest  care  in  engraving  these  plates,  and  I  defy  the  best  experts  to 
detect  the  counterfeits  from  the  genuine.  I  deposited  a  few  days  since  a  large  amount 
of  my  money  in  six  different  banks  in  New  York ;  they  all  accepted  it  without  saying 


SWINDLERS. 


179 


a  w«»k1;  my  money  b/mg  all  new,  I  thought  it  would  not  be  advisable  to  deposit  any 
Biore,  for  tfiir  they  might  think  something  wrong.  When  it  is  deposited  in  b  ink- 
thftrc  should  be  other  money  that  has  been  in  use  mixed  with  it,  then  there  will  be 
no  suspicion,  and  I  now  need  only  a  few  true  men  to  assist  me  for  six  months,  then 
am-  will  secure  a  fortune  that  will  enable  us  to  enjoy  all  the  pleasures  that  money 
can  piocure  on  earth.  My  bills  are  printed  on  exactly  the  same  paper  as  the  I  .8. 
money,  so  that  there  is  not  a  possible  chance  to  detect  the  difference  only  in  one 
way,  which  is  this:  the  Government  bills  are  numbered  from  one  up,  so  are  mine. 
If  you  should  come  across  two  of  the  same  number,  one  will  certainly  be  counterfeit, 
and  the  other  genuine.  If  it  is  convenient  for  you  to  come  to  New  York,  I  wish  you 
would;  then  you  could  see  the  money,  and  I  would  give  you  a  few  dollars  to  pass, 
then  you  would  see  that  everybody  would  take  it  exactly  the  same  as  if  it  was 
genuine. 

The  price  of  my  money  is  ten  cents  on  the  dollar;  one  half  cash,  and  the 
other  half  as  soon  as  the  money  is  passed.  State  in  your  letter,  when  you  order, 
how  many  50  cts,  $1,00,  $2.00,  $5.00,  $10.00,  and  $20,00  bills  you  wish,  so  that  I 
will  know  exactly  how  many  of  each  to  send.  You  must  be  sure  to  seal  your  letter- 
perfectly  ti>ght,  and  write  my  name  very  plainly.  I  will  make  the  following  dis- 
counts when  large  amounts  are  ordered.  For  a  three  hundred  dollar  order  the  price 
will  be  thirty  dollars.  You  must  inclose  ten  dollars  with  the  order,  and  the  other 
twenty  dollars  when  the  money  is  passed;  and  for  larger  orders  at  the  following 
rates : 

Send  $12    cash,  and  $28    when  money  is  passed. 

$75 
$400 
„        $^)0 

When  a  large  amount  is  sent,  1  pack  it  in  a  box  and  mark  it  in  such  a  man- 
ner that  no  one  would  suspect  it  being  money,  and  send  it  by  Express.  Always 
state  when  you  order  how  you  wish  the  money  sent,  and  if  by  Express. 

I  will  send  you  a  hundred  dollars  assorted,  on  receipt  of  five  dollars,  so  you 
can  see  how  it  passes,  then  you  can  order  a  large  lot. 

By  all  means  come  at  once  and  see  me  if  possible,  and  bring  all  the  money 
you  can  possibly  raise  with  you,  so  you  will  be  prepared  to  buy  a  large  stock,  for 
this  may  be  the  last  chance  you  will  ever  have  to  make  a  fortune  at  a  single  stroke. 
After  you  arrive  in  the  city  you  can  take  the  Broadway  stage  and  get  out  at  Fourth 
Street;  walk  down  Fourth  Street,  west  side,  until  you  come  to  No.  22  ;  you  will  see 
the  sign  '  Book  Agency  J(&* '  over  the  door  of  the  office.  I  occupy  the  ground 
floor,  so  you  will  have  no  trouble  in  finding  me.  But  if  you  can  not  possibly  come 
on  here  now,  send  me  10,  20,  50,  or  100  dollars  in  a  thick  envelope,  by  mail,  or  by 
express.  Do  not  send  by  registered  letter  under  any  circumstances.  All  registered 
letters  are  supposed  to  contain  money,  and  Post-Office  Clerks  are  apt  to  open  thorn, 
take  the  money  out,  and  then  seal  them  up  as  before,  and  send  them  through.  You 
see  if  this  were  to  happen  it  would  expose  the  whole  thing.  I  guarantee  to  send 
you  back  ten  times  the  amount  I  receive,  in  the  best  counterfeit  money  ever  issued, 
or  if  you  prefer  I  will  send  my  money  to  you  C.  0.  D.  by  express,  and  you  can  pay 
the  money  due  me  to  the  express  agent  when  he  hands  you  the  package.  I  sew  the 
money  up  in  the  lining  of  a  coat,  and  pack  it  in  many  other  ways  before  I  ship  it, 
so  no  one  would  dream  of  its  being  money.  Now,  my  dear  sir,  I  have  disclosed  this 
goldr-n  opportunity  to  you  in  faith  and  hope — faith  in  your  ability  and  fidelity,  and 


$400 

order 

for  $40. 

Send  $12 

$500 

>» 

„  $50. 

,.    $15 

$1,000 

»> 

„  $100 

„    $25 

$5,000 

>> 

„  $500 

„    $100 

$10,000 

i> 

„  $1,000 

„    $200 

180 


THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 


hoping  that  one  year  hence  may  find  us  both  wealthy  and  happy,  and  I  here  pledge* 
you  my  word  of  honor  that  while  you  are  faithful  to  me  I  will  be  true  to  you.  My 
name  and  address  is  on  the  enclosed  slip,  which  you  will  keep,  but  burn  this  cir- 
cular. 

This  is  the  compact  which  I  sign,  and  to  which  you  must  agree :  1st — We 
mutually  agree  not  to  betray  each  other,  and  to  disclose  this  matter  to  no  living 
soul.  2d — I  am  to  return  to  you,  secure  from  observation,  ten  dollars  of  the  best 
counterfeit  money  made  for  every  dollar  I  receive  from  you.  3d — When  you  come 
here  to  see  me,  I  am  to  count  you  out  $10,00  for  every  dollar  you  give  me,  and  you 
need  not  pay  me  until  you  have  my  money  in  your  hands.  We  must  do  business 
under  this  compact,  and  let  him  who  first  violates  it  suffer  the  consequences. 

It  is  to  be  observed  that  this  circular  was  not  signed,  but  that  the  name 
of  the  sender  was  given  on  a  separate  slip  of  paper.  This  mode  of  pro- 
ceeding was  observed  recently  by  many  of  the  swindling  firms,  as  an  extra 
precaution  against  the  interference  of  the  law  and  the  police. 

We  must  add  yet  another  circular  which  was  issued  under  the  name  of 
the  Eureka  Manufacturing  Company,  from  Patterson,  New  Jersey.  A 
high  sounding  title  being  calculated  to  throw  dust  into  the  eyes  of  the  peo- 
ple. This  circular  is  more  especially  interesting  because  the  Eureka 
Manufacturing  Company  wished  to  appear  as  particularly  honest  in  the 
matter,  inasmuch  as  they  say  to  us :  "  Do  not  think  that  we  offer  you  our 
imitations  of  good  notes  in  order  that  you  may  circulate  them  as  counter- 
feits. Far  from  us  be  such  villainy  !  We  warn  you  against  attempting 
anything  of  the  kind,  an  #ct  which  could  only  lead  you  to  prison.  No,  we 
offer  you  openly  our  imitations  of  the  genuine  notes  only  as  a  means  by 
which  you  may  be  able  to  recognize  counterfeit  money. " 

And  this  worthy  company  went  yet  further.  They  abused  the  "  rascals" 
who  had  been  sending  saw-dust  to  the  people  ;  and  said  that  had  only  hap- 
pened because  they — the  veritable  Jacob — who  were  the  only  makers  of 
the  real  imitation  notes,  had  become  aware  of  the  doings  of  the  "  scoun- 
drels" and  would  not  allow  them  to  have  any  more  of  their  bills  ;  finally 
offering  packets  of  $1,000  up  to  $1,688.  In  fact  this  circular  which  we^ 
now  give  surpasses  everything  that  went  before  : — 

PRIVATE  CIRCULAR. 

Dear  Sir  : — We  wish  to  call  your  attention  to  a  beautifully  artistic  creation 
which  we  are  now  producing  with  marvelous  success.  We  allude  to  a  number  of 
perfect  fac  similes  of  the  genuine  U.  3.  Treasury  Notes  and  National  Bank  Bills, 
which  have  been  executed  by  some  of  the  most  skilled  workmen  in  the  United  State? 
in  such  a  perfect  manner  as  to  make  it  utterly  impossible  to  point  out  the  slighest 
difference  between  them  and  the  genuine  notes.     They  are  exact  copies. 

Of  course  you  will  naturally  infer  upon  reading  this  circular  that  we  are 
endeavoring  to  flood  the  country  with  a  lot  of  spurious  meney,  for  the  purpose  ol 
realizing  an  immense  income;  this  is  not  so,  and  we  wish  you  to  distinctly  under- 
stand that  did  we  for  a  single  moment  thiuk  that  you  would  be  so  base  as  to  pass,  oi 
try  to  pass,  our  fac  similes,  we  would  not  furnish  them  to  you  at  any  price.     We  ael 


SWINDLERS.  181 

them  as  a  DBTECTOB  ok  counterfeit  money,  and  any  person  making  unlawful  uso 
of  them  must  take  the  consequences. 

During  the  pnst  few  months  a  number  of  persons  in  the  city  of  New  York, 
that  most  corrupt  of  all  cities,  have  been  sending  circulars  all  over  the  country, 
Ftating  that  they  would  furnish  these  imitations  of  the  genuine  notes  on  application ; 
for  a  short  time  they  filled  all  orders  (charging  an  enormous  price),  but  as  soon  as 
it  became  known  to  us  what  they  were  doing,  we  refused  to  supply  them,  and  the 
consequence  was  that  every  person  sending  them  money  was  swindled,  as  they  (the 
New  Yorkers)  had  no  means  whatever  of  filling  orders  only  through  us,  and  as  we 
refused  to  become  identified  with  such  scoundrels,  they  then  pretended  to  fill  orders 
by  sending  boxes  of  saw-dust  to  persons  that  had  ordered  the  fac  similes;  but  this 
soon  leaked  out,  and  the  different  newspapers  throughout  the  country  thoroughly 
•exposed  them,  and  finally  compelled  them  to  abandon  their  nefarious  practices. 

In  conclusion  we  would  state  that  we  shall  be  happy  to  furnish  you  with 
exact  copies  of  the  genuine  U.  S.  Treasury  Notes  and  National  Bank  Bills  at  a  rea- 
sonable figure,  providing  you  use  them  iu  a  legitimate  manner.  Don't  attempt  to 
pass  counterfeit  money,  and  thereby  make  yourself  liable  to  go  to  prison,  when  you 
can  make  an  immense  amount  of  money  by  becoming  our  Agent  for  the  sale  of  these 
imitations  in  a  strictly  honorable  manner.  Everybody  will  buy  them  as  soon  as 
they  see  them,  at  five  or  ten  times  the  amount  we  charge  for  them.  Should  you 
conclude  to  order,  send  your  money  by  either  P.  0.  Order,  Express,  Draft,  or  in 
Registered  Letters  ;  all  moneys  sent  in  that  manner  will  be  at  our  risk.  All  orders 
are  filled  as  soon  as  received.  No  deviation  from  the  following  prices  under  any 
circumstances.  Tde  cash  must  accompany  all  orders.  We  will  send  packages  rep- 
resenting $1,G88  for  $10,  and  packages  representing  $1,000  for  $7.  Address  all 
-orders 

Eureka  Manufacturing  Co., 
P.  0.  Box  554.  Paterson,  N.  J. 


One  thing  is  certain,  that  real  counterfeiters,  or  people  who  deal  in  bad 
money  or  counterfeit  bills,  would  never  issue  circulars  ;  for  that  would  be 
to  insure  their  discovery  and  arrest.  It  is  only  the  swindlers  who  propose 
to  supply  false  money  to  people,  but  who  in  reality  do  not  do  it,  who  avail 
themselves  of  this  method  to  procure  customers.  But  they  take  \ery  good 
■care  never  to  have  a  bad  note  in  their  possession,  if  it  be  only  a  ten  cent 
bill.  If  such  a  one  come  to  them  they  immediately  destroy  it ;  for  if  they 
should  be  arrested,  and  only  one  counterfeit  note  were  to  be  found  in  their 
possession,  they  would  probably  be  brought  up  as  counterfeiters  and  sent 
for  some  years  to  Sing  Sing ;  since  it  is  well  nigh  impossible  for  the  law  to 
reach  them  in  their  own  peculiar  business.  They  are,  therefore,  exceed- 
ingly particular  in  this  matter. 

It  will  be  seen  from  the  above  circulars  that  these  most  gentlemanly 
swindlers  are  wonderfully  accommodating,  and  that  they  do  all  in  their 
power  to  facilitate  business.  If  they  can  only  knock  out  $10,  or  even  $5, 
they  are  satisfied  :  u  We  trust  you  ;  you  can  send  the  balance  when  you 
have  sold  the  notes  or  passed  them."  But  they  must  have  some  "  cash/' 
and  five  or  ten   dollars  is  enough  for  a  small  box  of  saw-dust,  hardly  as 


182  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

large  as  a  little  cigar  box,  and  at  the   same  time  it  is  a  very  respectable 
priee  upon  which  they  can  well  submit. 

Now  the  swindlers  receive  heaps  of  letters  in  reply  to  these  circulars, 
with  orders  and  money,  or  the  promise  to  pay  the  amount  on  receipt  of  the 
goods  by  express.  The  letters  are  opened,  the  money  put  into  the  treasury, 
and  then  the  business  is  proceeded  with.  Small  boxes  of  different  sizes 
are  kept  ready  in  hundreds.  They  are  filled  with  saw-dust  and  some  pie- 
ces of  old  iron  to  make  weight.  They  are  then  fastened  down  carefully 
with  bands  of  iron,  so  that  they  may  not  be  very  readily  opened,  and  the 
necessary  number  addressed  and  sent  to  the  express  office.  If  there  be 
nothing  to  pay  the  happy  recipient  takes  it  of  course  without  further  ado  ; 
if  the  cash  be  due  on  delivery  he  must  first  pay  out  his  good  money  before 
he  can  receive  it ;  ten,  twenty,  fifty,  a  hundred  dollars  or  more  for  a  box 
of  saw-dust !  He  now  takes  his  supposed  treasure  under  his  arm  and  goes 
merrily  home,  no  doubt  contemplating  on  the  way  how  much  he  is  going 
to  make  by  cheating  his  neighbors.  Arrived  at  home  he  retreats  to  a  pri- 
vate room — for  his  family  must  not  know  what  he  is  doing — locks  the  door 
behind  him  and  begins  to  open  his  valuables.  This  takes  some  time,  for 
the  iron  bands  are  strong  and  the  nails  firm.  At  last  he  has  the  lid  off, 
and  his  eyes  are  glistening  at  the  expected  prize  ;  when  lo  !  nothing  but 
saw-dust. 

He  begins  to  rummage  in  the  saw-dust,  getting  his  hand  lower  and  lower 
in  the  hope  that  possibly  his  counterfeit  notes  may  be  at  the  bottom  ;  but 
alas  !  there  is  nothing  but  two  or  three  pieces  of  iron  wrapped  in  some  old 
paper.  He  stops,  wonders,  and  begins  to  reason  with  himself.  There 
must  be  something  wrong — he  thinks — the  box  cannot  be  right — it  must 
have  been  changed  in  the  express  office.  He  looks  at  the  address  on  the 
lid,  and  that,  indeed,  is  right.  It  is  his  own.  The  mistake  then  must 
have  been  made  by  the  person  who  sent  the  box.  He  sits  down  and  writes 
to  him.  He  waits  a  wreek — no  answer  comes.  He  writes  again  more 
urgently.  Another  fortnight  follows  and  still  no  answer.  He  writes  a 
third  time,  and  as  week  after  week  passes  and  still  there  is  no  answer,  a 
light  begins  to  dawn  upon  him,  and  he  comes  to  the  conclusion  that  the 
cheater  has  been  cheated.  But  what  is  he  to  do?  Shall  he  make  a  public 
complaint?  He  cannot  do  that,  for  if  he  did  he  would  convict  himself  of 
the  wish  to  deal  in  counterfeit  money,  and  thus  render  himself  a  fit  subject 
for  imprisonment.  There  is  nothing  left  for  him  but  to  grumble  and  grieve 
over  his  loss  in  silence.  And  if  he  reconciles  himself  to  his  fate  and  ac- 
cepts it  as  a  punishment  for  the  attempt  to  do  wrong,  he  probably  does  the 
best  that  can  be  done  under  the  circumstances. 

But  all  are  not  so  reasonable.  "  Deuce  take  the  rascal !"  many  of  them 
say,  "  I  will  go  straight  to  New  York,  and  find  the  fellow's  place  out.  He 
shall  return  me  my  money."  So  he  puts  a  good  sum  of  money  into  his 
pocket  for  the  journey  and   sets  out.     He  arrives  at  New  York.     He  has- 


SWINDLERS.  183 

the  swindlers  circular  in  his  pocket  with  his  name  and  the  address  upon 
it.  He  finds  the  house  and  sees  that  a  number  of  different  firms  have  offices 
there,  but  he  does  not  tind  the  one  he  is  lookiug  for.  He  enquires  in  the 
store  on  the  street,  but  they  do  not  know  the  firm.  Now  he  goes  to  the 
first,  then  the  second,  and  then  to  the  third  floors,  and  asks  in  different 
rooms  upon  each  floor,  but  no  one  in  the  house  knows  the  people,  and  they 
say  that  they  have  never  had  an  office  in  the  house.  He  then  begins  to  see 
that  he  has  been  swindled  past  help.  lie  now  starts  back,  and  when  he 
reaches  home  he  finds  that  he  has  got  rid  of  forty  or  fifty  dollars  very  use- 
lessly, and  lost  time  in  his  business,  which,  if  he  had  spent  iu  a  more  hon- 
est manner,  would  have  paid  him  very  much  better. 

Bui — perhaps  he  finds  the  firm  he  is  seeking,  and,  too,  in  the.  office 
named  in  their  circular.  But  "  the  proprietor  is  not  at  home."  He  has 
none  on  a  journey  for  two  or  three  weeks  ;  and  of  course  the  clerks 
can  do  nothing.  "  It  is  very  unfortunate,  and  the  principal  will  much 
regret  it.  Mr.  N.  N.  must  excuse  him.  As  soon  as  he  returns  home, 
the  mistake  shall  be  corrected  and  the  request  complied  with  at  the  expense 
of  the  office.''  Upon  this  the  victim  is  satisfied.  But  two  or  three  weeks 
sojourn  in  New  York  at  an  expensive  hotel,  waiting  for  his  friend,  does 
not  suit  his  purse  ;  so  he,  too,  goes  back  and  waits  at  home,  waits  and 
writes,  and  waits  again.  But  let  him  wait  as  long  as  he  will,  still  no 
answer  comes,  nor  counterfeit  money  eitlier. 

Or,  perhaps,  he  comes  to  New  York  and  succeeds  in  finding  Mr.  Hitch- 
cock, or  Moore,  or  Logan,  or  Gumbridge,  as  the  case  may  be.  He 
demands  his  money  and  threatens  exposure.  Now  new  apologies  are  made 
for  the  inexplicable  mistake  by  which  the  wrong  box  was  sent,  and  he  is 
asked  to  wait  a  short  time  only  till  the  clerk,  who  forwarded  the  box, 
returns,  and  is  sure  to  be  back  presently.  In  the  meanwhile  they  keep 
their  eye  upon  him.  till  suddenly  a  man,  who  represents  himself  as  a  detec- 
tive, makes  his  appearance,  who  proceeds  to  arrest  him  as  an  accomplice 
of  counterfeiters,  being  found  iu  their  office.  Mr.  Green  now  gets  fright- 
ened. He  grows  suppliant,  and  promises  the  detective  money  if  he  will 
let  him  go.  Of  course,  after  much  entreaty,  this  is  agreed  to  ;  but  poor 
Green  has  to  give  up  everything  he  has  got.  Money,  watch,  breast-pin t 
all  have  to  go  ;  and  then  he  returns  home  doubly  plucked,  while  the  swin- 
ler  and  the  pretended  detective,  who  of  course  belongs  to  the  gang,  are 
laughing  in  their  sleeves. 

Many  of  the  swindlers  in  their  circulars  warn  people,  in  case  they  should 
come  to  visit  them  in  New  York,  not  to  speak  to  anybody  in  the  street  in 
the  neighborhood  of  their  office.  This  is  done  for  two  reasons.  Near  to 
these  offices  there  is  always  a  set  of  scoundrels  roaming  about,  looking  out 
for  people  who  have  the  appearance  of  having  come  from  the  country  and 
tl.iy  hunt  them  down.  There  are  also  runners  from  other  counterfeit 
money  swindlers,  who  entice  such  inexperienced  persons  to  their  own  chief, 


184  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

so  that  he  may  enjoy  the  privilege  of  plucking  them,  or  they  call  him  to 
themj  represent  themselves  as  detectives  and  levy  contributions  from  him. 
In  either  case  he  is  fleeced  ;  so  that  he  thinks  it  better  not  to  make  any 
further  complaint,  and  not  again  to  be  in  a  hurry  about  coming  to  New 
York. 

Some  of  the  swindlers  who  have  in  reality  a  specified  office,  give  in 
their  circulars  a  password  to  the  persons  they  address,  which  these  are  to 
use  in  case  they  come  to  New  York.  This  serves  less  to  protect  them 
from  undesirable  visitors,  than  it  does  to  intimate  to  them  whether  the 
stranger  will  know  them  as  Mr.  Jones,  or  Smith,  or  Thompson,  or  How- 
ard, or  any  of  the  other  aliases,  by  all  of  which  the  proprietor  of  the  con- 
cern is  known.  The  password  also  gives  further  information  ;  for  there  is 
in  the  circulars  a  separate  password  for  every  State,  and  the  circulars 
themselves  are  signed  with  a  different  name.  For  example  the  password 
for  Iowa  is,  we  will  say,  "  ink,"  then  the  circulars  using  that  are  signed 
"  Jones  &  Co."  Thus  when  anybody  comes  to  New  York  with  the  pass- 
word "  ink,"  the  swindler  knows  at  once  that  he  has  to  meet  his  visitor  as 
Mr.  Jones.     And  so  on  for  all  the  other  States. 

But  most  of  these  people,  if  they  have  really  an  office  as  indicated  in 
their  circulars,  keep  them  open,  unless  when  for  a  time  one  of  their  vic- 
tims may  be  there  who  is  likely  to  be  disagreeable,  in  which  case  the  office 
is  kept  closed  until  he  is  got  rid  of.  One  who  is  connected  with  the  office 
usually  remains  before  the  door  to  keep  an  eye  upon  all  that  is  going  on. 
If  a  new  customer  calls  he  is  treated  with  the  utmost  politeness,  but  with 
a  great  deal  of  mystery.  Of  course  he  wants  to  see  the  counterfeit  notes 
before  he  buys  them  ;  upon  which  a  number  of  genuine  notes  of  different 
values  are  laid  before  him  as  specimens,  with  the  observation,  however, 
that  he  can  only  have  any  of  them  on  the  promise  that  he  will  not  attempt 
to  circulate  them  in  the  neighborhood  of  New  York.  He  is  then  told  at 
great  length  how  difficult  and  expensive  it  is  to  produce  such  beautiful 
counterfeits,  and  when  at  last  he  expresses  his  desire  to  take  a  portion  of 
the  notes,  they  tell  him  that  they  cannot  supply  him  just  then,  because  the 
sale  of  late  has  been  so  great  that  they  have  only  those  few  notes  now  left 
in  stock. 

Then  upon  a  signal,  made  unobserved  by  the  visitor,  a  second  of  the 
swindlers  makes  his  appearance,  and  now  every  possible  meads  is  used  to 
induce  the  man  to  give  up  what  money  he  has  on  the  promise  that  any 
notes  which  he  may  order  shall  be  sent  to  him  as  soon  as  possible.  The 
second  swindler  then  in  a  cheerful  manner  joins  in  the  conversation,  and 
suggests  that  for  the  present  they  should  leave  business  to  take  care  of 
itself  and  go  and  "  take  a  drink,"  or  a  little  luncheon.  This  is  done  ; — 
and  when  the  stranger  is  warmed  up  with  a  good  dinner  and  a  little  wine 
the  thoughts  that  made  him  cautious  before  and  the  want  of  confidence 
that  he  felt   are  laid  aside.     This  point  attained,  the  accomplice  remarks 


SWINDLERS. 


185 


that  he  has  a  small  box  of  notes  with  him  that  he  thinks  he  can  part  from  ; 
and  thereupon  he  opens  his  coat  far  enough  to  let  the  stranger  see  one  end 
of  the  box,  of  which  a  corner  of  the  lid  is  broken  off,  so  that  a  portion  of  a 
L-vnnine  bill  is  just  visible  inside.  Now  a  third  swindler  comes  upon  the 
scene  and,  in  a  confused  manner,  whispers  something  to  the  other  two. 
The  stranger  is  then  told  that  there  is  trouble  at  the  office,  that  the  police 
are  there,  and  he  growing  frightened  lest  he  should  not  get  any  counter- 
feits at  all,  seizes  the  opportunity  that  he  thinks  now  offers  and  buys  for 
cash  the  box  which  the  man  has.  The  party  then  separates,  and  when  the 
stranger  reaches  his  hotel  and  opens  the  box,  he  iinds  one  good  bill  and  all 
the  remaining  space  filled  with  waste  paper. 

If  people  who  want  to  buy  counterfeit  money  go  to  any  of  these  swin- 
dlers for  the  purpose  and  request  that  the  parcel  be  sent  to  their  hotel,  the 
men  never  under  any  circumstances  go  there  themselves,  because  if  they 
did  the  intended  victim  would  probably  open  the  box  before  paying  for  it, 
and  tli us  would  learn  prematurely  of  the  cheat  that  was  being  imposed 
upon  him. 

Whoever  enters  one  of  these  offices  is  always  liable  to  be  plundered  ;  — 
for  the  one  only  object  of  the  person  who  occupy  them  is  to  swindle,  plun- 
der, and  rob,  everybody  who  comes  within  their  reach.  Everything  is 
done  to  lure  inexperienced  people  into  such  places  ;  and  decoys,  respectable 
enough  in  appearance,  are  always  perambulating  the  busy  thoroughfares 
for  the  purpose.  Sometimes  these  men  will  address  a  person,  whom  they 
think  from  his  appearance  to  be  a  countryman  or  a  stranger  iu  the  city, 
with  some  such  question  as  whether  they  have  not  received  a  private  cir- 
cular? And  if  the  person  interrogated  permits  himself  to  be  led  into  an 
answer,  the  proposition  is  presently  made  to  him  to  purchase  counterfeit 
money  ;  if  then  he  is  dishonest  enough  to  go  on,  he  is  slipped  iuto  one  of 
these  offices  and  plundered  nolens  volens. 

A  few  months  ago  a  certain  Mr.  K came  here  from  Lawrence- 

ville  to  sell  a  patent.  A  short  time  before  that  he  had  received  a  circular 
signed  T.  Bathy.  This  now  occurred  to  him  again,  and,  as  he  does  not 
seem  to  have  been  a  man  of  very  firm  principle,  he  thought  he  would  look 
up  Mr.  Bathy.  Finding  in  the  directory  that  the  name  was  connected 
with  a  stationary  store  in  Broadway,  he  went  there  in  the  hope  of  finding 
whom  he  wanted.     A  stranger  at  once  asked  him  who  he  wanted?     And 

as  soon  as  Mr.  K named  Bathy,  the  stranger  replied :  "  That  is  my 

name,  come  with  me  to  my  office  ;" — and  so  they  both  went  off  to  an  office 
at  147  Bleecker  Street.  The  business  was  soon  set  in  motion  and  the  pre- 
tended Bathy  offered  K a  parcel  of  8500  in  counterfeit  bills.     But 

K had  only  $-40  about  him,  he  therefore  paid  that  over  on  account. 

At  the  same  moment  there  was  a  knock  at  the  door,  and  a  man  entered  the 
room,  announcing  himself  as  a  detective.  He  arrested  Bathy,  or  pretended 
to,  and   wanted  to  know  what  Mr.  K was  doing  there,  &c.     The 


186 


THE    DAKK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 


upshot  was  that  K lost  his  money  and  was  glad  enough   to  get  off 

as  weH  as  he  did. 

The  different  tricks  practised  by  these  swindlers  to  attain  their  ends,  are 
so  numerous,  that  we  could  fill  almost  a  volume  with  them.  We  must 
content  ourselves,  however,  with  mentioning  only  a  few. 

Milton  &  Brother,  of  307  Bleecker  Street,  direct  themselves  by  means 
of  their  circulars,  especially  to  young  people,  inviting  them  to  take  '*  some 
more"  of  their  goods  ;  thereby  conveying  the  impression  that  the  persons 
for  whom  the  circular  was  intended  have  already  been  customers  of  the 
firm,  but  that  by  some  mistake  the  circular  has  fallen  into  the  wrong 
hands. 

1  hey  further  say  in  their  circulars.  "  Come  to  the  factory  and  take  the 
goods  from  there.  It  is  at  No.  10  Fake  Street,  where  over  the  door  you 
will  find  a  sign  with  the  words  Harris  &  Brother,  Fancy  Goods."  Ring 
three  times,  and  when  the  door  is  opened,  merely  mention  your  name. 
You  need  not  be  afraid.  I  pay  the  police  in  order  that  they  may  give  me 
timely  intimation  of  any  difficulty  in  the  office  or  the  factory.  But  in  New 
York  there  is  no  street  of  that  name,  and  the  whole  object,  including  the 
mention  of  the  word  "  difficulty,"  is  to  prevent  the  person  addressed  from 
calling,  thereby  inducing  them  indirectly  to  send  money  and  to  avoid  per- 
sonal communication. 

Another  concern,  that  of  Day  &  Wallace,  143  Fulton  Street,  distribute 
their  circulars  in  the  wrappers  of  the  house  of  Orange,  Judd  &  Co.,  so  to 
imply  that  they  are  in  some  way  connected  with  that  respectable  firm. 
Those  wrappers  must  either  have  been  stolen,  or  printed  expressly  for  the 
purpose. 

J.  R.  Seacord  &  Co.,  in  Garretsville,  Ohio,  in  which  little  town,  as  well 
as  in  Parkman,  Ohio,  the  swindling  business  seems  to  be  flourishing  in  an 
extraordinary  degree,  are  following  a  business  very  similar  to  that  pursued 
by  Tumbury  in  the  first  instance.  They  have  the  following  notice  in  the 
newspapers  : 

<£C     $10,  and  $20   (C)  Bills  sent  as  a  curiosity  for  50  cents. 
q)Uf  J.  R.  Seacord  &  Co.,  Garrettsville,  O. 

The  "  C"  is  meant  to  lead  to  the  inference  that  they  are  dealing  in  coun- 
terfeit notes.  This,  however,  is  not  the  case.  They  send  a  photographic 
card,  about  two  inches  wide  and  three  long,  with  reduced  pictures  of  notes 
of  the  Southern  Confederacy. 

D.  Masure  &  Co.,  of  Biddeford,  Maine,  (the  only  firm  in  New  England 
wThich  engages  in  the  counterfeit  money  swindle)  do  not  send  circulars,  but 
write  their  letters  in  pencil,  and  ask  that  they  may  be  returned  to  them. 

Many  put  into  their  circulars  a  good  ten  cent  bill  as  a  bait,  and  a  few 
even  send  sometimes  a  good  one  or  two  dollar  .note  as  specimens,  hoping 
thereby  to  make  a  better  and  a  surer  catch.  Sometimes  these  people  have, 
been  asked  for  more   samples  still,  but  that  request  has  not  been  granted. 


SWINDLERS,  1H7 

Arthur  Dedenham,  who  says  in  his  circular  thai  he  1ms  been  a  Free- 
mason for  twenty  years  and  an  Odd  Fellow  for  thirteen  years,  declares  in-  ia 

a  bank  note  engraver,  and  formerly  was  the  first  in  this  department  of  the 
Treasury  at  Washington,  lie  undertaok  to  send  notes  which  were  not 
counterfeits,  but  genuine.  And  attached  to  his  circular  is  a  printed  slip 
which  looks  like  a  cuttiug  from  a  newspaper  and  which  reads  as  follows  : 

14  An  Over    [ssue. — The  authorities  in  the   Treasury   Department   at 

Washington  have  been  considerably  astounded  concerning  and  over-issue 
of  "  Greenbacks."  It  seems  that  some  time  ago  the  printing  department 
was  required  to  furnish  quite  a  large  amount,  and  in  getting  the  paper 
ready  a  mistake  occurred,  involving  an  over-issue  of  many  million  dollars. 
This  excess  came  into  the  hands  of  the  printers,  who,  we  understand,  are 
offering  it  at  a  great  discount.  Of  course  the  money  being  perfectly  genu- 
ine is  as  good  as  any  ever  issued." 

Of  course  all  this  story  from  one  end  to  the  other  is  nothing  but  a  swin- 
dle. The  notice  never  appeared  in  any  newspaper,  and  what  appears  to 
be  a  cutting  from  a  paper  is  no  cutting  at  all,  but  has  been  printed  especi- 
ally for  the  purpose  ;  while  the  so-called  "  over-issue"  never  had  any  exist- 
ence at  all.  Whoever  should  send  money  in  the  expectation  of  buying 
good  notes  cheap  would  most  assuredly  not  receive  either  good  or  bad 
notes. 

Hudson  Wood  &  Co.,  of  44  Liberty  Street,  assert  themselves  as  Odd 
Fellows  and  put  out  invitations  to  enter  upon  a  secret  business.  For  $10 
cash  they  undertake  to  supply  Si, 000  counterfeits. 

Many  of  the  swindlers  work  through  advertising  agencies,  and  send 
their  circulars  then  to  those  whose  addresses  are  forwarded. 

Another  concern  of  this  kind  sends  its  circulars  from  here  out  West  with 
the  following  caption  :  — 

THE  FOURTH  (St.)  NATIONAL  BANKING 
HOUSE  OF  NEW  YORK  CITY. 

Thomas  Peters,  Pres.  Saml.  II.  Mapes,  Vice-Pres. 

11.  D.  Morehead,  Cash.       S.  S.  Thompson,  Seer. 

which  heading  is  intended  to  make  it  appear  that  the  circular  emauates 
from  the  Fourth  National  Bank.  In  this  circular  the  swindlers  undertake 
for  a  remittance  of  $10  to  send  a  certain  amount  in  the  notes  of  the  bank, 
alleging,  however,  that  the  notes  must  be  quickly  distributed,  because  the 
bank  will  be  declared  insolvent  on  a  certain  day  ! 

D.  D.  Titus,  of  088  Broadway,  carries  on  business  ostensibly  as  a  tobac- 
conist, and  in  a  circular,  which  he  distributes  chiefly  in  Canada,  offers  to 
send  to  order  counterfeit  sovereigns  packed  in  tobacco. 

Another  does  business   chiefly  in  counterfeit  notes  of  the  Bank  of  Eng- 


188  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

land,  and  confines  his  speculations  to  Canada  and  the  States  on  the  Cana- 
dian border. 

One  says  in  his  circular  that  he  dips  all  his  counterfeit  bills  in  an  acid 
which  has  the  effect  of  completely  ruining  them  in  the  spare  of  two  or  three 
weeks,  so  that  by  that  time  all  proof  with  regard  to  the  circulation  of  these 
notes  would  be  destroyed. 

Many  advise  their  customers  not  to  order  under  their  real  names,  but  to 
use  a  feigned  one,  so  that  whatever  happens,  ho  unpleasantness  can  under 
any  circumstances  occur.  The  real  object  in  giving  this  advice  is,  how- 
ever, to  insure  that  the  customer  when  he  finds  himself  cheated,  and  if  he 
is  foolish  enough  to  make  a  complaint,  shall  not  be  in  a  position  to  do  so. 

Others  affix  symbols  of  free-masonry  to  their  circulars,  in  the  hope 
thereby  to  secure  the  ear  of  the  fraternity.  But  it  must,  indeed,  be  a  pretty 
sort  of  masonry  which  would  tolerate  such  rascality  ! 

But  it  is  quite  impossible  to  enumerate  all  the  tricks  practised  by  these 
people  to  draw  the  unprincipled  into  their  nets.  It  is  certain  that  anyone 
who  has  his  own  honor  and  well  being  at  heart  must  avoid  all  contact  with 
such  swindlers.  There  have  been  many  instances  where  people  who,  with- 
out giving  any  order  or  sending  any  money,  have  answered  a  circular  or 
enquired  for  further  information,  and  so  given  room  for  the  possible  doubt 
that  they  were  willing  to  entertain  the  business,  have  been  threatened  with 
exposure  by  the  swindlers,  black-mailed,  and  made  to  bleed  very  freely. 

Recently,  however,  one  of  these  fellows  was  taken  in  in  a  very  amusing 
manner  through  the  cunning  of  a  reporter  on  one  of  the  New  York  papers. 
The  story  is  worth  recital. 

For  several  weeks  many  of  the  newspapers  throughout  the  country  had 
"been  receiving  the  following  advertisement : 

A  MILLION  DOLLARS. — Shrewd  but  quiet  men  can  made  a 
fortune  by  revealing  the  secret  to  no  one.     Address 

J.  West,  688  Broadway,  New  York. 

Tn  different  parts  of  the  country  this  advertisement  made  its  appearance 
over  different  signatures.  For  the  State  of  New  York  it  was  Walter 
Evarts,  who  was  at  688  Broadway  ;  for  the  New  England  States,  Zena 
Walsh  ;  for  the  North-west,  Abel  Jones  ;  for  the  West,  Edgar  Simms  ;  for 
the  South,  Wm.  Wray ;  and  for  the  South-west,  J.  West. 

To  sift  the  matter  as  thoroughly  as  possible  the  reporter  assumed  the 
character  of  a  young  greenhorn  from  New  England,  and  so  went  one  morn- 
ing about  ten  o'clock,  as  if  he  had  come  from  Providence,  R.  I.,  into  the 
office  No.  688  Broadway.  It  was  a  small  room,  not  more  than  eight  feet 
square,  whose  surroundings  showed  that  it  was  one  of  the  so-called  private 
post  offices.*)     Behind  the  counter,  upon   which   lay  in  disorder  paper, 


*)  We  Bhall  return  to  the  subject  of  these  privaie  post  offices.     At  No.  6S8  Broadway  letters  used  to  be 
.received  for  not  less  than  tweuty-four  counterfeit  money  swindlers. 


SWINDLERS. 


189 


envelopes,  and  everything  necessary  for  letter-writing,  was  a  young  man. 
Bat  as  he  was  just  then  engaged  with  a  customer,  our  greenhorn  waited 
till  the  latter  had  gone  away,  when,  assuming  a  mysterious  air  as  if  to 
show  that  lie  had  come  upon  some  confidential  business,  he  asked  : 

"  Is  Mr.  Walsh  in?" 

"Not  .tt  this  moment,"  was  the  answer. 

"  Where  can  I  find  him?" 

"I  do  not  know  where  he  is  to  be  found  just  now.  lint  wait  here.  Hi- 
letters  come  here,  and  he  will  soon  come  to  get  them." 

After  waiting  a  long  time  the  reporter  begins  to  show  that  he  is  losing 
his  patience,  upon  which  the  clerk,  most  anxious  to  keep  him,  invites  him 
to  come  and  have  something  to  drink  in  the  neighboring  saloon.  This 
over,  they  both  return  to  No.  688.  But  the  clerk,  leaving  the  office  in 
charge  of  a  boy,  goes  out  again  and  passes  down  Broadway  towards 
Bleecker  Street.  During  this  absence  of  the  clerk  our  friend  has  leisure 
to  examine  the  surroundings  of  the  office.  Against  the  walls  were  some 
dusty  shelves,  upon  which  a  number  of  novels  in  the  well  known  yellow 
covers  lay  in  some  disorder.  Over  the  letter  holes,  which  seemed  to  be 
tolerably  full,  were  the  words  "  All  letter  business  strictly  confiden- 
tial," and  upon  another  slip  was  the  notice  "General  Delivery,  all 
letters  ten  cents." 

The  clerk  soon  returned  and  announced  that  Mr.  Walsh  would  be  up  in 
five  minutes,  suggesting  that  in  the  meantime  they  might  go  and  have 
another  drink.  Not  washing  to  refuse  the  reporter  thereupon  disposed  of 
one  more  glass,  and  then  sat  himself  down  in  a  corner  of  the  office  to  await 
developements. 

Presently  a  handsomely  dressed  man,  with  black  hair,  and  mustachios 
waxed  a  la  Napoleon,  and  wearing  a  magnificent  sparkling  diamond 
breast-pin,  came  in.  He  unlocked  a  letter  compartment  and  took  out  a 
small  handful  of  letters.  The  clerk  now  informed  the  visitor  that  this 
was  Mr.  Walsh, — upon  which  the  former  introduced  himself  and  upon  his 
invitation  both  adjourned  to  the  saloon  to  drink.  Then  the  following  con- 
versation ensued. 

Mr.  Green  : — "  I  read  your  advertisement  in  the  newspaper,  and  thought 
I  would  see  whether  we  could  not  do  a  little  business  together." 

"  Oh  !  indeed,  yes.     Did  you  receive  a  circular  from  me  ?" 

"  No.  If  I  had  received  a  letter  I  don't  think  I  should  have  come.  I 
have  been  swindled  two  or  three  times  in  this  kind  of  business  and  I  am 
not  going  to  be  taken  in  any  more  by  the  letter  dodge.  You  see  I  am 
quite  cauaid,  and  it  is  as  well  we  should  understand  each  other  from  the 
beginning." 

"  I  like  you.  I  see  you  are  a  man  of  business.  How  much  of  the  money 
will  you  take?" 

"Well   that  depends  upon   what  the   notes  are.     lam  not  going  to  be 


190  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LLL'E. 

swindled  again.     If  they  are  really  good  counterfeits  I  will  probably  take 
a  considerable  lot." 

"  Have  I  then  swindled  you?"  replied  the  gentleman  of  many  names 
with  a  look  of  virtuous  indignation. 
Mr.  Green  couceded  that  he  had  not. 

u  Now,"  continued  the  other,  "  you  must  know  that  it  does  not  answer 
my  purpose  for  people  to  come  to  me  to  purchase  just  a  few  dollars  worth. 
But  if  you  will  act  as  one  of  mv  agents  and  make  a  business  of  it,  then  it's 
all  right.     Where  do  you  say  you  come  from  ?" 
u  From  Providence." 

"  That  is  good.     1  have  no  agents   there,   nor  in  any  part  of  Rhode 
Island.      Now  how  much  will  you  take?" 
"  How  do  you  sell  your  notes?" 
"  Twenty  dollars  the  hundred." 

"  Well  if  the  notes  are  good  I  will  take  two  or  three  thousand.  But  I 
must  see  them  first.  The  saw-dust  swindle  can't  be  played  upon  me 
twice." 

"  My  dear  sir,"  said  the  gentleman  now  full  of  confidence  and  hope, 
"  you  shall  see  them,  certainly,  and  if  they  don't  please  you,  well  you  need 
not  take  them.     Come  let  us  have  another  drink." 

The  two  went  now  arm  in  arm  to  a  side  table  and  after  a  friendly  glass 
together  the  man  of  many  names  laid  down  a  dollar  bill,  took  up  the 
change,  and  led  off  his  visitor  to  an  office  in  147  Bleeker  Street. 

Bleecker  Street  is  about  two  minutes  walk  in  a  direct  line  from  the 
saloon  ;  but  Mr.  Alias  took  Mr.  Green  down  to  the  fourth  street  below,  as 
far  as  Mercer  Street,  and  then  by  cross-routes  through  different  streets 
brought  him  back  at  last  to  Bleecker  Street.  As  they  passed  Mercer 
*  Street,  Mr.  Green,  who  was  now  of  course  a  stranger  to  New  York,  asked 
what  street  it  was  ? 

"  Fifth  Avenue,"  replied  Walsh. 

No.  147  Bleecker  Street  is  a  three  storied  house,  and  Walsh  now  took 
his  visitor  up  three  floors  into  a  small  hall-room.  The  entire  furniture 
consisted  of  a  tottering  old  desk  covered  with  dust ;  a  washstand  with  dirty 
water  in  the  basin  ;  a  glass  cup  with  the  handle  broken  off;  two  chairs  and 
a  little  mirror.  When  they  were  entered,  Walsh  made  the  door  secure 
and  requesting  Mr.  Green  to  be  seated  ;  he  began  to  talk  about  the  excel- 
lence of  hie  notes  and  such  like  matters.  But  a  description  from  the  mouth 
of  one  engaged  in  the  swindle  ;  concerning  the  manufacture  of  counterfeit 
notes,  may  not  be  given  again.     So  here  it  is. 

He  said: — "I  was  a  bank  note  engraver  in  the  bank  note  department 
of  the  government  under  Lincoln,  with  a  salary  of  $5,000  ;  but  being  a 
democrat  I  was  dismissed.  I  then  swore  to  have  satisfaction  from  the 
government,  and  that  is  the  only  reason  why  I  am  following  this  business 
now.     I  tell  you,  to  convince  you  how  entirely  you  may  depend  upon  it, 


M\  JMH.KKS.  IJ1 

that  my  notes  cannot  !>»>  detected  from  the  genuine.  At  that  time  the  new 
issue  of  18C9  was  decided  upon  by  Congress,  and  I  saw,  that  I  should  lose 
if  I  did  not  bring  out  my  notes  at  the  same  time  with  the  genuine  ones. 
I  went  therefore  to  Washington,  and  as  I  am  well  known  in  the  depart- 
ment, and  as  there  are  there  always  several  of  the  designs  for  each  kind  of 
note,  I  succeeded  in  getting  the  designs  for  the  one,  two,  five,  and  ten  dol- 
lar bills." 

Mr.  Green  sat  with  mouth  and  ears  open,  and  seemed  not  to  be  able  1o 
comprehend  how  Mr.  Alias  could  so  readily  have  procured  the  designs. 
But  Alias  put  on  a  very  inttocent  face  and  continued  :  — 

"Once  I  was  an  honest  man,  but  that  time  is  passed  and —however,  I 
need  not  call  the  thing  by  its  right  name.  They  all  knew  me  ;  never  sus- 
pected any  wrong  of  me,  and  paid  no  attention  to  me.  So  it  lay  in  my 
power  to — well,  to  steal  the  designs.  The  same  evening  I  sent  them  by 
post  to  my  wife,  but  myself  remained  some  days  longer  in  Washington  to 
•see  whether  they  would  be  missed,  for  if  I  had  left  Washington  directly 
they  would  at  once  have  suspected  me.  But  it  was  all  right ;  they  were 
not  missed  and  so  far  that  part  of  my  business  was  complete.  I  now 
bought  plates  and  tools  which  cost  me  five  thousand  dollars.  I  also  bought 
a  small  farm  on  Long  Island.  I  took  up  the  boards  ou  the  lower  floor  of 
the  house  and  put  down  new  which  was  chequered,  and  divided  regularly 
into  squares,  one  of  which  formed  a  trap-door.  This  was  not  at  the  side 
or  in  one  corner  of  the  room,  where  trap-doors  are  usually  placed,  but 
right  in  the  middle,  and  was  opened  and  shut  with  a  spring  like  the  traps 
in  a  theatre.  In  this  room  underground  I  engraved  my  plates — and 
thereupon  he  put  his  band  in  a  confidential  manner  upon  the  knee  of  his 
apparently  astonished  listener — and  you  may  believe  me  when  I  tell  you 
that  it  has  cost  me  two  years  hard  work  to  finish  the  eight  plates  necessary 
for  the  four  notes.  While  my  wife  was  in  the  room  above  me  keeping 
watch,  I  was  working  day  and  night.  I  had  at  the  same  time  a  printing 
office  in  Water  Street  where,  to  avoid  suspicion,  I  employed  seven  men 
and  a  foreman,  while  all  the  time  I  was  at  work  in  my  cellar  ou  Long 
Island  to  make  a  fortune — and  here  he  drew  near  to  his  companion  ami 
whispered  to  him — for  me  and  for  you.  Just  as  I  had  finished  my  plates 
I  heard  for  the  first  time  of  the  new  patent  paper,  and  almost  lost  all 
patience  when  I  saw  no  means  of  overcoming  this  difficulty.  Of  course 
without  the  paper  my  plates  were  useless  ;  and  that  was  made  expressly 
for  the  government  by  only  one  contractor.  But  a  faint  hope  seemed  to 
remain.  When  I  was  in  the  department  at  Washington  I  became  ac- 
quainted with  the  fact  that  the  contractor  had  cheated  the  government  out 
of  some  three  quarters  of  a  million  of  dollars  ;  so  I  went  to  Washington  to 
have  a  talk  with  him.  I  told  him  what  I  knew,  and  showed  him  docu- 
ments which  were  evidence  and  proof  against  him.  Then  said  I  :  — Now 
I  have  uo  wish  to  briug  you  into  trouble,  but  this  paper  I  must  have,  for  I 


192  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

am  going  to  put  five  millions  of  these  notes  into  circulation.  He  told  me 
that 'he  would  think  the  matter  over  between  that  and  the  next  day,  and 
finally  he  agreed  to  let  me  have  the  paper.  I  received  it  from  him  ;  and 
so  now  you  can  see  how  it  is  that  my  notes  are  not  to  be  distinguished 
from  the  genuine." 

At  this  moment  there  was  a  loud  knock  at  the  door,  and  as  "Walsh. 
opened  it,  a  fashionably  dressed  young  man  was  seen  standing  outside. 
"Walsh  gave  Mr.  Green  a  knowing  wink,  then  went  out  and  shut  the  door 
behind  him.  1£  he  could  have  seen  through  the  door  he  would  have  noticed 
that  at  the  moment  when  he  was  alone,  Mr.  Green  had  taken  a  pencil  from 
his  pocket  and  noted  something  on  his  thumbnail.  It  was  only  the  num- 
ber of  the  house — 147 — in  which  he  then  was.  But  Mr.  Alias  had  full 
confidence  in  the  inexperience  of  his  young  friend,  and  when  he  presently 
returned  he  aaid  laughiug  : — 

"  That  was  another  of  my  agents.  Ho  came  to  take  another  $50,000. 
He  has  had  already  as  much  as  that  this  week.  Now  to  be  brief:  I 
printed  the  notes  and  went  with  some  of  them  to  the  Eighth  and  the  Tenth 
National  Banks,  to  Eugene  Kelley  and  to  Jay  Cooke.  I  said  that  I  had 
taken  them  in  the  course  of  my  business  in  "Water  Street,  but  that  I  had 
had  some  doubt  whether  they  were  good,  and  therefore  asked  them  to 
inform  me.  All,  without  exception,  declared  them  genuine,  and  so  now  I 
felt  sure  that  my  time  and  money  had  not  been  thrown  away.  I  now 
began  to  deposit  my  notes  in  the  Eighth  National  Bank,  and  at  Kelley's, 
and  in  the  space  of  four  months  I  had  a  balance  there  of  $ 72 ,000,  while 
at  the  same  time  I  had  effected  arrangements  for  forty-seven  agencies.  I 
now  want  only  three  more  agencies,  and  then  I  shall  cease  to  advertise. 
What  business  are  you  in?" 

Mr.  Green  answered  that  he  was  a  printer.  "  That's  bad,"  replied 
Alias.  A  grocery  is  the  best  business  for  our  purpose.  Take  my  advice 
and  establish  a  grocery.  Five  of  my  agents  have  opened  grocery  stores  in 
th-  last  three  months,  and  one  of  them  has  made  $40,000  in  three  weeks. 

The  conversation  now  turned  in  various  directions,  and  especially  as  to 
the  amount  with  which  Mr.  Green  should  begin.  At  last  he  said  that  if 
the  notes  were  good,  as  from  Walsh's  description  he  must  believe  them  to 
be,  he  would  begin  with  $2,000. 

"  If  the  notes  don't  please  you,  you  need  not  take  them.  Come  with 
me,"  said  Walsh. 

He  now  took  his  visitor  a  few  steps  higher,  and  opening  a  door,  went 
in.  It  was  a  room  without  a  window  or  any  daylight,  and  with  a  kind  of 
smell  such  as  rooms  have  to  which  fresh  air  is  never  allowed  access.  On 
a  stool  in  one  corner  stood  a  shaded  lamp.  The  lamp  was  alight,  but 
the  wick  was  turned  so  low  that  the  place  was  almost  dark.  When  Mr. 
Alias  turned  up  the  light,  some  shelves  were  seen  running  round  three 
sides  ot  the   room,  upon   which  were  a  number  of  sealed  up  packages. 


SWINDLERS.  1 93 

There  was  also  a  box  from  which  Alias  now  took  a  handful  of  one,  two, 
five,  and  ten  dollar  bills,  and  handed  it  to  Mr.  Green,  who  took  the  bills 
eagerly  to  look  at  them  more  closely.  If  they  were  not  genuine  notes,  they 
were  such  perfect  imitations  that  it  was  not  possible  to  wish  for  anything 
more  perfect.  But  Mr.  Green  was  not  quite  satisfied  with  them  and  said  : 
"  We  will  take  them  to  the  office  and  see  them  by  daylight." 

"  All  right,"  answered  Alias.  "  I  wish  you  to  be  quite  satisfied  before 
you  buy."  He  took  out  one  ten,  one  five  dollar  note,  and  two  or  three  of 
smaller  denominations  and  gave  them  to  Mr.  Green,  who,  fearing  lest 
Alias  should  at  the  last  draw  back  from  lis  bargain,  and  wishing  also  to 
test  the  notes,  took  them  into  his  own  keeping. 

The  examination  by  daylight  was  quite  satisfactory,  and  showed  that 
the  best  expert  could  not  find  any  difference  between  these  and  genuine 
notes. 

So  Mr.  Green  said  presently  "  "Well  I  will  take  a  couple  of  thousand  of 
these,  and  if  you  will  come  with  me  to  the  Astor  House  I  will  give  you  the 
money  for  them.  You  know,  as  I  told  you,  I  have  been  swindled  before 
this,  so  this  time  I  made  up  my  mind  to  go  to  work  carefully.  I  came  to 
the  city  yesterday  evening  and  deposited  my  money  in  the  safe  of  the: 
hotel." 

At  these  words  Mr.  Alias  appeared  to  be  rather,  unwell.  He  grew  pale 
somewhat,  but  finally  remarked — M  You  had  better  come  back  here.  BriD«- 
the  money  with  you,  and  I  will  let  you  have  the  notes." 

u  All  right.     When  shall  I  come?" 

"  Whenever  you  like.     At  three  o'clock." 

"  Agreed.  I  want  to  take  the  boat  for  Providence  at  five  o'clock.  In 
the  meantime  (and  thereupon  he  carelessly  took  up  one  of  the  ten  dollar 
bills)  this  seems  all  right,  but  I  should  just  like  to  take  one  of  the  notes  to 
a  bank  or  to  the  Astor  House.  Of  course  you  have  no  objection."  And 
he  quickly  crumpled  the  note  up  in  his  hand. 

Alias  seemed  a  little  embarrassed.  "  Let  us  go  and  have  something  to 
drink,"  he  replied,  "you  can  pay  for  the  drinks  with  the  note." 

11  Oh  !  that  would  be  no  test,  for  in  bar-rooms  they  will  take  anvthing 
you  offer  them."  He  then  put  the  note  in  his  pocket.  "  Now  come  and 
have  a  drink  with  me." 

"All  right." 

Both  now  went  to  the  nearest  bar.  But  Walsh  would  not  let  his  young 
friend  pay.  When  they  came  out  the  latter  asked  "  which  way  must  I  go 
now  to  get  to  the  Astor  House?"  And  as  a  Seventh  Avenue  car  was 
going  along  by  Thompson  Street  Mr.  Alias  conducted  his  friend  to  this, 
shook  him  by  the  hand,  urged  upon  him  the  most  absolute  secrecy,  helped 
him  on  to  the  car  and  returned  to  his  office,  occupied,  indeed,  with  the 
pleasant  thought  that  in  the  afternoon  he  would  get  round  the  stupid 
"  greenhorn,"  and  well   indemnify  himself  for  the  loss  of  the  genuine  ten 

13 


194  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

dollar  bill  which  he  had  taken  away  with  him.  But  the  "  greenhorn"  did 
not  come  back. 

If  Mr.  Alias  could  have  seen  farther,  he  would  have  noticed  that  his 
young  friend,  on  leaving  the  car,  went  immediately  into  a  bank  and  there 
asked  whether  the  note  was  good.  As  he  had  guessed,  the  question  was 
answered  positively  in  the  affirmative.  And  if  Mr.  Alias  had  been  able 
to  see  yet  further  he  would  have  noticed  that  his  very  innocent  friend  from 
Providence,  as  soon  as  he  came  out  of  the  bank,  went  into  the  office  ot  one 
of  the  daily  papers  and  turned  into  a  reporter,  who  was  merrily  relating 
the  circumstances  of  his  morning's  adventure  am*J  the  re-echoing  laughter 
of  his  colleagues. 

The  following  is  a  list  of  the  various  firms  and  names  under  which  the 
counterfeit  money  and  saw-dust  swindles  have  hitherto  been  conducted  : — 

C.  C.  Alvord — Prof.  Chas.  Aathon — P.  Armstrong— Armstrong  &  Co. 
— J.  Arnold,  jun. — C.  Atwood — M.  W.  Austin,  al.  W.  E.  Raymond,  al. 
G.  Danvers,  al.  E.  Green,  al.  J.  Price,  al.  E.  Hines—  H.  L.  Austin — J. 
Baker— Jas.  Bannon— H.  L.  Barnard— T.  Barnard— G.  W.  Bates— T. 
Bathy— O.  T.  Benger— Bertini  &  Co.— L.  P.  Beuchley— G.  M.  Blot- 
Brown  &  Billings,  Philadelphia — Wm.  H.  Burke,  al.  Geo.  Moorehouse — 
Wm.  Burton— E.  S.  Cady— B.  S.  Cary— Peter  G.  Carey -E.  C.  Catlin— 
J.  M.  Chadwick— A.  Chipman— E.  M.  Clay— W.  H.  Clement  &  Co.— 
W.  Clement  &  Co.— Dr.  W.  S.  Cody— II.  Colter  &  Co.— J.  McComb— 

A.  J.  Cooke— W.  Coombs— W.  Cooper— W.  F.  Coudrey— Dr.  W.  G. 
Couroy — B.  F.  Cramer,  Brooklyn — C.  J.  Crandell — B.  L.  Crowe— Dailey 
&  Co. — Dailey  &  Waters,  al.  W.  Howard,  al.  W.  H.  Jackson,  al.  Logan 
&  Co.,  al.  Owen  Beths,  al.  Howard  &  Co.,  al.  Fisher  &  Co.,  al.  Kane, 
al.  Alison— W.  Dailey— H.  K.  Daniel— H.  K.  Daniels— Day  &  Wallace 
G.  H.  Dayton,  Williamsburg — G.  W.  Dayton,  Williamsburg — S.  Davis 
&  Co. — W.  Dean — A.  Debenham— G.  L.  Demey — D.  A.  Dexter,  al.  D# 

B.  Stack,  al.  E.  B.  Snow,  East  Albany — M.  O.  Doane — P.  P.  Douglass 
W.  A.  Douglas — Aug.  Dufiou  al.  Laura  Duflou — Elias,  al.  J.  H.  Kirk- 
head,  al.  D.  Curran,  al.  H.  Oatman,  al.  L.  Haines,  al.  I.  Hoffman,  al.  E. 
W.  Tarrant,  al.  H.  Andrews,  al  E.  Moore,  al.  E.  Whitcomb,  al.  M.  Bow- 
ker,  al.  R.  Burdick,  al.  D.  Driscoll— T.  P.  Elliott— L.  Ellsworth— H.  W. 
Elston — Eureka  Manufacturing  Co.,  Paterson,  Is".  J. — M.  Evarts — M.  T. 
Fairfield— W.  J.  Ferguson— J.  Fisher  &  Co.— N.  Fitch— S.  S.  Flint- J. 
B.  Forrest — R-  H.  Foster,  al.  B.  Yvr.  Howard,  Williamsburg— W.  Foster 
— N.  Francis — T.  W.  Frank — Miss  Ada  Frost — S.  Fulton— J.  Goodwin 
&  Co — R.  Gore -A.  P.  Gould— B.  F.  Grayson— N.  H.  Grave  &  Co.— 
G.  L.  Griscomb — Gumbridge  &  Co. — J.  P.  Gurney — E.  C.  Haines— A. 
J.  Hackett — E.  S.  Hale— J.  F.  Hamilton — Col.  Hammer — L.  F.  Harness 
— G.  Harrington — G.  Harrington,  Baltimore,  Md. — G.  R.  Hart,  Banes, 
N.  Y.— W.  F.  Hathorne— J.  Havens,  al.  Hubbcl,  al.  Hill  &  Co.,  al 
Scott  &  Co.— F.  Heller— Dr.  J.  Hermans— S.  Hirst— A.  J.  Hitchcock- 


SWINDLERS.  195 

II.  Hodges — J.  A.  Holt — Dr.  J.  W.  Homan — Maj.  J.  Hood,  Wilmington, 
Del.— W.  &  J.  Hood— Miss  O.  H.  Hoover,  Hazle  B  irrens,  Mo.— P.  D- 
Hopkins  &  Co.,  Parkman,  O. — B.  W.  Howard — J.  Hubbard,  al.  J.  Heav- 
ens—N.  Hudson  &  Co.— Hudson,  Wood  &  Co.— H.  E.  Hussey— T.  Jack- 
son— L.  Jameson — R.  M.  Jameson — Henry  Jennings — J.  Jewells — J.  P. 
Ingalls — O.  Johnson — A.  Jones — D.  II.  Kappock — M.  Keating — II.  J. 
Keene — W.  L.  Kevley — O.  H.  Himball — J.  A.  Kinkead — J.  P.  Koelsten 
al.  J.  R.  Emersen  &  Co. — S.  K.  Kraiz,  Doylestown,  Pa. — S.  W.  Lam- 
beth—E.  T.  Lampson— J.  W.  Lang  &  Co.— C.  W.  Lawson— I.  R.  Lee 
— Miss  Rosa  Lee — W.  S.  Leslie,  Trenton,  N.  J. — J.  S.  Lewis  &  Co. — 
W.  B.  Logan — B.  H.  Longstreet — Dr.  Lorand,  Williamsburgh — S.  W. 
Ludlow— C.  E.  Macy— W.  R.  Marquee  &  Co.,  Omaha,  Nebr.— W.  M. 
Martine — D.  Masure  &  Co.,  Biddeford,  Me. — P.  J.  Meehan — S.  Messen- 
ger—H.  Miller,  al.  S.  Wing— E.  D.  Milton,  al.  T.  Morgan— Milton  & 
Brother — W.  Molster,  Jackson,  Mich. — J.  Moore — J.  M.  Moore — H.  II. 
Morgan — A.  H.  Morrow — H.  Morton — T.  Newell — Northwestern  Book 
Co.,  Minneapolis,  Minn. — Noyes  &  Co. — F.  Ogden — C.  Olson — J.  B. 
Page  &  Bro.— F.  H.  Park— J.  E.  Parker— J.  W.  Parker— II.  Parker  & 
Co.— J.  B.  Parker  &  Co.,  Rockford,  111.— J.  T.  Palmer— C.  E.  Penn— 
J.  G.  Perry— J.  Phelps— J.  Phillips— T.  W.  Pierce— J.  W.  Pine— K.  G. 
pott — W.  Potter — J.  Price— E.  Putnam -A.  Ramsay— T.  Ray — J.  R.ed 
&  Co.— Reid,  Delafield  &  Co.— B.  H.  Robb,  Garrettsville,  O.— Chas.  A. 
Roberts — E.  D.  Robinson — M.  A.  Robison,  Honeybrook,  Pa. — J.  Rood 
&  Co.— S.  W.  Rowell,  Covington,  Ky.— Rufenach,  Guide  &  Co.— E. 
Sampson — G.  Savory — H.  N.  Sawyer  — J.  R.  Seabord  &  Co.,  Garretts- 
ville, O.— Dr.  S.  W.  Seal— F.  Sedan,  Wrilliamsburgh— C.  Shaw— G.  G. 
Sherlevant — E.  Simms — E.  A.  Simpson — A.  Smith — A.  H.  Smith — 
Smith  &  Co. — J.  Spencer — J.  T.  Spencer,  Philadelphia — C.  W.  Sprague 
1 — Standard  Bookstore — L.  F.  Stark*— A.  Stephens — H.  E.  Stewart — R. 
Stockton— I.  P.  Strange— D.  D.  Titus— G.  Tobias— A.  Todd  &  Co.— 
J.  B.  Turner— R.  S.  Turner,  Williamsburgh— Turner  &  Wells,  Philadel- 
phia—E.  Virgil— W.  Wade  &  Co.— A.  Wainright,  Trenton,  N.  J.— Z. 
Walsh— F.  P.  Walters— R.  M.  Walters— J.  Warlow— G.  M.  Washburn 
— G.  W.  Washburn— J.  P.  Waters  &  Co.— B.  B.  WVds— C.  M.  Wells, 
Chicago— J.  West— S.  W.  Westervelt— N.  L.  Wevner— C.  A.  Williams 
— C.  L.  Wilson— Wogan  &  Co.— W.  H.  Wood— Miss  Flora  Wood— W. 
&  J.  Wood — W.  Wray — S.  Yetter — G.  Young — Young  &  Moore. 

Thus  then  we  have  two  hundred  and  sixty-one  firms  under  whose  names 
the  counterfeit  money  swindle  has  been  carried  on.  Of  these  two  hundred 
and  thirty-one  dated  their  circulars  from  New  York,  while  thirty  conducted 
their  iniquitous  proceedings  from  different  other  places.  The  list,  is  as 
complete  as  we  have  been  able  to  make  it,  but  as  new  aliases  are  constantly 
appearing — for  all  these  firms  are  only  feigned  names,  behind  which  per- 
haps there  are  not  altogether  more  than  thirty  or  forty  persons — it  is  very 


196  THE   DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK   LIFE. 

difficult  to  arrive  at  an  absolutely  perfect  list.  What  we  have  said  upon 
this'  subject  will  serve,  however,  at  least  to  show  to  all  right  thinking  peo- 
ple, who  receive  any  of  the  circulars,  the  duty  of  at  once  putting  them  into 
the  fire. 

It  is  worth  while  to  recur  for  a  moment  to  a  remark  made  on  a  pre- 
vious page  with  reference  to  the  custom  of  many  of  these  swindlers  in  hav- 
ing their  letters  addressed  to  private  post  offices,  so  as  to  conceal  their  real 
addresses.  We  do  this  in  order  to  mention  that  22  of  them  have  their  let- 
ters addressed  to  609  Broadway,  25  to  34  Amity  Street,  24  to  688  Broad- 
way, 30  to  16  South  Fifth  Avenue,  and  8  to  22  West  Fourth  Street.  One 
of  these  post  offices  has  already  been  sketched  under  the  account  of  the 
visit  to  Mr.  Walsh. 

That  a  swindle  of  this  kind,  so  extended,  so  mischievously  corrupt,  such 
a  school  for  criminality,  should  have  existed  for  several  years  with  impu~ 
nity  so  far  as  the  law  is  concerned,  seems  scarcely  credible.  But  it  is  a 
fact.  Since  the  beginning  of  the  current  year,  1873,  Mayor  Havermeyer, 
at  the  head  of  the  city  government,  has  certainly  taken  steps  to  try  and 
stay  the  evil,  but  it  does  not  yet  seem  that  he  can  succeed.  But  it  is  hoped 
that  a  law  lately  passed,  which  makes  the  sending  of  pamphlets  or  print* 
through  the  post  with  the  intention  of  swindling  the  public  an  offence,  pun- 
ishable with  a  fine  of  $500  or  eighteen  months  imprisonment,  will  prove 
of  some  assistance  in  the  right  direction.  Whether  this  hope  will  be  real- 
ized is  yet  to  be  seen.  But  we  are  of  opinion  that  if  we  can  have  laws 
which  inflict  severe  punishment  upon  acts  of  murder,  robbery,  and  theft^ 
the  Legislature  could  and  also  should  pass  laws  under  which  swindling 
might  be  severely  punished,  too  ;  especially  a  branch  of  the  art  which  has 
such  a  demoralizing  and  corrupting  influence  upon  the  people  as  the  coun- 
terfeit money  and  saw-dust  swindlers. 

The  Internal  Revenue  Stamp  Swindle  is  very  similar  to  that  last 
mentioned,  only  of  course  it  cannot  be  carried  on  to  the  same  extent,  since 
counterfeit  revenue  stamps  can  only  be  employed  by  dishonest  persons  who 
have  to  use  revenue  stamps  in  their  business.  The  principal  roll  in  this 
is  played  by  the  well-known  E.  H.  Elias,  whom  we  have  already  men- 
tioned in  connection  with  the  counterfeit  money  swindle,  and  by  one  T. 
D.  Thorp,  who  is  either  a  pupil  or  an  alias  of  the  former.  There  is  also 
one  T.  E.  Allison  engaged  in  the  occupation. 

These  swindlers  also  send  circulars  to  people  who  they  know  use  reve- 
nue stamps,  and  especially  to  tobacco  and  cigar  dealers.  In  one  of  these 
circulars  is  the  following  passage  : — 

"My  cousin  is  superintendent  of  the  government  printing  office  at 
Washington  where  all  the  revenue  stamps  are  printed,  and  he  has  supplied 
me  with  all  the  stamps  which  I  have  required  during  the  past  year  in  my 
business.     He  has  told  me  that  it  is  quite  impossible  to  find  out  how  many 


SWINDLERS. 


197 


stamps  are  printed.  If  now  you  will  only  bind  yourself  to  secrecy  I  am 
ready  to  supply  you  with  all  the  stamps  you  require,  at  the  rate  of  $20 
for  every  hundred  dollars  worth  of  stamps." 

If  anybody  who  is  dishonest  enough  to  wish  to  cheat  the  government, 
sends  money  to  these  people  for  their  counterfeit  stamps,  the  same  thing 
happens  with  them  as  with  those  whose  ambition  is  to  circulate  bad  money 
— they  receive  nothing,  and  prove  in  themselves  but  another  illustration  of 
m  the  biter  bit." 


Since  1869  a  similar  swindle  has  been  going  on  with  United  States 
Bonds.  In  this  there  are  chiefly  three  people  concerned  :  J.  "W  Laidlaw, 
L.  A.  Brown,  and  G.  Gunshyne  (this  last  surely  is  a  feigned  name).  Of 
these  the  two  first  gave  themselves  out  as  brokers.  They  spread  a  report 
among  people  whom  they  thought  likely  to  be  willing  to  entertain  a  dis- 
honorable proposition,  to  the  effect  that  they  had  come  into  possession  of  a 
large  number  of  stolen  bonds  which  they  were  willing  to  sell  cheap.  And 
there  were  so  many  persons  ready  to  buy  the  stolen  bonds,  and  in  that 
way  to  enrich  themselves,  that  quite  a  respectable  little  sum  of  money 
was  turned  over.  * 

"When  now  unprincipled  persons  declared  their  readiness  to  go  into  the 
business,  it  was  agreed  that  the  matter  should  be  concluded  at  some 
appointed  place,  where  the  bonds  should  be  handed  over  and  the  money 
paid, — the  amount  of  the  latter  being  usually  fifty  per  eent.  of  the  nominal 
ralue  of  the  bonds.  But  the  swindlers  had  neither  stolen  bonds  nor  coun- 
terfeit bonds  in  their  possession,  so  they  managed  in  this  wise.  They  pre- 
tended that  through  fear  of  police  interference  the  business  must  be  done 
promptly.  They  therefore  had  a  packet  ready  made  up  of  paper  which 
Jooked  like  bonds,  and  which  had  a  genuine  bond  on  the  top.  At  the 
«ioment  when  the  swindler  had  the  money  in  his  hand  and  had  given  up 
>he  packet,  an  alarm  of  police  was  given  by  one  of  his  accomplices,  upon 
which  the  swindler  took  to  his  heels  and  left  the  purchaser  with  the  parcel 
in  his  hand  to  his  fate.  A  number  of  instances  of  this  kind  had  occurred 
when  the  polke  succeeded  in  finding  out  a  person  to  whom  the  swindlers 
had  offered  bonds  to  the  amount  of  $126,000,  the  delivery  of  which  was  to 
be  made  in  the  Elysian  Fields  at  Hoboken.  The  purchaser  was  now  sup- 
plied by  the  police  with  the  necessary  amount  of  money  in  counterfeit 
notes,  and  when  he  had  made  his  payment  and  received  the  packet  of  pre- 
tended bonds  at  the  place  of  rendezvous,  the  real  police  who  had  been  kept 
out  of  sight,  came  this  time  upon  the  scene  and  arrested  the  swindler.  It 
now  turned  out  that  the  packet  contained  neither  counterfeit  nor  stolen 
bonds,  but  only  paper  laid  together  so  as  to  resemble  bonds,  with  one  good 
bond  for  $2,000  on  the  top. 


198  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK   LIFE. 

Among  the  contrivances  which  depend  for  success  not  less  upon  the 
thoughtlessless  than  upon  the  dishonesty  of  people,  belong  also  the  repair 
and  interest  swindlers. 

The  Repair  Swindle  consists  in  the  swindler  informing  someone  at  a 
distance  that  the  diamond  ring  he  left  to  have  the  jewel  reset,  or  the  watch 
he  left  to  be  cleaned  is  now  ready,  and  that  the  article  mentioned  will  be 
forwarded  by  express  as  soon  as  the  charges  for  repair  &c.  are  remitted. 

To  show  how  seductive  this  game  is  to  unprincipled  people,  we  quote 
here  one  of  the  letters  with  the  account : 

1871  Aug. :  To  re-setting  diamond  ring       .       $15  00 

To  gold  hand  and  glass  for  gold 
Chronometer.  —  Frockham, 
13,207        ....  2  50 

To  cleaning  and  regulating  the 

watch  and  putting  in  one  ruby  7  00 


Credit  by  the  old  setting  of  the 


$24  00 
3  25 


$21  25 
The  letter  accompanying  that  account  runs  as  follows  : — 

New  York,  August  3d,  1871. 

We  are  surprised  that  you  have  not  yet  advised  us  concerning  the  dia- 
mond ring  and  the  Chronometer  which  you  left  with  us  at  the  beginning 
of  the  year,  the  one  to  be  reset,  the  other  to  be  repaired.  Both  articles 
have  long  been  ready.  We  before  intimated  this  to  you,  when  in  accord- 
ance with  your  wishes  we  also  at  the  same  time  gave  an  estimate  of  the 
value  of  the  ring.  As  we  conclude  that  you  did  not  receive  our  letter,  we 
will,  whilst  enclosing  a  copy  of  our  account,  repeat  what  we  therein  said. 

We  weighed  the  stones  from  the  ring  before  re-setting  them.  The  centre 
stone  weighs  one  and  a  half  carat  and  is  worth  $300.  Each  of  the  other 
six  stones  weigh  three-quarters  of  a  carat  and  is  worth  $100,  so  that  with- 
out the  setting  the  stones  are  worth  together  $900.  In  its  present  very 
tasteful  setting,  with  which  we  are  sure  you  will  be  pleased,  the  ring  is 
well  worth  $1,000.  As  you  see  we  have  allowed  you  in  the  account  for 
the  value  of  the  gold  in  the  old  setting. 

With  regard  to  the  value  of  the  watch,  it  is  seldom,  indeed,  in  face  of 
the  present  very  high  custom  duties  that  such  an  excellent  piece  of  work- 
manship is  imported.  If  you  wanted  to  purchase  such  a  watch  you  could 
not  get  it  under  $400. 

Have  the  goodness  to  send  us  the  small  amount  of  our  account,  and  we- 


•WIHDLEMi  190 

will  then  immediately  forward  your  ring  and  watch  by  express.  In  accord- 
ance  with  your  wish  before  expressed  we  have  advised  our  Paris  house  to 
give  their  attention  to  any  favorable  opportunity  for  making  a  good  pur- 
chase, of  which  we  will  immediately  inform  you. 

Yours  respectfully 

RUFENACH  GlJLDB  &  Co., 

44  aud  4G  Liberty  Street. 

Now  it  could  never  occur  to  the  mind  of  any  right-thinking  man  who 
knew  that  he  had  left  neither  ring  nor  watch,  to  take  advantage  of  what 
must  appear  to  him  as  a  mistake  and  to  remit  money  in  order  to  obtain 
what  does  not  belong  to  him  ;  but  swindlers  speculate  upon  dishonesty,  not 
upon  honesty,  and  work  to  cheat  those  only  who  are  themselves  willing  to 
cheat.     Such  swindlers  cannot  be  successful  with  honest  people. 

Similar  letters  to  the  above  come  here  from  San  Francisco  under  the 
signature  of  G.  "W.  Parish. 

The  Interest  Swindle  is  much  of  the  same  kind,  and  can  be  best 
understood  from  the  following  letter  : 

Saco,  Me.,  Oct.  17th,  1870. 
Messrs.  X.  X. 

In  answer  to  your  enquiry  we  beg  to  state  that 
we  have  placed  to  your  credit  the  interest  of  the  money  in  question,  and 
that  now  the  capital  and  the  interest  to  date  amount  to  8152.25,  which 
amount  we  will  remit  to  you  on  the  receipt  of  the  amount  d^e  us,  which, 
as  you  are  aware,  is  Si  1.50. 

But  send  us  your  full  address,  for  we  understand  that  another  person  of 
the  same  name  lives  in  your  place,  and  if  he  should  receive  your  money 
the  loss  would  be  yours  ;  besides  which,  as  you  know,  if  there  should  be 
much  talk  about  this  business,  disclosures  might  come  to  light  which  would 
not  be  agreeable  to  you. 

Respectfully 
P.  0.  Box  1,021.  II.  A.  Norton  &  Sons. 

This  game  as  with  the  repair  swindle,  very  much  strengthens  the  force 
of  the  bait,  by  the  hint  given  in  the  letter  about  possible  disclosures,  so 
that  if  the  pretended  money  should  indeed  come  into  the  wrong  hands,  the 
person  who  should  receive  it  would  be  on  their  guard  not  to  say  anything 
about  it.  Cunningly  thought  of  indeed  ?  and  a  fresh  proof  that  swindlers 
are  never  at  a  loss  for  Hew  tricks  with  which  to  ensnare  their  victims. 

'SVe  come  now  to  that  description  of  swindlers  where  the  speculation  is 
Qot  so  much,  at  least  not  always,  made  upon  the  dishonesty  and  dishonor- 
able principles  of  people  as  upon  their  credulity,  and  the  struggles  of  so 


200  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

many  people  to  attain  to  fortune  without  trouble,  wherein  they  try  their 
luck'  in  lotteries.  Under  this  head  stand  first  the  so-called  Gift-enter- 
prises and  Gift-concerts. 

Every  kind  of  lottery  is,  it  is  true,  forbidden  by  the  laws  of  most  of  the 
States,  but,  as  is  but  too  well  known,  laws  in  the  United  States  are  not 
always  acted  up  to,  and  serve  rather  only  to  be  circumvented,  much  on 
the  plan  of  the  wretched  principle  which  is  inculcated  in  the  words  "  How 
can  there  be  any  perjury  where  there  is  no  oath  taken  !"  But  miserable 
as  are  the  legislation  and  the  administration  of  justice  in  the  United  States 
generally,  there  are,  nevertheless,  some  very  good  laws  in  all  the  States, 
which,  if  they  were  only  acted  upon  and  followed  out,  would  amply  fulfil 
the  purpose  for  which  they  were  intended.  But  there  is  the  point.  In 
most  instances  the  authorities  do  not  do  their  duties.  Regard  for  political 
partisans,  even  though  they  be  the  greatest  rascals  and  criminals,  and  cor- 
ruption are  everywhere.  And  hence  it  is  that  the  swindling  class  have 
never  been  run  .down,  even  though  they  have  done  so  much  evil  and  com- 
mitted so  much  fraud.  So,  too,  it  is  with  the  gift-enterprises  and  gift- 
concerts  ;  which,  since  they  were  introduced,  have  been  contributed  to  by 
millions  of  credulous  people,  among  whom  are  many  poor  families,  whose 
money  thus  squandered  and  thrown  away  would  have  been  much  better 
and  more  usefully  expended  in  clothing,  food,  and  firing,  and  for  the  pay- 
ment of  their  rents.  But  it  seems,  indeed,  that  fools  do  not  die  out,  other- 
wise the  gift-concert  and  enterprise  could  not  have  prevailed  so  long  and 
maintained  its  attractions,  when  so  many  thousands  have  learned  by  expe- 
rience that  they  win  either  nothing  from  them,  or  else  articles  of  the  most 
worthless  kind, — and  that  most  of  the  gift-concerts  that  are  announced, 
after  being  postponed  from  time  to  time,  never  come  off  at  all ;  while  in 
other  instances  there  is  no  distribution  of  the  prizes. 

Only  quite  lately,  in  November  of  last  year  and  in  February  of  the  cur- 
rent year,  two  such  gift-concerts  were  ostentatiously  commenced  in  this 
city,  and  very  soon  after  were  stopped  by  the  police.  In  the  first  affair, 
one  Geo.  W.  Wood  was  arrested  as  leader  of  the  concern,  while  the  clerks, 
as  soon  as  they  found  that  the  customer  who  had  come  in  was  a  police 
captain,  jumped  over  tables  and  chairs  and  took  to  their  heels  as  fast  as 
they  could. — A  similar  raid  was  made  upon  the  second  concern,  and  in 
that  a  man  named  Thomas  Parker  was  arrested  as  principal — Of  course 
both  were  released  upon  giving  some  trifling  bail.  It  is  to  be  remarked 
here  that  both  these  concerns  had  their  headquarters  at  No.  656  Broadway 
and  there  is  no  doubt  that  they  emanated  from  the  same  source. 

The  origin  of  these  "  enterprises"  dates  back  several  years,  on  to  the 
once  popular  Art  Unions,  in  which  for  the  out-lay  of  a  few  dollars  a  per- 
son might  win  a  very  ordinary,  sometimes  a  very  bad  oil  painting  or  other 
work  of  art,  while  losing  tickets  were  guaranteed  an  engraving.  These 
Art  Unions  were  conducted  by  the  companies  which  had  been  formed  for 


SWINDLERS.  201 

the  purpose,  and  if  they  had  not  much  influence  upon  the  deveiopement  of 
good  taste  and  artistic  talent,  they  were  at  least  free  from  anything  like 
dishonesty. 

Then  came  the  book  business,  in  which  everybody  who  bought  a  book 
for  a  dollar  got  a  ticket  which  gave  him  the  chance  of  winning  a  gold 
watch  or  something  from  a  hundred  other  articles.  That  flourished  for  a 
long  time.  The  offices  were  always  crowded  ;  and  many  of  them,  as  long 
as  the  thing  lasted,  took  as  much  as  some  thousands  of  dollars  every  day, 
and  as  the  profits  were  some  fifty  per  cent.,  the  gross  winnings  amounted 
to  something  considerable.  It  was  asserted  by  the  proprietors  of  these 
establishments,  that  by  these  means  fondness  for  reading  and  the  improve- 
ment of  the  public  mind  were  served  ;  but  that  was  delusive.  To  the  peo- 
ple who  went  into  those  places  to  buy  a  book,  the  book  was  for  the  most 
part  a  secondary  consideration,  while  the  chief  object  was  the  ticket  and 
with  it  the  possible  chance  of  winning  something.  This  kind  of  book  busi- 
ness was  therefore  of  very  little  use  in  promoting  the  taste  for  literature 
and  culture,  while  it  did  a  great  deal  towards  exciting  the  public  passion 
for  gambling. 

To  these  book  businesses  and  lotteries  combined,  to  which  the  reproach 
of  swindling  could  no  more  be  attached  than  to  the  Art  Unions,  followed 
at  last  the  so-called  gift-enterprises.  In  these  the  originators  introduce  us 
to  a  regular  swindle,  speculating  upon  the  credulity,  frivolity,  passion  for 
finery,  and  greed  for  gain  which  they  found  in  the  masses ;  and  holding 
out  as  baits,  watches,  watch-chains,  rings,  breast-pins,  gold  pens,  pianos, 
sewing-machines  &c.  These  have  already  cost  the  people  of  the  United 
States  large  sums,  all  of  which  have  flowed  into  the  pockets  of  the  origi- 
nators. 

The  first  of  these  gift-enterprises  was  established  in  Philadelphia ;  but 
they  soon  followed  in  large  numbers  in  New  York,  and  now  they  gather 
their  profits  in  almost  all  the  States  of  the  Union  ;  although  the  public  has 
been  repeatedly  warned  against  taking  any  part  in  them.  Besides  which, 
no  man  in  full  command  of  his  senses  will  affirm  that  any  undertaking 
can  possibly  stand  upon  a  solid  foundation  or  in  fact  be  anything  less  than 
a  swindle,  which  promises  to  give  a  very  large  prize  or  something  of  con- 
siderable value  in  return  for  the  outlay  of  a  mere  trifle. 

These  establishments  have  always  one  common  object  then,  in  so  far  as 
they  obtain  their  money  through  the  credulity  and  greed  of  the  people. 
But  they,  nevertheless,  take  very  different  ways  for  arriving  at  it.  For 
while  some  throw  dust  into  the  eyes  from  pretentious  Broadway  stores, 
others  stretch  their  polypus  like  arms  from  little  back  rooms  on  some  third 
floor,  where  the  door  is  always  locked,  and  the  interior  can  only  be  reached 
by  letters  passed  through  a  slit  in  the  panel.  And  yet  these  same  people 
invite  the  public — at  least  that  portion  of  it  which  is  at  a  distance  and 
never  comes  into  New  York — to  come  and  view  their  treasures  and  their 


202  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

"  gifts,"  enumerating  at  the  same  time,  perhaps,  thirty  pianos,  thirty-five 
melodeons,  a  hundred  and  fifty  sewing-machines,  and  gold  and  silver-ware 
to  the  value  of  many  thousands  of  dollars.  But  let  anybody  respond  to  the 
appeal  and  peep  through  the  slit  in  the  panel  of  the  door  on  the  third  floor 
back  to  try  and  get  a  glimpse  of  the  pianos,  melodeons,  and  all  the  valua- 
bles, and  what  will  he  see?  Nothing.  Or,  perhaps,  four  bare  walls,  a 
desk  and  a  couple  of  chairs  ;  which  furniture,  however,  is  amply  sufficient 
to  enable  its  owner  to  open  his  money  letters,  to  read  the  orders  for  tickets 
and  to  put  the  remittances  into  his  pocket. 

So  iar  as  the  New  York  public  is  concerned,  the  distribution  of  circulars 
in  the  conduct  of  these  gift-enterprises  is  not  necessary  ;  only  a  few  flaming 
announcements  in  the  newspapers  and  a  store  whose  whole  arrangement 
and  ordering  are  designed  to  mislead  the  people.  But  we  will  give  an 
illustration  of  the  mode  of  operation,  and  the  final  close  of  one  of  these 
swindling  concerns. 

In  the  early  part  of  the  year  1871  the  newspapers  contained  whole 
column  announcements  of  the  "  Merchants  and  Manufacturers  Co-operative 
Distribution  ;"  tickets  for  which  were  offered  at  a  dollar.  These  were  to 
give  the  purchaser  the  chance  of  winning  a  prize  from  a  twenty -five  dollar 
watch  up  to  twenty-five  thousand  dollars  in  hard  cash.  This  concern  was 
at  No.  596  Broadway,  where  the  originators  had  rented  the  ground  floor 
and  basement.  In  the  former  were  the  articles  which  had  been  announced 
as  prizes:  Pianos,  watches,  sewing-machines  &c,  while  in  the  basement 
there  were  a  wheel  of  fortune  of  very  significant  length  and  not  less  than 
two  feet  in  diameter.  This  wheel  of  fortune  stood  behind  a  barrier  which 
the  owner  of  a  ticket  had  to  pass  through  alone  by  a  separate  entrance 
and  to  make  his  exit  in  like  manner  by  another  side  door.  The  game  had 
been  played  for  some  days  before  great  crowds  of  people,  when  police 
captain  Walsh  thought  he  would  give  it  a  little  of  his  attention  and  look 
into  it  a  little  more  closely.  Dressed  in  citizens  clothes  he  bought  a  ticket 
in  the  upper  office,  and  then  went  into  the  basement  to  see  the  further 
developement  there.  He  went  to  the  wheel — each  ticket-holder  being 
required  to  draw  for  himself — and  drew  a  blank.  He  remained  in  front 
of  the  wheel.  But  that  did  not  suit  the  gentleman  who  had  charge  of  it ; 
and  under  the  pretext  that  the  captain  was  in  the  way,  he  requested  him 
to  leave.  But  the  captain  remained,  notwithstanding ;  and  as  the  proprie- 
tor now  began  to  get  rough  and  to  insist  upon  his  going,  the  captain 
showed  him  his  shield — and  remained.  The  man  who  was  entrusted  with 
the  wheel,  now  stopped  the  drawing.  But  in  the  meantime  the  sale  of 
tickets  in  the  shop  above  was  going  on,  and  so  as  the  ticket-buyers  were 
beginning  to  get  impatient  and  three-quarters  of  an  hour  had  passed,  the 
captain  still  persistently  remaining,  the  drawing  had  to  be  resumed.  After 
eighty-three  more  numbers  had  been  drawn,  all  without  any  other  result 
than  blanks,  the  captain  decided  that  he  had  seen  enough,  and  he  ordered 


SWINPLE1WJ. 


203 


the  establishment  to  be  closed.  The  principal  and  his  accomplices — 
amoni/  whom  was  the  notorious  G.  T.  Ellias — were  arrested  and  the 
wheel  emptied  of  its  contents.  It  contained  tickets — all  blanks — enouga 
to  till  three  Hour  barrels.  And  yet  several  of  the  newspapers  contained 
from  day  to  day  lists  of  prizes  to  the  amount  of  thousands  of  dollais  that 
had  been  won  in  that  establishment ! — So  much  for  the  possibilities  of 
New  York. 

But  for  out  of  town  people  and  those  who  live  at  a  distance  circulars  are 
used,  as  in  the  counterfeit  money  swindle,  and  in  these  the  names  of  well- 
known  persons  are  often  used  as  references,  generally,  however,  without 
their  knowledge.  Nor  do  the  swindlers  disdain  to  annex  to  their  announce- 
ments and  circulars  what  they  allege  to  be  extracts  from  the  press,  and 
they  even  give  the  names  of  the  papers  from  which  they  were  taken.  All 
these  are  manufactured  for  the  occasion,  and  never  appeared  in  the  papers 
indicated  nof  in  any  others. 

Very  often  they  enclose  tickets  wTith  the  circulars,  for  which  if  the 
amount  be  duly  forwarded,  they  promise  that  a  drawing  shall  be  made. 
This  answers  with  many  people  and  they  send  the  money  for  the  tickets, 
but  of  course  receive  nothing  for  it,  even  though  a  prize  is  promised  to 
every  ticket. 

These  fellows  have,  however,  another  mode  of  operation  which  is  very 
much  in  vogue.  It  consists  in  this.  They  send  notices  round  to  hundreds 
and  thousands  of  persons,  many  of  wThom  may  have  received  tickets  and 
have  not  answered  the  application,  while  others  have  never  had  nor  ordered 
a  ticket  at  all,  telling  them  that  their  ticket  has  wTon  a  valuable  prize. 
They  then  offer  to  send  it  on  to  their  address  immediately  on  receipt  of 
their  percentage  and  the  costs  of  packing.  Sometimes,  under  a  pretence 
that  the  originator  and  proprietor  of  a  gift-enterprise  has  become  bankrupt, 
the  swindler  passes  himself  for  a  receiver  under  the  bankruptcy.  He  then 
writes  to  Mr.  N.  N.  and  announces  that  on  looking  over  the  bankrupt 
estate  he  finds  his  name  as  the  winner  of  a  prize  and  that,  as  the  official 
receiver,  he  is  ready  to  send  the  prize  on  to  its  destination  upon  a  receipt 
of  a  certain  percentage  of  its  value.  We  subjoin  a  circular  of  this  descrip- 
tion : — 

TO  THE  HOLDERS  OF  TICKETS  IN  WIGGINS,  BRADFORD  &  COS  UNITED 
STATES  PRIZE  CONCERT,  CHICAGO,  ILL. 

Dear  Sir: 

We  find  your  name,  as  a  ticket  purchaser,  upon  the  books  of  Wiggins,  Brad- 
ford &  Co.,  who  inaugurated  a  certain,  so-called,  gift  scheme  in  Chicago,  some  two 
years  since,  and  who,  by  the  most  specious  promises  and  artful  misrepresentations 
induced  a  very  large  number  of  persons  to  invest  their  money  in  the  vain  hope  of 
receiving  large  returns. 

But,  as  you  are  of  course  aware,  the  promises  of  W.,  B.  &  Co.  were  not  kept 
either  in  the  lettfr  or  spirit.     The  drawing  from  which  euch  golden  results  were- 


204  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

foreshadowed,  and  by  means  of  which,  so  many  persons  were  to  be  made  the  recipi- 
ents of  their  bounty,  by  receiving  from  a  hundred  to  fifty  thousand  times  the 
amount  of  their  original  investment,  was  put  off  from  time  to  time  on  various  pre- 
texts, until,  at  last,  when  the  patience  of  the  ticket-holders  was  thoroughly  ex- 
hausted, and  on  the  very  night  previous  to  the  day  on  which  the  drawing  was  to 
have  positively  taken  place,  Messrs.  Wiggins,  Bradford  &  Co.  closed  up  their  estab- 
lishment and  disappeared ;  the  place  which  once  knew  them  knowing  them  no  more, 
and  the  ticket-holder's  long  deferred  hopes,  were  finally  and  effectually  blighted. 

The  whereabout  of  Wiggins,  Bradford  &  Co.,  these  successful  chevaliers  d'in- 
dustrie  and  speculators  in  the  credulity  of  a  too  confiding  public,  remained  unknown 
to  the  great  majority  of  their  victims,  and  would  have  so  remained  to  this  day  but 
for  the  shrewdness  and  determination  of  a  gentleman— Joshua  Sears,  Esq. — who, 
having  invested  largely  in  the  plausible  scheme,  by  accident  found  a  clue  to  their 
movements,  and  following  it  up  with  great  secresy  and  caution,  finally  traced  the 
wily  schemers  to  New  York. 

Having  satisfied  himself  of  the  exact  locality  of  the  nest  to  which  these  birds 
had  flown,  Mr.  Sears  called  upon  several  of  his  brother  victims,  to  whom  he  im- 
parted what  he  had  done,  and  his  future  plans,  and  asked  their  co-operation.  This 
was  willingly  granted,  and  legal  proceedings  were  quietly  instituted  against  these 
defrauding  sharpers,  with  the  intention  of  punishing  them  if  possible,  but  at  any 
rate  to  force  them  to  disgorge  as  much  as  practicable  of  their  ill-gotten  gains,  and 
so  well  were  their  plans  carried  out,  that  one  day,  very  much  to  their  chagrin  and 
surprise,  Messrs.  Wiggins,  Bradford  &  Co.,  found  themselves  within  the  intricate 
meshes  of  the  outraged  law,  and  with  the  bars  of  the  State  prison  staring  them  in 
the  face.  Not  relishing  this  prospect,  they  made  proposals  looking  to  a  compromise, 
which  Mr.  Sears  and  his  associate  victims  were  at  first  disposed  to  entirely  reject; 
but  by  the  advice  of  counsel,  and  in  consideration  of  being  enabled  to  save  to  at 
least  a  portion  of  the  ticket-holders,  the  money  they  had  been  swindled  out  of,  they 
came  to  the  conclusion  that  in  order  to  accomplish  a  great  good,  they  were  justified 
in  doing  a  little  wrong,  and  so  consented  to  a  stay  of  proceeding  on  the  relinquish- 
ment of  the  entire  assets  of  the  defaulting  and  fraudulent  firm,  together  with  all 
their  books,  papers  and  list  of  ticket-holders.     This  they  did. 

On  examination  it  was  found  that  the  entire  number  of  tickets  sold  amounted  to 
$367,372.00. 

Of  this  amount  much  had  been  already  exhausted  in  advertising,  rent,  clerk 
hire,  and  incidental  expenses,  including  a  large  sum  which  W.,  B.  &  Co.  had  wasted 
in  riotous  living,  fast  horses,  etc.,  etc.,  in  the  metropolis;  so  that  after  paying  law- 
yers' fees,  the  costs  of  prosecution,  detectives'  services,  commissions  and  other 
expenses  necessarily  incurred,  the  prosecutors  found  that  all  that  remained  of  the 
ticket  purchasers  money  was  $131,273.00,  which  was  placed  in  the  hands  of  a  re- 
ceiver appointed  by  the  authorities,  viz.:  Messrs.  Q.  W.  Harris  &  Co.,  Bankers, 
No.  694  and  696  Broadway,  New  York. 

After  mature  deliberation,  and  in  view  of  the  impossibility  of  giving  back  to 
each  individual  the  exact  amount  which  would  be  his,  on  a  pro  rata  division  of  the 
recovered  money  it  was  decided  to  distribute  it  in  the  way  originally  promised,  that 
is,  in  prizes,  as  being  the  fairest  and  most  practicable  plan,  and  as  being  more 
likely  to  give  satisfaction  to  all  concerned. 

Accordingly,  on  the  2d  day  of  November,  1869,  a  drawing  was  commenced  in 
the  following  manner : 

The  names  of  all  purchasers  of  the  tickets  sold  by  W.,  B.  &  Co.,  were  placed  in 
■oae  wheel,  and  one  hundred  and  thirty-one  thousand,  two  hundred  and  seventy- 


SWIXDLERS.  205 

three  slips,  on  ft  proper  proportion  of  which  prizes  were  written,  were  placed  in 
another.  A  name  was  then  taken  from  the  first  wheel  and  entered  in  the  Prize 
Book,  after  which  a  slip  was  drawD  from  the  other  wheel,  and  the  name  of  the  arti- 
ole  draws,  if  any,  written  down  opposite  the  name,  and  so  on,  till  all  the  slips  had 
been  drawn  from  the  wheel,  and  consequently  all  the  prizes  distributed. 

It  was  not  considered  judicious  to  have  the  prizes  too  numerous  as  then  they 
would  be  of  such  small  value  as  to  make  it  scarcely  worth  while  for  the  drawer  to 
pay  the  necessary  percentage,  express  charges,  etc.  upon  them,  and  the  sum  in  the 
hands  of  the  receiver  was  accordingly  invested  in  prizes  of  considerable  value,  such 
as  watches,  jewelry,  silver-waie,  pianos,  sewing-machines,  etc.,  so  that  those  who 
were  so  fortunate  as  to  secure  a  prize,  would  receive  something  substantially  valu- 
able and  upon  which  they  could  afford  to  pay  the  expenses  necessarily  incurred  in 
the  distribution.  These  expenses  have  been,  by  the  exercise  of  discretion,  judg- 
ment, and  the  strictest  economy,  kept  so  low,  that  they  amount  to  but  five  per  cent, 
of  the  gross  amount  saved,  and  this  includes  the  brokerage  of  G.  W.  Harris  *  Co., 
Bankers,  to  whom  the  rescued  funds  and  the  plan  of  distribution  were  entrusted  by 
the  prosecuting  ticket-holders,  as  the  receivers,  appointed  by  the  authorities. 

The  drawing  having  been  at  last  completed,  the  prizes  are  now  ready  for  imme- 
diate distribution,  and  a  notification  such  as  this  has  been  sent  to  all  who  were  so 
fortunate  as  to  have  their  names  in  the  prize  list. 

Below  you  will  find  a  statement  of  your  prize  and  the  amount  of  percentage 
due  upon  it:  upon  the  receipt  of  which  your  prize  will  be  immediately  sent  to  you 
by  any  means  of  transportation  selected  by  yourself. 

The  money  can  be  sent  by  mail,  in  a  registered  letter,  or  by  express  to 

G.  W.  HARRIS  &  CO., 

No.  694  and  696  Broadway, 

New  York. 

N.  B. — No  prizes  will  be  forwarded  or  delivered  until  the  percentage  has  been 
paid. 

To  this  circular  was  appended  the  following  letter  which  contained  the 
all  important  advice  to  "  send  the  money." — 

Sir: 
You  are  hereby  notified  that  under  the  plan  of  distribution  adopted  by  us  in  the 
interest  of  the  ticket-holders  in  the  "U.  S.  Prize  Concert"  of  Wiggins,  Bradford  & 
Co.,  late  of  Chicago,  your  ticket  No.  132,613  has  drawn  a  prize,  viz. : 

A  Gold  Watch  and  Chain 

valued  at  two  hundred  dollars,  on  which  there  is  due  from  you  for  expenses,  etc.,  as 
explained  above,  5  per  cent.,  making  ten  dollars. 

By  forwarding  this  amount  wiihin  ten  days  after  receipt  of  this  notice,  with 
directions  for  transportation,  the  Watch  and  Chain  will  be  sent. 

Yours,  etc., 
G.  W.  Harris  *  Co.,  Bankers  and  Receivers, 
No.  694  and  696  Broadway, 

Nbw  York. 


206  THE   DARK    SIDE    OF   NEW    YORK   LIFE. 

And  how  many  persons  were  there  not — well  knowing  that  they  had  no 
ticket  <and  no  claims  whatever — who  lent  themselves  to  this  dishonesty,  and 
sent  the  swindlers  $10  or  more  to  get  a  gold  watch  worth  $200. 

But  for  craftiness  and  impudence  the  following  part  of  a  circular  signed 
by  Read  &  Co.  is  unsurpassed.  Every  word  of  it  is  only  calculated  to 
deceive.     It  runs  thus  : — 

Your  present  will  be  sent  promptly  in  ten  days  after  the  reception  of  the  per- 
centage.— Don't  send  for  us  to  ship  your  present  and  you  pay  on  delivery.  We  can 
not  do  it,  as  we  should  have  to  employ  more  help  than  you  would  want  to'  pay,  and 
that  lessens  the  profits  to  the  ticket-holders.  Also  avoid  sending  to  your  friends  to 
call  and  get  your  presents ;  it  not  only  gives  them  trouble,  but  it  is  a  great  annoy- 
ance ;  they  are  always  sure  to  call  when  we  have  the  most  business  on  hand,  and 
they  insist  upon  being  waited  on  first,  etc.,  etc.  To  accommodate  them  we  have  to 
Tun  through  the  immense  amount  of  names,  and  many  times  we  have  two  of  the 
same  name;  then  we  have  to  refer  to  our  register  containing  the  name,  town,  and 
State,  to  get  the  correct  one.  Then,  again,  if  you  send  by  them,  or  should  come 
yourself,  you  incur  expense,  for  you  know  what  you  have  drawn  by  your  notice, 
and  you  see  by  a  vote  of  your  committee  you  cannot  collect  at  sight.  No  article  is 
delivered  under  ten  days'  notice,  so  you  or  your  friends  would  have  to  wait  ten  days 
"before  being  able  to  obtain  what  is  against  your  name.  We  have  made  this  rule  and 
must  adhere  to  it,  for  those  that  send  us  our  percentage  we  feel  in  duty  bound  to 
wait  on  first ;  therefore  we  ask,  as  a  great  personal  favor,  that  upon  receipt  of  your 
notification,  if  there  is  a  percentage  of  a  few  dollars  to  be  paid,  send  it  by  mail, 
then  you  will  not  only  have  done  us  a  great  favor  and  saved  us  much  unnecessary 
trouble,  but  you  will,  at  the  same  time  have  kept  the  matter  in  a  straight,  business- 
like manner  so  that  it  will  avoid  all  mistakes  by  our  employees,  and  you  will  be 
sure  to  get  your  present  at  the  time  specified. 

Those  that  will  be  notified  that  they  have  drawn  presents  valued  at  $10  upwards 
to  $25,  and  there  are  many,  they  have  no  percentage.  We  have  passed  a  vote  not 
to  deliver  any  article  from  the  office,  but  must  in  all  cases  be  sent  by  mail  or  express 
at  their  expense,  from  the  fact  that  we  should  be  so  overrun  by  those  living  near 
that  we  should  have  to  neglect  our  friends  at  a  distance,  so  remember  to  send  us 
word  how  you  want  it  sent.  Write  name  and  town  plainly,  so  any  one  that  reads 
can  read  and  have  no  mistake. 

Money  can  be  sent  at  our  risk  by  mail.  The  surest  way  is,  put  your  money  in 
a  letter  and  pay  twenty  cents  to  have  it  registered,  if  a  large  amount;  but  where  it 
is  only  a  few  dollars,  put  it  in  a  letter  so  it  will  look  small,  and  then  three  cents 
will  answer.  We  .seldom  miss  letters  ;  and  when  a  bill  of  a  large  denomination  U 
placed  in  a  letter  it  does  not  show  that  it  contains  anything,  and  if  it  looks  so  it  is 
sure  to  arrive  safe,  and  then  you  would  save  seventeen  cents;  and  as  a  penny  saved 
is  as  good  as  two  earned,  you  can  take  your  choice. 

When  you  receive  your  present  be  kind  enough  to  inform  us  of  the  fact,  so  we 
can  file  away  as  delivered.  In  case  you  do  not  receive  it  at  the  expiration  of  ten 
days,  be  prompt  in  giving  us  word,  so  we  can  look  it  up.  On  any  business  enclo3e 
stamp  for  return  answer. 

The  books  will  be  closed  after  fifteen  days  from  the  date  of  your  notification,  as 
it  must  be  closed  as  soon  as  possible  in  order  to  relieve  the  committee,  and  as  it  will 
give  all  ample  time  to  remit  or  send  their  order  how  the  present  must  be  sent. 


SWINDLERS.  207 

"We  think  we  have  given  you  all  the  information  required,  thus  saving  you  the 
trouble  of  writing  for  information. 

All  letters  should  be  addressed,  per  order  of  the  managers,  to 

READ  &  CO.,  Bankers, 

No.  6  Clinton  Hall,  Astor  Place, 
Successors  to  Geo.  A.  Cooke  &  Co.  New  York  City. 

It  is  with  idcb.  circulars  as  these  that  credulous  and  money-loving  peo- 
ple are  lured,  and  they  take  the  bait  by  thousands.  But  the  swindlers 
catch  people  also  through  their  vanity  and  stupidity  with  glittering  offers 
cf  agencies.  The  following  circular  was  sent  to  a  man  who  had  gone 
through  the  late  war,  ostensibly  with  reference  to  a  lottery  in  aid  of  a 
*•  Sailors  and  Soldiers  Refuge." 

GENERAL  AGENCY  FOR  THE  UNITED  STATES. 
New  York. 
Dear  Sir: — As  we  are  determined  to  send  a  good  prize  in  your  neighborhood, 
and  with  this  resolution  we  have  been  looking  around  for  an  opening  in  which,  by 
presenting  some  discreet  reliable  person  with  a  prize  of  a  few  hundred  dollars,  it 
would  have  the  desired  effect  to  increase  the  number  of  our  customers.  We  acci- 
dentally met  with  your  address  and  the  idea  occurred  to  us  at  once  that  you  were 
just  the  person  to  aid  us  in  our  enterprise.  AYe  therefore  make  to  you  a  proposition 
that  must  strike  you  as  being  no  less  novel  than  it  is  liberal,  and  that  you  may  not 
suppose  that  there  is  any  deception  in  it ;  we  inform  you  that  the  prize  money  does 
not  come  out  of  our  pocket,  but  out  of  the  pocket  of  the  lottery  managers,  and  we 
-shall  not  loose  by  sending  a  few  hundred  dollars  in  prize  money,  but  shall  gain  by 
it  in  the  increased  amount  of  business  we  shall  expect  from  your  neighborhood 
when  you  show  the  "greenbacks,"  and  make  it  generally  known  that  they  are  the 
proceeds  of  a  prize  drawn  at  our  office.  We  make  this  offer  to  you  in  strict  con- 
fidence— the  proposal  is  plain.  We  are  to  send  a  certificate  for  a  chance  to  draw  a 
prize  of  a  few  hundred  dollars.  You  are  to  show  the  money.  The  result  will  be 
that  hundreds  of  dollars  will  be  sent  to  us  for  tickets.  You  may  be  the  gainer  of  a 
few  hundred  dollars.  We  shall  be  gainers  by  our  sales,  and  the  parties  who  send 
for  tickets  may  be  gainers  by  drawing  prizes.  Every  one  that  sends  will  of  course 
expect  to  draw  a  prize,  not  knowing  the  offer  we  made  privately  to  you,  which  is  as 
follows: — Send  us  $10  to  pay  the  managers,  and  we  will  send  to  you,  securely 
sealed,  a  certificate  of  a  package  of  tickets  in  the  enclosed  scheme  ;  and  to  set  at  rest 
any  doubt  you  may  have  of  our  sincerity,  we  hereby  bind  ourselves  to  send  you  a 
second  certificate  in  any  of  our  brilliant  extra  lotteries,  for  nothing,  if  the  first  we 
send  you  does  not  draw  you,  clear  of  all  expenses,  twelve  hundred  dollars;  and 
mark  this  fact,  to  send  you  twelve  hundred  dollars  out  of  the  managers  pocket  will 
cost  us  nothing,  but  to  send  you  an  extra  certificate  will  take  money  out  of  our  own 
pocket.  We  mention  this  merely  to  show  you  that  it  is  our  interest  to  send  you  a 
prize.  We  hand  you  an  envelope  with  our  address.  Enclose  to  us  $10  and  state  in 
your  letter  whether  we  shall  send  you  a  draft  on  your  nearest  bank,  or  shall  we 
send  you  the  amount  ^n  "  greenbacks''  by  mail,  which  last  perhaps  will  suit  you 
better.  Tlease  let  us  have  your  order  by  return  mail,  as  we  shall  have  to  order  the 
certificate  from  the  manrgsrs  for  you,  and  believe  us 

Yours,  respectfully 

C.  A.  Taylor  4  Co. 


208  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

From  this  letter  the  receiver,  who  was  to  procure  twelve  hundred  dol- 
lars t'o  show  as  a  bait,  must  perceive  that  the  whole  story  was  a  dishonest 
one,  and  that  to  undertake  the  sale  of  tickets  was  dishonorable  and  foolish  ; 
and  yet  he  would  do  it  with  so  much  zeal,  that  besides  the  $10  which  had 
been  demanded  of  him,  he  has  sent  as  much  as  a  hundred  dollars  more  for 
tickets  he  sold  for  the  swindler,  of  whom  of  course  he  heard  no  more. 
Although  he  had  inevitably  to  hear  the  reproaches  of  all  to  whom  he  had 
sold  tickets  and  who  henceforth  accused  him  of  swindling  them. 

Such  cases  happens  by  the  hundred,  and  if  anybody  who  receives  such 
circulars  decides  to  come  here  himself,  and,  as  he  thinks,  to  deal  with  Mr. 
So  and  So  personally  he  may  be  quite  certain  that  he  will  not  find  him, 
and  that  he  will  have  to  return  home,  his  tasked  unperformed.  A  short 
time  ago  a  person  in  Florida  received  an  intimation  from  one  of  these 
swindling  concerns  that  he  had  won  a  piano  worth  $500  and  that  $15  was 
wanted  for  the  cost  of  package,  upon  receipt  of  which  it  would  be  sent. 
The  person  thus  addressed  knew  of  no  ticket,  and  he  did  not  suspect  any 
swindler,  but  he  had  so  little  intention  of  appropriating  to  himself  by  dis- 
honorable means  the  chance  winnings  of  another,  that  he  sent  the  letter  to 
a  business  friend  in  this  city,  with  the  request  that  as  some  mistake  must 
have  been  made  he  would  advise  the  sender  to  that  effect.  But,  that  the 
business  friend  could  not  find  the  firm  in  this  city  is  quite  certain. 

The  immense  sums  of  money  out  of  which  the  public  has  been  swindled 
by  these  gift-enterprises  is  shown  first  by  the  number  and  increase  of  the 
concej ns  themselves,  and  next  by  the  number  of  letters  and  remittances 
which  they  receive  every  day,  as  has  been  proved  by  the  opportune  seizure 
of  some  of  the  establishments.  It  is  a  fact  that  many  of  them  receive  as 
many  as  500  letters  daily,  and  that  the  receipts  of  the  swindlers  amount 
mostly  to  from  five  hundred  to  a  thousand  dollars  every  day.  As  a  rule 
they  seldom  remain  long,  but  when  they  have  made  perhaps  a  hundred 
thousand  dollars  they  disappear  without  leaving  a  trace  and  soon  turn  up 
again  as  some  other  firm  in  probably  a  different  place  altogether. 

Sometimes  it  happens  that  the  post  office  authorities,  when  it  is  estab- 
lished that  the  affair  is  a  swindle,  refuse  the  payment  of  money-orders. 
But  the  rascals  are  equal  to  the  occasion.  They  then  write  to  the  sender 
that  by  some  accident  the  letter  has  been  delayed  in  coming  into  their 
hands,  and  that  now  the  order  is  too  old  to  be  collected,  they  have  there- 
fore returned  it  and  beg  that  the  amount  may  be  sent  by  express.  But 
it  is  well  known  that  post  office  orders  do  not  thus  grow  out  of  date.  It  is 
only  to  prevent  swindles,  and  on  the  order  of  the  sender  that  the  payment 
of  them  is  stopped.  The  remark  that  the  money-order  is  too  old,  is  there- 
fore nothing  more  than  a  swindlers  trick. 

Almost  every  day  people  in  the  country  who  receive  the  circulars  and 
see  through  the  cheat,  send  them  to  the  mayor  of  the  town  or  to  the  police 
superintendent,  and  think  that  they  are  informing  the  authorities  about 


SWINDLERS. 

something  new.  But  the  authorities  have  these  circulars  in  abundance, 
and  besides  that  the  police  know  all  the  swindlers  ;  although  it  is  not  bo 
easy  to  get  at  them  since  the  mere  sending  of  a  circular  is  nothing.  To 
effect  a  lawful  prosecution,  too,  there  must  be  a  plaintiff.  A  person  who 
has  received  such  a  circular  and  sent  it  to  the  mayor  has  not  been  swin- 
dled ;  he  has  not  been  injured  and  therefore  has  no  cause  for  complaint. 
Then  again  the  person  who  has  sent  money  for  tickets  or  for  some  prize 
that  has  been  put  forward,  cannot  make  a  complaint,  because  his  trans- 
action was  illegal ;  since  all  lotteries  are  forbidden  by  law. 

The  promoters  of  these  swindling  concerns  have  often  been  arrested, 
without  any  practical  result  having  thus  far  been  the  consequence.  Driven 
out  of  one  place,  they  begin  the  same  business,  a  few  weeks  later,  in  some 
other  ;  as  we  have  shown  already  in  one  particular  case  where  the  business 
at  656  Broadway  was  broken  up  in  November,  1872,  and  it  re-appeared 
under  another  name,  in  another  place,  in  full  force  in  February,  1873. 
These  swindlers  are  up  to  all  sorts  of  devices,  but  if  the  public,  in  spite  of 
all  advice  and  every  possible  warning  will  insist  on  getting  caught,  it  has 
only  itself  to  blame  for  the  consequences. 


But  to  the  worst  kind  of  these  gift-enterprises  belong  those  where 
u  charity"  is  adopted  for  the  sign-board — Tiie  Charity  Swindle.  And 
how  many  of  these  have  there  not  sprung  up  during  the  past  year  !  We 
call  to  mind  at  the  moment  that  prize  distribution  so  plendidly  announced 
for  the  benefit  of  the  Gettysburg  Asylum  ;  another  u  Asylum  for  Sick  and 
Wounded  Soldiers"  ;  then  the  "  Sailors  and  Soldiers  Home"  ;  the  "  Or- 
phans Institute"  ;  the  "  Cosmopolitan  Benevolent  Society  of  California, 
in  Aid  of  Public  Schools,  Public  Library,  Orphan  Asylum,  Fire  Depart- 
ment &c.  of  Nevada  County,"  besides  all  those  for  which  the  great  fire  at 
Chicago,  and  the  necessities  of  the  South  after  the  war,  contributed  ex- 
cuses. And  vast  numbers  of  these  gift-enterprises  received  the  commenda- 
tion— not  pretended  but  genuine — of  people  whose  names  have  a  good  ring 
throughout  the  country ;  while  many  other  lottery  enterprises  similar  in 
character  for  the  alleged  benefit  of  schools,  churches,  libraries,  &c,  were 
endorsed  by  the  directors  of  those  institutions,  although  such  persons  must 
have  known  that  all  such  lotteries  are  illegal.  And  if  such  gift-enterprises 
or  lotteries,  as  the  case  may  be,  should  chance  to  be  conducted  honorably, 
how  much  is  it  thought  would  remain  for  the  declared  purpose  after  all 
expenses  are  paid?  Why,  most  likely,  as  it  has  often  happened,  they  are 
wound  up  with  a  very  considerable  deficiency  ;  nay,  the  monies  received 
have  been  embezzled,  even  in  opposition  to  the  wishes  of  the  promoters. 
It  would  be  much  more  conducive  to  the  objects  of  charity  and  benevolence 
if  no  attempt  were  ever  made  to  serve  them  through  the  medium  of  a 
lottery. 

14 


210  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

Quite  recently  there  have  been  two  such  lotteries  brought  forward 
ostensibly  for  benevolent  purposes,  both  of  which  turned  out  the  most 
palpable  swindles. — The  first  of  these  was  the  Cuban  lottery,  established 
under  the  pretence  of  supplying  arms  and  ammunition  to  that  portion  of 
the  Cuban  people  who  for  some  years  have  been  fighting  to  free  themselves 
from  the  yoke  of  Spain.  The  tickets  were  to  give  admission  to  different 
concerts  that  were  to  be  given  here,  and  at  the  same  time  entitled  the  hol- 
der to  the  chance  of  winning  from  $3  to  $25,000  out  of  a  total  amount  of 
nearly  half  a  million.  People  in  America  are  ever  ready  to  lend  their  aid 
to  nations  struggling  for  freedom ;  such  an  undertaking  as  this  could  not 
fail,  therefore,  to  win  much  sympathy  and  support ;  till  at  last  the  Cuban 
Junta  in  New  York  and  other  prominent  persons  who  were  interesting 
themselves  in  Cuban  affairs  declared  that  they  would  have  nothing  to  do 
with  it,  and  that  it  was  nothing  more  than  a  heartless  swindle,  intended  to 
make  in  the  most  unconscionable  manner  a  profit  out  of  the  American  love 
for  freedom  and  our  sympathies  for  Cuba. 

The  second,  which  came  up  later,  is  a  so-called  diamond  lottery,  estab- 
lished for  the  alleged  purpose  of  those  persons  in  France  who  required 
assistance  in  consequence  of  losses  incurred  in  the  late  war.  There  were 
to  be  190,000  tickets  at  $6,  giving  the  chances  of  winning  diamonds  to  the 
value  of  $860,000.  The  French  newspapers  in  New  York,  which  would 
certainly  rather  have  given  encouragement  to  any  undertaking  for  the 
benefit  of  their  countrymen,  declared  it  to  be  a  swindle,  and  thus  this 
affair,  like  so  many  others,  was  dissipated  and  the  people  who  had  been  so 
foolish  as  to  take  tickets  lost  their  money. 

We  must  mention  yet  one  more  of  these  charity  lotteries,  which,  if  it 
must  not  be  placed  in  the  category  of  swindles,  is,  nevertheless,  of  so  pecu- 
liar a  character  that  it  deserves  censure. — We  refer  to  the  proposed  raffle 
of  a  farm  of  one  hundred  acres  in  the  neighborhood  of  Washington  by 
means  of  tickets  at  $1  each  ;  ostensibly  for  the  benefit  of  the  Mount  de 
Chantal  Academy,  near  Wheeling,  Va.,  if  the  circular  said  to  be  issued  by 
the  "  Sisters  of  Visitation''  is  to  be  credited.  In  this  was  the  further  con- 
dition that  a  purchaser  of  ten  tickets  should  have  the  privilege  of  having 
his  own  name  and  that  of  any  person  already  deceased  associated  in  a 
mass  to  be  read  every  week  for  ten  years  for  the  benefit  of  the  Maunt  de 
Chantal  Academy. — How  the  professors  of  any  creed  can  so  far  profane 
the  wants  of  their  church,  which  to  them  ought  to  be  sacred,  by  associating 
them  with  a  lottery,  is  to  us  quite  incomprehensible. 

If  anybody  wants  to  be  charitable,  he  should  give  directly  to  the  object 
he  would  assist.  One  dollar  direct,  and  without  any  selfish  notice,  is 
worth  more  than  five  dollars  paid  with  the  design  of  making  some  profit, 
for  of  the  five  dollars  at  least  four  go  away  in  expenses. 


SWINDLERS  211 

Ve  come  now  to  the  Lottery  Swindle.  Of  the  true  lottery  we  shall 
take  occasion  to  speak  separately  in  another  chapter.  We  allude  now  only 
to  the  cheating  concerns  which  have  no  organization,  in  which  there  is  no 
control,  no  responsibility,  and  whose  sole  object,  as  in  the  gift-enterprises, 
is  to  swindle  people  out  of  their  money.  These  are  carried  on  under  the 
name  of  Spanish  lotteries.  It  is  pretended  that  they  have  their  head- 
quarters in  Madrid,  and  the  so-called  representatives  here  issue  tickets  at 
$1,  which,  according  to  the  circulars  that  are  sent  out,  entitle  the  holder  to 
the  chance  of  watches  and  such  like  articles,  valued  at  from  $25  to  $1,200, 
as  well  as  sums  in  cash  from  $13  to  $7,500.  But  no  such  lottery  exists 
at  Madrid,  and  the  names  appended  to  the  circulars  put  into  circulation 
and  offering  the  tickets  are  in  great  part  the  same  as  those  we  find  on  the 
circulars  of  counterfeit  money  and  gift-enterprise  swindlers,  and  the  people 
also  address  their  letters  mostly  from  22  West  Fourth  Street  and  16  South 
Fifth  Avenue.  The  very  pure  individuals  who  issue  these  circulars  groan 
over  the  many  swindles  which  have  already  been  perpetrated  in  couaection 
with  similar  undertakings,  and  thereupon  base  the  assurance  that  these 
Spanish  lotteries  are  quite  another  kind  of  thing  and  quite  substantial. 
Like  the  gift-enterprise  swindlers  they  offer  to  their  agents  a  gold  watch 
valued  at  $200,  to  show  to  people  as  a  prize,  and  thus  to  secure  a  more 
copious  sale  of  tickets  in  their  neighborhood.  But — they  make  it  cheaper 
than  the  gift-enterprise  swindlers,  for  while  these  demand  $10  for  their 
present,  they  require  but  one  ! 

The  Dollar  Store  Swindle  must  rank  in  some  measure  with  the 
other  varieties  of  this  art,  but  it  must  not  be  supposed  that  we  would  class 
all  dollar  stores  as  swindles.  The  term  applies  only  to  those  in  which  the 
person  does  not  see  beforehand  what  he  is  buying.  At  the  fairs  in  Ger- 
many there  have  been  for  thirty  years  or  more  stalls  in  which  all  sorts  of 
articles,  trifles  of  course,  have  been  offered  at  the  uniform  price  of  five 
groschens.  It  was  probably  on  the  model  of  these  that  the  dollar  stores 
were  established  in  which  people  can  see  and  examine  for  themselves  any- 
thing that  seems  to  please  them  and  which  looks  worth  the  money.  But 
there  are  certain  other  dollar  stores  where  the  system  is  widely  different, 
where  the  business  is  at  a  distance,  and  where  the  purchaser  does  not  see 
and  cannot  examine  his  purchase  till  after  he  has  paid  his  dollar.  These 
dollar  stores  are  chiefly  to  be  found  in  New  England.  They  send  round 
to  certain  addresses  acknowledging  the  receipt  of  one  dollar,  and  enclosing 
in  return  ten  so-called  certificates  at  10  cents,  on  each  of  which  is  the 
name  of  some  article,  which  they  further  promise  to  send  on  the  receipt  of 
a  dollar.  Whoever  goes  into  this  business,  will  either  receive  something 
which  certainly  will  not  please  him,  or,  what  is  much  more  likely,  he  will 
not  receive  anything.  Very  often,  however,  the  answer  is  returned,  that 
the  last  dollar  has  come  to  hand,  but  that  an  unfortunate  mistake  has 


212  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF   NEW    YORK   LIFE. 

occurred,  the  check  having  really  been  the  property  of  some  one  who  had 
previously  sent  the  money  for  the  ten  certificates,  but  that  the  person  can' 
have  the  object  he  requires  if  he  will  now  remit  the  dollar  for  the  checks. 
Of  course  if  anyone  is  foolish  enough  to  send  the  second  dollar,  the  only- 
satisfaction  he  can  feel  is  from  the  knowledge  that  he  has  been  swindled 
twice  instead  of  once. 


The  Watch  Swindle  has  likewise  made  very  many  victims,  and 
thousands  of  dollars  are  spent  every  year  not  only  on  cheap  watches,  but 
on  watches  that  cost  little  and  are  quite  worthless.  Oroide  watches,  and 
watches  in  cases  alledged  to  be  made  out  of  some  newly  invented  combina- 
tion of  metals  to  imitate  gold,  or  from  some  pretended  bankrupt  watch  fac- 
tory, are  being  constantly  offered  through  the  medium  of  the  newspapers. 
But  the  truth  is,  watches,  like  gold  and  silver,  are  never  to  be  bought  in 
the  market  below  their  value,  no  matter  how  many  watch  factories  may 
have  become  bankrupt.  A  man  might  as  well  expect  to  buy  genuine  gold 
dollars  at  half-price  from  a  bankrupt  bank,  as  to  buy  good  watches  at  half- 
price.  Whatever  may  be  said  in  advertisements  and  circulars,  a  man  may 
be  perfectly  certain  of  this,  that  if  he  buys  a  watch  in  a  bad  case,  instead 
of  a  gold  or  silver  one,  he  has  paid  too  dearly  for  it,  or  probably  he  has 
got  something  that  is  quite  worthless.  A  watch  is  something  that  must  be 
trustworthy.  But  to  buy  a  really  good  watch  at  a  low  price,  that  is  below 
its  value,  is  impossible.  A  good  piece  of  workmanship,  without  the  case, 
and  allowing  only  a  very  small  margin  to  the  maker,  will  cost  at  the  least 
from  eight  to  ten  dollars  ;  but  most  of  the  firms  who  offer  their  watches  at 
low  prices  only  operate  with  distant  people,  and  whoever  sends  them 
money  will  either  receive  nothing  or  an  article  of  no  value  whatever. 

Thus  very  lately  Messrs.  Graham  &  Co.,  of  6  Whitehall  Street,  an- 
nounced a  "  magic  watch"  for  twelve  dollars  ;  but  there  was  not  a  trace  of 
any  such  firm  to  be  found  in  the  building. — Another  firm,  W.  D.  Miller 
&  Co.,  offered  in  like  manner  a  hundred  thousand  watches  worth  from 
$100  upwards  for  the  sum  of  $1.25  each  !  Now  if  anyone  lets  himself  be 
inveigled  by  such  offers  into  sending  money,  he  has  only  himself  to  thank 
for  his  folly  ;  though  at  the  same  time  such  offers  would  not  be  possible,  if 
it  were  notior  the  super-abundance  of  fools. 

There  are  lying  before  us  a  circular  and  a  letter  from  Wright  Bros.  & 
Co.,  which  were  sent  us  by  a  Mr.  I.  F.  in  Blackhawk,  Wis.  In  the  first 
they  offer  12,600  different  gold  and  silver  watches  worth  as  high  as  $250 
each,  for  $10  a  piece.  Mr.  F.  ordered  a  watch  and  requested  that  it  might 
be  sent  by  express,  the  ten  dollars  to  be  paid  on  delivery.  The  watch  was 
sent ;  but  as  Mr.  F.  wanted  to  see  it  before  he  paid  the  ten  dollars  for  it, 
the  express  company  refused  to  let  the  box  be  opened.  He  wrote  to 
Messrs.  Wright  Bros.  &  Co.  and  informed  them,  but  their  answer  was  that 


SWINDLERS.  213 

they  too  could  not  consent  to  it  ;  Mr.  F.  was  in  fact  wanted  to  "buy  a  pig 
in  a  poke." 

Another  firm,  Wheeler  &  Co.,  undertook  to  deliver  a  gold  chronometer, 
valued  at  81 25,  tor  the  small  remittance  of  $G.  This  firm  also  announces 
that  they  hold  a  special  license  from  the  government  at  "Washington  to 
Baffle  watches,  a  license  which  neither  does  nor  ever  has  existed. 

A  third  firm,  lv.  II.  Foster  in  "Williamsburgh,  promises  to  send  a  fifty 
dollar  double  cased  gold  watch  for  $2.75  ;  a  iourth  says  that  for  $4  he  will 
deliver  a  good  watch  whose  case  cannot  be  distinguished  from  gold.  And 
so  on  almost  indefinitely. 

The  greatest  watch  swindle,  however,  of  recent  date  was  that  set  on  foot 
by  the  ever  notorious  E.  II.  Elias,  under  the  name  of  the  "  Great  Geneva 
Watch  Company,"  which,  having  become  bankrupt,  had  sent  its  stock  here 
for  sale.  But  no  such  company  ever  existed  in  Geneva,  and  the  swindle 
was  at  last  brought  to  an  end  by  the  authorities. 

Bat  we  have  said  enough  to  be  a  warning  to  people  who  want  to  buy  a 
watch,  provided  always  they  have  the  sound  use  of  their  live  senses. 

The  Musical  Box  Swindle  is,  if  possible,  more  barefaced  than  that 
last  named.  Here  the  swindlers  announce  that  for  two,  three,  or  five  dol- 
lars they  will  send  a  musical  box  which  plays  eight,  fourteen,  or  twenty- 
four  tunes.  Now  by  a  musical  box  people  usually  understand  those  pretty 
Swiss  pieces  of  workmanship  with  barrel  and  spring,  which,  when  wound 
up  and  set  in  order,  do  play  tunes.  But  what  do  the  swindlers  send? 
Nothing  more  than  a  jewsharp,  which  could  be  bought  anywhere  for  fifty 
cents. 

Among  the  swindlers  of  this  tri'oe  are  J.  King  &  Co.  and  Scott  &  Paul, 
"both  of  whom  are  in  New  York. 

Mr.  C.  W.  of  Austin,  Texas,  received  from  the  first  of  these  a  circular, 
•ornamented  with  an  engraving  of  an  open  musical  box.  In  reply  to  the 
offers  it  contained  he  sent  eight  dollars,  hoping  in  return  to  receive  three 
musical  boxes,  instead  of  which  he  got  in  due  course  as  many  very  com- 
mon jewsharps,  worth  at  the  outside  ten  cents. 

In  like  manner  Mr.  L.  Z.  of  Cincinnati  had  a  little  experience  with  the 
same  firm,  and  as  a  consequence  the  following  paragraph  appeared  in  a 
newspaper  published  in  that  city  : — "  In  New  York  there  is  a  firm — 
Messrs.  John  B.  Kind  &  Co. — who  declare  themselves  to  be  the  owners  of 
a  large  manufactory  of  musical  boxes,  and  who  send  out  circulars  all  over 
the  country  ofiering  splendid  musical  boxes  at  very  low  prices.  One  of  the 
lucky  fellows  to  whom  they  sent  a  circular  here  in  Cincinnati  is  our  neigh- 
bor L.  Z.  who  some  days  ago  in  conformity  with  the  terms  named  in  the 
circular,  seut  a  dollar  to  the  firm  and  ordered  a  musical  box  at  that  price. 
Yesterday  he  was  much  delighted  when  the  express  agent  brought  him  a 
•large  cigar  box  just  received  from  New  York  and  which  contained  the 


214  THE   DARK    SIDE    OP   NEW    YORK   LIFE. 

object  of  his  wishes.  In  addition  to  one  dollar  for  freight  the  express  com- 
pany-collected also  $4  which  of  course  were  joyfully  paid.  The  box  was 
cautiously  opened,  and  showed  the  musical  box  was  very  carefully  packed. 
One  paper  wrapper  after  another  was  taken  off,  and  the  valuable  package 
kept  growing  smaller,  till  finally  the  last  wrapper  was  unfolded  and  dis- 
closed a  very  elegant  little  jewsharp,  such  as  we  should  buy  for  a  child  at 
Christmas  for  about  five  cents.  Although  the  beautiful  little  instrument 
had  a  very  exquisite  tone,  and  evidently  came  from  the  celebrated  manu- 
factory of  John  B.  King  &  Co.  in  New  York,  Mr.  Z.  persisted  that  he  had 
been  swindled,  and  tried  at  least  to  get  his  money  back  from  the  express 
company.     But  he  didn't. 

Mr.  C.  R.  of  Parkersburg,  Va.,  received  from  the  above  named  firm  of 
W.  Scott  and  Paul,  a  circular  similar  to  those  sent  by  King  &  Co.  ;  and 
in  reply  to.it  he  forwarded  one  dollar  for  one  of  the  musical  boxes  described 
and  which  played  eight  tunes.  He  received  also  a  jewsharp,  and  sent  it 
on  to  a  friend  with  a  request  that  he  would  secure  the  return  of  the  dollar. 
The  friend  went  to  the  address  of  the  firm,  and  there  found  several  dozen 
jewsharps,  such  as  children  use,  spread  out  on  a  table.  He  asked  to  be 
shown  one  of  the  musical  boxes  such  as  they  offered  in  their  circulars  for 
one  dollar,  and  the  representative  of  the  firm  placed  before  him  one  of  the 
smallest  jewsharps  ;  but  in  reply  to  the  request  that  he  would  cause  one  of 
these  instruments  to  play  the  tunes,  as  indicated  in  the  circular,  the  same 
representative  had  the  impudence  to  answer  : — "  It  is  the  business  of  the 
people  who  buy  these  instruments,  and  who  want  to  play  upon  them  to 
learn  how  to  do  so." 

Now  what  remedy  have  the  people  who  are  cheated  by  them  against 
such  swindlers  as  these  ?  Their  charge  is  made  for  the  loss  of  one  or  two 
dollars.  They  pay  a  lawyer  ten  or  fifteen  dollars,  and  perhaps  have  to 
dance  attendance  in  the  courts  many  days  before  an  examination  comes 
on.  That  nobody  will  do  this  the  swindlers  know  very  well,  and  conse- 
quently they  feel  themselves  secure  and  never  trouble  themselves  in  the 
exercise  of  their  iniquitous  trade. 

Very  recently  a  "  Dolly  Varden  Musical  Box"  was  introduced ;  it  is 
exactly  the  same  kind  of  swindle  as  we  have  described.  Genuine  musical 
boxes  are  dear.  Those  which  play  six  or  eight  tunes  cannot  be  bought 
for  less  than  twenty  dollars  ;  and  such  as  play  twenty  or  more  tunes  will 
cost  as  much  as  eighty  or  a  hundred  dollars. 


The  Envelope  Swindle  is  another  kind  of  lottery  swindle.  Envelopes 
are  sold  at  25  cents,  in  some  of  which  are  blanks,  in  others  a  certificate^ 
as  it  is  called,  with  information  about  valuable  gold  and  silver  articles  and 
other  things  which  can  be  had  upon  payment  of  a  dollar.  This  swindla 
has  also  cost  the  public  a  large  sum  of  money. 


SWINDLERS.  215 

The  so-called  Oroide  gold — which  is  not  gold  but  a  mixture  of  common 
metals  that  has  slightly  the  appearance  of  gold — plays  an  important  part 
here  ;  and  wherever  yon  see  in  a  show  window  these  oroide  watches, 
brooches,  chains,  and  other  trinkets,  there  you  may  be  very  well  sure  that 
the  envelope  swindle  is  operated!,  If  a  stranger  or  a  novice  goes  to  a  shop 
of  this  kind  to  look  at  the  wonderful  things  set  out  there,  and  which  he 
believes  to  be  real  gold,  he  will  soon  be  addressed  by  one  or  other  of  the 
runners  of  the  envelope  swindler,  who  are  always  about,  and  by  him 
induced  to  go  into  the  shop,  where  he  will  soon  be  fleeced.  Such  things 
are  happening  every  day,  and  it  certainly  seems  that  all  the  warnings  that 
have  thus  far  been  plainly  given  in  the  papers  are  of  no  avail.  These 
swindling  rascals  are  mostly  to  be  met  with  in  Broadway,  in  Chatham  and 
West  Streets,  but  other  streets  are  not  free  from  them.  And  if  we  would 
form  an  opinion  from  the  amounts  of  money  returned  to  those  victims  who 
have  applied  to  the  police — and  who  are  always  a  minority — we  are  quite 
justified  in  assuming  that  these  swindlers  in  their  town  business  alone 
cheat  the  public  every  week  of  at  least  two  thousand  dollars  ;  while  their 
business  outside  of  the  city  is  very  much  more  considerable. 

"VYe  know  a  person  living  in  a  city  in  Ohio  who  once  thought  to  make 
something  by  this  game.  He  procured  envelopes  to  the  value  of  a  hundred 
dollars,  and  was  thereby  the  fortunate  possessor  of  assignments  of  various 
articles  which  together  amounted  to  the  apparent  value  of  $2,153,  to  which 
he  now  had  a  claim  if  he  sent  $385  more.  That,  however,  was  too  much 
for  him,  so  he  selected  a  hundred  certificates  which  seemed  to  him  to  rep- 
resent the  most  valuable  articles — chiefly  gold  and  silver.  He  sent  for 
these  a  second  $100,  and  certainly  he  received  the  goods  ordered,  their 
nominal  value  being  $599.  This  was  a  very  fair  profit  on  the  $200  he 
had  paid,  tf  oc*/  tbs  nominal  value  had  corresponded  with  the  real  value. 
But  in  that  there  was  a  slight  difference.  As,  however,  he  thought  that 
all  he  had  ordered  and  received  were  gold  and  silver  goods,  and  as  he 
could  not  turn  them  to  account,  moreover  as  he  preferred  to  have  the  pre- 
cious metals  in  gold  and  silver  bars,  he  sent  them  to  a  United  States  Assay 
Office  to  be  melted  down.  This  led  him  to  the  discovery  that  the  actual 
value  of  the  gold  and  silver  in  his  five  hundred  and  ninety-nine  dollars 
worth  of  goods  was  just  $9.62 — say  nine  dollars  and  sixty-two  cents! 
Since  then  that  man  has  been  quite  proof  against  the  offers  of  any 
swindlers. 

We  may  remark  that  this  envelope  swindle  is  being  carried  on  at  the 
present  time  very  largely  in  the  agricultural  districts.  The  principals  who 
operate  in  those  localities  have  drummers  who  go  about  among  the  people 
and  speculate  as  if  they  were  strangers.  They  apparently  win  prizes,  and 
the  consequence  is  that  the  public  yields  to  the  temptation.  People  take 
chances  and  invariably  get  robbed. 


216  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK   LIFE. 

The  Circutar  Swindle  belongs  also  to  these  classes  which  like  the 
counterfeit  money  swindlers,  watch  swindlers,  and  others,  relies  upon  the 
outside  public  for  plunder.  In  the  lists  contained  in  these  circulars  we 
find  articles  of  all  descriptions :  rings,  brooches,  watch-chains,  coffee,  tea, 
and  sugar,  hats  and  bonnets,  boots  and  shoes,  dresses,  and  a  hundred  other 
articles.  These  are  all  offered  at  prices  below  what  seems  to  be  their 
value.  But  be  assured  that  either  nothing  at  all  is  sent  in  reply  to  orders, 
or  else  something  that  is  quite  worthless.  Thus  one  of  these  concerns 
offers  to  sell  for  $2  a  ladies  casquet  which  shall  contain  a  $20  ''  green- 
back," rings,  ear-rings,  brooches,  bracelets,  pens,  paper,  envelopes,  &c, 
the  genuine  price  of  which  is  $35.75.  The  $20  "greenback"  is,  however, 
nothing  more  than  a  very  common  address  card  looking  something  like  a 
treasury  note.     The  value  of  the  other  things  may  readily  be  imagined. 

To  make  the  thing  more  attractive  these  circulars  are  generally  got  up 
very  handsomely,  and  bear  as  a  vignette  the  picture  of  some  fine  building, 
which  is  ostensibly  the  business  place  of  the  firm  from  whom  the  circular 
emanates.  But  the  swindlers  have  neither  any  place  of  business  of  the 
kind  nor  any  other  respectable  shop,  only  a  little  room  on  probably  some 
top  floor,  such  as  we  have  already  described.  The  splendid  structure  that 
adorns  these  circulars  is  nothing  more  than  the  representation  of  some 
bank  or  savings  bank  in  the  city,  of  which  they  have  procured  an  electro- 
type, and  by  altering  the  title  made  it  to  appear  with  the  name  of  their 
own  swindling  concern,  such  as  the  "  Continental  Tea  Co.,"  or  the  "  Me- 
tropolitan Jewelry  Association,"  or  the  "  Continental  Bazaar,"  &c,  &c. 

The  Company  Swindle  began  here  first  in  the  year  1860  when  the 
petroleum  springs  in  the  Oil  Region  of  Pennsylvania  were  discovered. 
Since  then  it  has  not  been  limited  to  profits  from  the  oil  wells,  but  has 
been  applied  to  mines  of  all  kinds  and  to  various  other  undertakings.  It 
has  brought  within  its  influence  many  honest  people  who,  anxious  to  grow 
rich  fast,  went  into  the  business  without  understanding  it  or  having  any 
insight  into  it  at  all,  and  although  it  is  not  in  such  full  swing  now  as  it 
once  was,  it  still  finds  many  victims.  To  show  how  it  works  we  must  go 
back  to  the  discovery  of  the  oil  springs. 

As  when  gold  was  first  discovered  in  California,  and  people  from  all 
parts  flocked  to  the  new  Eldorado,  so  it  was  in  1890  when  the  first  oil 
springs  were  discovered  in  Pennsylvania.  Thousands  of  people  went 
blindly  to  work  and  bored  along  all  the  water  courses  for  oil.  One  thou- 
sand, two  thousand,  three  thousand  barrels  of  oil  were  taken  every  day 
from  the  springs.  Some  people  grew  wonderfully  rich  in  a  short  time, 
while  very  many  more  after  getting  rid  of  all  the  means  they  had  and  find- 
ing very  little  oil  had  to  return  home  quite  poor.  Now,  the  supply  became 
greater  than  the  demand  ;  and  the  price  fell  to  twenty-five  and  thirty  cents 
per  barrel  at  the  spring,  the  barrel  not  included.     With  the  exception  o/ 


SWINDLERS. 


217 


the  proprietors  of  the  richest  wells,  and  some  clear-sighted  persons  besides, 
all  then  gave  up  the  business,  and  sought  a  new  means  of  gaining  a  liveli- 
hood in  some  other  place. 

Bat  by  degrees,  in  consequence  of  improvements  in  the  purification  and 
refining  of  the  oil,  and  in  the  construction  of  lamps,  kerosene  became  more 
in  demand  for  lighting  purposes,  and  thereupon  the  price  rose  ;  so  that  in 
the  autumn  of  18G3  the  crude  oil  at  the  well  was  worth  from  five  to  six 
dollars. 

When  the  price  had  been  81  per  barrel  the  Noble  Well  at  Oil  Creek 
gave  three  thousand  barrels  every  day,  and  when  the  price  had  risen  to 
§10  the  same  well  continued  to  give  more  than  a  thousand  barrels.  This 
well  and  some  others  similarly  profitable  gave  new  life  to  the  speculation, 
which  rose  soon  to  such  a  height  that  the  market  was  flooded  with  much 
worthless  stock.  This  led  to  another  reaction,  and  at  the  beginning  of 
the  speculation  in  oil  lauds  had  almost  quite  languished  away.  Still 
old  wells  continued  to  give  good  profits,  and  resolute  people  went  on  boring, 
while  mere  speculators  for  the  moment  drew  back.  In  the  autumn  of  the 
same  year  some  good  new  wells  were  opened,  and  immediately  the  shares 
of  some  of  the  companies  which  just  before  could  have  been  bought  for 
two  or  three  dollars  went  up  to  twenty-five,  and  some  even  to  forty.  This 
sent  up  all  the  shares,  and  speculators  made  money.  The  price  of  oil  con- 
tinued high,  the  prospect  was  brilliant,  and  in  Venango  County  people 
were  ready  to  buy  up  the  lands  far  and  wide. 

At  the  opening  of  1865  scarcely  a  farm  was  to  be  found  within  thirty 
miles  of  Oil  City,  in  the  neighborhood  of  any  creek,  which  had  not  been 
either  sold  by  its  former  owner  or  leased.  New  companies  were  formed, 
new  springs  opened,  and  the  whole  business  seemed  likely  to  go  to  a  height 
exceeding  anything  it  had  reached  before.  The  shares  of  a  company  with 
a  nominal  capital  of  a  million  dollars  could  be  sold  in  Wall  Street  within 
a  few  days,  without  any  regard  for  the  value  of  the  foundation  npon  which 
the  company  was  to  stand. 

This  of  course  offered  inducements  for  the  formation  of  worthless 
41  swindle  companies,"  which  put  out  their  scrip  among  innocent  but  san- 
guine people  who  were  willing  to  seize  any  opportunity  to  put  out  their 
money  to  good  advantage.  Every  day  new  companies  sprang  into  exist- 
ence here  and  elsewhere,  of  which  by  far  the  greater  number  were  quite 
or  very  nearly  worthless.  Many  people  of  respectable  standing  were 
dragged  into  the  general  whirlpool  and  gave  the  use  of  their  names  in 
connection  with  such  companies,  without  knowing  anything  about  their 
circumstances  or  solidity.  Sometimes  the  names  of  well-known  and  promi- 
nent men  were  used  in  the  prospectuses  without  their  knowledge,  or  to 
deceive  people  feigned  names  were  made  use  of  which  closely  resembled 
the  names  of  such  persons,  and  thus  the  prospectuses  and  circulars  were 
made  up. 


218  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

The  books  of  the  internal  revenue  authorities,  however,  gave  the  true 
measure  to  the  value  of  these  companies,  and  showed  that  their  true  worth 
was  often  not  as  many  cents  as  in  their  circulars  they  counted  dollars  ;. 
and  that  companies  for  whose  shares  as  much  as  twenty  or  thirty  dollars 
had  been  paid  in  New  York,  had  never  from  the  day  of  their  establishment 
yielded  one  cent. 

So  much  for  the  early  history  of  these  companies.  "We  now  append  an 
illustration  to  show  in  addition  to  what  we  have  said  of  their  origin,  the 
manner  in  which  they  conducted  their  operations. 

We  will  suppose  that  a  Mr.  Oatman  has  a  farm  of  sixty  acres  in  the 
Oil  Region  or  the  neighborhood  of  it ;  and  that  Mr.  Sharp  who  lives  in 
New  York  and  is  always  on  the  look-out  to  make  money,  taking  a  tour  in 
the  locality,  visits  Mr.  Oatman  and  asks  how  much  he  will  take  for  his 
land.  Oatman,  who  is  modest  in  his  demands,  and  who,  although  willing 
to  avail  himself  of  the  prevailing  agitation,  does  not  wish  to  enrich  him- 
self unreasonably,  answers  "  twelve  thousand  dollars."  This  is  probably 
ten  times  as  much  as  he  paid  for  the  farm,  but  then  when  he  bought  it  oil 
springs  were  not  discovered,  and  probably  not  one  man  in  a  thousand 
knew  what  petroleum  was.  Five  years  before  Oatman  would  have  been 
glad  to  take  four  thousand  dollars,  and  that  would  have  been  a  very  good 
piece  of  business.  But  the  times  had  changed.  Now  Mr.  Sharp  is  quite 
satisfied  with  the  price — but  he  does  not  pay  cash.  So  he  says  to  Mr. 
Oatman  "  I  have  not  got  the  twelve  thousand  dollars  with  me,  but  must 
go  back  to  New  York  to  get  it.  Here,  however,  are  fifty  dollars  as  earnest 
money  to  close  the  bargain,  and  if  I  am  not  back  in  a  fortnight  to  take  the 
farm  off  your  hands,  I  am  willing  to  forfeit  the  fifty  dollars  and  you  shall 
not  be  bound  to  the  agreement."  Oatman  is  pleased  at  this  arrangement,, 
which  being  put  into  writing,  Sharp  returns  to  New  York  and  looks  about 
in  Wall  Street  for  a  partner  for  his  opera|Jbns.  He  soon  finds  somebody 
— we  will  call  him  Cutter — to  whom  he  sells  half  the  farm  for  twelve 
thousand  dollars,  with  the  understanding  that  an  oil  company  is  to  be 
established  there.  These  two  now  get  together  six  or  a  dozen  smart  peo- 
ple who  are  anxious  to  make  money,  and  who  are  assured  that  they  shall 
have  their  shares  at  the  original  price  of  the  land,  which  has  now  come  to 
be  $750  per  acre.  All  next  set  to  work  to  establish  a  company,  of  which 
Mr.  Sharp  is  appointed  secretary.  This  gentleman  now  proposes  that  the 
stock  capital  shall  be  set  at  two  hundred  thousand  dollars,  of  which  a  hun- 
dred thousand  is  distributed  among  the  originators,  and  the  other  hundred 
thousand  is  to  be  put  upon  the  market  and  sold,  and  form  the  working 
capital. 

What  is  now  done  with  this  working  capital?  First  Sharp  and  Cutter, 
the  latter  of  whom  has  in  the  meantime  paid  $12,000  for  the  farm,  receive 
$45,000  for  the  sale  of  the  land  to  the  company,  and  this  sum  is  now 
divided  as  follows  : — 


>WIN1»LERS.  219" 

Oatman  receives  ....       $12,000 

Sharp  "  ....  22,000 

Cutter  $22,000  less  $12,000        .         .         10,500 

But  unless  the  partners  in  the  directory  of  the  new  company  are  quite 

inexperienced.  Sharp  and  Cutter  each  take  five  thousand  dollars  worth  of 

shares  to  inspire  confidence.     It  often  happens  that  the  originators  of  these 

companies  are  as  sanguine   as  their  victims,  and  then  very  many  having 

full  confidence   in   the  undertaking,  will  put  the  greater  part  of  the  money 

that   they  take  into  the  stock,  or  else  they  take   as  many  shares  as  their 

credit  will  allow  them,  throw  these  as  quickly  as  possible  upon  the  market 

and  leave  the  company  to  itself  as  soon  as  they  are  sold. 

But  let  us  suppose  that  Mr.  Sharp  is  operating  in  the  manner  first 
named.  He  is  appointed  secretary  ;  he  has  taken  $5,000  worth  of  shares, 
and  the  rest  he  has  received  in  cash.  Then  some  other  respectable  man 
is  looked  for  who  will  take  the  office  of  president.  It  is  proposed  to  him 
that  very  little  of  his  time  will  be  taken  up  if  he  accept  the  appointment 
and  in  return  lor  that  a  certain  number  of  shares  are  offered  to  him.  And 
there  are  many  elderly  well  intentioned  people,  retired  from  business,  but 
who  in  their  time  were  good  business  men,  whose  vanity  is  flattered  by 
being  the  president  of  a  joint  stock  company,  and  who  will  allow  them- 
selves to  be  talked  over  by  anybody  interested  in  the  concern  to  accept 
such  an  appointment.  Directors  of  well  known  names  being  thus  secured, 
the  company  begins  its  existence. 

Now  let  us  suppose  that  out  of  the  second  hundred  thousand  dollars 
$45,000  have  been  paid  for  the  purchase  of  the  land,  and  that  to  the  presi- 
dent and  directors  $20,000  have  been  given,  there  remains  $35,000.  They 
set  to  work  to  bore  for  oil.  If  all  the  shares  are  sold,  there  is  not  much 
said  about  it.  But  if  not,  the  prospect  is  every  day  announced  as  becom- 
ing more  and  more  bright.  Perhaps  a  spring  is  reached  which  yields 
three  or  four  barrels  a  day,  which  of  course  is  not  enough  to  cover  work- 
ing expenses ;  those  three  or  four  barrels  are  instantly  converted  in  the 
reports  into  twenty  or  thirty,  or  even  more  ;  as  many  in  fact  as  the  secre- 
tary chooses  in  order  to  raise  the  shares  to  the  highest  figure.  Presently, 
too,  a  dividend  is  declared,  perhaps  two  or  three  per  cent,  per  month, 
which  the  shareholders  receive  as  profits  already  made,  but  which  in  reality 
are  paid  from  the  money  that  is  still  left  of  the  $35,000.  The  shares- 
advance  in  "Wall  Street,  and  they  who  are  in  the  secret  sell.  For  a  few 
months  the  dividends  go  on  in  this  way,  then  suddenly  all  comes  to  a  stop. 
Either  there  has  been  a  fire  in  the  works,  or  the  water  in  the  creek  has 
risen  very  high  and  done  a  great  deal  of  damage,  or  something  has  been 
broken  in  the  machinery,  or  the  secretary  has  been  ill  and  must  go  into 
the  country  to  reinstate  his  health,  or  the  well  has  from  some  unaccount- 
able cause  ceased  to  flow — and  so  on.  Then,  perhaps,  the  shareholders 
are  called  together  and  a  further  subscription  is  required  from  them.     The 


220  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK   LIFE. 

shares  fall,  the  shareholders  are  uneasy  and  an  enquiry  is  asked  for. 
Then  the  books  show  that  thus  far  nothing  has  been  earned,  or  at  least 
only  a  very  small  part  of  what  has  been  received  as  dividend.  But  the 
capital  has  gone  and  the  secretary  has  disappeared,  to  return  probably 
when  the  affair  has  blown  over  and  cheat  again.  The  president  and  some 
of  the  directors  are  provoked  that  they  have  permitted  themselves  to  be 
the  means  of  inflicting  loss  upon  innocent  shareholders,  and  at  last  some- 
body buys  the  whole  concern  for  a  couple  of  thousand  dollars — it  may  be 
Mr.  Oatmau  himself  for  half  of  what  he  once  received  for  the  farm — and 
then  he  carries  on  the  oil  business  himself  systematically  and  eco- 
nomically. 

All  such  swindle  companies  turn  out  somewhat  like  this,  whether  their 
ostensible  object  be  oil  or  gold,  silver,  lead  or  coal.  Quite  lately  a  so- 
called  claim  in  Montana  was  sold  for  $70,000.  It  was  of  no  use  for 
mining,  nor  for  any  purpose  of  the  kind,  and  was  not  worth  one  tenth  part 
of  the  amount. 

And  how  very  many  swindling  companies  of  the  kind  have  there  not 
been  !  Such  as  the  Broome  Mining  Co.,  Canada  Lead  Mining  Co.,  Cham- 
plain  Copper  Co.,  Chatham  Mining  Co.,  Coalbrook  Mining  Co.,  Chebucto 
Gold  Co.,  Colorado  Gold  Co.,  Grand  Trunk  Copper  Co.,  Green  Mountain 
Mining  Co.,  Kent  Gold  Co.,  Logan  Copper  Co.,  Mahoney  Coal  Co., 
American  Gold  Co.,  Newton  Mining  Co.,  National  Lead  Co.,  Oxford 
Plumbago  Co.,  Strafford  Copper  Co.,  Waterloo  Mining  Co.,  Glencoe  Co., 
Dayton  Co.,  Roscoe  Co.,  and  many  others.  In  all  these  the  same  foul 
game  was  played.  Tricks  and  stratagem  were  everywhere  employed  to 
bring  the  worthless  shares  before  the  public.  And  the  doings  of  many  of 
these  companies  were  only  discovered  by  their  being  obliged  to  tell  the 
plain  truth  in  their  declarations  to  the  internal  revenue  department. 

For  example  the  "  Atlantic  Gold  Mining  Co."  had  given  it  out  in  Wall 
Street  that  their  shares  had  all  been  sold  by  the  brokers  and  stood  at  $2 
premium,  but  when  the  company  came  to  pay  the  fees  in  the  internal  reve- 
nue office  the  truth  had  to  come  out.  The  officers  of  the  company  were 
compelled  to  admit  before  the  commissioners  that  those  sales  had  not  been 
genuine,  and  that  the  shares  were  not  worth  more  than  twenty-five  cents, 
probably  not  as  much. 

Many  of  these  companies  continue  for  a  long  time,  but  the  day  comes 
at  last  when  through  a  tightness  in  the  money  market  or  some  other  mis- 
fortune they  collapse,  and  then  the  shareholders  have  to  deplore  their 
heavy  loss.  Any  man  who  cares  for  what  he  has  earned,  probably  by 
hard  work,  should  pause  before  he  has  anything  to  do  with  shares,  no  mat- 
ter what  the  undertaking  may  be  ;  unless  at  least  he  well  comprehends  the 
circumstances  of  the  company,  the  actual  value  which  in  the  first  instance 
was  paid  for  the  property,  the  present  returns,  and  the  possibility  of  return's 
in  the  future,  and  finally,  unless  he  possess  as  much  certainty  as  can  be 


SWINDLER9.  221 

attained  that  the  management  is  in   the  hands  of  capable  and  honorable 
men. 

The  Security  and  Partnership  Swindle  has  brought  heavy  losses 
at  various  times  upon  many  who  have  come  to  New  York  with  a  little 
means  to  seek  some  position.  In  almost  every  newspaper  there  appear 
notices  offering  a  clerkship  to  any  young  man  who  can  find  security,  or 
that  a  partner  with  a  few  hundred  dollars  is  wanted.  In  the  first  case  a 
very  acceptable  stipend  is  put  forward  ;  in  the  second  an  extraordinary 
profit  from  the  business  is  assured. 

If  now  in  consequence  of  such  advertisement  anyone  applies  for  a  clerk- 
ship he  will  have  a  weekly  salary  of  twenty  or  thirty  dollars  offered  him. 
But  at  the  same  time  he  will  be  told  that  since  money  or  goods  will  have 
to  be  entrusted  to  him,  and  as  he  is  not  known  he  will  have  to  deposit  as 
security  so  much  money,  for  wThich  a  due  rate  of  interest  will  be  paid. 
If  the  applicant  accepts  the  conditions  and  the  place,  a  note  at  two  or  three 
months  will  be  given  him  for  the  amount  of  the  security,  and  he  then 
enters  upon  his  duties.  Perhaps  the  business  into  which  he  is  introduced 
is  a  real-estate  office.  In  that  case  he  will  be  sent  out  to  gather  together 
descriptions  of  all  real  property  that  he  can  find  for  sale  ; — and  when,  per- 
haps, he  has  been  at  work  in  this  way  for  some  days,  he  will  be  told  that 
he  is  not  qualified  for  the  post  and  must  leave.  He  now  asks  for  the 
return  of  his  security,  but  receives  as  answer — that  he  will  have  it  back 
when  the  note  falls  due,  and  he  must  be  contented  with  that,  for  as  he 
paid  his  money  against  the  note,  he  has  no  right  to  demand  the  money 
before  the  note  is  matured.  And  when  this  time  arrives,  then  probably 
he  will  complain  too.  But  that  will  not  help  him  ; — for  either  the  swin- 
dler is  not  worth  the  cost  of  an  execution,  or  perhaps  he  has  disappeared 
altogether. 

But  if  through  such  an  advertisement  a  partner  is  asked  for,  the  swindler 
has  perhaps  a  little  store  standing  empty  somewhere,  rented  for  a  mere 
trifle  per  month.  There  may  be  in  it  a  number  of  boxes  or  cases,  which 
apparently  should  contain  goods  ;  but  in  reality  it  is  only  those  on  the  top 
that  are  lying  open  which  contain  goods.  All  the  rest  are  empty,  or  if 
they  have  anything  in  them  it  is  something  of  no  value,  perhaps  stones  or 
bricks.  The  applicant  is  told  what  a  wide  connection  the  business  has. 
how  well  it  could  be  extended  by  the  addition  of  so  many  hundred  dollars 
and  what  a  large  profit  would  be  the  result.  If  he  then  allows  himself  to 
be  beguiled  and  pays  his  money,  he  will  soon  find,  like  the  clerk  who  gave 
out  his  security,  that  he  has  been  swindled.  Cases  of  both  kinds  of  pro- 
ceeding are  innumerable  ;  and  it  is  really  unconceivable  how  people  look- 
ing for  a  clerks  situation  and  who  are  willing  to  give  security,  or  people 
with  a  few  hundred  dollars  seeking  a  partnership,  do  not  enquire  into  the 
circumstances  and  character  of  the  concerns  with  which  they  entertain  the 


222  THE   DARK   SIDE    OF    NEW    TORK   LIFE. 

idea  of  associating  themselves,  before  they  sign  a  contract.  If  they  would 
only  do  that,  these  security  and  partnership  swindlers  would  not  find  it  so 
•easy  to  get  victims. 

The  Agency  Swindle,  in  like  manner,  has  been  the  means  of  severe 
losses  to  many  who  sorely  needed  the  few  dollars  they  possessed.  It  is 
conducted  in  various  ways,  but  mostly  by  means  of  advertisements  in 
which  a  high  salary  is  promised.  The  following  advertisement  for  in- 
stance has  been  lately  appearing  in  many  of  the  newspapers  : — 

dj/IQr    a  month  !     Horse  and  carriage  furnished. 
vP    i  Lm\J  Expenses  paid.     Apply  to 

Nelson  &  Co.,  New  York. 

Any  ingenuous  person  reading  »;nis  and  seeking  a  situation,  will  and 
must  understand  from  it  that  Nelson  &  Co.  are  looking  for  a  number  of 
people  who  will  work  for  them  and  whom  they  will  pay  at  the  rate  of 
$425  a  month,  besides  paying  travelling  expenses,  and  providing  a  horse 
and  wagon.  There  are  thousands  of  people  in  all  parts  of  the  country 
who  would  be  delighted  to  accept  such  a  brilliant  opportunity  ;  there  could 
not  fail,  therefore,  to  be  thousands  who  would  apply  for  it,  of  whom  per- 
haps ninety  per  cent,  enclose  in  their  letters  a  postage  stamp  for  reply. 
They  perhaps  receive  the  reply,  and  it  is  in  the  form  of  a  printed  circular 
to  the  effect  that  the  applicant  has  quite  misunderstood  the  purpose  of  the 
advertisement.  Messrs.  Nelson  &  Co.  did  not  mean  to  imply  their  readi- 
ness to  pay  people  a  salary  of  $425,  or,  indeed,  any  other  salary,  what 
they  did  mean  was  that  they  have  a  recipe  which  they  are  willing  to  seU 
for  $2.50,  and  that  anybody  who  would  buy  it,  might  travel  about  the 
country  pleasantly  with  his  own  horse  and  wagon  and  sell  it  easily,  thereby 
making  $425  per  month.  It  hardly  seems  possible  that  such  a  swindle  as 
this  could  be  successful,  but,  nevertheless,  there  are  very  many  fools  who 
have  taken  the  bait,  otherwise  the  advertisement  could  not  have  remained 
so  long  in  some  two  hundred  newspapers.     For  advertising  costs  money. 

Other  swindlers  of  this  kind  work  as  follows  : — They  also  advertise  for 
agents,  and  whoever  applies  receives  a  circular  intimating  that  Sweet  & 
Co. — this  is  a  firm  at  Marshall,  Mich.,  which  operates  in  this  manner — 
are  looking  for  agents  for  the  sale  of  a  certain  article,  and  that  they  will 
pay  $20  per  week  salary  and  allow  provisionally  $8  for  travelling  expen- 
ses, but  that  if  they  should  be  satisfied  with  the  energy  of  the  applicant, 
they  would  be  ready  to  increase  it  in  the  future. 

Appended  to  this  is  the  notification  that  the  agencies  are  already  almost 
all  given  away,  but  that  the  applicant  can  have  the  sole  agency  for  his 
own  county  if  he  applies  quickly.  This  answer  though,  be  it  remembered, 
is  received  not  only  by  one  in  the  county,  but  perhaps  by  twenty  or  thirty, 
by  as  many  in  fact  as  apply.     Now,  however,  comes  the  all  important 


SWINDLERS.  223 

poiHt.  The  agent  of  course  wants  an  outfit  with  samples,  &c,  and  for 
this  lie  is  required  to  send  in  advance  ten  dollars.  Of  course  those  who 
send  their  ten  dollars  never  see  theni  a<rain. 

But  the  most  stupid  swindle  of  this  kind  is  one  adopted  by  a  man 
named  Allen,  of  Victoria,  Texas,  who  advertises  as  follows  :  — 

{f»  P    AAA   a  year  !  —  How  it  is  made,  with  a  sample, 
«J)\J|UUU  for  35  cents.     Address 

R.  F.  Allen,  Victoria,  Texas. 

Now  if  anvbodv  sends  on  the  35  cents  he  receives  a  circular  and  a  letter 
informing  him  that  whoever  will  send  the  advertiser  the  greatest  number 
of  addresses,  together  with  35  cents  for  each  address,  will  receive  at  the 
end  of  the  year  a  prize  of  85,000.  It  is  added  further  that  those  persons 
who  work  for  the  prize  must  send  on  at  least  one  name  every  week  with 
the  money,  that  the  prize  will  be  paid  as  soon  as  60,000  addresses  with 
the  money  have  been  received,  and  that  for  every  hundred  addresses  sent 
in  the  agents  may  receive  back  the  sum  of  $5.  Clumsy  as  this  swindle  is, 
so  clumsy  that  it  is  hard  to  imagine  a  clumsier,  there  are,  nevertheless, 
large  numbers  of  foolish  people  who  have  fallen  on  to  the  snare,  and  who, 
for  several  weeks,  continuously  have  sent  the  addresses  and  the  money. 

Whoever  buys  a  cat  in  a  sack,  and  then  puts  his  hand  in  to  pull  her  out, 
will  certainly  get  scratched.  And  so,  whoever  troubles  himself  about 
advertisements  for  agents,  and  sends  on  money  in  reply  to  the  demand  for 
an  advance  on  account  of  outfit,  samples,  &c,  will  as  certainly  get 
swindled. 

The  Patent  and  Family-right  Swindlers  have  for  some  years  past 
been  making  a  very  good  profit.  They  go  about  the  country  and  either 
sell  patents,  or  transfer  the  agency  for  the  sale  of  a  patent  or  of  some 
patented  article,  an  implement  for  instance  or  something  of  the  kind,  for 
the  country  in  which  the  purchaser  resides.  For  this  they  take  the  note 
of  the  buyer.  We  heard  recently  of  some  swindlers  who  were  travelling 
about  and  who  sold  to  a  farmer  what  fhey  represented  to  be  a  newly 
patented  butter  tub,  which  business  they  managed  thus.  They  showed  the 
butter  tub  and  expressed  their  readiness  to  take  the  buyer's  note  in  pay- 
ment, the  amount  to  be  made  due  on  delivery  of  the  tub.  They  now  pro- 
duce certain  printed  bill  forms,  in  which  only  the  name  of  the  drawer,  the 
place  and  date  have  to  be  filled  in.  A  couple  of  months  pass  by,  but  the 
butter  tub  does  not  arrive.  One  fine  day,  however,  the  note  which  was 
given  by  the  person  ordering  it,  was  presented  for  payment.  The  man  is 
naturally  astonished  since  his  understanding  had  been  that  the  sum  should 
be  payable  on  delivery  of  the  tub.  But  on  a  closer  examination  of  the 
face  of  the  note,  he  finds  that  he  has  bound  himself  to  pay  five  dollars  or 
more  for  the  right  to  buy  such  a  tub  at  a  higher  price,  and  that  the  balance 


224  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

is  to  be  paid  on  delivery.  He  now  sees  that  he  has  been  swindled,  but 
what  is  to  be  done  ?  The  reading  of  the  note  is  clear  and  he  has  got  to 
pay  it. 

Another  patent  swindle  is  conducted  thus.  The  swindler  calls  upon  a 
farmer,  tells  him  a  great  deal  about  a  new  patent  sowing  or  reaping  ma- 
chine, shows  him  a  model  of  it,  and  persuades  him  to  take  the  agency  for 
the  sale  of  the  machine  in  his  own  county,  by  which  he  assures  him  he  can 
make  a  fine  profit.  The  terms  are  easy.  He  asks  the  farmer  to  pay  ten 
dollars  for  the  county  right  as  soon  as  he  shall  have  sold  machines  to  the 
value  of  $275.  This  looks  to  the  farmer  like  a  very  good  bargain.  He 
goes  into  the  business,  and  signs  a  note,  of  which  the  swindler  has  a 
printed  form  in  his  pocket,  by  which  note  the  farmer  agrees,  as  he  sees  by 
the  wording  of  the  note,  to  pay  the  promised  ten  dollars  as  soon  as  he 
shall  have  sold  machines  to  the  value  of  $275.  The  note  for  example 
runs  as  follows  : — 

Terre  Haute,  Ind.,  April  22d,  1872. 

One  year  after  date,  I  promise  to  pay  John  Jones  or  bearer  $10  when  I  sell  by 

order     Two     Hundred     and      Seventy-five      Dollars  worth  of  Seeding  Machines 

for  value  received,  at  ten  per  cent,  per  annum  said  $10,  when  due,  is 
payable  at  Terre  Haute,  Ind. 

Fred.  Frei,  Agent  for  John  Jones. 
Witness :  John  Doe. 

This  appears  to  be  all  right.  But  if  the  note  be  looked  at  more  care- 
fully, there  will  be  found  in  the  middle  a  narrow  space  which  divides  it 
into  two  parts,  of  which  the  left  merely  contains  the  promise  to  pay  $275 
at  the  expiration  of  a  year,  without  any  reference  to  the  sale  of  machinery. 
The  swindler  now  cuts  off  the  right  half  and  then  sells  the  left  which  con- 
tains the  genuine  note  at  some  high  rate  of  discount  to  any  money  broker 
in  the  neighborhood  who  knows  the  circumstances  of  the  farmer, — to 
whom  unhappily  there  remains  no  resource  but  to  pay  the  note  at  maturity. 

In  the  family-right  swindle  people  offer  by  means  of  advertisements  or 
circulars  to  give  for  one,  two,  or  three  dollars  the  right  to  prepare  some 
article  required  in  housekeeping  in  accordance  with  some  special  prescrip- 
tion, and  as  a  matter  of  course  the  swindlers  use  some  very  high  sounding 
title  for  their  wares,  for  just  as  the  formula  for  the  article  is  of  little  value, 
so  much  the  more  attractive  must  be  the  name  thereof.  Thus  they  have 
recipes  for  the  preparation  of  "  American  Baking  Powder,"  "  German  Ex- 
celsior Oil,"  "  Scotch  Burning  Oil,"  "Chemical  Fluid  Gaslight,"  "  Snow 
White  Washing  Compounds,"  "  Italian  Fire  Proof  Paint,"  "  Hydro-carbon 
Egg  Preserver,''  "  Golden  Honey,"  "Crystal  Honey,"  "  Wisconsin  Honey/* 
"  Honey  Without  Bees,"  &c,  &c.  A  host  of  names  behind  which  there 
is  nothing  useful,  nor  anything  certainly  worth  the  price  asked  for  it ;  since 


SWINDLERS. 


225 


in  every  book  store  books  of  recipes  can  be  bought  for  about  twenty-five 
cents  or  half  a  dollar,  which  contain  hundreds  of  recipes  that  are  useful  in 
the  household. 

The  RECIPE  Swindle  is  very  similar  to  the  family-right  swindle.  The 
operators  in  this  branch  look  for  their  victims  by  means  of  advertisements 
in  the  newspapers  and  offer  recipes  for  everything  imaginable  ;  as  for  in- 
stance for  a  "  valuable  moustach  pomatum  which  was  discovered  in  the 
ruins  of  Hereulaneum,"  or  for  a  u  new  method  of  making  cider  without 
apples,"  and  many  other  pretended  "new  and  great  discoveries"  by  means 
of  which  anybody  can  grow  rich,  if  he  will  only  send  a  dollar  or  two  to 
become  a  proprietor  of  the  secret. 

Most  of  these  recipe  swindlers  live  in  Maine  and  even  the  postmaster  of 
the  place  devotes  himself  to  the  recommendation  of  one  of  them.  The 
people  who  send  mouey  to  these  men  either  receive  nothing  or  else  what 
is  quite  worthless,  what,  as  we  have  already  said,  can  be  found  in  any 
variety  in  any  book  of  recipes.  One  of  the  swindlers  used  to  offer  a  recipe 
declared  to  be  worth  $500  to  anyone  who  would  send  him  $5  cash — in 
imitation  of  the  saw-dust  swindlers — the  balance  to  be  paid  when  the  pur- 
chaser should  have  enriched  himself  by  the  recipe.  Of  course  this  is  noth- 
ing more  than  a  bait,  and  whoever  should  really  receive  the  recipe  might 
be  quite  sure  that  he  would  never  have  the  trouble  to  pay  another  cent ; 
but  then  he  would  have  to  deplore  the  loss  of  his  five  dollars. 

The  Dry  Goods  Swindle  flourishes  under  different  forms  in  the  prin- 
ciple of  giving  away  dry  goods,  silks,  calicos,  &c,  &c,  at  prices  far  below 
their  value.  In  New  York  it  is  done  in  this  way.  The  swindler,  or  some 
one  sent  out  by  him,  calls  at  various  houses,  expresses  a  wish  to  see  the 
lady  of  the  house,  and  then  lays  out  before  her  a  number  of  sealed  enve- 
lopes, each  of  which  contains  a  pattern  of  silk,  merino,  or  some  other  dress 
stuff.  He  offers  these  at  25  cents  each,  the  purchase  giving  to  the  pur- 
chaser the  right  to  have  a  full  dress  piece  of  the  same  pattern  on  the  fur- 
ther payment  of  a  dollar.  Of  course  the  delivery  of  the  goods  never  comes 
off,  and  all  the  swindler  has  to  do  is  to  sell  off  as  fast  as  he  can  the  enve- 
lopes with  the  patterns  at  25  cents. 

Out  of  the  city  this  swindle  is  carried  on  by  means  of  circulars,  in  which 
different  assortments  of  manufactured  goods  are  offered  for  a  remittance  of 
ten  dollars  ;  to  be  used  as  samples  of  different  articles  for  such  people  as 
would  make  a  trade  with  them  from  house  to  house.  Many  have  fallen 
into  this  trap,  too,  and  have  sent  their  ten  dollars,  but  the  assortment  of 
manufactures  has  never  been  discovered  bv  them. 

The  newest  modification  of  this  swindle  arose  out  of  the  great  fire  at 
Boston.     It  deserves  a  careful  examination.     The  swindlers  write  letters 

I  to  all  points  of  the  compass  as  follows  : — 
15 


44V  IUE    JJAKii    SlUE    UH     ISJfiW      lUKii.    L,IJ5\K. 

New  York,  1873. 
Dear  Sir  : 

I' have  bought  1,200  yards  of  silk  reps  which  were  stolen  during  the 
Boston  fire.  I  intended  to  take  it  out  West,  but  got  ill  and  am  still  un- 
well. I  had  to  pawn  the  goods  and  the  pawnbroker  lent  me  $100  on  them. 
My  brother  in  Cuba  sent^  me  $100  and  I  redeemed  them.  I  am  still  too 
weak  to  be  able  to  go  about,  and  the  physician  tells  me  that  it  will  be  some 
months  before  I  can  travel,  so  I  have  thought  it  well  to  offer  you  the  goods. 
I  am  afraid  to  offer  them  in  New  York.  If  you  were  to  sell  them,  nobody 
would  have  any  suspicion.  I  will  sell  them  to  you  at  25  cents  per  yard, 
and  you  can  pay  me  after  you  have  sold  the  silk,  or  the  payment  may  run 
over  six  months  at  the  rate  of  $50  per  month.  If  you  will  have  the  silk 
upon  these  terms  advise  me  and  1  will  send  it  you  by  express. 

Respectfully  yours 

David  W.  Engle, 

No.  104  Ninth  Avenue. 

P.  S. — Since  the  above  was  written  my  wife  has  been  to  the  pawnbro- 
ker for  a  pattern  of  the  silk.  He  tells  her  that  he  will  charge  $10  interest 
for  the  loan.  As  I  have  only  $100  which  my  brother  George  sent  me,  I 
should  be  glad  if  you  would  send  me  $10  which  I  may  pay  to  the  pawn- 
broker. You  can  deduct  it  from  the  first  instalment.  If  you  do  not  want 
to  buy  the  goods,  of  course  I  cannot  expect  the  $10.  Let  me  have  an 
answer  as  soon  as  possible,  as  I  want  to  get  the  business  off  my  hands. 

In  each  of  these  letters  there  is  a  silk  pattern,  and  fastened  to  it  is  a 
pawnbroker's  ticket,  apparently  from  the  establishment  of  one  Harris  of 
599  Broadway,  which  says  that  D.  W.  Engle  has  received  a  loan  of  $100 
upon  1,200  yards  of  silk  of  the  pattern  enclosed.  It  must  be  quite  evident 
that  this  is  only  a  swindle  to  obtain  the  $10,  which  ostensibly  has  to  be 
paid  to  the  pawnbroker.  But  there  is  a  piece  of  remarkable  stupidity  in 
the  fact,  that  in  the  first  letter  the  writer  says  that  the  silk  has  been  re- 
deemed, while  afterwards  it  is  said  that  he  has  sent  to  the  pawnbroker's 
for  it.  This  swindle  is  at  the  time  we  write  (March,  1873)  quite  new, 
and,  it  is  to  be  hoped,  has  not  yet  found  many  victims. 

The  Street  Corner  Swindlers  drive  their  trade  in  the  streets  of 
New  York.  Y"ou  may  see  them  standing  on  a  box  or  a  chair  at  the  cor- 
ners of  the  most  frequented  streets,  talking  and  commending  their  wares 
with  much  loquacity,  putting  up  now  one  trifle,  now  another,  but  always 
finding  purchasers.  The  pickpockets,  too,  make  some  booty  through  these 
means,  and  in  fact  are  very  often  in  league  with  them.  Recently  these 
people  have  brought  into  vogue  a  new  means  for  drawing  money  out  of 
peoples  pocket  as  follows  : — 


BWINDL1  EtS.  227 

As  soon  as  the  swindler  has  taken  his  position  on  a  box  or  chair,  or  a 
heap  of  street  sweepings,  and  has  collected  around  him  by  a  little  intro- 
ductory talk  a  sufficient  circle  of  on-lookers  to  operate  upon,  he  opens  a 
travolling-bag,  which  he  carries  along  with  him,  and  exhibits  a  dozen 
-mall  pasteboard  boxes  with  gold  edges.  He  then  takes  up  one  of  these 
little  boxes,  holds  it  out  so  that  everybody  may  §ee  it,  opens  it,  puts  a  dol- 
lar note  inside,  and  shuts  it  up  again.  Then  in  another  box  he  puts  a  ten 
cent  note,  and  so  on,  until  in  the  last  he  has  put  a  ten  dollar  note.  Bui 
this  action  is  only  apparent.  The  money  disappears  according  to  the 
maxim  : — "  There  is  no  witchcraft  in  dexterity."  After  he  has  arranged 
the  twrelve  boxes,  out  of  each  of  which  the  corner  of  a  note  is  peepiug,  and 
has  observed  to  his  hearers  that  there  are  now  twelve  dollars  in  the  twelve 
boxes,  he  offers  to  sell  them,  and  for  that  purpose  takes  up  two  in  his 
hands.  lie  asks  a  dollar  a  piece  for  them.  To  show  the  bystanders  that 
he  does  not  mean  to  swindle  them,  he  opens  one  of  the  boxes  and  exhibits 
d  two  dollar  bill  in  it.  He  now  puts  these  two  boxes  back  into  his  bag 
and  takes  out  two  more,  which  again  he  offers  at  one  dollar.  The  by- 
standers look  at  one  another.  They  don't  quite  know  what  to  think  about 
it,  but  at  present  they  do  not  seem  disposed  to  take  the  bait.  After  some 
rousing  talk  a  man  out  of  the  crowd  buys  the  two  boxes,  and  to  the  aston- 
ishment of  the  people,  takes  three  dollars  out  of  one  of  them.  This  man, 
however,  be  it  noted,  is  an  accomplice  of  the  swindlers.  Now  the  fellow 
takes  three  boxes  out  and  offers  these,  but  no  bid  follows,  for  still  the  peo- 
ple do  not  yet  believe  in  the  thing.  Whereupon  he  begins  to  harangue 
them  more  keenly,  saying  "this  time  is  money,"  and  he  offers  them  four 
boxes  for  a  dollar.  Still  no  bid.  He  becomes  more  urgent  now  and  offers 
five  for  a  dollar.  At  last,  thinking  the  chance  a  great  deal  better,  the 
peoples'  inclination  is  aroused  and  one  of  them  makes  a  purchase.  A  poor 
working  man  is  the  victim.  For  the  five  little  boxes,  scarcely  worth  five 
•cents,  and  a  ten  cent  bill,  he  has  paid  a  dollar.  Directly  the  purchaser 
receives  his  boxes,  the  swindler  requests  him  to  step  on  one  side  and  open 
them.  He  does  so  and  of  course  the  whole  crowd,  inquisitive  to  see  what 
he  has  won,  follows  him.  The  man  now  opens  his  five  boxes  one  after 
another,  and  wrhen  he  has  opened  the  last,  he  sees  that  he  has  been  swin- 
dled. In  a  fury  he  turns  round  to  call  the  swindler  to  account,  but  as 
soon  as  he  can  drag  himself  through  the  ever  increasing  crowd,  he  learns 
that  the  auctioneer  of  paper  boxes — has  disappeared. 

This  sort  of  toing  is  going  on  every  day  in  the  public  streets,  and  under 
the.  very  eyes  of  the  police  ! 

The  Pedling  Swindle  is  a  description  of  the  art  against  wrhich  people 
"\v_  Te  in  the  environs  of  New  York  cannot  be  sufficiently  on  their 
guard — not  only  because  these  pedlers  often  offer  very  worthless  things, 
but  also  because  they  often  come  for  some  purpose  quite  different  from 


228  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK  LIFE. 

their  legitimate  trade.  Besides  which  we  should  never  buy  of  pedlers 
whom  we  do  not  know  and  the  value  of  whose  goods  we  cannot  judge. 
Usually  the  business  proceeds  in  the  following  manner. 

Generally  the  pedler  chooses  an  hour  of  the  day  for  calling  upon  the  per- 
son he  means  to  victimize,  when  he  knows  that  person  is  alone.  He  goes 
in  with  proper  discretion,  offers  his  goods,  sits  down,  begins  a  conversa- 
tion, and  perhaps  plays  with  the  children.  After  a  time  there  is  a  ring 
and  another  mau,  who  from  his  appearance  would  be  taken  for  a  "  green- 
horn," comes  in,  and  tells  a  tale  how  he  has  lately  arrived  and  intended  to 
have  gone  "  Out  West,"  but  that  since  he  has  been  in  New  York,  he  has 
been  robbed  of  his  trunk,  which  contained  all  his  money.  Luckily,  how- 
ever, he  has  two  gold  watches,  which  he  bought  in  Germany  before  he  left 
home  and  for  which  he  paid  350  thalers.  These  he  must  now  get  rid  of  to 
procure  some  money  to  travel  with,  and  he  asks  the  pedler  to  tell  him 
whether  there  was  not  somebody  living  in  the  neighborhood  who  would 
make  him  an  advance  on  the  security  of  the  watches.  He  then  takes  out 
the  watches  and  shows  them.  The  pedler  examines  them  very  carefully, 
and  at  last  makes  the  stranger  an  offer  to  buy  them  from  him.  But  what 
would  he  take  for  them?  The  stranger  again  says  that  in  Germany  the 
watches  cost  350  thalers,  but  that  as  he  was  now  in  difficulties  he  would 
sell  them  for  $200.  The  pedler  examines  the  watches  again,  then  takes 
the  woman  aside  and  says  :  "  The  watches  are  worth  double  the  money. 
They  are  fine  workmanship  and  heavy  gold.  I  should  like  to  buy  them 
myself,  and  if  you  will  not  spoil  my  trade,  I  will  give  you  thirty  dollars." 
The  woman  agrees  ;  and  now  the  pedler  goes  to  the  stranger  and  asks  him 
to  come  to  a  house  about  a  mile  distant  where  he  will  pay  him  the  money, 
as  he  has  not  so  much  about  him.  The  stranger  answers  that  he  has  no 
time  for  that,  as  he  must  be  back  in  New  York  that  evening  and  must 
take  the  next  train.  He  must  therefore  raise  the  money  in  New  York.. 
The  woman  now  wakes  up  to  the  thought  that  she  does  not  want  to  lose 
the  thirty  dollars  which  the  pedler  promised  her,  and  accordingly  she  her- 
self offers  to  advance  the  money  ;  or  if  she  does  not  do  that  the  pedler  him- 
self proposes  it  to  her,  and  in  most  cases,  if  she  has  it  at  her  disposal,  she 
goes  and  gets  it.  She  pays  the  stranger  the  money,  and  takes  as  security 
the  two  watches,  and  the  pedler's  bundle  of  merchandize  ;  while  the  pedler 
promises  to  return  in  an  hour  and  to  redeem  both.  Both  now  go  away,, 
the  pedler  and  the  stranger,  the  latter  bitterly  complaining  that  he  has 
been  obliged  to  sell  his  watches  so  cheaply.  But  the  pedler  is  not  seen  at 
that  house  again  ;  and  when  on  another  day  the  woman  opens  the  pack, 
she  finds  in  it  a  lot  of  worthless  rags.  She  then  goes  to  the  nearest  watch- 
maker with  her  watches,  and  he  tells  her  that  they  are  not  gold  but  Oroide, 
that  the  works  are  bad  and  altogether  they  are  scarcely  worth  ten  dollars. 

The  following  incident  happened  recently  in  the  neighborhood  of  New 
York.     A  man  who   is  engaged  in  a  factory  in  the  place  went  home  one 


SWINDI.KKS. 


229 


day  about  twelve  o'clock,  when  a  gentleman  drove  up  in  a  buggy,  got  out, 
WCDt  into  the  house,  and  asked  him  if  he  was  Mr.  B.  Having  received 
*in  answer  in  the  affirmative,  the  strauger  remarked  that  he  was  the  pro- 
prietor of  a  large  factory  and  that  he  was  looking  round  for  a  foreman. 
lie  had  heard  in  the  place  that  Mr.  B.  was  a  well  qualified  and  trust- 
worthy man,  and  he  had  come  to  ask  him  whether  he  would  take  the 
place.  B.,  delighted  at  the  prospect  of  having  a  higher  income,  consented. 
"When  the  "  owner  of  the  factory"  was  about  to  leave,  a  pedler  came  up, 
spoke  to  the  two  as  they  were  standing  in  the  door,  and  told  them  that  he 
was  dealing  in  watches,  but  that  he  could  not  sell  anything  in  that  place. 
Upon  that  he  opened  his  box  and  took  out  what  seemed  to  be  two  gold 
watches,  remarking  that  in  the  custom  house  at  New  York  he  had  quite  a 
large  number  of  watches  lying,  and  that  he  must  sell  something  in  order 
to  get  money  to  pay  the  duties  upon  them.  The  "  owner  of  the  factory" 
offered  a  hundred  dollars  for  the  two  watches  if  the  pedler  would  accom- 
pany him  to  his  factory.  This,  however,  the  latter  would  not  do,  but  he 
asked  B.  whether  he  would  not  advance  him  $50  on  the  two  watches  until 
he  could  go  to  New  York  and  return  and  redeem  them.  B.,  having  just 
heard  that  his  new  principal  would  pay  $100  for  them,  agreed,  paid  the 
pedler  the  fifty  dollars  and  received  the  watches  as  security  ;  upon  which 
both  pedler  and  "principal"  left,  the  former  going  off  in  one  direction,  the 
latter  driving  away  in  that  quite  opposite.  The  pedler  did  not  make  his 
appearance  again,  and  when  B.  made  enquiries  in  the  place  where  the 
"  proprietor  of  the  factory"  said  he  lived,  he  found  nobody  there  of  that 
name.     The  watches  were  worth  eight  dollars.  > 

But  pedlers  do  the  swindle  business  in  many  wTays.  One  very  much 
favored  by  them,  is  by  a  cleaning  for  silver  and  gold  goods,  which  they 
offer  to  housekeepers  to  clean  their  plate.  They  take  a  small  piece  of  cop- 
per and  rub  it  with  their  powder  ;  in  less  than  a  minute  the  copper  shines 
like  polished  silver  and  thereby  they  show  that  the  powder  must  be  the 
very  best  that  ever  existed  for  cleaning  silver.  Then  usually  the  house- 
keeper lets  the  pedler  polish  her  silver  spoons,  and  he  having  done  that, 
advises  her  to  let  them  remain  wrapped  up  for  two  or  three  days  that  the 
plating  may  get  well  established.  The  two  or  three  days  having  passed, 
and  the  pedler  got  well  away,  the  housekeeper  probably  wants  to  use  her 
spoons  again.  She  opens  the  box  where  they  are  kept  and  finds  that, 
instead  of  being  bright  and  polished,  they  are  quite  black. 

There  are  often  to  be  seen  upon  the  streets  of  New  York  people  with 
this  plate  powder,  silvering  a  little  piece  of  copper  and  swindling  the  by- 
standers into  buying  their  wares.  But  quicksilver,  which,  as  is  well 
known,  is  employed  in  the  separation  of  ores,  injures  the  noble  metals  by 
corroding  them  and  destroying  their  polish,  so  that  housekeepers  ought  to 
be  cautious  not  to  let  themselves  be  swindled  into  buying  plate  powder  that 
is  made  of  it. 


iur 


230  THE   DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK   LIFE. 

The  Loan  Swindle  is  chiefly  practised  among  people  who  undertake 
to  supply  small  sums  of  money  and  lor  this  object  such  advertisements  as 
the  following  are  often  to  be  found  in  the  newspapers  : — 

ONEY  TO  LOAN  !  —  CLERKS,  MECHANICS, 
and  all  parties,  male  or  female,  can  be  accommo- 
dated with  loans,  not  exceeding  $100,  on  their  note  and 
reliable  reference  or  security.  Re-payments  weekly  or 
monthly.  Communications  confidential.  Address  N. 
N.,  News  Office,  Box  00. 

Now  there  are  always  many  people  who  are  in  want  of  money  and  to- 
whom  such  an  offer  comes  very  conveniently.  If  anyone  applies  to  the 
address  given  in  the  advertisement,  he  does  not  receive  a  loan,  indeed,  but 
a  circular  with  a  form  attached  in  which  the  questions  upon  the  following 
subjects  have  to  be  answered  : — Name  of  applicant — age — married  or  sin- 
gle— number  of  children — residence — occupation — whether  now  in  busi- 
ness— name  of  principal — address — description  of  the  property  upon  which 
the  loan  is  applied  for — whether  the  property  stands  in  the  name  of  the 
applicant — amount  of  loan  asked  for — when  required,  and  for  how  long— 
whether  the  re-payments  are  to  be  made  by  weekly  or  by  monthly  instal- 
ments, &c,  &c.  Finally,  having  filled  up  the  circular,  the  applicant  is 
requested  to  return  it  and  to  enclose  $1.  Herein  hVs  the  essence  of  the 
whole  thing.  If  the  advertiser  receives  a  dollar  from  everybody  who 
applies  to  him,  he  manages  to  make  out  a  very  good  business  without  dis- 
turbing the  equanimity  of  life  with  hard  work. 

Larger  sums  are  also  sometimes  offered  in  advertisements,  especially 
upon  real  estate  in  the  South,  in  which  case  usually  a  form  like  that 
described  above  is  sent  to  be  filled  up,  and  a  payment  in  advance  is  like- 
wise demanded ;  but  not  a  dollar  only,  for  it  is  more  often  ten,  fifteen,  and 
twenty  dollars.  But  solid  business  men  in  this  do  not  require  payments  in 
advance  ;  and  wherever  they  are  required  it  is  tolerably  trustworthy  evi- 
dence that  the  business  will  not  be  carried  through  nor  the  money  ad- 
vanced. 


People,  who,  having  no  compunction  about  obtaining  good  profits  by 
dishonest  means,  are  often  drawn  into  a  trap  by  means  of  the  Pawn  Swin- 
dle. This  is  practised,  not  in  New  York  only,  but  in  almost  all  of  our 
large  cities.  The  swindler  in  this  case  writes  to  any  people  whose  ad- 
dresses he  can  procure,  and  tells  them  that  it  is  now  a  long  time  that  he 
has  had  the  valuable  gold  watch,  or  the  gold  ring,  as  the  case  may  be,  in 
his  possession  for  the  loan  of  ten,  fifteen  or  twenty  dollars,  which  he 
advanced  upon  them.  The  time  for  which  the  loan  was  made  has  long 
expired,  and  the  pledges  will  be  sold  now  within  two  or  three  weeks  if 
they  are  not  redeemed.     The  person  addressed  is  further  required  to  remit 


SWINDLERS.  231 

the  interest  amounting  to  so  much,  and  upon  that  the  watch,  &c,  will  be 
forwarded.  The  receiver  of  the  letter  knows  perfectly  well  that  he  has 
not  got  anything  in  pawn,  and  the  writer  of  the  letter  knows  it  too.  Per- 
haps the  former  may  simply  consider  it  a  mistake,  but  if  he  is  dishonest 
he  remits  the  trilling  amount  necessary  to  appropriate  to  himself  the  valu- 
able watch  that  does  not  belong  to  him,  and  thus  gets  caught  by  his  own 
roguery.     Of  course  the  watch  never  comes  to  hand. 


The  Note  Swindle  seems  to  be  worked  by  the  same  rascals  who 
engage  in  the  saw-dust  swindle  and  operations  of  that  kind,  for  a  letter 
which  we  subjoin  in  this  connection  is  subscribed  by  the  most  notorious 
linn  of  Th.  D.  Thorpe,  737  Broadway,  which  we  have  already  had  occa- 
sion to  notice.  In  this  swindle  the  proposition  is  made  to  the  person 
addressed  to  assist  the  writer  of  the  letter  to  cheat  his  creditors.  The  let- 
ter itself  is  lithographed  to  resemble  hand-writing,  and  is  circulated  by 
thousands  all  over  the  country,  but  especially  in  the  Southern,  South- 
western and  "Western  States.  To  the  letter  there  is  a  note  attached, 
wherein  a  firm  in  New  Orleans  promises  to  pay  to  Thos.  D.  Thorp,  three 
months  after  date,  the  sum  of  $9 Go,  and  the  letter  runs  as  follows  : — 

"  I  should  like  to  sell  to  you  the  accompanying  note  which,  when  I  was 
in  the  leather  business,  I  received  in  payment  for  goods  sold.  About  two 
months  ago  I  failed  in  business  and  lost  all  I  had.  In  ten  days  now  I 
have  to  attend  a  meeting  of  my  creditors  and  be  examined.  If  it  comes 
out  that  I  have  this  note  I  shall  have  to  give  it  up  to  my  creditors. 
Whether  or  not  they  know  anything  about  this  note  I  do  not  know  ;  but  if 
I  should  be  asked  about  it  I  want  to  be  able  to  swear  that  I  have  sold  it 
to  a  person  out  West.  My  lawyer  says  that  I  cannot  be  compelled  to  give 
up  the  name  of  the  buyer,  or  the  amount  I  receive  for  it ;  but  I  may  be 
asked  what  I  have  done  with  the  money.  Now  what  I  want  is  this.  You 
keep  the  note  till  within  about  a  week  of  its  coming  due  and  then  give  it 
to  some  bank  to  collect.  The  bank  will  not  charge  more  than  $j  for  it. 
Then  when  the  money  is  received,  you  send  me  $800  and  keep  the  remain- 
ing Si 60  for  yourself.  But  do  not  speak  of  this  matter  to  anybody,  for 
before  the  note  is  paid  I  should  not  wish  anybody  to  know  in  whose  hands 
it  is.  A  friend  mentioned  you  to  me,  and  what  he  said  of  you  convinced 
me  that  you  are  to  be  depended  on.  I  cannot  give  the  note  to  anybody 
who  lives  in  this  State,  because  if  I  did  I  should  be  afraid  lest  my  creditors 
should  come  to  know  of  it  and  move  for  an  attachment.  But  if  the  note 
be  in  a  different  State,  my  lawyer  advises  me  that  nothing  of  that  sort  can 
happen. 

In  the  hope  that  you  will  be  willing  to  entertain  this  I  am  &c,  &c." 

Then  follows  the  subjoined  postscript : — 

"  Send  me  only  $5.     I  can  spend  that  and  shall  then  be  able  to  swear 


232  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK   LIFE. 

that  I  have  spent  all  the  money  which  I  received  for  the  note.     I  enclose 
herewith  a  receipt  for  the  $5." 

vAs  anyone  can  see,  this  $5  is  the  point  of  the  swindle,  for  the  note  is 
false  and  neither  the  drawer  nor  the  indorser,  as  the  names  appear  on  the 
note,  have  any  existence.  If  anybody  determines  to  assist  the  swindler  in 
the  pretended  design  of  cheating  his  creditors,  and  sends  on  the  $5,  we 
have  only  another  instance  of  a  man  being  caught  in  the  trap  by  his  own 
spirit  of  rascality. 

We  come  now  to  the  Check  Swindle,  an  operation  practically  by  New 
York  swindlers,  but  more  especially  in  small  places  where  there  is  a  bank. 
It  furnishes  a  new  evidence  of  the  inexhaustible  inventive  resources  of  the 
professional  swindler.  The  plan  is  as  simple  as  possible,  and  many  have 
been  tripped  up  by  it  when  unintentionally  helping  the  swindler  to  the 
attainment  of  his  object.  As  we  said  just  now  it  is  only  carried  on  in 
small  places.  A  well-dressed  man  arrives  at  some  country  town  and  gives 
out  that  he  is  travelling  for  some  well-known  firm  in  New  York.  He 
resides  at  a  hotel,  and  soon  makes  the  acquaintance  of  the  principal  inhab- 
itants of  the  place.  After  some  days,  having  insinuated  himself  well  into 
their  favor — not  a  very  difficult  matter  in  small  towns — he  speaks  to  some 
of  them  of  his  desire  to  cash  a  cheque  of  his  house  drawn  upon  a  New 
York  Bank,  and  which  had  been  given  to  him  in  case  he  should  be  in 
want  of  money.  He  asks  them  further,  as  he  is  not  known  to  the  officers 
of  the  bank,  whether  they  will  give  him  an  introduction  there.  The  per- 
son to  whom  the  request  is  made,  never  doubting  that  the  stranger  is  really 
the  representative  of  an  important  house,  does  this  at  once.  He  goes  with 
him  to  the  bank,  introduces  him  to  the  president  or  to  the  cashier  as  Mr. 
so  and  so,. travelling  for  the  well-known  firm  of  Messrs.  so  and  so  in  New 
York,  and  then  the  cheque  which  he  presents  for  collection  is  willingly 
taken  upon  which  to  enable  him  to  obtain  a  moderate  advance.  The 
cheque  now  goes  to  New  York  and  it  is  returned  from  the  bank  to  which 
it  is  sent,  either  because  it  is  a  forgery  or  because  the  apparent  drawer  of 
the  cheque  has  no  funds  nor  any  account  in  the  bank.  The  end  of  the 
story  is  that  the  country  bank  which  took  the  cheque  from  the  swindler 
has  to  bear  the  loss  ;  a  loss  which  has  beeu  brought  about  because  a  promi- 
nent and  well-known  resident  in  the  place,  of  good  reputation,  introduced 
the  swindler  to  the  bank  as  representative  of  a  New  York  house.      • 

The  following  incident,  which  is  of  quite  recent  occurrence,  shows  again 
how  easy  it  is  for  anybody  by  the  identification  of  another,  whom  he  does 
not  very  well  know,  at  a  money  office,  may,  against  his  will,  lend  himself 
to  an  act  of  unjust  assistance  and  also  bring  loss  upon  a  third  person.  As 
a  very  respectable  business  man,  well  known  here,  whom  we  will  call  Mr. 
Fresh,  was  engaged  at  the  paying  teller's  window  of  a  bank  in  the  city,  a 
man  came  in  who  presented  a  foreign  bill  of  exchange  which  was  made 


SWINDLERS. 

payable  at  this  bank  to  the  name  of  the  person  who  had  the  bill  in  his  pos- 
session, and  who  had  indorsed  it  for  payment. 

The  paying  teller,  who  did  not  know  the  presentor,  refused  the  payment 
on  that  ground,  remarkiug  that  he  would  have  to  be  identified.  WheD 
Mr.  Fresh  heard  this,  haying  known  the  presentor  for  some  years  both  per- 
sonally and  by  name,  immediately  identified  him  as  Mr.  so  and  so,  and 
upon  that  the  amount  of  the  bill  was  paid  over  to  him  without  further  trou- 
ble. Afterwards  it  came  out  that  the  person  who  presented  the  bill  had 
not  rightly  received  it.  He  had  the  same  name  as  the  man  to  whom  it 
had  been  made  payable  ; — but  by  some  mistake  the  bill  of  exchange  had 
come  into  the  wrong  hands  and  the  person  who  got  possession  of  it  had 
dishonorably  availed  himself  of  tae  mistake  to  collect  the  money  and  had 
then  gone  off  with  it.  This  case  shows  beyond  a  doubt  that  we  ought  to 
be  very  careful  even  in  the  identification  of  people. 


The  Diploma  Swindle  affects  first  only  the  medical  portion  of  the 
public,  but  through  that  it  extends  to  everybody  ;  since  people  who  not 
having  studied  medicine,  but  being  desirous  of  playing  the  part  of  physi- 
cians, are  hereby  provided  with  physicians  diplomas,  which  they  hang  up 
in  their  rooms  and  thereby  cheat  people  who  come  to  them  for  assistance 
and  advice,  and  whose  health  and  lives  are  thus  brought  into  danger.  But 
when  such  a  swindle  as  this  can  go  on,  as  it  does,  unpunished,  there  need 
be  no  cause  for  wonder  that  in  this  country  there  are  so  manv  people  goin^ 
about  pretending  to  be  physicians,  but  who  in  reality  know  so  little  of 
medicine,  that  anyone  would  be  doing  a  gross  injustice  to  a  respectable 
animal  if  he  were  to  place  the  life  of  his  dog  or  of  his  cat  in  their  keeping. 

The  University  of  Pennsylvania  is  acknowledged  to  be  one  of  the  most 
important  medical  schools  in  the  United  Ststes,  and  a  professor  of  this  in- 
stitution undertakes  to  furnish  for  money  a  physician's  diploma  of  the  Uni- 
versity to  persons  who  have  not  studied  medicine.  The  man  calls  himself 
Dr.  A.  P.  Bissell.  He  puts  some  masonic  emblems  against  his  name  to 
spread  the  idea  that  he  is  a  Free  Mason,  and  dates  his  letters  "  College 
Building,  514  Pine  Street,  Philadelphia.  Here  is  a  copy  of  one  of  his 
letter* ; — 

Dear  Sir  : 

In  case  you  should  know  anyone  who  would  like  to  have  a  diploma  of 
the  University  of  Pennsylvania,  the  oldest  college  in  the  United  States,  I 
can  refer  you  to  some  one  who  has  such  for  disposal  and  who  has  commis- 
sioned me  to  find  him  a  purchaser.  The  price  is  8350.  His  name  can  be 
erased  and  another  inserted  without  the  alteration  being  detected.  This 
matter  is  of  course  confidential ;  the  owner  wants  money  badly  and  there 
is  nothing  left  for  him  but  to  sell  his  diploma. 


234  THE    DARK    SIDE    OP    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

I  know  a  number  of  persons  who  have  done  the  same  thing.  If  you 
hear  of  anybody  who  wants  a  diploma,  let  me  know  of  it  and  I  can  procure 
it  for  him.  I  repeat,  I  address  these  lines  to  you  in  confidence,  and  I 
expect  that  both  as  a  physician  and  a  mason  you  will  treat  them  with  the 
utmost  secrecy." 

During  the  summer  time  this  Dr.  Bissell  travels  about  to  sell  his  diplo- 
mas to  people  who  have  not  studied,  but  who  give  themselves  out  as  gradu- 
ated physicians,  and  who  endanger  thereby  the  lives  and  health  of  their 
fellowmen.  The  occupation  of  such  men  cannot  be,  and  is  not,  unknown 
to  the  Pennsylvania  University,  since  a  very  respectable  Medical  Journal, 
"  The  Bistoury"  has  already  spoken  of  it.  "Why  then  does  not  the  Uni- 
versity turn  such  an  unworthy  member  from  its  ranks  ?  And  if  the  fellow 
really  does  belong  to  any  lodge  of  Free  Masons,  why  is  he  not  ignomini- 
ously  turned  out  of  that  too  ? 

The  Alaska  Diamond  Swindle  has  now  been  going  on  about  two 
years  ;  and  as  many  as  have  been  found  frivolous  enough  to  deck  them- 
selves out  with  false  jewelry,  have  been  made  to  bleed  somewhat  freely  for 
their  vanity.  These  Alaska  diamonds  are  not  jewels  at  all,  but  a  value- 
less crystal,  and  rings  made  with  them  are  not  worth  a  hundredth  part  of 
their  cost.  Very  often  when  such  a  ring  is  ordered  from  out  of  town,  the 
seller  asks  for  a  ring  to  be  sent  on,  from  which,  as  he  says,  he  may  judge 
of  the  size.  Such  remittance,  if  the  ring  be  genuine  and  valuable,  is,  how- 
ever, a  little  dangerous. 

The  Lightning  Eod  Swindle  has  already  cost  many  householders  and 
especially  farmers  large  sums  of  money  ;  New  Jersey  and  the  New  Eng- 
land States  being  more  particularly  favored  by  swindlers  in  this  line.  A 
man  of  good  deportment  drives  up  to  a  recently  finished  house,  or  to  one 
in  course  of  construction,  salutes  the  proprietor,  and  enters  into  a  conver- 
sation with  him  about  the  usefulness  and  the  necessity  of  lightning  conduc- 
tors. In  confirmation  of  his  assertions  he  submits  a  number  of  clippings 
from  the  newspapers,  in  which  are  accounts  of  houses  being  struck  by 
lightning  and  burnt  down  because  they  had  no  lightning  conductors.  If 
any  such  instances  took  place  in  the  neighborhood,  he  uses  these  as  the 
more  striking  testimony  in  favor  of  his  argument.  In  this  way  he  induces 
the  proprietor  of  the  house  to  order  a  lightning  conductor  of  him,  and  there 
is  certainly  nothing  to  say  against  it,  for  protection  against  the  danger  of 
fire  by  lightning  is  very  desirable,  and  should  never  be  neglected,  especi- 
ally in  the  country,  and  in  the  case  of  houses  which  stand  by  themselves. 
The  proprietor  of  the  house  now  lets  the  agent  make  an  estimate  of  the 
cost  of  fitting  the  house  with  couductors,  and  as  the  amount  is  not  high, 
perhaps  sixty  or  seventy  dollars,  the  bargain  is  closed.     Before  the  agent 


BWHTDLEBS.  235 

goes  away  he  looks  over  the  building  once  more,  and  remarks  that  a  piece 
must  be  added  here  and  a  piece  there,  without  intimating  that  the  price 
will  thereby  be  materially  increased  ;  if,  however,  the  owner  of  the  place 
be  a  cautious  man,  and  he  enquires  about  the  price  in  consequence  of  these 
alterations,  he  will  be  told  that  the  additional  cost  will  be  nothing  in  pro- 
portion to  the  increased  security. 

The  agent  leaves.  In  the  course  of  a  day  or  two  workmen  come,  bring- 
ing with  them  the  lightning  conductors  and  everything  necessary  to  fit 
them  to  the  building.  A  week  later  comes  the  account ;  and  great  is  the 
astonishment  of  the  proprietor  of  the  house  at  the  amount,  which,  instead 
of  being  sixty  or  seventy  dollars,  is  double  or  even  treble  that  amount. 
He  goes  personally  to  the  office  of  the  company  and  there  demands  an 
explanation.  The  answer  is  :  that  the  account  is  all  right — all  that  is 
stated  has  been  done  and  the  account  must  be  paid.  He  then  makes 
known  his  arrangement  with  the  agent,  to  which  he  is  told  that  that  placed 
no  restriction  against  alterations  in  the  order.  The  man  who  sees  himself 
cheated  in  this  way  now  grows  jurious,  perhaps,  and  swears  hard  and  fast 
that  he  will  not  pay  the  money  either  now  or  ever ;  upon  which  he  is  very 
quietly  told  that  he  will  be  proceeded  against  for  the  amount  and  then  he 
must  pay  the  law  costs  as  well.  If  he  allows  an  action  to  be  commenced, 
the  agent  swears  to  the  correctness  of  every  item  in  the  account,  and  upon 
that  a  judgment  is  given  against  him.  Thus  he  has  to  pay  the  amount 
and  the  costs  of  court,  and  of  the  lawyers  besides,  which  in  this  country 
are  not  a  trifle.  Cases  like  this  are  numerous  and  prove  that  in  closing  a 
contract  one  cannot  act  with  too  much  precision. 

The  Flower  and  Seed  Swindle  broke  out  first  in  the  spring  of  1872, 
when  a  store,  alleged  to  be  a  branch  of  the  well-known  flower  business  of 
Lafayette  &  Co.,  of  Paris,  was  opened  on  Broadway.  The  size  and  per- 
fection of  the  fruit  which  was  set  out  in  the  window  very  soon  attracted 
the  attention  of  amateurs  and  connoisseurs.  Wonders  could  be  procured 
there,  such  as  hitherto  gardners  and  lovers  of  flowers  had  not  dreamed  of. 
For  example  strawberry  plants  were  sold  at  §10  ;  roots  of  blue  moss  roses 
at  $5  ;  asparagus  seed  which,  instead  of  requiring  three  years  to  arrive  at 
perfection,  would  produce  giant  asparagus  in  three  months  ;  peach  trees 
which  would  produce  peaches  without  stones  and  twenty  inches  in  circum- 
ference ;  and  so  on.  But  what  a  swindle  it  was  !  The  haute  volee,  who, 
like  everything  that  is  out  of  the  common  way,  and  who  have  plenty  of 
money,  literally  besieged  the  shop,  and  the  proprietor  of  it  made  such  a 
harvest  as  certainly  was  never  reaped  by  those  who  bought  the  giant  as- 
paragus seed,  or  the  strawberry  plants,  or  the  trees  that  bore  giant  peaches 
without  stones.  This  went  on  very  well  until  three  well-known  florists 
and  seedsmen,  Messrs.  B.  K.  Bliss,  P.  T.  Quinn,  and  J.  Hoops,  visited  the 
shop  and  took  a  look  around  as  connoisseurs.     They  found  that  the  giant 


236  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK   LIFE. 

pears  which  appeared  in  the  window  were  either  made  of  wax  or  they  had 
been  raised  in  a  hot-house  ;  the  peach  trees  which  bore  the  peaches  without 
stones  they  found  to  be  dead ;  the  blue  moss  roses  were  not  to  be  seen  in 
blossom,  "  because  they  had  not  yet  become  acclimatized,"  and  the  roots 
of  a  new  and  most  gorgeous  flower,  that  were  being  sold  at  twenty  dollars 
a  piece,  they  discovered  to  be  the  roots  of  a  species  of  gentian  which  grows 
in  our  woods.  This  will  suffice.  Whoever  wants  to  buy  seeds  should  go 
to  one  or  other  of  the  responsible  florists  or  seedsmen,  of  whom  there  are 
plenty  everywhere  in  New  York. 


In  connection  with  this  flower  and  seed  swindle  we  will  here  mention 
the  Grafting  Swindle.  Since  the  spring  of  1872  people  have  gone 
about  the  country  undertaking  to  graft  wild  trees  so  that  they  should  bear 
fruit.  They  make  for  every  tree  a  preliminary  charge  of  25  cents,  and 
they  require  a  second  similar  sum  of  25  cents  when  the  graft  has  taken. 
But  they  have  never  been  known  to  call  again  for  the  second  25  cents. 
Many  farmers  have  let  these  people  graft  their  trees,  but  as  yet  no  satis- 
factory result  has  ever  been  obtained.  In  a  few  cases  the  graft  has  lived 
a  short  time,  but  almost  always  it  has  dried  up  as  quickly  as  if  it  were  not 
attached  to  a  tree  at  all.  The  production  of  fruit  is  possible  only  when 
the  stock  and  graft  are  of  the  same  kind,  as  apples  and  fruits  of  that 
description,  stone  fruits,  &c,  &c.  No  fruit  can  be  got  where  the  stock  is 
grafted  with  a  scion  of  some  different  species.  So  that  farmers  who  allow 
themselves  to  be  inveigled  into  having  anything  to  do  with  grafting  of  that 
kind  lose  not  only  their  money,  but  their  time  and  their  labor. 

Spectacle  Swindlers  are  the  cause  of  very  great  mischief.  They  not 
only  get  out  of  peoples  pockets  good  money  for  bad  spectacles,  but  they 
injure  the  eyes  of  thousands  of  people  with  bad  glasses.  The  spectacle 
swindle  is  carried  on  by  people  who  travel  about,  usually  representing 
themselves  to  be  the  agents  either  of  the  Elmira  Eye  and  Ear  Institute,  or 
of  a  certain  Dr.  Wallace,  an  oculist  of  310  Grand  Street,  New  York.  The 
latter  flood  the  country  with  circulars  of  Dr.  Wallace.  But  there  is  no 
oculist  of  that  name,  and  in  the  house  where  he  is  alleged  to  reside  they 
do  not  know  of  any  such  person.  The  people  who  do  live  there,  however, 
are  often  deluged  with  enquiries  after  Dr.  Wallace  ;  and  only  quite  recently 
two  ladies  came  all  the  way  from  Poughkeepsie  and  were  very  much 
astonished  to  find  that  the  so-called  doctor  was  not  there.  A  spectacle 
vender,  who  had  declared  himself  to  be  an  agent  of  Dr.  Wallace,  had  sold 
one  of  the  ladies  a  pair  of  spectacles  for  sixteen  dollars,  which  he  had 
declared  to  be  crystals  set  in  gold.  The  crystals  had,  however,  turned  out 
to  be  common  window  glass  ;  and  the  setting,  brass.  Many  years  ago  a 
Dr.  Wallace  did  live  in  New  York,  and  he  was  esteemed  and  had  a  good 


8WINDLER8.  237 

repute  as  fin  oculist.     He  has  long  been  dead,  but  these  swindlers  are  still 
trading  upon  his  name. 

It  is  the  Bame  with  the  spectacle  vendors  who  claim  to  oe  agents  of  the 
i  Eye  and  Ear  Institute.  This  institute  has  no  travelling  agents. 
The  fellows  who  announce  themselves  as  such  only  impose  upon  the  pub- 
!i.-  had  and  dangerous  wares  for  money  ;  for  instead  of  improving  the  eyes, 
bad  and  unsuitable  spectacles  only  ruin  them.  No  one  who  sets  any  value 
upon  his  sight  should  use  or  purchase  spectacles  without  first  taking  the 
advice  of  a  reputable  oculist.  We  do  not  say  an  optician.  For  it  is  only 
by  a  proper  examination  of  the  eyes  that  it  can  be  determined  what  kind 
of  spectacles  would  suit  them,  and  what  sort  are  necessary.  The  oculist 
will  then  always  recommend  an  optician,  where,  in  accordance  with  the 
directions  of  the  physician,  there  will  be  an  assurance  of  procuring  such 
spectacles  as  are  requisite. 

In  the  Selling-off  Swindle  the  swindler  announces  a  sellin^-ofF  of  his 
business  and  stock  in  trade  in  consequence  of  a  failure,  not  by  an  actual 
sale  of  the  goods,  but  by  a  raffle.  For  this  purpose  tickets  are  offered  at 
50  cents,  under  the  condition  that  whoever  should  win  anything  by  it  in 
the  warehouse,  no  matter  what  it  is,  shall  pay  two  dollars  more  ;  the  objects 
to  be  raffled  consisting  of  gold  and  silver  goods,  musical  boxes,  revolvers, 
&c,  &c.  Either  the  business  is  confined  to  the  city  where  the  returns 
from  the  tickets  are  very  considerable,  for  there  are  thousands  of  thought- 
less, foolish  people  abont ;  or  the  advertising  system  is  had  recourse  to  and 
then  it  is  announced  that  the  ticket  of  a  person  addressed  has  won  this  or 
that  valuable  article,  which  will  be  forwarded  as  soon  as  the  two  dollars 
are  remitted.  If  anybody  sends  the  two  dollars,  he  must  add  them  to  the 
previous  loss  of  fifty  cents  and  be  content. 

The  Butter  Swindle  is  chiefly  practised  among  housekeepers  who 
desire  to  study  economy.  The  Patent  Butter  Association  and  the  Star 
Butter  Co.,  as  well  as  a  concern  in  Chicago,  offer  a  butter  powder  with 
which  they  alledge  that  a  pound  of  good  butter  can  be  made  from  one  pint 
of  milk.  The  powder  looks  like  cooking  soda,  mixed  with  salt,  and  it 
tastes  like  it,  too.  Instructions  are  given  with  the  powder,  in  which  we 
are  told  that  a  pound  of  butter  is  to  be  put  into  a  butter  tub  with  one  pint 
of  milk,  then  some  of  the  powder  is  to  be  added  and  the  mixture  churned 
together  until  the  whole  has  been  converted,  when  it  will  be  found  that 
there  are  two  pounds  and  a  half  of  fine  flavored  butter.  But  the  actual 
result  is  an  useless  cheesy  mass,  which  weighs  no  more  than  wrhat  was  put 
in.  The  milk  with  the  butter  and  cheesy  stuff  contains  more  than  75  per 
cent,  of  water  ;  now  as  a  pint  of  milk  weighs  a  pound,  it  stands  to  reason 
that  a  pint  of  milk  and  a  pound  of  butter  cannot  yield  two  and  a  half 
pounds  of  butter  ;  besides  which  the  product  is  not  butter,  as  we  have  said, 


238  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK   LIFE. 

but  a  worthless  cheesy  mass,  which  no  man  with  a  grain  of  common  sense 
could  for  one  moment  mistake  for  butter. 

The  Segar  Swindle  flourishes  far  around  New  York,  and  is  conducted 
chiefly  by  young  people  who  give  themselves  out  as  travellers  in  the  trade  ; 
it  is  also  followed  by  men  who  dress  themselves  up  as  sailors.  In  both 
instances,  however,  the  swindlers  affirm  that  the  segars  are  smuggled  and 
that  consequently  they  are  in  a  position  to  sell  them  for  half  their  value. 
The  cigars  offered  by  these  men  are  always  of  the  commonest  kind, 
ii  stinkadores,"  but  to  which  the  scent  of  good  and  genuine  segars  has  been 
given  by  means  of  essences,  &c.  They  are  then  packed  in  boxes  contain- 
ing four  bundles,  each  of  which  contains  twenty-five  segars.  These,  when 
fresh,  are  pressed  tightly  together  and  bound  up  in  imitation  of  good 
segars,  with  a  silk  band  to  hold  them  together  ;  but  the  middle  segar  is 
taken  out,,  and  a  good  one  put  in  its  place.  And  in  order  that  this  one 
may  be  more  easily  taken  out,  one  is  generally  chosen  a  little  smaller  than 
the  rest.  If  anyone  offers  to  buy,  he  of  course  first  wants  to  try  the  things. 
The  vendor  holds  out  a  bundle  for  him  to  take  a  segar,  at  the  same  time 
pushing  out  the  middle  one,  an  act  which  is  not  remarked  by  the  pur- 
chaser. He  draws  it  out,  lights  it,  finds  it  a  capital  segar,  and  buys.  But 
when,  later  on,  he  smokes  the  others,  he  finds  out,  what  is  as  plain  as 
noonday,  that  he  has  been  swindled,  and  that  he  has  paid  a  really  high 
price  for  very  bad  segars. 

A  great  deal  of  roguery  is  practised  with  Gold  Pens,  the  swindlers  in 
this  branch  offering  them  in  silver  holders  at  extraordinarily  low  prices. 
Now  a  genuine  gold  pen,  even  if  it  has  been  used  for  many  years  and  not 
wiped,  will  not  rust  nor  get  brittle.  But  these  cheap  pens  are  made  either 
of  steel  or  copper,  lightly  electro-plated  with  gold.  The  ink,  therefore, 
corrodes  and  rusts  them,  and  in  a  short  time  they  are  useless  ; — while  the 
silver  holder  loses  its  light  silver  coating  and  turns  black.  If  anybody 
wants  a  good  gold  pen  he  should  buy  it  at  one  of  the  houses  which  have  a 
reputation  in  the  business ;  he  will  then  have  a  pen  which  may  be  used 
every  day  for  many  years,  and  which  can  always  be  taken  up  with 
pleasure. 

The  Curling  Comb  Swindle  which  flourished  about  two  years  ago  was 
the  means  of  defrauding,  out  of  sums  that  were  by  no  means  small,  too, 
thousands  of  people  who  were  vain  enought  to  want  to  wear  curls.  The 
vast  extension  of  this  swindle  was  rendered  possible  only  because  many 
respectable  papers,  such  as  Harper's  Weekly,  the  Rural  New  Yorker,  the 
Weekly  Tribune,  and  others,  admitted  to  their  columns  the  advertisements 
of  a  so-called  Electro  Magnetic  Curling  Comb  Co.  in  Garrettsville,  Ohio. 
This  company  undertook  for  $1.25  to  furnish  a  comb  which  would  curl  the 


SWINDLERS. 

straightest  hair.  This  comb  is  nothing  more  than  a  common  pocket  comb, 
made  of  horn,  about  three  inches  long,  and  worth  about  five  cents  ; — but 
on  one  Bide  of  which  is  a  piece  of  copper  and  on  the  other  a  piece  of  zinc. 
But  to  make  it  ready  for  use  this  comb  was  to  have  a  quantity  of  thin  cop- 
per  wrire  twisted  through  and  round  it  about  eighty  times,  the  purchaser 
providing  the  wire  and  himself  doing  the  twisting.  If  anybody  bought  the 
I'omb,  he  soon  found  it  was  useless  for  any  special  purpose.  But  most  of 
the  people  who  sent  their  money  never  got  anything  for  it ;  and  if  they 
9ted,  they  received  in  reply  an  answer  to  the  effect  that  the  letter  with 
the  money  had  not  been  received,  and  that  they  had  better  send  another 
remit  lance  in  a  registered  letter.  And  if  the  money  was  sent  again  in  a 
registered  letter,  it  would  be  said  that  through  some  deficiency  in  the  stock 
the  order  could  not  be  tilled  then,  but  that  it  would  be  attended  to  in  the 
next  month.  The  little  town  of  Garrettsville,  in  Ohio,  from  which  the 
Curling  Comb  Co.  operates,  is  as  notorious  for  its  swindlers  as  the  little 
town  of  Parkman,  in  Ohio.  There  are  two  swindlers  residing  there  who 
are  ever  busy  beguiling  the  credulous  public  in  various  ways,  now  with 
one  idea,  now  with  another.  Offers  coming  from  either  of  these  places 
should  always  be  received  with  considerable  caution.  The  people  in  Gar- 
rettsville have  besides  found  a  competition  in  the  little  town  of  Sherks- 
town,  in  Canada,  in  the  curling  comb  line.  But  it  works  cheaper.  It 
gives  one  comb  for  50  cents,  and  two  for  75  cents. 

The  Locket  Swindle  is  peculiar.  It  is  practised  not  only  in  New 
York,  but  in  small  towns.  A  man  in  a  handsome  wagon  makes  his  appear- 
ance in  a  small  town  or  village.  He  stops  in  the  main  street,  collects  a 
crowd  round  him,  and  then  in  a  loud  voice  announces  that  he  is  ready  to 
sell  gold  lockets  for  ten  cents.  Similar  offers  are  not  now  uncommon,  for 
on  Broadway,  in  New  York,  almost  any  day  men  can  be  seen  offering  for 
sale  jewelry  of  the  same  description  at  that  price.  But  as  everybody 
knows,  or  ought  to  know,  these  things  are  brass  with  the  lightest  possible 
coating  of  gold  put  on  by  the  electro-plate  process.  The  locket  which  the 
man  in  the  wagon  holds  out,  however,  is  good  gold,  as  the  jeweller  in  the 
place,  when  called  upon,  testifies.  And  more.  The  man  at  the  same 
time,  when  he  has  sold  a  gold  locket  for  ten  cents,  offers  to  repurchase  it 
at  a  higher  price!  "Nowr  then,"  say  the  bystanders  to  themselves,  "  no 
matter  whether  he  buys  back  the  locket  for  a  higher  price  or  not !  Ten 
cents  is  not  much  to  lose  over  a  gold  locket."  The  wonderful  offers  made 
by  the  man  have  probably  gathered  together  a  crowd  of  a  couple  of  hun- 
dred people,  all  of  whom  think  him  mad,  and  having  come  to  the  conclu- 
sion just  stated,  they  come  up  one  after  another  to  buy.  "When  the  swin- 
dler has  sold  perhaps  twenty  or  thirty,  he  stops  the  sale,  and  buys  the 
whole  lot  back  again  for  a  dollar  a  piece,  thus  losing  in  good  cash  as  much 
as  ?27  on  the  transaction.     This  is  a  singular  speculation.     But  now  he 


240  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEAV    YORK   LIFE. 

proclaims  that  he  has  some  much  finer  lockets  which  he  will  sell  for  three 
dollars,  and  buy  back  again  for  live  dollars.  In  the  meantime  the  crowd 
around  him  has  been  getting  larger  and  larger,  and  in  a  short  time  he  has 
gold  fifty.  Many  people  even  think  that  they  make  a  good  speculation  by 
buying  two  or  three  of  the  lockets.  Now,  however,  the  swindler  is  so  far 
satisfied  with  the  sale  that  he  does  not  think  he  sees  around  him  any  more 
purchasers  ;  so  he  good  humoredly  takes  his  horses  reins  in  his  hands, 
proclaims  that  he  will  be  back  in  two  days  to  buy  back  the  things,  and 
drives  off  with  $150  of  good  money  in  his  pocket.  The  lockets  which  he 
has  sold  for  $3  are  not  gold,  like  the  first,  but  oroide,  and  perhaps  not 
worth  twenty  cents.  Twice,  however,  these  swindlers  have  come  to  grief. 
Gn  the  first  occasion  one  of  them  was  most  unmercifully  beaten,  and  on 
the  second,  another  of  them  was  tarred  and  feathered. 

The  Oil  Swindle  is  the  more  pernicious  and  dangerous,  on  account 
not  so  much  of  the  plunder  it  abstracts  from  peoples  pockets,  as  the  danger 
it  brings  to  their  persons  and  lives  by  imposing  upon  them  a  bad  and  dan- 
gerous burning  fluid.  During  the  past  year  there  have  been  a  number  of 
burning  fluids  introduced  to  the  public  under  different  names,  such  as 
"Sun  Light  Oil,"  French  Burning  Oil,"  "Eureka  Oil,"  "  Chemical  Fluid 
Gaslight,"  "  Ocean  Oil,"  "  German  Excelsior  Oil,"  &c,  the  chief  ingre- 
dient of  which  is  benzine,  and  which  is  highly  inflammable  and  dangerous. 
These  oils  inflame  at  a  very  low  temperature,  and  they  explode  as  soon  as 
the  gas  which  they  give  off  comes  in  contact  with  the  common  air.  That 
the  swindlers  are  never  impeded  in  the  attainment  of  their  cheating  busi- 
ness is  evident.  One  of  them,  a  man  named  Ells,  in  Charlotte,  Michigan, 
publishes  a  certificate  over  the  signature  of  Dr.  J.  R.  Hayes,  formerly  of 
the  firm  of  W.  K.  Chilton,  to  make  it  appear  as  though  it  emanated  from 
the  well-known  Boston  assayer  A.  A.  Hayes,  and  the  celebrated  chemist 
J.  R.  Chilton.  This  man  Ells  also  says  that  his  oil  is  prepared  at  the 
renowned  laboratory  of  Dr.  V.  Mott,  and  in  connection  with  that  he  pub- 
lishes a  certificate  from  a  Dr.  B.  J.  Mott,  according  to  which  the  right  to 
sell  the  oil  has  been  transferred  to  Ells.  But  nobody  should  be  deceived 
by  such  representations  or  pretended  recommendations  into  burning  a  dan- 
gerous oil  because  it  is  said  to  be  cheaper.  Kerosene  is  a  cheap  enough 
burning  fluid,  and  whoever  is  in  any  degree  careful  will  take  care  not  to 
have  an  adulterated  oil  nor  one  that  is  readily  explosive. 

The  Perfumery  Swindle  is  carried  on  in  many  of  the  principal  streets 
by  swindlers  who  for  the  purpose  hire  a  store  for  two  or  three  months. 
The  equipments  of  the  store  are  not  very  extensive.  A  counter  about  five 
feet  high  running  across  with  perhaps  twenty  packages  lying  upon  it,  each 
of  which  contains  six  bottles  of  a  wretched  perfume,  are  all  the  furniture. 
On  an  elevation  behind  this  counter  is  a  well-dressed  man — all  these  swin- 


SWINDLERS.  241 

dlcr8  are  well  dressed — and  in  the  front  part  of  the  room  are  four  or  five 
of  his  associates  who  act  as  decoy-birds.  The  doors  are  thrown  wide 
open,  as  an  invitation  and  attraction  to  the  passers-by,  and  then  this  man 
begins  in  a  loud  voice  an  harangue  in  much  the  following  strain  : — 

"Gentlemen,  1  am  standing  here  to  earn  some  money,  but  I  also  want 
to  give  you  an  opportunity  to  win  some.  Here  are  twenty  packets,  each 
of  which  contains  six  bottles  of  the  choicest  perfume,  which  I  offer  to  sell 
you.  In  one  of  them  you  will  find  fifteen  dollars.  I  guarantee,  that  if 
one  of  you  does  not  find  that  sum  in  one  of  the  packet*,  I  will  not  only 
refund  to  you  all  the  money  you  will  have  paid  me,  but  I  will  forfeit 
twenty  dollars.  I  will  not  offend  against  the  lottery  laws,  but  I  give  you 
a  chance,  for  I  will  sell  these  packets  of  perfumery  at  two  dollars  ;  a  price 
which  the  beautiful  perfumery  alone  is  worth  over  and  over  again.  I 
shall  earn  something  by  the  business,  but  when  I  shall  have  sold  all  the 
packets  I  shall  not  have  made  more  than  five  dollars.  Now  then,  gentle- 
men, come  and  buy,  one  of  you  must  have  the  packet  containing  the  fifteen 
dollars. " 

In  the  meantime  the  loud  talking  has  drawn  together  a  number  of  peo- 
ple, and  the  accomplices  of  the  auctioneer  have  mixed  up  in  the  crowd. 
Now  associate  No.  1  who  plays  the  first  part  goes  up,  buys  a  packet,  and 
chooses  the  one  containing  the  fifteen  dollars,  which,  unobserved  by  the 
bystanders,  has  been  marked,  whereupon  by  means  of  some  article  of  dress 
which  he  carries  he  is  able  to  replace  it  in  an  instant  by  a  packet  that  has 
no  money  in  it.  He  now  opens  this  and  finds  of  course  no  money  in  it. 
Then  if  the  bystanders  still  show  no  desire  to  purchase,  a  second  accom- 
plice, and  a  third,  and  perhaps  a  fourth  walks  up  and  buys  ;  and  none  of 
them  find  the  money  in  their  packets.  Now,  as  with  the  sale  of  each 
packet  the  chances  improve,  the  public  begin  to  feel  a  wish  to  purchase, 
and  as  a  rule  the  packets  go  off  faster  and  faster.  Presently  so  many  are 
sold  that  only  two  are  left,  the  auctioneer  then  says  :  "  Now,  gentlemen, 
you  see  that  there  are  only  two  packets  left,  and  you  know  that  the  fifteen 
dollars  must  be  in  one  or  other  of  them.  Under  these  circumstances  I 
must  raise  the  price  of  each  packet  to  four  dollars." 

Accomplice  No.  1  now  walks  up  again  and  says  : — "  I'll  try  another 
chance,"  and  as  he  is  about  to  take  up  a  packet,  the  auctioneer  puts  his 
hand  on  it  and  says  : — "  Stop,  I  can't  sell  you  this  packet  except  on  the 
condition  that  you  do  not  open  it  until  1  have  sold  the  last ;  for  if  you  find 
the  money  in  your  packet  the  last  would  remain  on  my  hands  and  that 
would  be  a  loss  to  me." 

Accomplice  No.  1  takes  the  packet  on  that  condition,  and  goes  to  one  of 
the  bystanders  whom  he  thiuks  likely  to  buy.  He  takes  him  on  one  side 
and  secretly  opens  the  packet  far  enough  to  let  him  see  inside.  But  it  does 
not  contain  the  money,  and  he  puts  it  back,  apparently  very  angry,  into 
his  pocket. 

16 


242  THE    DARK    SIDE    OP    NEW    YORK   LIFE. 

"  Now,"  thiuks  the  man  who  has  seen  it,  "  the  money  must  be  in  the 
last  packet,  since  it  was  not  in  the  other  and  I  will  take  it."  But  at  the 
same  time  the  salesman  calls  out  "  this  packet  I  cannot  give  for  less  than 
six  dollars."  The  buyer  pays  the  money,  opens  the  packet,  and  finds  to 
his  intense  disappointment  that  the  fifteen  dollars  are  not  in  it.  At  the 
same  time  accomplice  No.  1  takes  out  the  packet  with  the  money  in  it, 
which  he  has  had  with  him  all  the  time,  opens  it  iully,  and  cries  out  with 
satisfaction  as  he  sees  the  fifteen  dollars  on  the  top,  "  I've  got  it  in  ray 
packet.  He  then  invites  the  people  who  have  remained  in  the  place  to  go 
and  drink  with  him  ;  and  thus  ends  one  act  of  a  play,  to  be  followed  pre- 
sently by  another  of  exactly  the  same  kind. 

Some  idea  of  the  gains  of  these  swindlers  may  be  had  from  the  fact  that 
the  owners  of  the  houses  who  give  up  their  places  to  such  dishonorable 
uses,  make  the  tenants  pay  double  and  treble  the  ordinary  rents  ;  while  the 
swindlers  have  not  only  to  take  the  rooms  for  one  or  two  months,  but  they 
must  also  pay  the  rent  in  advance,  although  they  only  occupy  the  place  for 
about  a  week.  For  to  make  the  business  effectual  and  profitable  frequent 
change  is  necessary. 

The  rascals  who  first  followed  this  business  established  themselves  in 
Fulton  Street  and  the  neighborhood ;  but  now  they  are  to  be  found  in  the 
streets  of  the  upper  part  of  the  city. 

The  Soap  Swindle  goes  on  usually  in  the  agricultural  districts  and 
there  flourishes.  It  is  chiefly  directed  to  the  plundering  of  farmers  sons 
and  farm  laborers,  and  is  carried  on  to  such  an  extent  that  sometimes  six 
or  eight  of  these  swindlers  are  to  be  met  with  in  one  locality.  Nay,  once 
during  last  year  there  were  not  less  than  twelve  met  with  in  two  days  in 
the  farming  lands  of  Amenia,  so  that  the  president  of  the  village  had  at 
last  to  get  rid  of  them  with  the  aid  of  the  police.  Unfortunately,  though 
this  was  uot  done  before  they  had  made  a  very  good  harvest. 

These  swindlers  have  a  box  with  them  containing  a  number  of  packets, 
in  each  of  which  there  is  a  cake  of  scented  soap.  They  sell  these  packets 
for  fifty  cents.  Upon  each  cake  of  soap  is  a  number,  and  on  the  inside  of 
the  lid  of  the  box  is  a  row  of  numbers  likewise,  under  each  of  which  there 
is  said  to  be  a  sum  of  money: — 50  cents,  $1,  $3,  $5,  and  so  on.  A  by- 
stander buys  a  cake  of  soap.  He  takes  the  number  that  is  on  it,  and 
refers  to  the  same  number  in  the  lid  of  the  box,  hoping  to  find  some  money 
there.  But  there  is  none,  and  so  he  loses  ;  and  that  is  generally  the  case. 
Of  course  now  and  ihen  someone  has  to  win  to  act  as  a  decoy  to  others, 
and  that  is  duly  arranged.  But  the  people  who  win  are  accomplices  of  the 
chief*  actor,  with  whom  the  spoil  is  divided. 

The  Rkvolver  Swindle,  so  far  as  we  know,  is  carried  on  by  only  one 
firm,  that  of  Nelson  &  Co.,  in  Harlem,  Mo.,  who  promise  by  means  of 


SWINDLERS.  21) 

advertisements  to  send  by  post  a  four-barrelled  revolver  with  a  box  of 
cartridges  for  a  remittance  of  $1.50.  But  the  cheapest  four-barrelled 
revolvers  are  not  to  be  had  for  less  than  $3,  and  cartridges  cannot  be  sent 
through  the  post. 

The  WmsKEy  Swindle  is  practised  in  Kentucky  by  a  firm  called  the 
Kentucky  Whiskey  Co. ;  but  it  is  quite  at  home  in  New  York.  In  then- 
circulars  the  company  say  that  they  have  fallen  into  difficulties  in  conse- 
quence of  legal  proceedings  which  obstructs  the  sale  of  certain  large  proper- 
ties that  they  hold  in  Kentucky,  and  that  on  that  account  they  are  obliged 
to  sell  at  half-price  the  whole  of  their  stock  of  very  excellent  whiskey. 
They  add  that  a  dozen  bottles  to  be  paid  for  on  delivery  will  be  sent ;  but 
that  for  larger  orders  the  amount  of  the  order  must  be  sent  in  advance. 
Those  persons  who  send  large  orders,  and  with  them  the  money,  receive 
nothing ;  whilst  they  who  order  only  a  dozen  bottles  to  try  it,  and  pay  on 
delivery,  find  that  the  bottles  are  filled  with  a  mixture  of  rye  whiskey  and 
water,  which  is  neither  fit  to  drink  nor  for  anything  else. 

The  Tea  Swindle  is  very  similar  to  the  last,  and  is  followed  by  a  so- 
called  "  American  Tea,  Coffee,  and  Spice  Company"  in  New  York  and  an 
"  Empire  Tea  Company"  in  Chicago.  Both  offer  to  sell  goods  at  about 
one-half  or  two-thirds  the  real  market  price,  and  will  leave  a  box  of  sam- 
ples for  $10,  if  the  amount  is  either  paid  beforehand  or  C.  O.  D.  And 
further  they  allow  a  commission  on  large  orders  which  may  be  made  in 
consequence  of  experience  from  the  samples,  and  will  consent  that  the 
payments  for  all  goods  so  purchased  may  be  made  every  two  months.  All 
this  seems  very  plausible.  But  the  cheat  lies  around  the  ten  dollars  for 
the  samples.  Whoever  should  send  the  money  would  not  be  very  likely 
to  receive  anything ;  and  if  they  should  elect  to  pay  C.  O.  D.  would  cer- 
tainly find  nothing  in  the  box  which  he  could  convert  into  money. 

Tiie  Rhubarb  Wine  Plant  Swindle  has  also  taken  money  out  of  the 
pockets  of  the  farmers.  At  one  time  it  was  worked  very  vigorously,  and 
lately  it  has  been  revived  again.  This  swindle  has  cost  the  farmers  who 
believed  in  the  reality  of  such  a  plant,  many  hundred  thousands  of  dollars 
already,  and  they  cannot  therefore  be  too  earnestly  warned  against  it. 

The  ExrRESS  Company  Swindle  is  this.  A  person  who  pretends  to 
be  the  agent  of  some  express  company  which  has  no  existence  writes  to 
some  one  in  another  place  and  tells  him  that  there  is  a  parcel  or  a  box 
come  for  him,  upon  which  the  charges  amount  to  so  much  ;  and  that  it 
shall  be  sent  on  to  him  immediately  upon  the  receipt  of  that  amount. 
Perhaps  guessing  that  some  friend  may  have  sent  him  something,  and 
anxious  to  know  what  it  is,  he  remits  the  charges  specified  and  is  cheated  ; 


244  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK   LIFE. 

for  he  has  to  wait  a  very  long  time  for  the  looked  for  parcel.  Once  this- 
swindle  was  carried  on  for  a  long  time  by  a  person  calling  himself  Z.  W. 
Nulock,  and  who  described  himself  further  as  the  agent  of  the  New  York 
Central  Express  Company.  But  there  is  no  such  express  company  ia 
New  York. 

But  in  another  way  this  swindle  can  be  practised  on  the  spot.  It  ia  not 
long  since  the  following  case  occurred.  A  man  brought  to  a  house  in  the 
upper  part  of  the  town  a,large  envelope,  which  was  sealed  up  like  the 
money  envelopes  of  the  express  companies.  It  was  addressed  to  the  pro- 
prietor of  the  house  and  bore  the  words  : — "  2,200.00. — Insured.  Charge 
$7. 50."  The  swindler  had  of  course  chosen  his  time  when  the  master  of 
the  house  would  be  out ;  and  when  he  received  an  answer  to  that  effect  he 
asked  for  the  lady  of  the  house.  The  lady  opened  the  envelope  and  found 
inside  a  check  for  $2,200  upon  a  New  York  bank,  a  mortgage  deed,  and 
a  letter,  merely  intimating  that  the  sender  had  enclosed  the  above  amount. 
As  the  thing  looked  quite  in  order,  the  lady  paid  the  $7.50  and  thereby 
gave  herself  up  to  the  swindle.  When  her  husband  came  home  the  dis«- 
covery  was  made.  The  mortgage  deed  which  had  been  picked  up  some- 
where was  old  and  worthless,  and  the  cheque  good  for  nothing. 

The  Telegram  Swindle  is  similar  in  character.  The  swindler  con- 
trives by  some  means  to  get  possession  of  the  envelopes  and  forms  which 
the  telegraph  companies  use  to  send  their  telegrams  on,  makes  up  tele- 
grams which  will  fit  many  purposes,  addresses  them  to  people  in  the  upper 
part  of  the  city,  and  then  sends  them  out  at  some  time  when  he  is  certain 
not  to  find  the  person  addressed  at  home.  Telegrams  when  not  pre-paid 
are  never  given  up,  except  on  payment  of  the  charges  marked  upon  the 
envelope  ;  and  as  nobody  likes  to  send  a  telegram  away,  because  it  may 
possibly  contain  something  of  importance,  the  swindler  generally  receives 
the  money  that  he  claims  ;  never  more  than  at  the  outside  two  dollars. 

But  in  the  Western  States  this  swindle  is  more  profitable.  The  swindler 
there  takes  to  some  farmer  a  telegram  which  ostensibly  has  come  from 
some  large  dealer  in  corn  at  Chicago,  offering  to  buy  corn  and  to  pay  a 
good  price  for  it,  and  as  the  charges  for  forwarding  telegrams  in  the 
country  are  larger  than  in  the  city,  this  costs  more  than  it  would  here. 
The  farmer,  too,  willingly  pays  the  fee  for  telegrams  which  seems  to  open 
up  to  him  good  prospects. 

The  Secret  Swindle  is  practised  especially  by  a  firm  of  the  name  of 
B.  F.  Gardiner  &  Co.,  in  Portland,  Maine,  and  is  so  exceedingly  clumsy, 
that  one  can  hardly  think  how  it  happens  that  people  allow  themsjlves  to 
be  taken  in  by  it.  The  swindlers  offer  a  secret  on  the  payment  of  one  dol- 
lar in  advance,  and  if  the  person  receiving  it  is  not  satisfied  they  undertake 
to  pay  him  two  dollars.     Of  course  the  individual  who  sends  the  one  dol- 


SWINDLERS.  245 

Ilar  hears  nothing  more  about  the  firm  or  from  them.  Maine  is  one  of  the 
States  whence  above  all  others  swindlers  of  this  kind  carry  on  their  opera- 
l  tions  and  we  should  always  receive  with  caution  any  propositions  that 
come  from  there.  There  are  often  to  be  seen  in  the  newspapers  advertise- 
ments about  some  secret  how  to  become  rich,  which  is  offered  for  two  dol- 
lars. Before  anybody  sends  on  his  money  in  reply  to  such  advertisements 
he  should  ask  himself  why  it  is  that  the  possessors  of  a  secret  which  will 
make  the  purchaser  rich,  does  not  rather  prefer  to  keep  it  and  thereby  reap 
the  benefits  bv  enriching  himself? 


The  Magic,  and  Loye  Powder  Swindle  depends  for  success  not  upon 
the  credulity  of  people,  but  upon  a  miserable  superstition  that  still  prevails. 
The  object  it  undertakes,  is  to  enforce  the  affection  and  love  of  a  person 
for  one  of  the  other  sex,  and  it  pretends  to  do  this  by  witchcraft  or  the 
influence  of  drugs.  That  such  things  can  be  believed  by  people  in  a  time 
when  mental  enlightenment  is  everywhere  extending,  by  people  who  live 
in  this  nineteenth  century,  is  a  proof  how  low  a  degree  of  real  education 
still  prevails  among  a  large  section  of  the  community. 

Love  powder  and  the  power  of  magic  are  offered  by  very  many  swin- 
dlers especially  in  New  Jersey,  Massachusetts,  and  Michigan,  as  well  as 
in  Xew  York,  to  abstract  money  from  the  superstitious.  In  magic  there 
is  nothing  tangible  ;  and  what  passes  under  the  name  of  love  powder  and 
is  sold  is  either  something  very  innocuous  or — and  this  is  more  often  the 
case,  and  more  perilous — it  is  something  really  harmful  and  which  will 
undermine  the  health.  Here  is  an  illustration.  A  young  man,  whose 
name,  to  save  him  from  the  public  disgrace,  we  will  not  mention,  was 
deeply  in  love  with  a  young  lady  who  did  not  return  his  affections,  but 
whose  love  he  was  naturally  very  desirous  to  gain.  He  therefore  procured 
some  love  powder,  and  having  bought  a  box  of  figs  he  put  some  of  the 
powder  into  each  of  the  figs,  and  made  them  a  present  to  the  lady.  But 
she,  having  already  experienced  some  of  the  effects  of  his  plans  to  win  her 
love,  distrusted  the  figs  and  would  not  eat  any.  To  quiet  her  doubts  the 
young  man  ate  some  of  them  himself.  But  the  result  was  sad.  For  as 
soon  as  he  had  eaten  them,  his  mouth  became  covered  with  blisters,  the 
skin  eame  off,  and  he  was  a  long  time — some  two  months — getting  well. 
When  at  last  he  was  well  he  had  the  pleasure  of  finding  himself  nicknamed 
"  Shoo  Fly,"  realizing  the  spirit  of  the  saying  that  when  a  man  has  to  pay 
the  price  of  his  own  folly  he  must  not  mind  being  laughed  at. — Some  of 
the  "  love  powder"  remained,  and  upon  examination  it  turned  out  to  be 
the  powder  of  Spanish  flies,  which  is  well  known  to  be  an  extremely 
powerful  irritant.  The  young  man  had  received  this  love  powder  from  a 
firm  of  the  name  of  Reeves  &  Co. — If  swindlers  sell  innocuous  powders  in 
order  to  cheat  the  superstitious  they  are  swindlers  simply  ;  if  they  sell  dau- 


216  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    TORK    LIFE. 

geroys  substances  under  the  pretence  that  they  are  love  powders  they  are 
more  than  swindlers,  they  are  criminals  and  as  such  should  be  imprisoned. 

The  Photograph  Swindle  is  worked  in  different  ways.  The  most 
dangerous  and  most  ruinous,  however,  is  that  where,  through  advertise- 
ments in  the  papers,  offers  are  made  to  send  on  receipt  of  a  certain  pay- 
ment, usually  from  20  cents  to  $1,  the  photograph  of  a  future  husband  or 
wife,  with  the  statement  as  to  where  the  first  meeting  will  be,  and  when 
the  wedding  will  come  off.  At  every  photographic  establishment  where 
there  is  much  business  being  done,  there  is  a  large  accumulation  of  por- 
traits which  these  swindlers  buy  up  very  cheaply,  perhaps  at  one  or  two 
cents  a  piece,  and  then  they  dispose  of  them  in  this  way.  But  the  danger 
of  this  swindle  lies  in  the  fact  that  unprincipled  men — and  where  is  the 
swindler  Who  is  not  unprincipled? — often  send  their  own  portrait  to  the 
girls  who  answer  their  advertisements.  It  then  becomes  an  easy  matter 
to  arrange  the  place  of  the  first  meeting,  and  the  further  announcement  of 
the  wedding  day  affords  an  opportunity  to  mislead  thoughtless  and  foolish 
girls.  Very  many  instances  of  this  kind  have  occurred,  and  very  many 
well  conducted  and  virtuous  young  women  have  been  led  on  the  road  to 
ruin  by  this  means. 

Another  branch  of  the  photograph  swindle  is  to  be  seen  in  the  adver- 
tisements which  appear  with  the  heading  "  Make  your  own  photographs." 
People  who  know  nothing  of  the  process  of  photography,  and  who  read 
this,  think  that  for  25  or  50  cents  they  can  learn  how  to  make  photographs. 
But  that  is  not  the  case.  For  the  25  or  50  cents  they  receive  some  small 
leaves  of  prepared  paper,  upon  which  a  worthless  picture  makes  its  appear- 
ance when  they  are  moistened  with  a  piece  of  wet  blotting  paper. 

A  third  photograph  swindle  is  that  of  a  National  Photographing  Co. 
in  Detroit,  Mich.,  which  offers  for  $2  to  supply  an  instrument  with  which 
anybody,  even  a  child  can  produce  photographs.  But  such  an  instrument 
is  a  positive  impossibility,  and  whoever  offers  a  photographic  apparatus 
for  $2  is  a  swindler.  From  the  fact  that  this  company  have  recently  had 
their  letters  sent  to  Saginaw,  it  would  appear  that  the  post  office  must 
have  placed  some  difficuties  in  their  way. 

The  Ghost  Swindle. — B(  H.  Robb,  of  Parkman,  Ohio,  whose  name 
has  been  already  mentioned  in  this  chapter,  advertises  to  teach  the  art  of 
making  ghosts  appear  in  any  house.  He  will  do  this  for  25  cents. 
Twenty. five  cents  is  certainly  not  much,  but  it  is  too  much  to  throw  away 
and  thereby  to  earn  the  right  to  be  laughed  at  for  our  pains. 

The  Alchymy  Swindle. — In  past  ages  the  art  of  making  gold  deceived 
many,  otherwise  intelligent  people  ;  and  at  that  time  even  swindlers  noto- 
rious in  history  availed  themselves  of  the  opportunity  it  afforded  them  to* 


>\viM>Li;us.  217 

prey  upon  credulous  people  and  to  enrich  themselves.  But  one  would 
scarcely  think  it  possible  at  the  present  day  to  entrap  people  with  such  a 
bait.  Oue  Dr.  Faucher,  who  calls  himself  the  successor  of  Dr.  Freeman, 
3  circulars  in  which  he  introduces  himself  to  the  person  addressed, 
by  a  note  on  the  margin  to  the  effect  that  the  circular  has  bceu  sent  at  the 
request  of  a  friend  of  the  individual,  which  friend  had  done  business  with 
the  doctor  and  found  him  to  be  trustworthy.  In  this  circular  a  book  is 
offered  for  sale  at  Si,  which  is  alledged  to  contain  a  full  description  of  the 
art  of  making  gold  ;  but  in  reality  that  description  is  nothing  more  than 
directions  for  certain  working  with  metals  and  for  the  preparation  of  com- 
positions which  look  like  gold  and  silver.  The  doctor  also  offers,  if  clubs 
are  formed,  to  experiment  himself.  But  it  will  best  be  seen  what  a  genius 
this  doctor  is,  if  we  note  some  of  the  arts  and  secrets  he  undertakes  to 
teach — for  the  various  considerations  respectively  appended  to  them.  For 
example  : — To  make  an  adversary  fear  us  $6.  To  overcome  all  dangers 
and  hardships  So.  To  make  one  courageous  and  powerful  $j.  To  com- 
pel a  woman  to  love  us  $7.  To  insure  success  in  business  $o.  To  com- 
pel a  woman  to  betray  all  her  secrets  $5.  To  make  oneself  invisible  $5. 
These  illustrations  are  enough.  There  must,  however,  be  an  immense 
number  of  fools  who  give  themselves  up  to  nonsense  of  this  kind,  otherwise 
the  doctor  who  offers  all  these  wonderful  accomplishments  could  hardly 
find  it  worth  his  while  to  work  at  them. 

The  Advertisement  Swindle  injures  in  the  first  instance  only  a  cer- 
tain class  of  people,  namely  the  newspaper  publishers,  who  having  inserted 
advertisements  for  a  long  time  are  not  paid  when  the  monies  come  due. 
It  chiefly  prevails  among  those  swindle  concerns  which  are  mostly  unable 
to  carry  on  their  operations  without  the  use  of  advertisements  ;  of  whom 
we  have  noticed  many  in  this  chapter.  And,  indeed,  it  may  be  regarded 
as  a  just  punishment,  wrhen  newspapers  publishers  for  the  sake  of  gain 
take  advertisements  indiscriminately  and  thereby  promote  the  business  of 
the  swindlers,  are  cheated  at  last  out  of  their  dues.  Besides,  these  adver- 
tisements, even  when  paid  for,  must  be  useful  to  newspaper  publishers  who 
refuse  to  take  them,  because  the  public  cannot  fail  to  lose  confidence  in 
persons  who  in  any  wray  encourage  the  swindlers  in  their  proceedings. 
The  Star  Spangled  Banner,  of  Hinsdale,  N.  II.,  and  the  American  Agri- 
culturist make  it  a  special  duty  to  expose  swindlers,  and  give,  among 
others,  the  following  names  as  those  of  people  who  do  not  pay  for  their 
advertisements : — Ch.  B.  Thompson,  Bridgewater,  Conn.  ;  Metropolitan 
Cash  Prize  Co. ;  B.  F.  Gardiner  &  Co.,  Portland,  Me.  ;  Union  Watch  Co., 
&c.  &c. 

The  Circulating  Library  Swindle  was  put  into  operation  by  one  J. 
A.  Wilson  who  announced  his  otfice  at  No.  80  Ceder  Street.     He  pub- 


248  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK   LIFE. 

lished  advertisements  in  numbers  of  newspapers  out  of  the  city,  in  which 
he  undertook  for  a  subscription  of  $2  a  year  to  supply  any  book  that  mio-ht 
be  wished  for  reading.  He  was  to  send  them  through  the  post  and  to 
receive  them  back  in  the  same  way.  Now  letters  containing  $2  were  cer- 
tainly received  by  this  nice  gentleman  in  very  large  numbers  ;  but  he  was 
never  to  be  found  at  No.  80  Cedar  Street.  At  that  address  there  are  the 
offices  of  respectable  business  people,  but  none  of  these  knew  Mr.  J.  A. 
Wilson. 

The  Mock  Jewelry  Swindle  is  a  kind  of  lottery  which  at  times  has 
flourished  well.  In  one  of  the  stores  of  this  branch  of  the  business  there 
are  stocks  of  what  appear  to  be  silver  goods,  gold  rings,  chains,  brooches, 
and  other  ornaments.  But  they  are  to  be  raffled  for,  not  sold.  In  a  small 
box  there  are  a  number  of  closed  envelopes,  in  each  of  which  is  a  card 
upon  which  some  object  is  named,  such  as  a  gold  locket,  a  gold  brooch,  a 
silver  salver,  &c.  These  envelopes  are  sold  at  a  dollar  each.  The  pur- 
chaser receives  the  article  which  is  named  on  the  card  in  the  envelope. 
But  the  gold  locket,  and  the.  gold  brooch,  are  not  gold,  but  either  oroide 
or  brass  very  thinly  electro-plated.  The  silver  salvers,  too,  are  not  silver. 
They  are  usually  made  of  pewter,  also  lightly  plated.  If  anybody  wants 
to  procure  gold  or  silver  goods  they  should  go  to  some  respectable  nouse 
in  the  business.  If  they  expect  to  get  them  at  very  low  prices  or  by 
means  of  lotteries,  they  only  cheat  themselves  and  keep  the  swindlers. 

We  now  come  to  the  Sewing-Machine  Swindle.  Of  all  recent  inven- 
tions there  are  none  more  useful  than  the  sewing-machine.  It  is  a  genuine 
blessing  to  women.  Considering  the  enormous  sales  which  the  large  and 
admittedly  good  sewing-machine  makers  enjoy,  it  was  hardly  to  be  expected 
that  swindling  would  not  soon  take  its  place  in  ttrs  branch  of  business. 
We  need  not  here  dwell  upon  those  makers  who  furnish  ostensibly  cheap 
sewing-machines  at  from  five  to  ten  dollars,  and  who  by  means  of  circulars 
look  for  agents  and  next  desire  that  they  purchase  a  specimen  machine  at 
the  full  price,  bu^.  in  this  connection  we  will  merely  remark  that  the 
makers  who  have  a  reputation  and  are  justly  celebrated  do  not  find  it 
necessary  to  look  for  agents  by  means  of  circulars,  and  especially  they  do 
not  appoint  persons  as  agents  who  are  not  well  known  to  them  and  in 
whom  they  are  not  well  assured  that  they  will  find  ability  and  solidity. 
We  will,  however,  observe  that  those  cheap  sewing-machines,  which  we 
are  assured  in  the  advertisements  will  do  any  kind  of  needle  work  possible, 
do  not  fulfil  any  of  the  promises  ;  but  that  numerous  purchasers  of  such 
machines  have  been  already  willing  to  let  them  go  back  for  half  their  ori. 
ginal  price  if  only  the  vendors  would  agree  to  take  them.  It  is  further  to 
be  observed  that  some  of  the  makers  of  these  cheap  machines  give  out 
different   specimens  of  work  on  various  kinds  of  material,  none  of  which 


SWINDLERS.  243 

done  by  the  cheap  machines  in  question  ;  and  which  consequently 
-  i  ve  only  to  cheat  the  purchaser. 

Sometimes,  however,  really  good  machines  are  offered  at  low  prices  in 
order  to  further  the  sale  of  machines  made  by  the  large  and  celebrated 
makers.  Such  machines,  as  we  have  said  are  good,  and  yet  the  pur- 
chasers should  in  one  respect  be  cautious,  for  sometimes  it  happens  that 
these  good  and  cheap  machines  have  been  made  by  people  who  have  not 
acquired  the  right  to  use  the  different  patents  involved  in  their  construc- 
tion. How  well,  soever,  one  of  these  machines  may  do  its  work,  the  pos- 
sessor of  it  is  liable  to  have  it  confiscated  at  any  moment,  for  it  is  not  only 
the  maker  and  the  seller  of  such  machines  that  are  answerable  to  the  pro- 
prietor of  the  patent,  but  also  the  owner ;  and  it  may  be  taken  away  from 
any  place,  where  the  agents  of  those  persons  whose  patents  have  been  in- 
fringed, whenever  he  chances  to  meet  with  it.  We  heard  of  a  lady  who 
bought  one  of  these  machines.  It  worked  admirably,  quite  as  well  as  a 
Wheeler  and  Wilson  machine,  but  she  had  not  had  it  two  months  before 
it  was  attached  by  one  of  the  agents  of  the  Wheeler  &  Wilson  Company, 
on  the  ground  that  some  portion  of  their  patents  had  been  used  without  the 
right  to  do  so  having  been  obtained  by  the  maker.  It  is,  to  say  the  least, 
a  very  unjust  law,  and  one  that  involves  a  system  of  espionage,  which  pun- 
ishes the  person  who  buys  a  machine  in  good  faith,  but  of  which  the  maker 
has  omitted  to  come  to  terms  with  the  holders  of  the  patents.  But  the 
law  exists,  and  while  it  is  the  law  it  must  be  obeyed. 

So  much  by  way  of  warning  upon  this  matter.  But  a  more  genuine,  a 
more  common  swindle,  is  practised  with  sewing-machines  by  means  of 
advertisements.  One  Mr.  Smith,  in  Shirley  village,  Mass.,  announces,  as 
*'  the  greatest  discovery  of  the  nineteenth  century,"  a  new  sewing-machine 
which  is  capable  of  doing  every  kind  of  needle-work.  He  offers  this  for 
fifty  cents  and  adds  at  the  end  of  his  advertisements  "  no  humbug."  But 
what  does  he  send  ?  A  small  instrument  about  an  inch  long  and  the  same 
in  breadth  with  three  hooks,  which  serve  to  hold  the  material  firmly  for 
ordinary  handwork. 

Another  man  does  still  better.  He  advertises  a  sewing-machine  made 
of  the  very  best  material  for  25  cents  !  and  for  it  sends — a  darning  needle  ! 

The  Lot  and  Land  Swindle  has  already  claimed  numberless  victims, 
and  ruined  very  many  people  who  were  induced  to  buy  a  building  lot  or  a 
farm  to  establish  for  themselves  a  home.  Instead  of  going  on  at  any 
length  upon  the  nature  of  this  swindle,  we  will  mentiou  a  couple  of  exam- 
ples, which  will  probably  best  serve  the  purpose  of  a  warning  to  others. 

First  in  regard  to  building  lots. — A  Dr.  E.  Andrews,  of  Albany,  N.  Y., 
offered,  for  nothing,  4,000  building  lots,  each  30  feet  wide  and  125  feet 
deep — which  were  at  a  distance  from  Albany  about  half  an  hour's  walk. 
In  his  circulars  he  said  further  : — "Each  of  these  building  lots  fronts  upon 


250 


THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 


a  fine  stree:  ;  and  in  a  short  time  will  be  worth  $1,300.  The  plan  of  the* 
township  of  Andrewsville  (that  is  the  name  of  the  place  where  the  lots- 
were)  lies  in  the  office  of  the  County  Clerk  of  Albany." 

Four  thousand  building  lots,  each  of  which  would  in  a  short  time  be 
worth  $1,300,  in  close  vicinity  to  Albany,  and  all  for  nothing  !  That  is, 
indeed,  a  generous  offer.  But  let  us  hear  the  doctor  a  little  further.  He 
is  a  charlatan,  who  sells  medicines,  instruments,  books,  everything  else 
possible  and  impossible,  and  he  is  ever  looking  for — agents.  Whoever 
will  work  as  his  agent,  and  as  soon  as  he  has  disposed  of  his  goods  to  the 
clear  profit  of  $38  and  has  paid  for  them,  is  to  be  presented  with  a  title  in 
lee  simple  to  one  of  the  lots.  In  order  that  the  reader  may  be  able  to  form, 
an  opinion  of  the  value  of  what  Dr.  Andrews  says  and  promises,  be  it 
here  remarked  what  kind  of  articles  it  is  that  his  agents  are  expected  to 
sell.  The  following  are  among  them  : — "  The  secret  how  any  man  can 
deprive  another  of  his  strength."  Price  $6.50.  "  Flower  seeds  out  of  the 
garden  of  Gethsemane."  Price  $2.  "  The  seventh  book  of  Moses" — and 
so  on.  Then,  as  to  the  place  called  Andrewsville  which  is  half  an  hours 
walk  from  Albany,  it  is  quite  unknown  in  Albany  ;  and  the  clerk  of  the 
county,  with  whom  the  plan  of  the  township  was  said  to  te  deposited, 
declared  that  the  whole  story  was  a  swindle. 

Concerning  the  land  swindle  the  following  transaction  of  a  land  specu- 
lator will  serve  to  show  how  indispensible  the  utmost  caution  is  in  all  busi- 
ness of  this  kind.     About  fifteen  years  ago  a  Mr.  R.  came  here  without 
means.     He   settled  in  New  York  and  lived  miserably.     When  the  war 
broke  out  he  enlisted,  but  deserted  almost  as  soon  as  he  reached  the  seat 
of  war.     After  the  war  he  married  and  bought  a  large  farm  on  the  Hud- 
son, off  of  which  he  took  in  the  first  year  15,000  bushels  of  wheat.     Soon 
after  the  harvest,  when  the  barns  were  still  full,  he  one  day  met  a  Mr.  M.. 
in  New  York,  to  whom  he  soon  after  sold  the  farm  for  $14,000.     The 
title  deed  was  prepared  and  the  payment  made  ;  but  when  a  few  days  after 
Mr.  M.  went  to  take  possession  of  his  farm,  he  found  the  barns  and  stables 
empty.     R.  had  sold  the  contents  after  the  inventory  had  been  made.     R. 
then  bought  real  estate  in  Brooklyn  for  $13,500  which  was  encumbered 
with  four  mortgages,  one  of  $5,000,  one  of  $6,000,  and  two  of  $1,000 
each.     He   then  bought  in  his  wife's  name  a  piece  of  land  in   Islip  for 
$4,000  from  a  Mr.  S.,  for  which  he  gave  in  payment  the  property  he  had 
recenlly  obtained  in  Brooklyn,  asserting  that  this  property    was    worth 
$15,000  and  was  encumbered  with  two  mortgagss,  only  those  for  $5,000 
and  $6,000.     Some   months  after,  however,  the  other  two  mortgages  for 
$1,000  each  were  brought  forward,  and  Mr.  S.  took  proceedings   against 
Mr.  R.  to  secure  the  nullification  of  the  rascally  transaction.     In  the  mean- 
time, however,  R.  had  apparently  transferred  the  land  at  Islip  to  another 
man.     But  he  ultimately  exchanged  it  for  a  hotel  in  Cochecton  which 
belonged  to  a  Mr.  T.     Of  course  he  said  nothing  about  having  come  into 


SWINDLERS.  21  1 

possession  of  the  property  by  dishonest  means  and  that  an  aetion  for  its 
restoration  was  in  progress.  He  took  possession  of  the  hotel,  and  when 
T.  came  to  Islip  to  enter  again  upon  his  property,  he  realized  the  fact  that 
he  had  been  swindled. 

The  transactions  of  only  one  of  these  rascals  will  serve  to  show  what 
swindling  is  done  in  these  real  estate  transactions,  and  how  absolutely 
necessary  it  is  to  conduct  all  business  of  this  kind  with  the  utmost  care 
and  caution.  In  the  first  place  it  is  most  necessary  to  have  the  title  of  the 
land  thoroughly  examined  into  by  a  trustworthy  lawyer  who  is  experienced 
in  this  kind  of  business,  also  the  amount  of  encumbrances  and  the  mode  of 
inheritance  of  the  previous  possessor  wkh  reference  to  any  possible  claims 
in  the  way  of  a  widows  rights.  This  costs  money,  but  money  so  spent  is 
not  thrown  away  ;  for  if  such  enquiry  preceded  every  purchase  or  exchange, 
such  swindling  would  become  impossible. 

A  piece  of  rascality  which  is  very  much  practised  now  and  which  takes 
for  its  victims  chiefly  strangers  who  come  to  New  York  is  the  Banco  or 
Bunco  Swindle. 

This  is  partly  a  lottery  and  partly  a  game  of  hazard,  in  which  loaded 
dice  are  used.  Cases  are  occurring  daily  where  people,  whom  the  swin" 
dlers  readily  perceive  to  be  strangers  in  the  city  or  M  greenhorns"  are 
addressed  by  someone  unknown  to  them  in  Broadway,  Fulton  Street,  or 
some  other  of  the  prominent  business  thoroughfares.  One  word  leads  to 
another.  The  unknown  person  goes  a  short  distance  with  the  stranger 
till  he  stops  before  a  house,  and  telling  how  he  won  fifty  dollars  recently 
in  a  lottery,  adds  that  this,  where  they  now  are,  is  the  office  and  that  ho 
wants  to  go  in  and  get  the  money.  Tf  the  stranger  will  come  up  with  him 
for  a  moment,  he  will  then  go  on  a  little  further  with  him.  That  is  the 
usual  manner  in  which  the  matter  is  introduced,  and  as  experience  proves, 
the  stranger  in  nine  times  out  of  ten  accepts  the  invitation  and  accom- 
panies his  unknown  companion  into  the  lottery  office  ;  this  is,  to  his  own 
ruin. 

We  will  call  the  stranger  Smith,  and  the  acquaintance  who  pretends  he 
has  won  money  in  the  lottery  we  will  call  Schultz.  They  have  gone  up 
Broadway  together,  have  got  into  Canal  Street,  and  before  one  of  the 
houses  there  Schultz  has  stopped.  They  go  up  stairs  and  enter  a  well- 
furnished  office  where,  behind  a  barrier,  a  well-dressed  clerk  is  standing 
at  a  desk.  Schultz  presents  his  ticket  and  the  clerk  opens  a  drawer  filled 
with  bank  notes  and  pays  Schultz  $48  cash  and  gives  him  two  tickets. 

14  What  am  I  to  do  with  these?"  asks  Schultz. 

11  They  are  tickets  for  a  drawing  in  the  bank.  We  always  give  two 
such  tickets  in  winnings  of  fifty  dollars  and  over,  so  that  the  winner  may 
try  his  luck  again." 

"  And  when  does  the  bank-drawing  come  off." 


252 


THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 


"Immediately,  If  you  like.     Whenever  you  please." 
And  thereupon  the  clerk  rolls  off  from  the  table  a  leather  covering,  and 
the  top  of  the  table  then  presents  the  following  form  of  numbers  : — 


31 

32 

8 
1000 

38 

* 

36 

* 

48 
1000 

33 

IF 

100 

1 

34 

18 

40 

1 

9 
100 

1 

10 
100 

1 

40 
5 
4 

10 
50 

1 

20 

40 

1 

17 

50 

1 

47 
300 

1 

42 

20 

1 

24 

10 

1 

43 

20 

1 

29 

** 

39 
5 

1 

15 

50 

1 

46 
250 

1 

28 

* 

41 

10 
1 

23 

1 
1 

35 
2 

1 

37 

* 

14 

75 
1 

12 

100 
1 

21 
25' 

1 

44 
10 

1 

13 

25 

1 

27 
5 
1 

30 

* 

25 

15 

1 

45 

25 

1 

26 

• 

19 

20 

1 

The  clerk  now  gives  to  Schultz  a  dice  box  with  eight  dice,  upon  which 
the  latter  gives  up  one  of  his  tickets,  and  throws  43.  They  now  look  for 
a  square  on  the  above  table  with  the  numbers  43,  20,  and  1.  The  43 
signifies  the  number  thrown  ;  the  20  the  amount  won  ;  and  the  1  the  stake. 
Thus  Schultz  has  won  twenty  dollars,  which  are  provisionally  credited  to 
him  ; — and  he  gives  his  remaining  ticket  to  Smith  who  has  thus  far  been 
only  a  spectator,  remarking  to  him  that  he  may  as  well  take  a  throw  and 
win  something  if  he  can.  Smith  takes  the  dice  box,  shakes  it  vigorously 
and  throws  43  also.  Thus  he  has  won  $20,  the  amount  is  not  paid  to 
him,  however,  but  credited  to  him,  as  before.  The  clerk  remarks  that 
Air.  Smith  seems  to  be  lucky,  he  ought  to  try  once  more.  Schultz,  toof 
advises  him  to  do  so.  He  lets  himself  be  persuaded,  throws  once  more 
and  again  wins,  the  winnings  being  put  to  his  credit.  He  has  now  warmed 
up  to  the  interest  of  the  game ;  he  takes  out  his  purse  and  buys  tickets, 
paying  for  them  in  hard  cash,  sits  down  and  goes  on  playing  until  he  has 
paid  away  $130  in  tickets  and  won  $1,400,  which,  however,  note  well, 
has  not  been  paid  over,  only  "  placed  to  his  credit*"  Now  he  wants  to 
leave  ;  but  the  clerk  and  Schultz  talk  him  over,  till  he  determines  to  have 
one  more  throw.  In  the  meanwhile,  during  the  conversation  that  has 
been  going  on  among  them  all,  Schultz  has  contrived  one  moment  so  that 
Smith  should  turn  his  back  on  the  clerk,  and  at  that  instant  the  latter 
changes  the  dice.*)     Smith  throws  again — this  time  31  ;  the  first  number 


*)  Both  sets  of  dice  are  loaded ; —the  first  set  in  suoh  a  manner  that  they  must  win,  the  second,  so 
Shat  they  must  lose. 


SWINDLERS. 


253 


on  the  table,  and  with  that,  as  the  clerk  informs  him  he  has  lost  all  his 
previous  winnings,  together  with  the  $130  that  he  has  paid  in  cash,  and 
by  which  amount,  therefore,  he  is  poorer  than  he  was  half  an  hour  pre- 
viously. 

Strangers  who  come  to  New  York  should  be  very  careful  how  they  let 
themselves  be  deceived  by  people  whom  they  do  not  know.  Cases  such 
as  this  we  have  mentioned  are  happening  every  day,  and  in  great  numbers. 
Many  people  who  are  swindled  in  this  way  go  off  to  a  detective,  thinking 
by  that  means  to  receive  back  their  money.  But  it  is  a  long  process, 
besides  which  the  detective  has  to  be  paid.  Most  of  them  go  home  again, 
poorer  in  pocket,  but  very  much  richer  in  experience. 


The  Detective  Swindle  consists  in  swindlers  falsely  representing 
themselves  to  be  detectives  to  people  in  order  to  levy  a  contribution  upon 
them,  and  the  trick  has  received  a  large  amount  of  success.  An  incident 
that  occurred  at  the  close  of  last  year  will  illustrate  this. 

It  had  come  to  the  knowledge  of  a  couple  of  swindlers  that  a  Mrs.  D. 
had  by  hard  work  managed  to  save  $250,  and  they  determined  to  rob  her 
of  this,  her  little  property.  One  of  the  swindlers  scraped  an  acquaintance 
with  Mrs.  D.  husband  who  is  a  cripple,  and  who  sells  children's  balloons 
in  the  street.  In  consequence  of  this  he  occasionally  visited  the  family. 
One  day  when  D.  was  not  at  home,  the  swindler  was  sitting  in  his  house 
talking  to  his  wife  ;  and  an  accomplice  came  up  and  said  he  wanted  to 
speak  a  few  words  to  Mrs.  D.  alone.  He  then  disclosed  to  her  that  he 
was  a  detective  and  had  called  upon  a  very  unpleasant  business.  H#r 
husband,  D.,  had  been  buying  some  balloons  that  had  been  smuggled, 
which  rendered  him  liable  to  imprisonment  for  ten  years  and  to  the  con- 
fiscation of  all  the  balloons  that  he  had  in  his  possession.  Mrs.  D.,  a 
simple  woman,  was  greatly  alarmed  at  this,  and  asked  the  advice  of  the 
other  swindler  whom  she  took  for  a  friend.  This  man  counselled  her  that 
the  business  was  a  very  ugly  one,  and  that  it  would  be  better  for  her  to 
"  settle"  it  by  some  arrangement  with  the  detective.  The  woman  was 
foolish  enough  to  follow  this  advice  and  gave  the  false  detective  the  $250, 
her  whole  possession,  and  one  which  she  had  accumulated  only  by  sheer 
hard  work  over  a  space  of  five  years.  If  the  woman  had  not  lost  her  head, 
but  had  had  the  presence  of  mind  to  insist  that  the  pretended  detective 
should  prove  that  he  was  a  detective,  she  would  not  have  lost  her  money. 


The  Bounty  Swindle  has  found  innumerable  victims.  Thousands  of 
persons  who  had  taken  part  in  the  war  and  were  entitled  to  bounty  money 
have  been  defrauded  of  it.  There  are  here  and  in  all  our  large  towns 
throughout  the  Union  a  great  number  of  these  swindlers,  and  one  of  them 


254  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

at  least  is  known  to  have  put  by  some  twenty  thousand  dollars.  Almost 
all  these  claim  agents  are  lawyers  who  in  practice  had  no  good  name  to 
lose.  _.    j 

The  mode  and  melhod  of  this  bounty  swindle  are  as  follows  : — 

A  is  a  soldier  who  has  received  his  discharge,  and  B  is  a  claim  agent. 
A  comes  to  B,  and  requests  him  to  look  after  his  bounty  money.  B  tells 
him  that  before  he  can  draw  it,  A  must  let  him  have  the  certificate  of  his 
honorable  discharge,  because  it  is  necessary  to  send  that  on  to  Washington 
as  evidence  of  the  justness  of  his  claim.  So  far  the  transaction  is  in  order, 
but  now  comes  the  trick.  B  tells  A  further,  that  together  with  the  certifi- 
cate there  is  another  document  required  at  Washington,  a  form  for  which 
A  is  to  sign  in  blank.  It  is  a  form  which  the  government  requires ; 
though,  why,  he  does  not  know.  A  signs  the  form  and  goes  away  with 
the  impression  that  in  a  few  days  he  will  receive  his  money. 

But  the  form  which  A,  in  his  ignorance  of  such  things  has  signed,  is  a 
full  authority  under  which  B  acquires  the  absolute  right  not  only  to  arrange 
for  the  payment  of  the  bounty,  but  also  to  endorse  the  money  order  of  the 
government  and  to  collect  the  money  at  the  bank.  Thus  fully  armed  with 
legal  power  and  authority,  B  draws  the  money  as  soon  as  he  has  the  order, 
puts  it  into  his  pocket,  and  keeps  it  there.  In  due  time  A  asks  B  whether 
he  has  received  his  money,  and  is  told  that  at  present  B  has  not  heard  any> 
thing  from  Washington.  The  same  answer  is  given  to  A  everytime  he 
calls,  till  at  length  his  suspicions  are  aroused  and  he  peremptorily  demands 
either  his  money  or  the  return  of  his  certificate. 

This  generally  leads  to  a  disclosure  of  the  cheat.  B  admits  that  he  got 
the  money,  but  that  he  has  paid  it  away,  at  the  same  time  making  the 
positive  assurance  tnat  he  will  make  it  good  as  soon  as  he  possibly  can. 
As  the  claim  agent  has  in  his  hands  unconditional  authority  from  A,  the 
latter  is  precluded  from  prosecuting  him  criminally ;  and  the  only  resource 
left  to  the  poor  swindled  soldier,  who  in  all  probability  is  a  cripple,  is  a 
civil  process  for  the  recovery  of  the  money.  But  this  is  not  of  much  use  ; 
for  the  swindler  possesses  nothing  which  can  be  touched  under  an  execu- 
tion, and  the  soldier  is  too  poor  to  pursue  the  matter  any  further.  So  he 
loses  his  bounty. 

And  it  has  been  thus  with  many  thousands.  When  one  remembers  how 
many  millions  of  dollars  have  been  voted  by  Congress  for  bounty  money, 
it  is  easy  to  understand  what  large  amounts  have  been  swindled  from  the 
soldiers  to  enrich  the  swindlers. 

In  the  western  papers  especially  there "  are  often  advertisements  to  be 
found  in  which  claim  agents  undertake  to  look  after  the  bounties  on  pay- 
ment in  advance  of  $2.  Such  advertisements  should  not  be  trusted.  Peo- 
ple who  still  have  bounty  money  to  receive  or  who  have  been  defrauded 
out  of  their  just  dues,  should  give  the  matter  into  the  hands  of  some  honor- 
able, trustworthy,  and  well  known  lawyer.     Such  a  man  would  attend  to 


SWINDLERS.  255 

the  matter  honorably  and  without  putting  forward  any  unreasonable  pre- 
tensions. 

The  Secret  Order  of  Money  Finders  is  quite  a  new  swindle,  in 
which  the  most  prominent  performer  is  one  B.  L.  Neal,  who  calls  himself 
the  "  grand  high  priest"  of  the  order,  and  has  his  throne  in  Sharon,  Pa. 
The  purpose  of  this  u  order"  appears  to  be  to  swindle  credulous  fools  out 
•of  five  dollars,  and  as  the  idea  is  somewhat  interesting,  we  will  define  it  a 
little  more  closely.  Mr.  Neal  sends  a  circular  and  two  cards — a  wThite 
and  a  red  one — to  every  person  whose  address  he  can  get  hold  of.  The 
white  card  exhibits  only  an  address.  The  red  shows  an  open  safe  and  a 
hand  full  of  bank  notes,  with  the  words  "  Application  ticket."  ^p3  "  This 
ticket  must  be  returned  with  the  application  for  membership."  The  prin- 
cipal document,  however,  is  the  circular  which  we  here  subjoin : — 

Secretary's  Office,  Dec,  1872. 
Honored  Sir  : 

Your  name  has  been  mentioned  by  a  companion  of 
our  order  as  that  of  one  who  is  desirous  of  entering  our  fraternity.  The 
purpose  of  our  organization  is,  as  the  name  implies,  to  attain  the  possibility 
of  assuring  an  independent  fortune  ;  that,  too,  easily,  quickly,  and  with 
complete  certainty.  The  preliminaries  are  already  made,  and  we  now 
only  require  some  trustworthy  men,  living  in  different  parts  of  the  country 
who  are  in  a  position  to  give  the  information  necessary  for  success. 
These  will  be  furnished  with  all  that  is  required  for  the  purpose,  and 
guaranteed  to  participate  in  the  quarterly  dividends. 

We  have  nominated  a  certain  number  of  our  most  energetic  members 
as  travelling  agents,  each  of  whom  has  his  allotted  district,  the  round  of 
which  he  makes  every  month.  At  an  appointed  place  he  then  meets  the 
local  representative  of  the  district  whose  report  he  takes  and  then  gives 
him  the  password,  the  instructions  and  everything  required  for  the  next 
month.  By  this  means  we  avoid  a  large  correspondence  through  the  post. 
We  must  here  remark  that  wTe  wish  to  receive  only  one  letter  from  each 
person  who  gets  this  circular,  that  one  of  application  for  membership  and 
for  which  the  red  card  enclosed  is  to  be  returned. 

You  can  readily  perceive  that  it  would  not  be  convenient  to  enter  any 
further  into  details  in  this  circular,  for  it  is  impossible  for  us  to  know  into 
whose  hands  it  may  come.  For  the  same  reason  we  also  refuse  under 
all  circumstances  to  give  further  information  of  our  plans,  except  to  a 
regularly  constituted  member,  which  you  can  become  when  you  have  sent 
the  admission  fees  amounting  to  $5  to  the  address  of  the  secretary — 
according  to  the  enclosed  card.  In  return  for  that  you  will  receive  a 
sealed  packet  containing  the  password,  tests,  plan  of  operations,  and  all 
«ise  that   may  be  needed.     You  must  name  a  place  where  you  can  meet 


256  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

our  travelling  agent  who  will  give  you  complete  information  and  full  in- 
structions with  all  that  is  requisite  for  the  first  month.  In  naming  a  place 
of  meeting  have  the  goodness  to  select  one  that  is  near  to  a  railroad  sta- 
tion, so  that  our  traveller  may  be  as  little  delayed  as  possible.  The  time 
of  the  meeting  we  will  fix  ourselves. 

If  you  feel  disposed  to  join  us,  answer  this  as  soon  as  possible.  But  do 
not  overlook  the  fact  that  no  more  information  can  be  given  before  you 
become  a  member.     Our  rules  in  this  respect  are  positive." 

And  so  it  goes  on.  The  reader  will  see  that  when  anybody  is  so  foolish 
as  to  send  the  required  $5  he  can  lay  claim  to  nothing.  The  whole  plan 
is  only  a  new  way  to  find  as  many  credulous  and  inquisitive  people  as  pos- 
sible, out  of  whom  the  sum  of  $5  may  be  swindled. 

The  Prize  Candy  Swindle  is  carried  on  upon  all  the  railroads  out  of 
New  York,  and  it  annoys  the  passengers  not  a  little.  These  packets  with 
so-called  prize  candy,  which  are  sold  at  from  25  to  50  cents  each,  are  said 
to  contain,  besides  the  candy,  money  to  the  value  of  from  five  cent3  to  ten 
dollars.  But  in  reality  they  rarely  contain  besides  the  candy,  which  is 
worth  4  or  5  cents,  more  money  than  five  or  ten  cents.  It  is  in  fact  a  lot- 
tery swindle.  But  it  must  be  profitable,  for  the  people  who  receive  per- 
mission from  the  railroad  companies  to  sell  their  packets  of  candy  in  the 
trains  have  to  pay  dearly  for  it.  For  example  on  the  New  York  Central 
Railroad  the  people  who  exercise  the  right  to  sell  there  prize  candy  and 
newspapers,  &c,  pay  as  much  as  $10,000  for  the  privilege. 

The  Firm  Swindle  flourishes  chiefly  by  the  defrauding  of  persons  who 
reside  out  of  the  city,  and  has  existed  about  a  year  and  a  half.  At  that 
time  ago  a  firm  under  the  title  of  "  Wm.  E.  Howard  &  Co.,  exporters  and 
wholesale  dealers  in  flour,  grain  and  produce,  10  Bridge  Street,  New  York, 
and  243  King  Street,  Liverpool,"  issued  circulars  far  and  wide  throughout 
the  country  to  produce  dealers  and  other  business  men  in  similar  lines  to 
establish  relations  with  them  and  to  receive  consignments.  A  very  reputa- 
ble firm  in  Toledo  was  induced  by  these  circulars  to  write  to  Howard  & 
Co.  relative  to  the  attainment  of  business  relations  ;  and  in  return  they 
received  a  business-like  answer  which  created  an  exceedingly  favorable 
impression,  in  which  the  writers  ordered  a  car-load  of  flour  and  said  that 
if  the  transaction  turned  out  satisfactorily  they  expected  that  the  associa- 
tion would  be  of  considerable  duration.  It  was  further  stated  in  the  letter 
that  the  firm  made  its  purchases  at  thirty  days,  and  in  testimony  of  their 
responsibility  they  referred  to  the  president  of  the  Empire  National  Bank, 
Mr.  M.  W.  Miller,  704  Broadway. 

This  was  all  very  business-like  and  well  calculated  to  create  confidence. 
But  before  the  Toledo  house  adjusted  the  required  order  for  Howard  & 


SWINDLERS.  257 

Co.,  they  wrote  to  President  Miller  and  requested  the  favor  of  some  infor- 
mation concerning  them.  To  that  letter  the  following  answer  was  re- 
ceived : — 

"  In  reply  to  your  favor  and  enquiries  respecting  the  responsibility  of 
Messrs.  Wm.  E.  Howard  &  Co.  I  gladly  inform  you  that  they  deserve 
the  fullest  confidence.  The  firm  has  done  business  for  several  years  with 
our  bank  and  none  of  their  notes  have  ever  been  protested. 

Respectfully 

M.  B.  Miller,  President. 

This,  too,  was  very  satisfactory,  and  at  first  the  house  in  Toledo  almost 
reproached  themselves  for  having  made  the  enquiry  of  the  president,  when 
suddenly  it  occurred  to  them  that  it  might  be  better  to  obtain  some  infor- 
mation concerning  the  Empire  National  Bank  itself,  where  according  to 
Mr.  Miller  the  firm  of  Howard  &  Co.  had  their  account.  This  was  done  ; 
and  to  the  great  astonishment  of  the  Toledo  house  it  turned  out  that  there 
was  no  such  bank  in  New  York  as  the  Empire  National.  The  whole 
thing  was  a  swindle.  But  it  was  quite  probable  that  the  swindlers 
operating  under  this  name  of  Howard  &  Co.  had  done  considerable  injury 
to  very  many  produce  dealers  in  the  West  who  had  been  less  cautious  than 
the  people  of  Toledo  ;  for  when  the  swindle  under  the  above  name  was 
discovered,  it  turned  out  that  the  fellows  had  been  working  under  at  least 
half  a  dozen  other  aliases. 

The  Subscription  Swindle  is  already  somewhat  old,  but  it  still  goes 
on  and  injures  both  respectable  publishers  and  the  public  generally,  because 
people  at  a  distance  who  do  not  know  the  publishers  personally,  only  too 
readily  mistake  the  swindlers  for  solid  business  people.  Very  often  these 
swindlers,  under  the  pretence  of  collecting  subscribers  for  some  periodical, 
offer  tliem  below  the  regular  prices  ;  when  this  is  done,  it  may  be  quite  cer- 
tain that  there  is  some  rascality  at  work,  for  no  respectable  publisher  will 
permit  his  agent  to  depart  from  the  prices  and  terms  that  are  laid  down  at 
the  office,  or  to  give  a  preference  to  one  customer  over  another.  Besides 
which  every  respectable  travelling  agent  for  any  such  line  of  business  will 
always  be  able  to  show  some  kind  of  authority  which  will  prove  him  to  be 
what  he  represents  himself. 

The  Adoption  Swindle  is  something  quite  new.  An  advertisement 
appears  in  the  newspapers  to  the  effect  that  any  respectable  family  who 
will  adopt  a  pretty  healthy  child,  five  months  old,  shall  receive  $5,000  ; 
and  that  for  the  remittance  of  25  cents  a  photograph  of  the  child  will  be 
forwarded  if  the  persons  will  send  their  address.  Now  there  are  so  many 
childless  people  who  would  be  willing  to  adopt  a  child  on  the  consideration 

17 


258  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

of  receiving  $5,000,  that  the  swindler  who  inserted  the  advertisement  can- 
not fail  to  receive  many  letters  of  application  containing  25  cents. 

A  special  kind  of  Lawyer  Swindle  has  also  lately  come  into  operation. 
Some  firm  of  lawyers,  for  instance,  which  undertakes  to  help  such  people 
as  have  been  swindled  by  "  gift-enterprises,"  &c,  &c,  and  to  make  the 
swindlers  give  back  their  plunder,  put  an  advertisement  in  the  papers  to 
that  effect ;  and  demand  a  fee  of  two  dollars  for  undertaking  such  commis- 
sion. As  there  are  so  many  thousands  of  persons  in  all  parts  of  the  country 
who  have  been  cheated  by  swindlers,  so  there  are  most  likely  very  many 
who,  in  the  hope  of  getting  back  something,  are  ready  to  spend  another 
two  dollars.  We  advise  all  such  who  have  been  swindled  once  to  content 
themselves  with  the  first  loss  and  not  to  throw  good  mone^v  away  after  bad. 

We  come  now  to  the  Inheritance  Swindle.  The  desire  for  an  inherit- 
ance, and  thereby  to  have  a  competency  or  perhaps  wealth,  is  very  excusa- 
ble ;  since  a  competency  is  one  of  the  foundations  of  an  agreeable  life.  It 
could  not  be  expected  then  that  the  existence  of  such  a  wish  would  not  be 
taken  advantage  of  by  swindlers  to  induce  them  to  cast  their  nets,  and 
probably  to  maks  a  rich  booty.  This  kind  of  cheat  is  practised  chiefly  by 
people  who  give  themselves  out  as  lawyers,  and  they  do  it  in  various  ways. 

In  one,  the  swindler  writes  to  persons  who  reside  at  a  distance,  to  the 
effect  that  an  old  relative  has  lately  died  and  left  to  each  of  his  surviving 
relations  a  sum  of  six  or  eight  hundred,  or  a  thousand  dollars,  and  that  the 
writer  of  the  letter  has  been  left  executor.  He  instructs  the  person 
addressed  that  he  must  send  on  such  and  such  papers  together  with  the 
remittance — and  here  comes  the  most  important  point — of  fifteen  or  twenty 
dollars  ;  according  as  whether  the  pretended  inheritance  is  greater  or  less. 
This  kind  of  swindle  has  been  practised  repeatedly,  and  has  lightened  the 
pockets  of  a  large  number  of  people  who  are  in  want  of  inheritances. 

Another  method  of  proceeding  is  for  the  swindler  to  procure  from  the 
directories  of  different  towns  a  list  of  names  which  are  common,  such  as 
Smith,  King,  Jones  ;  or  the  German  Muller,  Schmidt,  Becker,  &c.  They 
then  write  under  the  feigned  name  of  a  legal  firm,  using  in  it  the  names  of 
the  people  they  are  going  to  swindle  ;  the  object  of  which  is  to  create  the 
inference  that  one  of  the  partners  of  the  firm  has  some  personal  interest  in 
the  matter.  So  that  a  letter  to  Mr.  King  would  be  signed  by  a  King,  one 
to  Mr.  Smith  by  a  Smith,  and  so  on.  To  give  the  thing  an  air  of  business 
the  letters  are  written  upon  paper  which  has  an  elaborately  printed  head- 
ing with  the  name  of  the  firm,  &c.  In  this  letter  the  person  addressed  is 
informed  that  the  writer  has  just  returned  from  a  visit  to  England  or  Ger- 
many, which  he  made  in  connection  with  the  management  of  an  inherft- 
ance ;  and  that  he  thereby  learned  that  some  time  ago  a  very  rich  old  man 
of  the  name  of  the  person  addressed  had  died,  leaving  many  family  con- 


SWINPI.I  B8.  '2~>0 

nectkma  resident  in  America.  The  division  of  the  property  had,  however, 
been  delayed  since  it  was  necessary  first  to  communicate  with  the  relations 
living  here.  The  writer  had,  therefore,  been  engaged  by  some  of"  the  heirs 
on  this  side  to  protect  their  rights  in  the  property  ;  and  hearing  that  the 
person  addressed  was  a  distant  relative,  lie  had  written  to  him  in  case  he 
should  desire  to  secure  his  portion  of  the  inheritance.  He  begged,  there- 
fore, in  that  case  that  he  would  send  his  pedigree  as  soon  as  possible,  as 
perfect  as  he  could  make  it,  and  enclose  at  the  same  time  the  sum  of  one 
-dollar,  upon  which  the  writer  would  at  once  send  back  a  copy  of  the  com- 
plete pedigree  of  the  former  proprietor  of  the  property,  with  which  pedigree 
he  was  then  at  work. 

A  case  of  this  kind  was  once  given  into  the  hands  of  a  clever  detective, 
and  it  then  came  out  that  to  every  hundred  such  letters  more  than  half 
Mere  answered  with  the  accompaniment  of  one  dollar.  But  the  object  of 
the  swindler  is  not  to  obtain  a  dollar  only.  He  aims  much  farther  than 
that ;  and  the  first  letter  is  only  the  means  by  which  he  intends  to  draw 
more.  The  people  who  answer  him,  and  who  send  the  dollar,  are  written 
to  again,  to  the  effect  that  it  was  necessary  for  the  proper  management  of 
the  business  to  engage  the  services  of  an  experienced  lawyer,  and  for  that 
purpose  it  had  been  decided  at  a  meeting  of  the  heirs  resident  here  to  raise 
a  fund  by  subscription,  among  all  who  wished  their  interests  promoted,  to 
the  amount  of  ten  dollars  from  each  person.  The  result  of  this  device, 
as  shown  by  the  disclosures  made  in  the  case  above  alluded  to  where  the 
services  of  a  detective  were  engaged,  was  that  the  people  who  had  sent  one 
dollar  invariably  sent  the  other  ten  after  it ;  nay,  many  of  them  anxious 
above  all  things  to  have  their  interests  furthered  and  to  get  the  inheritance 
sent  larger  amounts  than  that,  many  of  them  up  even  to  a  hundred  dollars  ! 
The  booty  made  by  these  swindlers  was  thus  often  very  great.  In  every 
«case  which  has  been  placed  in  the  hands  of  an  able  detective  the  latter  has 
succeeded,  where  the  swindler  did  not  care  to  go  to  jail,  in  compelling  him 
to  return  the  whole  of  the  plunder,  and  also  to  make  a  reinbursement  of 
the  costs  incurred. 

Once,  some  years  ago,  a  swindler  came  forward  here  who  thought  to 
extend  his  operations  into  Germany,  but  he  was  very  neatly  exposed.  The 
credit  of  the  exposure  belongs  to  the  editor  of  the  "  Indiana  Volksfreund," 
a  paper  appearing  at  Fort  Wayne,  Ind.  ;  so  we  avail  ourselves  of  an  article 
opon  the  subjecl  which  the  editor  published  and  which  reads  as  follows : 

44  In  a  number  of  the  "  Alb  Bote,"  published  in  Elburgen,  in  Wurtem- 
berg,  with  which  we  have  been  favored,  there  appears  the  following  notice  ; 

AMERICA 
30,000  Heirs  Wanted  I 


260  THE   DARK    SIDE    OF   NEW    YORK   LIFE. 

Among  the  papers  published  by  W.  U.  Reichert,  Director  of  the  German? 
American  Enquiry  and  Intelligence  Office,  at  Fort  Wayne,  Indiana,  there- 
is  an  authentic  catalogue  of  29,780  names  of  persons  who  have  died  in 
North  and  South  America,  Mexico,  and  Canada,  since  the  year  1770r 
most  of  whom  left  fortunes  of  which  the  heirs  have  as  yet  made  no  inqui- 
ries. In  this  list  are  the  names  of  many  people  who  fell  in  the  wars  of 
1776  up  to  1815,  also  in  the  Mexican  "War  of  1845  up  to  1848,  and  in  the 
Civil  War  of  1861  to  1865.  Some  died  in  hospitals,  others  on  ships  of 
war,  but  in  all  cases  their  relations  and  heirs  are  unknown.  This  alpha- 
betical catalogue  has  been  prepared  from  the  government  archives,  at  con- 
siderable  labor  and  expense  extending  over  eight  years,  and  may  be  pur- 
chased in  parts,  each  of  which  contains  about  4,000  names,  besides  much 
detailed  information  with  regard  to  the  recovery  of  the  property  left  behind- 
Price,  each  number  $1.  To  be  had  post  free  from  the  publisher  on  receipt 
of  the  amount." 

"  We  should  be  guilty  of  a  dereliction  of  duty  if  we  were  to  neglect  to 
disclose  the  swindle  contained  in  this  advertisement,  which  very  probably 
has  been  taken  in  good  faith  by  other  newspapers.  Any  poor  people  who 
take  the  bait  here  thrown  out  with  such  consummate  skill,  in  the  hope  that 
they  will  obtain  an  inheritance,  will  only  be  throwing  away  their  hard 
earned  money  to  an  unscrupulous  swindler. 

There  is  in  Fort  Wayne  no  German- American  Enquiry  and  Intelligence 
Office,  and  no  Director  of  it.  W.  U.  Reichert,  as  he  proclaims  himself  in 
this  advertisement,  is  William  Reich,  a  swindler  as  notorious  in  America 
as  in  Germany.  He  is  the  same  man  who  some  years  ago,  in  Stuttgart, 
where  he  was  living  in  great  style,  announced  that  he  was  ready  to  give 
employment  to  the  order  of  an  American  Petroleum  Company  to  two  hun- 
dred coopers.  These  were  to  have  a  free  passage,  but  they  must  deposit 
20  florins  as  security.  Hundreds  of  poor  fellows,  coopers  by  trade,  went 
to  him  and  entrusted  him  with  their  hard  earned  money,  whereupon,  when, 
the  police  began  to  be  somewhat  diligent  in  their  enquiries  after  him,  he 
disappeared  from  Stuttgart  and  came  over  to  America.  Here  he  took  the 
name  of  W.  U.  Reichert,  which  he  has  for  the  greater  part  of  the  time 
since  continued  to  use  and  has  already  made  it  very  nearly  to  appear  as 
his  right  name.  In  Louisville  Reich  learned  the  book  printing  business, 
and  exercised  much  skill  as  a  compositor,  which  he  understood  excellently 
well  how  to  use  for  his  swindling  operations.  He  ran  away  from  Louis- 
ville with  the  cash-box,  containing  some  $1,900,  belonging  to  a  "Draft 
Club"  which  had  been  instituted  for  the  purpose  of  finding  substitutes  for 
any  of  its  members  who  chanced  to  be  drawn  for  military  service.  A  little 
later  Reich  turned  up  in  Berlin,  a  town  of  Canada,  where  he  opened  an 
agency  office  and  took  money  for  the  alledged  purpose  of  remitting  it  to 
Germany.     He  then  went  to  the  State  of  New  York  and  swindled  people 


SWINDLERS. 


261 


under  the  pretence  of  being  a  methodist  preacher.  After  that  he  made  an 
appearance  in  various  places  successively,  but  always  in  the  same  line  of 
business,  that  of  a  swindler.  He  came  here  as  foreman  on  the  "  Volks- 
freund." An  advertisement  that  appeared  in  our  paper  relative  to  an 
inheritance  in  America  that  had  fallen  to  a  family  from  Brunswick,  prob- 
ably gave  him  the  idea  of  instituting  a  new  kind  of  swindle  out  of  the 
desire  of  our  German  countrymen  to  come  to  an  inheritance  through  their 
American  relations. 

He  sent  out  privately  a  circular,  a  copy  of  which  has  since  come  to  us, 
wherein  he  makes  to  his  "colleagues  of  the  press"  the  plausible  proposal 
that  if  they  would  print  a  notice  "  as  above"  three  times  he  would  send 
them  the  whole  eijrht  numbers  of  his  catalogue  free.  He  then  went  on  to 
select  the  German  sounding  names  from  the  official  lists  published  by 
authority  of  the  United  States  government  of  men  who  had  died  in  the 
ranks  of  the  Union  troops  during  the  Civil  War,  and  to  collect  them  into 
lists.  He  had  just  got  the  first  sheets  of  these  ready  when  people  suspected 
his  intentions  and  of  course  he  was  at  once  dismissed  from  his  situation. 
The  printed  sheets  of  his  catalogue,  the  whole  edition  of  which  was  got 
back  in  the  office  of  the  u  Volksfreund,"  contained  a  quantity  of  names 
with  consecutive  numbers,  and  at  the  top  of  each  on  either  side  was  the 
following  printed  notice: — "Accurate  information  concerning  all  of  these 
may  be  procured  from  W.  U.  Reichert  of  Fort  Wayne,  Indiana ;"  this 
showing  beyond  a  doubt  that  the  first  dollar,  the  price  of  each  part  of  the 
catalogue  was  only  a  means  to  be  used  for  making  further  extortions. 

As  soon  as  Reich  saw  that  he  was  unmasked  and  understood  here  he 
left  the  town,  and  is  now,  as  we  are  informed,  in  Dayton,  Ohio." 

Such  was  the  information  given  by  the  editor  of  the  "  Volksfreund." 
And  as  we  find  that  this  work  is  being  read  largely  on  the  other  side  of  the 
Atlantic,  we  have  thought  it  well  to  give  the  case  in  full  as  a  warning  to 
people  in  Europe  against  similar  attempts  at  robbery  which  by  a  like 
-device  might  be  undertaken  by  people  of  any  nationality  against  their 
countrymen. 

The  Confidence  Swindle,  is  one  which  finds  its  victims  partly  among 
strangers  who  come  to  New  York,  but  sometimes,  too,  among  New  Yorkers 
themselves.  It  assumes  various  forms,  but  the  name  explains  it.  It  is  an 
abuse  and  breach  of  trust.  When  the  swindlers  go  upon  their  hunting 
excursions  they  usually  hunt  up  strangers,  inveigle  themselves  into  the 
acquaintance  of  persons  who  are  not  acquainted  with  New  York  life  and 
its  dangers,  and  when  they  would  plunder  them  seek  some  connection 
somewhere.  As  a  warning  against  these  swindlers  we  can  do  nothing  bet- 
ter than  relate  some  incidents. 

A  well-dressed  lady  drove  up  before  a  large  business  house,  made  some 
purchases  and  requested  that  someone  might  be  allowed  to  accompany  her 


262 


THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 


to  receive  the  payment  for  them.  The  wish  was  complied  with.  A  clerfe; 
got  into  the  carriage  with  her  and  the  lady  stopped  before  one  of  the  large- 
hotels.  She  got  out,  took  the  parcel,  and  requested  the  clerk  to  wait  in 
the  carriage,  she  would  come  down  immediately  with  the  money  and  then 
drive  on  farther.  The  clerk  waited  one  quarter  of  an  hour,  then  another- 
At  last  he  grew  impatient,  and  going  into  the  hotel  asked  for  the  lady. 
But  she  was  not  known  there  and  had  disappeared  through  another 
entrance. 

Some  time  ago  a  person  named  Fiol.  who  represented  himself  to  be  the- 
Spanish  consul  at  Charleston,  went  into  a  large  clothing  store  and  ordered 
two  suits  of  clothes,  remarking  at  the  same  time  that  if  they  gave  him 
satisfaction  he  would  order  also  a  consuls  uniform.  The  clothes  were  to> 
be  ready  upon  a  certain  day  when  he  would  pay  for  them.  Two  days 
before  that  he  came  and  asked  whether  the  clothes  were  ready?  as  he  was 
going  out  with  the  Spanish  consul  in  New  York.  But  they  were  not  ready 
and  in  consequence  he  took  with  him  a  coat  that  was  ready.  He  also  took 
a  hat.  It  then  occurred  to  him  that  he  had  forgotten  his  purse  and  left  it 
at  the  hotel,  and  vexed  at  being  obliged  to  go  back  to  the  hotel  on  that 
account,  he  presently  asked  the  principal  of  the  establishment  to  assist  him 
with  fifteen  dollars  till  the  next  day  when  he  would  return  it.  The  prin- 
cipal quite  readily  did  this,  willing  to  aid  a  good  customer.  He  returned 
on  the  following  day  and  gave  an  order  that  the  account  for  the  clothes  he 
had  ordered,  the  coat  and  hat  he  had  taken  on  the  previous  day  and  the- 
cash  lent  should  be  sent  to  a  banking  house  that  he  named  in  Wall  Street,, 
where  he  said  a  Mr.  Ross  would  pay  them.  The  account  was  sent,  but 
Mr.  Ross  was  not  to  be  found  in  the  bank,  and  nothing,  whatever,  was 
known  of  the  Spanish  consul  from  Charleston. 

Other  swindlers  send  orders  t6  business  people  in  the  name  of  substan- 
tial houses,  the  goods  to  be  sent  to  some  place  appointed.  The  people 
have  no  mistrust  in  the  order,  since  the  firm  named  frequently  sends  for 
goods  in  that  manner,  and  it  is  filled.  The  goods  are  forwarded  to  the 
place  named,  generally  some  pier  as  if  for  shipment,  where  they  are  taken 
possession  of  by  one  of  the  swindlers  in  the  name  of  the  pretended  firm. 
He  then  puts  them  on  to  another  truck  and  removes  them.  And  when  the- 
house  whose  name  was  used  in  the  order  receives  the  invoice,  it  is  of  course 
returned.     But  the  swindlers  are  very  seldom  discovered. 

Another  plan  is  as  follows  : — The  swindler  calls  the  driver  of  some  truck 
which  has  upon  it  easily  transportable  bales  or  boxes,  and  asks  him  which 
way  he  is  going.     When  the  driver  answers  him,  he  says  : — "  All  right*. 

will  you  take  a  small  box  for  me  to  No. in  such  and  such  a  street  ? 

You  are  going  by  there."  The  driver  consents,  and  the  swindler  requests 
him  then  to  come  up  with  him  and  to  help  him  to  bring  down  the  box. 
They  go  up  two  or  three  flights  of  stairs,  and  then  the  swindler  finds- 
apparently  to  his  disgust  that  the  office  is  locked.     He  requests  the  driver 


SWINDLERS*  263 

to  wait  a  moment,  his  partner  has  gone  out  and  left  the  key  in  the  store 
below.  Thereupon  he  hurries  clown  stairs,  gets  on  to  the  truck  and  drives 
fast  away  to  BOHM  thieves  resort  where  he  takes  off  the  bales  or  boxes  and 
then  drives  horse  and  wagon  to  some  by-lane  and  leaves  them  there.  The 
cheated  driver  probably  receives  them  back  again  through  the  medium  of 
the  police,  but  the  goods  are  not  recovered. 

At  an  earlier  stage  of  this  chapter  we  took  occasion  to  remark  that 
many  of  the  swindling  operations  which  are  in  vogue  here  are  practised  on 
the  railroads  that  run  from  the  city.  This  is  iu  a  measure  the  case  with 
the  confidence  swindle.  Some  time  ago  a  gentleman  came  here  from 
Cleveland  by  the  Hudson  River  Road.  At  Hudson  another  person  got 
into  the  car  ;  he  was  neatly  dressed  and  had  a  gold  eye-glass  and  a  white 
necktie,  so  that  he  was  readily  taken  for  a  minister.  He  looked  about  for 
a  place  and  as  there  was  one  vacant  next  to  the  gentleman  from  Cleveland 
he  took  it ;  then  drew  a  newspaper  from  his  pocket  and  began  to  read. 
The  Cleveland  man  who  had  never  yet  been  in  New  York,  and  had 
travelled  but  very  little  altogether  began  with  a  very  common  phrase  to  get 
up  a  conversation  : — "Beautiful  weather  to-day!"  The  stranger  politely 
replied.  And  when  the  gentleman  expressed  his  admiration  at  the  beauti- 
ful country  and  neighborhood,  the  stranger  asked  him  whether  he  had 
never  been  there  before.  "  T  have  never  been  in  New  York  yet,"  was  the 
answer,  and  after  some  further  words  had  been  exchanged,  the  stranger 
said  that  he  liked  a  smoke  and  was  going  into  the  smoking-car  to  take  a 
cigar.  After  that  he  should  return  and  wrould  do  himself  the  pleasure  to 
take  a  seat  by  him  again.  After  a  quarter  of  an  hour  he  returned,  and  a 
short  time  more  found  both  of  them  in  the  midst  of  a  very  lively  conversa- 
tion, in  which  the  stranger  made  known  that  he  took  great  interest  in  mis- 
sions, and  spoke  also  much  of  religion  ;  so  that  the  gentleman  from  Cleve- 
land looked  upon  with  a  certain  respect  and  congratulated  himself  upon 
having  so  worthy  and  agreeable  a  travelling  companion.  While  the  two 
were  thus  actively  interesting  themselves,  another  mau  came  into  the  car 
who  pretended  to  be  looking  about  for  a  seat,  but  seeing  the  stranger  im- 
mediately addressed  him  with  the  words  u  Hallo  !  Mr.  Radford  how  are 
you?  I  am  glad  to  see  you"  and  shook  hands  with  him.  The  stranger, 
whom  we  will  now  know  as  Radford,  returned  the  greeting  in  the  warmest 
manner,  and  auyone  could  see  that  a  weight  had  fallen  from  the  mind  of 
the  new  comer  now  that  he  had  met  Radford.  He  drew  a  paper  from  his 
pocket,  showed  it  to  Radford,  and  although  the  conversation  was  not  car- 
ried on  in  a  loud  voice,  the  gentleman  from  Cleveland,  nevertheless,  heard 
occasionally  some  of  the  remarks  : — "  Indeed,  my  friend,  I  cannot  to-day. 
All  that  I  have  with  me  are  some  $500  bonds,  and  I  am  going  to  New 
York  to  sell  them,  and  then  I  have  a  lot  of  little  accounts  to  settle." 

To  this  the  other  replied  "  But  I  am  really  in  great  embarrassment 


264  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK   LIFE. 

to-day,  and  if  you  can  possibly  help  me,  you  would,  indeed,  be  conferring 
upon  me  a  very  great  favor." 

After  a  short  pause  Radford  turned  to  the  gentleman  from  Cleveland 
with  the  words  : — "  My  friend  here,  whom  I  have  met  by  chance  in  the 
train,  has  a  note  of  mine  in  his  possession  which  is  just  due,  and  I  am 
going  to  New  York  to  sell  these  bonds — at  the  same  time  drawing  out 
some  bonds  and  showing  them  to  him — and  then  to  pay  the  note  and  some 
other  accounts.  But  my  friend  is  greatly  in  need  of  money  and  wants  the 
amount  this  evening.  It  is  only  $110,  but  I  have  not  got  so  much  about 
me.  Can  you  help  me  out  of  the  difficulty?  As  soon  as  we  reach  New 
York,  we  will  go  directly  together  to  a  broker's  office,  where  I  will  sell  the 
bonds  and  return  you  the  $110. 

"  Certainly,"  replied  the  gentleman  from  Cleveland  with  much  readi- 
ness. And  he  took  out  his  purse  and  counted  out  $110  into  Radford's 
bauds.  Radford  paid  the  money  to  his  friend  who  then  left  the  train  at 
Poughkeepsie,  but  he  himself  remained  in  the  car  and  entered  into  conver- 
sation again  with  the  gentleman  from  Cleveland.  "When  the  train  reached 
Garrison's  Station,  Radford  drew  the  attention  of  his  neighbor  to  the 
scenery  about  West  Point,  and  whilst  the  latter  was  looking  at  it  ad- 
miringly from  the  window,  and  was  quite  absorbed  in  the  beautiful  pro- 
spect, the  train  began  to  move  slowly  on  again.  At  this  moment  Radford 
suddenly  made  a  very  unministerial  spring  towards  the  nearest  door,  tore 
it  open  and  jumped  off  the  car.  The  train  went  on  and  presently  Radford 
was  out  of  sight  of  the  Cleveland  man  who  sat  motionless  with  astonish- 
ment, and  was  a  long  time  before  he  could  recover  from  his  surprise. 

Of  course  Radford  and  his  "friend"  were  accomplices,  and  when, the 
former  went  out  ostensibly  to  smoke  a  segar  they  had  arranged  the  opera- 
tion together. 

But  it  is  not  men  only  who  are  engaged  in  the  confidence  swindle, 
women,  too,  enter  upon  it ; — and  they  are  the  more  dangerous.  For  they 
deceive  the  men  partly  through  their  feminine  attractions  and  pretended 
virtue,  and  sometimes  by  playing  the  part  of  unfortunate  widows,  thus 
falsely  preying  upon  the  good  intentions  of  honorable  men  who  are  ready 
to  do  an  act  of  kindness. 

The  following  case  occurred  lately. — A  woman  of  middle  age,  plain  in 
appearance  and  possessing  no  very  winning  attractions,  came  to  a  respect- 
able man  in  easy  circumstances  and  told  him  that  her  uncle  had  recently 
died  in  Germany  and  had  left  her  a  considerable  property  which  she 
wished  to  secure  to  her  children  before  marriage.  As  she  had  heard  the 
gentleman  mentioned  as  an  honorable  and  trustworthy  man,  she  requested 
him  to  undertake  the  guardianship  of  her  children  and  the  management  of 
the  property.  But  she  wanted  the  small  sum  of  about  thirty  dollars  to  pay 
a  lawyer's  fees,  for  the  preparation  of  the  necessary  papers,  and  as  she  was 
without  means  she  requested  Mr.  N.  to  kindly  furnish   her  the  trifling 


SWINDLERS.  2G5 

amount  required.  He  did  so,  and  the  woman  came  to  him  no  more. 
Some  time  afterwards,  however,  Mr.  N.  ascertained  where  she  resided 
and  had  her  arrested.  When  she  was  tried  it  came  out  in  evidence  that 
she  had  by  similar  means  swindled  quite  a  large  number  of  respectable 
people,  together  to  the  amount  of  $3,000.  Most  of  the  persons  she  had 
applied  to  had  taken  the  bait,  thinking  thereby  to  obtain  the  management 
of  a  considerable  property. 

Here  is  another  case. — A  well-known  member  of  Congress  from  the 
West,  whom  we  will  call  Pride,  came  at  the  end  of  the  session  to  this  city. 
He  went  to  the  Astor  House,  and  on  the  following  morning  his  name 
appeared  among  the  list  of  arrivals  in  the  newspapers.  He  had  dined  and 
was  sitting  in  the  gentleman's  parlor  when  one  of  the  servants  of  the  hotel 
brought  him  a  neat  note  which  had  been  sent  up  for  him.  He  opened  it 
and  found  a  letter  written  on  a  sheet  of  gilt-edged  paper  in  a  very  good 
lady's  hand  and  signed  : — "  Celia  Brownley."  He  did  not  know  the  name. 
But  the  letter  informed  him  that  the  writer  was  a  young  lady  who  once 
had  lived  in  good  circumstances ;  that  her  father  had  been  ruined  by 
another  man  and  had  died  of  grief;  that  her  mother  was  ill  and  that  she 
was  living  in  very  miserable  circumstances.  "When  she  was  looking 
through  the  papers  in  the  morning  in  search  of  a  situation  as  governess  or 
teacher  she  had  accidentally  fallen  upon  his  name  in  the  list  of  arrivals, 
and  as  she  had  often  heard  her  father  mention  him  as  a  man  of  great  liber- 
ality and  kind-heartedness,  she  had  taken  the  liberty  of  applying  to  him, 
she  would  not  have  ventured  to  write  to  him  if  she  had  not  felt  constrained 
to  seek  his  advice  by  the  sickness  of  her  mother  ;  and  she  thought  it  might 
be  possible  that  among  his  numerous  acquaintances  he  could  procure  her 
some  kind  of  situation  in  a  good  house.  She  knew  that  if  he  was  the  Mr. 
Pride  of  whom  her  father  had  so  often  spoken  she  could  trust  him,  and 
that  if  he  would  meet  her  at  such  and  such  a  place  and  time  in  the  evening 
he  would  be  conferring  a  great  favor  upon  a  very  afflicted  young  woman. 

Now,  although  Mr.  Pride  was  not  acquainted  with  the  name  of  Brown- 
ley,  he  knew  that  he  must  be  the  same  "  Pride"  of  whom  the  father  of  the 
writer  of  this  letter  must  have  so  often  spoken  ;  and  as  he  was  not  unwil- 
ling to  render  assistance  to  a  helpless  yo-ung  woman,  he  went  at  the  time 
appointed  to  the  rendezvous.  The  lady  was  there  waiting  for  him,  and 
very  soon  she  had  fascinated  him  by  her  beauty,  and  interested  him  by  her 
story  of  poverty.  She  did  not  ask  money  from  him  ;  but  she  spoke  so 
earnestly  of  her  anxiety  for  her  poor  mother  that  he  offered  her  twenty 
dollars  which  she  accepted,  but  only  as  a  loan,  and  after  much  reluctance. 
She  said  she  would  ask  him  to  accompany  her  to  her  mother  ;  but  she  was 
still  very  proud  and  their  dwelling  was  very  poor  ;  but  she  would  talk  to 
her  mother,  and  if  he  wished  it  she  would  take  him  to  their  place  on  the 
following  evening. 

The  next  night  she  was  there  and  so  was  Mr.  Pride.     The  loan  of  the 


266  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

previous  evening  having  supplied  their  immediate  wants,  she  was  very- 
tranquil,  and  Mr.  Pride  found  in  her  a  still  more  pleasant  companion* 
They  walked  backwards  and  forwards  and  engaged  in  conversation,  the 
lady  all  the  time,  however,  observing  the  utmost  decorum.  Mr.  Pride 
invited  her  to  go  with  him  into  Thompson's  Saloon  and  take  some  supperr 
but  this  she  positively  declined  lest,  as  she  said,  there  might  be  some 
friends  of  her  mother  there  who  might  then  see  her  in  company  with  a 
strange  gentleman.  "  Besides,"  added  she,  "  Mr.  Pride,  are  you  not  mar- 
ried?" Mr.  Pride  answered, — that  he  had  been  married,  and  then  re- 
marked further  that  if  he  were  a  younger  man  he  should  consider  it  a  most 
pleasant  duty  to  make  himself  her  protector  for  all  time  ;  to  which  sugges- 
tion she  replied  that  "  she  liked  grey  hairs  on  a  man  very  much." 

The  conversation  was  continued  for  a  long  while.  Mr.  Pride  grew  every 
moment  more  and  more  enamoured  of  his  pretty  and  interesting  vision, 
and  as  he  was  a  widower  he  thought  he  had  made  a  conquest,  the  happy 
consummation  of  which  could  only  be  a  question  of  time. 

On  the  third  evening  Miss  Celia  was  drowning  in  tears.  The  hard- 
hearted landlord  had  threatened  to  retain  their  furniture  for  the  rent  that 
was  owing  and  to  turn  her  mother  and  herself  into  the  street.  They  must 
now  leave  New  York, — and  then  they  would  not  be  able  to  redeem  her 
father's  watch  and  the  jewelry,  &c,  of  her  mother  and  herself  which  they 
had  been  obliged  to  pledge.  Mr.  Pride  thinking  that  now  was  the  time  to 
show  his  good  intentions,  and  hearing  that  a  hundred  and  fifty  dollars  were 
all  that  was  needed  to  dry  up  the  tears  of  his  pretty  little  friend,  induced 
her  to  accept  that  amount  at  his  hands.  She  also  promised  him  that  she 
would  meet  him  at  the  same  place  on  the  following  evening. 

Mr.  Pride  went  home  and  dreamed  all  night  of  Celia  Brownley,  nor 
could  he  patiently  await  the  return  of  the  next  evening  to  see  her  again. 
He  was  punctually  at  the  appointed  place,  but  Celia  was  not  there — nor 
did  she  come.  Mr.  Pride  had,  however,  been  robbed  by  the  swindler  to 
the  amount  of  $170. 

Again,  as  was  the  case  with  Mr.  Pride,  two  gentlemen  came  from  the 
interior  of  the  State.  It  was  the  time  of  the  so-called  Anniversary  Meet- 
ings when  ministers  and  lay-members  of  many  persuasions  assemble  in 
New  York  to  discuss  the  affairs  of  their  respective  churches.  These  two 
gentlemen  came  here  for  that  purpose,  and  put  up  at  a  private  boarding- 
house.  We  will  call  the  one  the  Rev.  Mr.  C.  and  the  other  "  Squire"  T» 
They  had  not  been  here  two  days  before  the  minister  received  a  letter  very 
similar  to  that  which  had  cost  Mr.  Pride  $170.  This  minister  was  a  man 
who  could  not  think  of  the  possibility  of  such  a  letter  being  written  from 
improper  motives,  and,  ever  ready  to  render  assistance,  he  accepted  the 
invitation,  and  was  so  affected  by  what  the  writer  of  the  letter  told  him, 
that  he  took  out  his  purse  and  gave  her  fifty  dollars  there  and  then.  Alsor 
in  the  anticipation  of  making  the  acquaintance  of  the  young  lady's  mother, 


BWINDLER9. 


2C7 


he  promised  to  meet  her  again  at  the  same  place  on  the  following  evening. 
Hifl  intention  was  to  induce  the  mother  to  go  to  his  residence  where  he 
could  then  procure  the  daughter  a  situation  as  teacher  and  thus  both  mother 
and  daughter  would  be  having  an  adequate  competency.  So  he  left  her, 
contented  with  himself  at  having  done  a  good  deed  and  perhaps  rescued  an 
innocent  girl  from  ruin. 

The  minister  said  nothing  to  his  friend  T.  of  this  meeting  ;  he  only  told 
him  that  he  had  something  in  preparation  which  he  hoped  would  soon  bear 
good  fruit. 

"When  the  young  lady  did  not  make  her  appearance  on  the  next  night, 
he  attributed  her  absence  to  the  rain.  But  on  the  next  night  again  she  did 
not  come.  Could  she  then  te  ill?  On  the  fourth  evening  he  was  again  at 
the  appointed  place,  and  while  he  was  waiting,  walking  backwards  and 
forwards,  he  met  his  friend  T.  They  nodded  at  each  other  and  each  went 
his  way.  A  few  minutes  afterwards  they  met  again,  and  soon  after  that 
they  met  a  third  time,  and  it  then  occurred  to  each  of  them  that  possibly 
the  same  object  had  brought  them  both  there  ;  but  they  said  nothing  and 
again  nodding  to  each  other  they  went  on.  At  last  they  met  the  fourth 
time  and  stopped  ;  and  as  each  was  explaining  to  the  other  the  cause  of  his 
presence,  there  the  young  lady  made  her  appearance  at  the  corner  of  the 
street  where  they  were,  but  the  instant  she  was  recognized  she  turned 
round  and  disappeared  again.  The  woman  had  thought  that  after  she  had 
fleeced  the  minister  of  850  and  he  had  waited  for  her  two  evenings  in  vain, 
he  would  not  come  again  ;  so  she  then  had  tried  the  same  game  on  Squire 
T.  Now,  however,  when  she  saw  both  gentlemen  together,  she  speedily 
made  her  escape.  The  two  friends  went  away,  the  preacher  fifty  dollars 
poorer,  both,  however,  richer  in  experience,  and  they  returnsd  arm  in  arm 
to  treir  residence. 

The  only  way  for  strangers  who  come  to  New  York,  and  who  want  to 
avoid  swindlers  of  every  kind,  is,  as  we  have  said  before,  to  have  nothing 
whatever  to  do  with  people  whom  they  do  not  know  ;  no  matter  whether 
they  are  men  or  women,  old  or  young. 


The  Patent  Safe  Swindle  is  only  practised  on  "greenhorns",  and  is 
a  kind  of  dishonest  wager.  The  instrument  known  as  a  patent  safe  is  a 
brass  ball,  which  looks  as  if  it  could  not  be  opened,  but  which  in  reality  is 
very  easily  opened.  Two  swindlers  are  necessary  to  work  this  operation  ; 
—one,  who  has  the  ball  to  get  into  conversation  with  some  stranger  whom 
he  thinks  is  fool  enough  to  be  Gheated  in  a  clumsy  way  ;  and  another  who 
comes  in  and  joins  the  conversation  as  if  by  chance. 

The  first  swindler  shows  the  stranger  the  ball,  which  he  says  he  has 
found,  and  then  gives  as  his  opinion  that  it  cannot  be  opened.  The  stranger 
takes  it  into  his  hand,  examines  it  all  over,  tries  whether  pressing  will. 


208  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK   LIFE. 

open  it,  and  finally  concludes  that  it  cannot  be  opened.  The  second  swin- 
dler who  now  comes  up  as  though  accidentally  asserts  the  contrary,  and 
offers  to  make  a  bet  with  the  stranger  upon  the  matter.  They  argue  on 
both  sides,  till  the  stranger  gets  warm  upon  the  subject  and  accepts  the  bet. 
The  money  on  both  sides  is  deposited  with  the  first  swindler.  The  second 
swindler  opens  the  ball  and — the  stranger  is  swindled  out  of  his  money. 

A  similar  swindle  is  that  with  the  "  patent  pad-lock." — The  swindler 
opens  this  with  a  key,  but  asserts  that  the  stranger  cannot  open  it.  When 
he  puts  the  lock  into  his  hands  he  changes  the  key  for  another  which  he 
had  kept  out  of  sight,  but  which  is  a  very  little  different  from  the  other. 
With  this  of  course  the  stranger  cannot  open  the  lock.  Then  when  a  bet 
is  made,  the  swindler,  who  in  the  meantime  exchanges  the  key  again,  open3 
the  lock  and  the  stranger  loses  his  money. 

Pocket-book  Dropping  is  a  swindle  in  which  strangers  only  can  be 
^hindered,  and  it  is  practised  in  the  open  streets.  When  the  swindler  sees 
anyone  coming  who  seems  to  him  to  be  a  suitable  acquisition,  he  lets  a 
purse  fall  unobserved  upon  the  foot-path,  in  which  are  some  counterfeit 
notes  of  considerable  amount,  perhaps  fifty  or  a  hundred  dollars.  The 
stranger  comes  to  the  place  where  the  purse  is  lying,  sees  it  and  is  on  the 
point  of  taking  it  up,  when  at  the  same  moment  the  swindler  stops  and  gets 
hold  of  it.  Each  contends  with  the  other  as  to  who  was  the  actual  finder. 
The  swindler  opens  the  purse  and  sees  inside  a  $50  note.  "Now  I'll  tell 
you  what  it  is,"  says  the  swindler,  "  we  won't  quarrel  about  this,  but 
divide  the  money."  You  take  the  purse  and  give  me  $25.  Now  the  con- 
science of  the  stranger  is  sufficiently  elastic — and  the  swindler  speculates 
upon  this — to  induce  him  to  appropriate  even  what  does  not  belong  to  him, 
so  he  pays  over  the  $25  and  is  to  that  amount  swindled.  This  game  is 
played  with  different  variations,  but  the  result  is  always  the  same,  that  the 
victim  comes  off  with  a  portemonnaie  full  of  worthless  notes. 

The  Union  Brotherhood  Swindle  is  no  child  of  New  York,  but 
comes  from  Massachusetts.  One  John  Jones,  clerk,  (Address  A.  P.  Cro- 
well,  West  Yarmouth,  Mass.)  writes  to  people  in  all  parts  of  the  country, 
that  if  they  will  send  him  25  cents  and  a  postage-stamp,  he  will  return  to 
them  a  policy  of  the  Union  Brotherhood  ;  the  purport  of  which  is  that  if 
during  the  next  six  months  any  bodily  misfortune  should  befall  them,  they 
would  receive,  according  to  the  extent  of  the  injuries  done  them,  $50,  or 
$100,  or  $200.  He  adds  to  this  "  I  am  rich  enough  to  be  able  to  do  much 
good  in  this  manner."  Then  he  goes  on  to  say  "  When  you  answer  this, 
write  to  me  also  what  you  think  of  the  counterfeit  money  business  of  R.  H. 
Lewis  and  of  the  Loan  Brokers  Union  in  New  York.  In  my  next  I  will 
tell    you   something  of  importance."      It  seems   then   that  this   swindler 


SWINDLERS.  260 

amnsed  his  victims  with  the  hopes  of  the  counterfeit  money  bait,  so  as  to 
draw  out  of  them  something  more  than  the  twenty-five  cents  first  demanded. 

Tite  New  York  Loan  Brokers  Union  spoken  of  above  is  put  forward 
as  the  name  of  a  company  of  money  lenders.  They  distribute  thousands 
of  circulars  in  which  they  set  forth  that  shortly  their  next  half  yearly  sale 
of  unredeemed  pledges  will  come  oif.  Two  of  these  circulars  of  different 
dates  are  lying  before  us.  In  one  the  27th  and  in  the  other  the  28th  sale 
is  announced.  The  former  gives  as  the  number  of  the  pledges  43,460, 
worth  over  a  million  of  dollars,  upon  which  the  sum  of  $207,450  has  been 
advanced.  In  the  second  the  pledges  are  67,500,  worth  also  over  a  mil- 
lion of  dollars,  which  are  pledged  for  $315,210.  But  it  is  not  a  genuine 
sale,  and  the  swindle  is  executed  with  a  kind  of  envelope  game.  The 
swindlers  offer  sealed  envelopes  for  50  cents  each,  in  which  are  certificates 
for  the  splendid  things  that  have  been  pledged  and  not  redeemed,  and 
among  every  hundred  envelopes  there  are  supposed  to  be  at  least  twenty 
certificates  for  gold  and  silver  watches.  But  whoever  wants  to  take  the 
article  that  he  finds  upon  the  certificate  has  to  pay  another  sum  of  $4.50. 
Now  think  for  a  moment !  In  one  year  this  so-called  Loan  Brokers  Union 
must  have  accumulated  110,000  unredeemed  pledges;  or  354  per  day ! ! 
Now  swindlers  are  accustomed  to  throw  on  numbers,  their  experience  must 
tell  them,  however,  that  there  are  very  many  foolish  people  about.  It  can 
readily  be  understood  that  there  is  no  such  institute  as  that  named,  and  the 
pretended  head  of  the  concern,  R.  H.  Lewis,  is  not  to  be  found  at  the 
address  he  gives,  No.  4  Bond  Street. 

The  Broadway  Safe  Deposit  Company  is  the  name  of  another 
swindling  concern  which  ostensibly  preserves  valuables  from  injury  iu  fire 
and  burglar  proof  safes.  This  concern  writes  letters  to  numberless  ad- 
dresses in  the  country,  in  which  each  of  the  persons  addressed  is  informed 
that  the  sealed  packet  left  with  them,  of  the  declared  value  of  so  much, 
perhaps  $300  or  more,  will  be  sold  according  to  the  law  if  the  costs  already 
incurred  to  such  and  such  a  date  are  not  paid.  Of  course  the  person  has 
deposited  no  such  packet,  but  the  letter  is  simply  a  bait  for  dishonest  peo- 
ple who  would  take  advantage  of  any  possible  mistake  and  get  into  their 
possession  things  that  do  not  belong  to  them.  But  whoever  lends  himself 
to  it  will  find  himself  punished  with  the  loss  of  the  money  that  he  sends. 

We  come  finally  to  the  Wall  Street  and  Stock  Exchange  Swindlers, 
those  swindlers  who  conduct  a  legitimate  business  for  themselves,  among 
whom  thousands  are  always  held  in  suspense  and  whom  people  generally 
term  exchange  gamblers  ;  and  justly,  because  their  business,  their  constant 
speculation  in  the  rise  and  fall  of  stocks  and  gold  is  in  reality  nothing  more 
than  a  game  of  hazard.     To-day  it  makes  them  rich,  to-morrow  poor,  and 


270 


THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 


brings  untold  misery  upon  numbers  of  families  whose  heads  give  them- 
selves up  to  the  game  ;  nay,  it  has  led  many  of  its  operators  to  theft,  cheat- 
ing, counterfeiting  ;  and  at  last  to  jail. 

On  that  part  of  Wall  Street  opposite  Broad  Street,  where  now  stands 
the  fine  building  of  the  Sub-Treasury  of  the  United  States,  once  stood  the 
old  City  Hall  when  the  citty  of  New  York  had  a  much  smaller  circuit  than 
at  present.  It  was  from  the  balcony  of  that  building  that  the  immortal 
Washington  was  inaugurated  as  President  of  the  United  States.  Wall  and 
Broad  Streets  consisted  at  that  time  chiefly  of  dwelling  houses,  and  Wash- 
ington himself  lived  in  a  house  on  the  lower  part  of  Broad  Street.  Now 
Wall  Street  is  the  financial  centre  of  the  country,  where  the  millionairs, 
the  great  speculators,  and  the  monied  controllers  of  the  exchange  have  their 
headquarters,  and  where,  as  well  in  a  few  neighboring  streets  as  in  Broad 
Street,  are  the  offices  of  the  brokers  through  whom  almost  all  the  specula- 
tion in  exchange  is  conducted. 

In  Broad  Street  are  the  gold  and  stock  exchanges  where  the  purchase 
and  sale  of  these  speculations  are  effected.  The  Board  of  Brokers  is  old, 
and  has  existed  since  the  year  1794.  At  one  time  the  entrance  fee  was 
fifty  dollars,  now  it  is  three  thousand.  Whoever  wishes  to  become  a  mem- 
ber must  have  his  name  proposed  by  a  member,  and  it  must  remain  upon 
the  list  of  candidates  for  ten  days.  If  no  exception  be  taken  to  it  during 
this  time,  the  candidate  is  ballotted  for  with  balls,  and  if  fourteen  black 
balls  are  cast,  the  admission  is  thrown  out.  The  rules  of  this  board  are 
very  strict  and  any  violation  of  them  is  followed  by  dismissal.  Every  con- 
tract made  there  is  looked  upon  as  a  financial  affair  of  honor  and  must  be 
fulfilled  to  the  letter  ;  if  not,  the  party  at  fault,  no  matter  how  high  his  posi- 
tion may  be,  must  yield  to  the  customary  punishment.  For  instance  one 
broker  buys  of  another  stock  of  the  Erie  Railroad  and  the  seller  delivers 
it.  The  amount  must  be  paid  before  three  o'clock.  In  this  way  stocks 
and  gold  in  amounts  of  millions  change  hands  every  day,  and  although  the 
rules  of  the  board  are  interpreted  in  their  entire  strictness,  there  has  been 
only  one  member  expelled  for  fraud  during  the  whole  time  the  board  has 
been  in  existence.  But  the  newspapers  often  show  the  sacrifices,  the  high 
interest,  which  it  often  costs  to  raise  the  necessary  sums  at  the  moment 
they  are  wanted  ;  for  we  constantly  read  of  a  rate  of  interest  of  an  eighth 
or  a  fourth  of  one  per  cent,  or  more  per  day  being  paid  for  short  loans. 
Some  of  the  most  active  and  bold  financiers  who  influence  the  market  to 
their  own  advantage,  would  gladly  pay  the  three  thousand  dollars  entrance 
money  if  they  could  become  a  member  of  the  board ;  but  they  will  not  be 
admitted  because  their  financial  reputation  is  not  good,  and  in  consequence 
they  have  to  let  their  business  on  the  exchange  be  undertaken  by  some  one 
else  who  is  a  member.  v 

On  going  into  the  building  the  members  pass  first  through  an  ante-room 
in  which  they  have  to  show  their  tickets  of  membership ;  and  if  these  are 


SWINDLERS.  271 

round  to  be  correct,  they  then  are  allowed  to  enter  the  hall  or  gold  room. 
This  hall  is  got  up  with  lavish  splendor,  but  is  both  elegant  and  tasteful. 
Tlu-  soft  cushioned  arm-chairs  are  richly  inlaid  and  the  walls  in  place  of 
the  ordinary  hangings  are  covered  with  green  silk.  The  ceiling  is  deco- 
rated with  paintings,  rich  chandeliers  hang  from  it,  and  the  seat  of  the 
president  is  a  most  elegant  piece  of  furniture.  The  president  receives  no 
salary,  his  office  is  purely  honorary.  The  chief  business  is  to  conduct  pur- 
chases and  sales.  This  is  attended  to  by  the  first  vice-president  who  offi- 
ciates in  the  monotonous  work  as  auctioneer  of  stocks  and  gold,  for  which 
he  receives  a  yearly  salary  of  seven  thousand  five  hundred  dollars.  A  list 
of  the  stocks  that  are  for  sale  is  prepared  for  each  day.  Shares  that  are 
■not  on  the  list  cannot  be  sold  at  the  board,  which,  as  a  body,  has  power  to 
tlecide  upon  the  admission  of  stocks  to  the  list. 

During  the  hours  of  business  the  hall,  which  will  well  hold  a  thousand 
people,  is  quite  crowded,  and  scarcely  a  day  passes  that  some  stockholder 
does  not  create  an  agitation  in  the  exchange,  induced  by  some  unexpected 
rise  or  fall  in  stocks.  The  sale  of  the  great  majority  of  the  different  stocks 
-usually  goes  on  quietly,  but  when  such  are  called,  upon  which  speculation 
is  especially  directed,  the  whole  assembly  falls  into  an  uproar.  They 
stand  up,  crowd  together  and  shout  out  their  bids.  All  speak  at  once,  and 
there  is  one  prolonged  universal  din,  as  though  the  wild  huntsmen  of  the 
story  books  with  their  visionary  packs  were  indeed  a  reality.  Hundreds 
of  people  raging  with  excitement,  mad  with  anxiety,  are  roaring,  scream- 
ing, gesticulating,  stamping  with  their  feet,  shaking  their  fists  in  each 
others  faces,  vociferating  one  against  another,  while  within  the  circle  they 
seem  not  to  hear  them  and  the  presiding  officer  sits  quiet  and  silent.  But 
when  the  noise  becomes  too  strong,  he  uses  his  hammer  to  command  peace. 
When  a  sale  is  effected,  the  president  repeats  the  name  of  the  purchaser, 
and  if  any  objection  be  taken  to  his  decision,  the  disputed  question  is  settled 
by  a  vote  of  the  board.  Very  often  a  hundred  thousand  dollars  may  be 
depending  on  that  decision,  but  whatever  that  decision  be,  each  party  is 
required  to  abide  by  it. 

In  this  hall  assemble  the  elite  of  the  financial  world  of  New  York. 
There  is,  however,  also  another  section  of  that  world,  for  here  are  to  be 
found  the  curbstone  or  "  corner"  brokers  as  they  are  termed,  because 
before  this  place  was  available  to  them  they  used  to  meet  on  the  street 
corners  and  do  their  business  there.  This  hall  is  open  to  all  who  pay  an 
annual  entrance  fee  of  one  hundred  dollars.  The  people  who  assemble 
there  are  not  restricted  by  any  set  rules  and  laws, — and  thus  there  are  to 
be  found  there  people  who  without  any  character  meet  to  speculate  as  they 
like ;  but  these  have  not  the  entrance  to  the  upper  hall  where  the  Board  of 
Brokers  meet.  Nor  do  they  tie  themselves  to  the  building ;  but  often 
adjourn  to  the  street  where  they  continue  their  noisy  talk  and  negotiations 
and  contentions,  and  not  unfrequently  annoy  the  neighborhood  with  their 


272  THE   DARK   SIDE    OF   NEW    YORK   LIFE. 

shrieks  and  quarrels.  Very  often  the  passers-by  can  hardly  squeeze  through 
the  mobs  that  obstruct  the  foot-paths,  and  which  frequently  extend  over  a. 
part  of  the  carriage  way.  As  many  of  these  people  have  nothing  to  lose 
and  all  to  win,  there  cannot  fail  to  be  many  unprincipled  ones  among  them 
who  are  not  very  particular  as  to  the  means  by  which  they  attain  their 
ends. 

While  changes  of  fortune  and  failures  are  no  rarities  in  New  York,  it  is 
among  those  who  deal  in  stocks  that  they  are  not  frequent.  No  game  of 
chance  is  more  seducing  or  more  pernicious  than  this  kind  of  speculation 
and  the  good  luck  of  the  few  who  grow  rich  by  it  leads  thousands  to  ven- 
ture upon  a  sea  of  delusions.  Men  of  every  calling,  tradesmen,  small  capi- 
talists who  have  withdrawn  from  active  business,  managers  of  other  peoples 
money,  farmers,  physicians,  nay,  even  ministers  and  widows,  seek  fortune 
here  to  try  and  grow  rich  in  haste.  Storekeepers  who  have  money  in  the 
bank  and  who  do  not  want  it  immediately  in  their  legitimate  business, 
hotel  proprietors  who  have  made  anything,  bank  officers,  cashiers  and 
clerks,  and  very  many  besides  who  speculate  with  money  that  does  not 
belong  to  them  are  tempted  to  enter  into  stock  speculations,  and  thereby  to 
bring  ruin  upon  themselves,  their  families,  and  all  who  are  dependent  upon 
them. 

People  who  speculate  in  Wall  Street  lead  a  frightful  life  and  soon  grow 
old.  Their  whole  thoughts  are  directed,  from  weeks  end  to  weeks  end, 
Sundays  and  business  days,  to  the  hazards  of  a  wild  speculation.  They 
live  expensively,  drink  much,  and  in  the  evening  exchange  the  excitement 
of  speculation  for  that  of  the  gambling  table.  Need  we  wonder  when  we 
see  so  many  business  people  of  New  York  whose  hairs  are  grey  before  their 
time,  so  many  young  grey  headed  men,  languishing  away  their  existence 
almost  before  they  have  attained  to  manhood.  These  are  dumb,  but  elo- 
quent witnesses  of  the  pernicious  influence  wrought  by  the  passions  of  the 
stock-gambler. 

The  sudden  ruin  of  happy  families,  the  sacrifice  of  elegant  residences, 
sales  of  costly  furniture,  of  silver-ware  and  equipages,  the  downfall  to  sub*- 
ordinate  positions  of  people  who  held  a  good  station  in  society, — these  are 
events  of  daily  occurrence  in  New  York  ;  and  almost  always  they  are  the 
consequences  of  people  allowing  themselves  to  be  led  aside  into  stock 
gambling  from  their  own  legitimate  business,  which,  if  respectable  and 
sufficient  to  provide  a  competency,  they  still  think  does  not  enable  them  to 
grow  rich  fast  enough.  New  York  is  full  of  rascals  and  unprincipled 
speculators,  who  have  no  hesitation  in  drawing  into  their  nests  the  incau- 
tious and  trusting,  simply  in  order  to  plunder  and*  to  ruin  them.  But  it  is 
not  only  thoughtless  people  who  are  beguiled,  but  people  who  have  been 
successful  in  business  and  yet  who  knowing  nothing  of  stock  speculations, 
place  themselves  at  the  mercy  of  others  and  are  by  them  deceived.  In 
this  way  people  lose  by  a  reckless  business  which  they  do  not  understand 


SWINDLERS.  2711 

all  that  they  made  in  a  solid  business  which  they  did  understand.  But  the 
.hope  of  a  great  and  sudden  fortune  is  very  captivating.  The  first  begin- 
ning is  made  with  a  small  sum,  and  to  save  that  the  speculator  goes  deeper 
■and  deeper,  till  the  speculation  has  ruined  the  good  business  which  was 
going  well.  And  thus  a  respectable  property,  accumulated  by  diligence 
and  ability,  is  lost  through  the  senseless  longing  to  make  fifty  or  a  hundred 
thousand  dollars  in  a  few  days.  The  wild  desire  to  speculate  in  stocks 
and  gold  has  brought  to  the  surface  a  peculiar  kiud  of  people,  and  whereas 
the  stock  business  was  once  in  the  hands  of  the  most  solid  and  wealthy,  it 
is  now  controlled  by  men  who  are  unscrupulous  and  often  desperate. 
Whoever  has  a  hundred  or  a  couple  of  hundred  dollars  can  call  himself  a 
broker,  he  at  once  begins  to  speculate  in  stocks  or  gold,  and  then  no  gam- 
bler is  more  daring  than  such  people. 

The  constant  changes  of  fortune  in  Wall  Street  are  greater  than  most 
people  who  reside  at  a  distance  have  any  conception  of.  A  man  who  pos- 
sesses, let  us  say  half  a  million,  when  in  the  morning  he  leaves  his  home 
fitted  with  every  comfort,  may  return  to  it  a  poor  man  at  night.  Among 
the  richer  speculators  it  often  happens  that  in  one  day  such  a  one  will  lose 
and  pay  away,  to  cover  his  exchanges,  as  much  as  $100,000  ;  and  not  long 
ago  an  operator,  well  known  in  Wall  Street,  having  to  deliver  stock  and 
being  unable  to  do  so,  drew  a  cheque  for  a  quarter  of  a  million  of  dollars 
to  clear  his  obligations.     And  this  was  the  loss  upon  one  transaction  only. 

This  irrational  rage  for  speculation,  so  destructive  of  all  discretion,  leads 
at  the  same  time  to  an  equally  irrational  and  prodigal  model  of  life,  unfits 
the  man  for  any  legitimate  and  substantial  business,  and  pervades  more  or 
less  all  sections  of  society.  As  we  have  said  before,  women  and  ministers 
do  homage  to  it,  and  the  latter  have  furnished  some  good  illustrations  of 
its  effects. — A  minister  well  known  in  this  city  is  a  remarkable  example, 
of  the  degree  to  which  a  man  can  become  forgetful  of  his  personal  dignity 
when  he  gives  himself  up  to  stock  gambling.  This  man  began  with  a  very 
iittie  and  won  something.  Then  he  set  himself  to  make  it  five  thousand 
dollars.  But  his  covetousness  continued  to  grow  with  his  success  and  at 
latt  it  pointed  to  a  quarter  of  a  million.  And  this  speculation,  this  strug- 
gling for  riches,  made  the  parson  a  changed  man.  He  grew  thin  and  hag- 
_anl  with  wild  staring  eyes.  He  could  not  sleep,  and  used  to  buy  up  every 
different  issue  of  all  the  papers  to  study  the  stock  list.  And  ii  an  extra 
edition  of  any  of  them  were  cried  out  in  the  streets,  he  would  rush  out 
from  any  place  to  buy  that.  He  was  the  first  at  the  Exchange  in  the  morn- 
ing and  the  last  at  the  Fifth  Avenue  Hotel  in  the  evening,  when  the  even- 
in-  fitting  of  the  board  was  held  there.  Whether  a  quarter  of  a  million  is 
worth  all  that  it  has  cost  this  man,  he  alone  can  best  say. 

A  young  girl  came  to  New  York  from  the  New  England  States.  She 
was  the  daughter  of  an  artisan  and  had  grown  up  in  very  limited  circum- 
stances.    A   well-to-do  man,  whose   reputation  was  not  remarkable,  but 


274  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

who  was  at  least  amiable,  offered  her  his  hand.  She  did  not  expect  love* 
from  him,  neither  had  she  any  special  inducement  to  esteem  him ;  but  in 
place  of  these  essentials  to  a  happy  marriage  he  offered  her  an  elegant 
house,  costly  adornments,  and  carriage  and  horses.  So  she  suddenly  found 
herself  in  the  top  rank  of  society.  She  now  made  a  great  show  and  looked 
down  with  contempt  upon  her  poor  friends  and  acquaintances.  Her  hus- 
band then  went  heavily  into  speculations  on  the  Exchange  and — lost  all  his 
property.  To  help  himself  out  of  his  difficulties  he  began  counterfeiting, 
got  into  jail,  and  had  all  the  rest  of  his  possessions  sold  by  the  sheriff, 
while  at  the  same  time  her  jewels,  which  had  cost  fifteen  thousand  dollars, 
likewise  disappeared.  She  had  been  suddenly  raised  from  obscurity  ;  but 
through  stock  gambling  in  the  first  instance  and  then  counterfeiting  as  a 
consequence  of  it,  she  was  quite  as  suddenly  plunged  back  again  into 
poverty. 

We  do  not  think  we  can  give  the  reader  any  more  faithful  and  stirring 
picture  of  stock  speculation  than  that  furnished  by  an  account  of  the  cele- 
brated "Black  Friday." 

On  Wednesday,  the  22d  of  September,  1869,  one  of  the  most  powerful 
efforts  ever  made  by  the  bull*)  party  to  raise  the  price  of  gold  was  first 
begun.  It  succeeded  to  such  a  terrible  degree  that  if  its  consequences  ha<$ 
gone  much  further  it  would  have  completely  broken  down  the  market, 
rendered  all  values  mutable,  and  brought  a  ruinous  money  crisis  over  the 
whole  country.  As  it  was,  those  disgraceful  efforts  brought  terrible  losses- 
upon  the  community,  and  among  stock  exchange  people  dozens  were  ruined 
and  many  of  the  strongest  houses  engaged  in  the  stock  and  gold  business 
went  through  the  whole  of  that  day  without  knowing  in  the  least  how  they 
stood. 

On  the  day  mentioned  the  premium  on  gold  stood,  at  12  o'clock,  at  37£. 
At  two  o'clock  it  reached  39,  and  before  evening  it  had  got  to  41  ;  an  in- 
crease of  3J-  in  five  hours.  At  the  same  time  and  in  consequence  of  this 
sudden  rise  in  the  value  of  gold,  stocks  correspondingly  fell.  New  York 
Central  Railroad  stock  to  23  per  cent,  and  Harlem  River  Railroad  13  per 
cent.  Loans  had  become  almost  impossible  to  procure,  and  the  most  enor- 
mous interest  was  demanded  for  the  use  of  money  for  only  twenty-four 
hours.  The  financial  storm  was  steadily  reaching  to  an  annihilating  hur- 
ricane. 

While  the  purpose  of  the  bulls  was  in  the  meantime  well  understood,  the 


*)  The  opposing  parties  on  the  gold  and  stock  exchanges  are  known  as  "  bulls  "  and  "  bears ".  The 
bulls  aim  at  raising  the  prices  of  stock,  the  bears  endeavor  to  lower  them.  The  names  thus  appropriated 
from  the  animals,  take  their  origin  in  the  idea,  that  the  bull  throws  into  the  air  whatever  he  takes  upon 
his  horns,  the  bear,  on  the  other  hand,  crushes  down  whatever  he  seizes  in  his  paws.  Tho  purpose  of 
these  parties  is  a  purely  selfish  one,  and  has  only  the  object  of  turning  some  personal  profits,  no  matter 
what  the  consequences  may  be  to  other  people  who  hold  6tock  of  the  same  kind,  whether  they  be  made 
to  Buffer  loss  or  even  ruin.  And  it  is  this  peculiar  purpose  on  the  Btock  exchange  that  distinguishes  it 
from  all  honorable  and  legitimate  business,  where  in  place  of  buyers  and  sellers  speculating  tn  ruin  each 
other,  the  advantage  of  both  is  kept  in  view. 


SWINDLERS.  2~~> 

boar?  made  a  firm  stand  and  combated  the  difficulty  as  well  as  they  cotald. 
Whatever  efforts  the  bulls  at  first  made  to  conceal  their  purpose,  they  soon 
threw  off  the  mask  ;  and  the  proprietors  of  tin  Erie,  with  the  daring  and 
unscrupulous  James  Fisk,  jun.,  (since  murdered  by  Stokes,  another  stock- 
gambler)  at  their  head,  assured  the  bears  who  wanted  gold  to  fulfil  their 
engagements,  that  they  could  not  settle  up  too  quickly,  since  the  ring  held 
calls  to  the  amount  of  hundred  millions,  and  that  they  must  either  be  con- 
tent to  pay  150  or  else  the  price  should  be  put  up  to  200  and  kept  there. 
The  movement  had  extended  among  all  who  were  in  any  manner  interested 
in  stocks  and  gold,  and  among  these  were  of  course  besides  very  many  out- 
side speculators — people,  who  having  a  little  surplus  money,  allowed  them- 
selves to  be  misled  into  speculating  in  shares,  and  who  now  had  been  con- 
tinually making  fresh  payments  to  the  brokers  who  had  been  buying  for 
them  on  time  to  enable  them  to  hold  their  stocks  and  so  perhaps  avoid  a 
more  serious  loss. 

On  Thursday  morning  early  gold  started  at  141 J  and  immediately  after- 
wards it  jumped  to  144.  Now  the  bulls  began  to  draw  the  screws  tighter 
and  peremptory  orders  were  given  to  all  those  who  had  bought  on  time  to 
increase  their  margins.*)  At  the  same  time  the  rates  of  interest  for  short 
loans  overnight  had  reached  such  an  enormous  height,  that  no  one  could 
stand  against  them  long.  Stories  were  set  in  circulation  that  the  Govern- 
ment at  Washington  would  not  interfere  in  the  matter  and  that  no  help 
could  come  from  the  United  States  Treasury  to  help  the  distresses  of  the 
bears  now  brought  to  the  brink  of  ruin.  A  lock  up  of  gold  was  next  talked 
about,  thus  making  all  loans  impossible,  and  this  report  received  some 
authentication  afterwards  from  the  fact  that  on  that  day  one  bank  alone 
had  certified  cheques  to  the  amount  of  twenty-five  million  dollars.  Many 
brokers  lost  courage  and  some  settled  at  once  as  wrell  as  they  could.  The 
Exchange  was  in  an  indescribable  uproar,  and  the  couflict  extended  itself 
at  the  Fifth  Avenue  Hotel  far  into  the  night. 

In  the  meanwhile  the  press  had  given  prominence  to  all  the  proceedings 
and  thereby  invoked  a  general  agitation  on  the  matter.  Friday  morning, 
therefore,  saw  Wall  and  Broad  Streets  filled  with  unwonted  faces.  All 
the  population  of  New  York  that  had  the  leisure  flocked  thitherward,  and 
among  them  very  many  little  people,  who  beguiled  into  taking  a  part  in 
the  game  of  the  Exchange,  had  risked  their  all,  and  now  dreaded  the 
threatening  loss.  Long  before  nine  o'clock  these  melancholy  people  crowded 
through  in  the  hope  of  possibly  finding  a  place  in  the  gallery  of  the  Ex- 
change. They  had  made  good  their  margins  up  to  143,  the  figure  at 
which  gold  stood  the  night  before,  and  now  were  waiting  in  intense  anxiety 
to  see  what  form  things  would  take.    They  had  not  long  to  wait.    Scarcely 


*)  When  stocks  or  gold  are  booght  on  time,  that  is  for  delivery  on  some  appointed  future  day,  the 
purchaser  makes  a  deposit,  which  usually  amounts  to  ten  per  cent,  of  the  purchase  money,  to  make  pro- 
vision for  any  detrimental  alteration*  in  values. 


276  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK   LIFE. 

was  the  Exchange  opened,  when  one  of  the  bulls  in  a  loud  voice  offered  to 
take  twenty-five  thousand  dollars  at  145.  This  offer  set  the  gallery  in  con- 
sternation, for  now  all  that  they  possessed  was  in  danger.  Would  their 
brokers  stand  firm  ?  It  was  for  these  poor  people  a  fearful  time.  The 
bears  closed  round  the  aggressors.  Shrieks  filled  the  air  and  a  terrible 
scene  ensued  in  which  fractional  bids  were  heard  now  and  again  till  146 
was  reached.  The  crowd  on  the  floor  of  the  room  increased  every  moment 
and  gold  still  kept  going  up  first  to  147,  then  to  149,  and  after  some  twenty 
minutes  had  elapsed  it  reached  150J.  The  regular  business  hours  were 
now  passed,  but  the  room  continued  to  get  more  crowded,  and  the  din  to 
rise  higher. 

At  eleven  o'clock  the  rate  had  been  150J-.  In  six  minutes  it  shot  up  to 
155.  All  restraint  now  seemed  to  be  let  loose.  The  hall  shook  with  the 
raging  noise,  which  would  hardly  have  been  taken  for  the  result  of  human 
voices.  Clenched  fists,  livid  faces,  pale  brows  from  which  the  perspiration 
rolled  in  huge  drops  showed  the  inward  sufferings  of  the  combatants  and 
gave  them  such  an  excited  aspect,  that  one  might  have  expected  every 
moment  an  outbreak  of  general  insanity.  The  work  of  years  was  gliding 
away  with  every  advance  of  prices.  And  when  one  thinks  that  here,  in  a 
moment,  whole  fortunes  were  disappearing,  that  the  sale  and  purchase  of 
five  hundred  millions  in  gold  was  going  on,  that  every  moment  the  rates 
were  threatening  to  go  higher,  and  then  again  the  exulting  shout  arose 
■above  the  tumult  which  said  that  the  Government  was  coming  to  the 
rescue,  a  report,  too,  which  new  arrivals  brought  into  the  hall — we  need 
.hardly  wonder  that  it  should  seem  as  if  everybody  present  had  gone  mad, 
.and  bought  and  sold  with  scarce  a  thought  either  for  the  present  or  for  the 
future.  Then  came  the  terrific  bid  of  a  broker  named  Speyer,  who  offered 
160  for  any  number  of  millions  and  had  his  offer  immediately  accepted  by 
another  broker  up  to  two  and  a  half  millions.  But  the  bids  did  not  relax, 
.and  rates  ran  to  161,  162,  162^-.  For  five  minutes  the  Board  of  Brokers 
seemed  powerless.  Seconds  seemed  hours.  At  last  a  broker,  acting  in 
behalf  of  the  great  banking-house  of  Baring  Brothers,  of  London,  sold  five 
millions  to  the  bulls  at  the  highest  price  of  the  day.  Another  followed  the 
example,  and  thus  the  bears  gained  courage.  The  news  now  arrived  that 
the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  had  interfered  and  gold  fell  at  once  from  160 
to  140,  and  in  a  few  minutes  more  to  130.  The  end  of  the  crisis  had  been 
reached,  and  the  exhausted  bears  streamed  out  into  the  street  to  breath  a 
little  fresh  air.  But  peace  had  not  come  to  these  men.  In  some  of  their 
offices  the  customers  who  had  irrevocably  lost  their  deposits  were  assembled 
in  dozens,  hurling  out  threats  of  the  worst  kind ;  while  excited  mobs  were 
Steadily  gathering  before  others  ; — so  that  as  evening  came  on,  Broad  and 

^Wall  Streets  had  all  the  Appearance  of  soon  becoming  the  scene  of  a  riot. 
A  great  crowd  of  people  besieged  the  doors  of  Smith,  Gould,  Martin  & 
<Co.,  and  of  Heath  &  Co.,  while  Fisk  was  assaulted  and  his  life  threatened. 


\ 


SWINDLERS. 


277 


Deputy-sheriffs  aud  police  officers  made  their  appearance,  and  in  Brooklyn 
a  company  of  troops  was  held  in  readiness  to  march  upon  Wall  Street. 

As  night  approached,  Broad  Street  and  the  neighboring  streets  bore  a 
most  unusual  appearance.  Usually  after  seven  o'clock  in  the  evening 
everything  there  is  dark  and  death-like,  but  to-day  hundreds  of  windows 
were  a-blaze  with  gas-lights,  and  brokers,  clerks  after  a  hasty  meal  were 
hurrying  back  to  their  offices.  Long,  indeed,  after  the  bells  of  the  Trinity 
clock  had  greeted  the  new  born  day,  many  could  be  seen  still  sitting  over 
their  books,  making  preparations  for  the  coming  morning. 

But  Saturday  brought  no  relief.  The  Gold  Board  met  only  to  adjourn, 
since  the  Clearing  House,  encumbered  by  ever  uewly  announced  failures, 
could  not  complete  the  task  of  settling  the  accounts.  Small  brokers  had 
gone  under  by  the  dozen  ;  and  rumors  of  the  probable  downfall  of  some  of 
the  largest  houses  gave  rise  to  fresh  fears.  The  Stock  Exchange  was  now 
the  centre  of  general  attraction.  If  this  yielded,  all  was  lost.  To  sustain 
it  and  to  prevent  a  further  downfall  of  prices  was  of  the  most  vital  import- 
ance. But  where  was  the  rescueing  hand  to  be  looked  for?  Throughout 
the  whole  of  the  preceding  day  shares  had  been  falling.  New  York  Cen- 
tral went  down  to  148,  but  recovered  to  185 J.  Hudson  River  Railroad 
shares  fell  from  173  to  145.  Pittsburg  fell  to  68  and  North  Western  to 
62^.  The  shrinkage  of  all  securities  of  this  kind  had  extended  to  thirty 
millions,  and  the  question  now  was  whether  the  prices  would  fall  still 
lower.  The  Stock  Exchange  presented  a  picture  of  the  utmost  confusion. 
But  financial  men  sitting  quietly  in  their  offices  and  watching  the  state  of 
the  market  presented  to  them  by  their  telegraphs  saw  that  Vanderbilt  was 
supporting  the  New  York  Central,  and  that  the  weakness  in  other  shares 
was  not  sufficient  to  call  back  early  fears.  It  was  soon  known,  too,  that 
capitalists  from  Philadelphia,  Boston,  and  the  great  towns  of  the  West  had 
thrown  themselves  into  the  breach  and  by  bold  purchases  not  only  earned 
money  for  themselves,  but  by  sustaining  prices  exercised  a  healthy  influence 
ou  the  money  market.  The  knowledge  of  this  had  a  soothing  influence  ; 
but  still  the  pulse  of  Wall  Street  wras  beating  with  too  much  fever  to  be 
altogether  quieted  by  such  means.  A  report  spread  that  the  Tenth  Na- 
tional Bank  was  weak,  and  in  consequence  crowds  of  people  beset  the  place 
throughout  the  day,  anxious  only  to  withdraw  their  deposits.  But  the 
bank  held  out.  A  similar  scene  was  going  on  at  the  Gold  Exchange  Bank, 
where  enraged  brokers  were  threatening  the  clerks  if  they  did  not  give 
them  an  instant  settlement.  The  details  which  the  press  had  given  of  the 
occurrences  of  the  past  few  days,  had  damaged  the  credit  of  some  of  the 
best  houses ;  for  in  a  crisis  like  that  of  Black  Friday  the  sluices  of  other 
pa^ions  are  opened  than  those  wrhich  have  regard  only  to  gain  and  loss. 
Under  the  mantel  of  genuine  mistrust  came  reports  of  the  instability  of 
good  houses,  reports  which  were  founded  on  no  other  ground  than  old 
enmities  growing  out  of  jealousy  and  malice  ;  se  the  most  substantial  firms 


278  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

had  to  suffer  the  stabs  of  ancient  animosities.  The  knowledge  that  certain 
houses  were  the  holders  of  large  quantities  of  certain  stocks  was  the  signal 
for  an  attack  upon  the  shares,  all  of  which  had  the  effect  of  influencing 
securities  and  tightening  the  loan  market  in  spite  of  outside  orders  to  very 
large  amounts.  One,  one  and  a  half,  two,  nay  even  as  much  as  four  per 
cent,  had  to  be  paid  for  money  to  enable  holders  to  carry  over  their  stocks 
till  Monday. 

When  the  Gold  Board  met  on  Monday,  September  27th,  it  was  only  to 
be  informed  that  the  Clearing  House  had  not  yet  completed  the  work  of 
Friday.  Important  accounts  were  still  kept  back,  and  the  business  which 
had  swelled  to  a  total  of  five  hundred  millions  had  not  yet  been  settled 
even,  although  all  the  clerks  had  been  engaged  on  the  work.  A  proposi- 
tion was  made  to  go  on  with  business  irrespective  of  the  Clearing  House ; 
for  a  moment  the  fate  of  this  was  in  doubt ;  but  almost  immediately  after 
the  proposal  was  laid  on  the  table.  The  proposition  was  in  fact  a  device 
of  the  bears,  for  no  Exchange  can  transact  business  when  distrust  hangs 
over  the  honesty  of  its  dealers.  As  the  majority  of  the  brokers  were  more 
or  iesss  implicated  in  the  transactions  of  the  previous  day,  the  consequence 
of  an  acceptance  of  the  proposition  would  have  been  general  bankruptcy, 
whereby  property  to  the  value  of  some  sixty  millions  of  dollars  would  have 
been  brought  under  the  hammer.  It  was  at  length  resolved  that  the  Ex- 
change should  remain  open  for  loans,  but  that  dealings  of  all  kinds  should 
be  for  the  time  suspended.  The  effect  of  this  was  that  gold  had  no  certain 
value  and  that  in  one  house  it  was  bought  for  139  and  in  another  probably 
for  133. 

Such  is  the  story  of  Black  Friday ;  and  it  must  be  admitted  that  the 
occurrences  of  that  day  will  have  justified  us  in  placing  stock-gambling 
under  the  chapter  on  swindling.  Where  men  deal  not  in  actual,  but  in 
presumptive  values,  as  in  the  arbitrary  and  violent  raising  or  lowering  of 
shares,  and  where  in  a  moment  whole  fortunes  may  be  lost  by  speculation, 
then  the  business  must  be  placed  in  the  category  of  gambling  and  swindling. 

The  effects  of  transactions  which  are  based  and  depend  upon  the  falling 
and  rising  in  value  of  stocks  cannot  possibly  be  foreseen,  and  is  but  little 
influenced  by  the  ability  and  activity  of  the  parties  concerned ;  for  any 
powerful  clique  can  at  any  time  so  drag  down  the  value  of  the  security  it 
holds  as  to  lose  its  chief  import ; — and  no  one  who  gives  himself  up  to 
these  speculations  can  say  on  Monday  what  his  position  may  be  at  the  end 
of  the  week.  Of  any  ten  people  who  speculate  in  gold  or  stocks,  nine  are 
losers ;  and  especially  those  who  not  being  acquainted  with  all  the  opera- 
tions and  tricks  of  the  business  are  only  groping  in  the  dark  when  they 
meddle  with  them.  Stock-gambling  holds  its  victims  with  an  iron  grasp 
even  as  does  gambling  at  the  green  table,  and  the  only  safe  way  for  those 
to  go  who  are  striving  to  be  or  to  remain  in  good  circumstances,  is  that 
which  enables  them  to  keep  at  a  distance  from  all  speculations  on  the 


SWLNDLRRS.  279 

Exchange,  whether  it  be  in  stocks  or  in  gold.  Where  one  man  is  made  rich 
by  the  sudden  rise  of  values  in  the  securities  he  holds,  hundreds  in  a  single 
day  may  be  losers  by  the  equally  sudden  downfall  in  the  value  of  theirs, 
and  it  is  in  this  way  that  so  many  old  and  well  proved  firms  have  been 
forced  to  give  way. 

To  make  this  chapter  more  complete,  we  mu*t  for  a  few  moments  return 
to  the  saw-dust  and  counterfeit  money  swindle  with  which  we  began  it, 
since,  during  the  passage  of  that  account  through  the  press,  two  interesting 
cases  came  to  our  knowledge.     One  occurred  here,  the  other  in  Germany. 

On  the  14th  of  March  the  police  made  a  raid  upon  one  of  these  concerns, 
when  some  interesting  revelations  came  to  light.  The  establishment 
belonged  to  one  A.  Menager,  568  Broadway,  who  conducted  his  operations 
under  the  following  aliases  : — Geo.  E.  Ward,  205  Mercer  Street ;  Samuel 
Parker  &  Co.,  74  Bleecker  Street ;  Walter  Lane,  Dr.  Appleton,  and  J. 
Ward  Emerson,  566  Broadway.  Besides  a  whole  cart-load  of  circulars 
and  correspondences;  the  police  took  also  all  the  books  of  the  concern, 
from  which  it  appeared  that  thousands  of  people  from  all  parts  of  the 
country  had  ordered  counterfeit  money  in  the  expectation  that  they  would 
receive  it,  and  for  that  purpose  had  sent  money.  Further  than  this  the 
manager  had  an  account  in  the  East  River  Bank  of  $3,748.19  made  out 
of  his  business,  another  of  $1,197  in  the  Manufacturers  and  Merchants 
Bank  ;  and  besides  that  it  was  shown  that  during  the  past  six  weeks — 
mark,  six  weeks  only — he  had  deposited  in  different  savings  banks  no  less 
than  $22,000  ;  and  that  within  the  space  of  one  week,  from  the  15th  to  the 
22d  of  November  of  last  year,  the  United  States  Express  Company  had 
collected  for  the  manager  as  much  as  $3,221.  What  a  miserable  condi- 
tion of  society  !  What  terrible  corruption  these  facts  display !  Where 
thousands  of  people,  calling  themselves  citizens  of  the  United  States,  givo 
orders  for  counterfeit  money  in  order  that  they  may  cheat  their  fellow- 
citizens  and  enrich  themselves  by  the  most  disgraceful  means !  But  yet 
another  interesting  fact  was  brought  very  prominently  to  light  by  this 
seizure  by  the  police.  This  was  a  list  of  a  number  of  the  people  who 
ordered  the  false  notes.  This  list  was  copied  from  a  receipt  book  of  the 
United  States  Express  Company  and  comprises  the  names  for  only  the 
short  period  named  above.  We  append  here  the  names,  and  to  each  of 
them  we  have  affixed  the  amount  which  each  person  remitted  : — 

Thomas  King,  Berlin,  Mich.,  $38  ;  Daniel  Parkhouse,  Vernon,  Mich., 
$31  ;  Noah  Drum,  East  St.  Louis,  Mo.,  $23  ;  K.  Smith,  Pleasant  Plain, 
Ohio,  $32  ;  R.  Bailey,  Neponset,  111.,  $24  ;  Eugene  P.  Haydock,  Candor, 
N.  Y.,  $32  ;  J.  D.  Kingsley,  Argenta,  Montana,  $54  ;  P.  Root,  Doyles- 
town.,  Wis.,  $10;  Geo.  M.  Milhouse,  Paragon,  Ind.,  $18  ;  Thomas  R. 
Murphy,  Chambersville,  111.,  $12;  C.  Tanner,  Sharon,  Pa.,  $9  ;  W.  W. 
Bolinger,  Bradford,  Pa.,  $1  ;   H.  L.  Dodds,  Independence,  Mo.,  $54;  G. 


280  TUE    DARK    SIDE    OP    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

H.  Loomis,  Franklin,  Pa.,  $12;  Richard  Gore,  Bardstown,  Ky.,  $88;; 
Joseph  G.  Norton,  Knoxville,  Tenn.,  $13  ;  R.  M.  Steign,  Paris,  Tenn.,. 
$30  ;  Daniel  O.  Hesler,  Ada,  Ohio,  $14  ;  Samuel  Akin,  Mason  Depot.. 
Tenn.,  $12  ;  John  M.  Geret,  Jefferson,  111.,  $52  ;  Henry  B.  Williamsr 
Canon  City,  Colorado,  $30  ;  N.  M.  Johnson,  Murfreesboro,  Tenn.,  $34 ;. 
Edgar  McChesney,  Bath,  III.,  $32  ;  Wm.  T.  Martin,  Logansport,  Ind., 
$32  ;  E.  L.  Tunnidiff,  Richfield  Springs,  N.  Y.,  $23  ;  George  Stupplebeer, 
Palmyra,  N.  Y.,  $28  ;  C.  P.  Glaspie,  Rome,  Mich.,  $24  ;  H.  S.  Reist7 
Coopersville,  Mich.,  $28  ;  J.  J.  Cox,  Worthington,  Ind.,  $28  ;  J.  W.  Mc- 
Spacn,  Mill  Springs,  Mo.,  $24  ;  W.  R.  Wilcox,  Washington,  Kansas,  $28  \ 
S.  A.  Hightower,  Lebanon,  Ind.,  $64  ;  Serano  F.  Thomas,  Reed  City, 
Mich.,  $28  ;  William  B.  Galbraith,  Concord,  Ohio,  $8  ;  George  Ford,  Put- 
man,  Ontario,  Canada,  $16  ;  R.  S.  Burrows,  Keokuk,  Iowa,  $24  ;  W.  S- 
Morgan,  Colo,  Iowa,  $12  ;  E.  M.  Messenger,  Clinton,  Mo.,  $34  ;  C.  W. 
Odell,  La  Crosse,  Ark.,  $32  ;  W.  J.  Bloom,  Jr.,  Ashland,  111.,  $9  ;  George 
Goldsmith,  Cairo,  111.,  $5  ;  Isaiah  Frasure,  Logan,  Ohio,  $32  ;  J.  Terryr 
Draper,  Utah,  $24  ;  John  Getschell,  Chicago,  111.,  $34  ;  James  A.  Bairdr 
Findlay,  Ohio,  $38  ;  Harry  C.  Sharer,  Cedar  Springs,  Mich,,  $14  ;  Benj. 
C.  Lougist,  Beaver,  Utah,  $28  ;  C.  W.  Young,  Loveland,  Ohio,  $28  %. 
Elisha  Morton,  South  Union,  Ky.,  $6  ;  F.  M.  Shook,  Taylorsville,  Ind.,, 
$32  ;  Elisha  Marvin,  Findlay,  Ohio,  $32  ;  W.  Perkins,  Akron,  N.  Y.r 
$34 ;  J.  T.  Miller,  Penn  Yan,  N.  Y.,  $34  ;  Peter  Brumer,  Pr-arieburg,. 
Iowa,  $32  ;  J.  W.  Rice,  Geneseo,  111.,  $34;  Ed.  Trimble,  Filmore  City, 
Utah,  $32  ;  C.  Williams,  St.  Joseph,  Mo.,  $500  ;  Thomas  Penrose,  La 
Anse,  Mich.,  $28  ;  H.  Carnon,  Pleasanton,  Kansas,  $32  ;  J.  B.  Duther- 
age,  Arkadelphia,  Ark.,  $32  ;  G.  W.  Duff,  Frankfort,  Ohio,  $32  ;  Charles 
Robertson,  Chetopia,  Kansas,  $32  ;  Noble  Anderson,  Jacksonport,  Ark.,, 
$32  ;  George  H.  Leslie,  Austin,  Minn.,  $48  ;  Frederick  Erb,  Brookfield,. 
Me.,  $24  ;  William  Chambers,  Colorado  Springs,  Col.,  $25  ;  D.  B.  Nor- 
man, Paris,  Tenn.,  $34  ;  Marion  Morin,  Negaunec,  Mich.,  $54  ;  David 
Thompson,  Berbank,  Ohio,  $54;  E.  M.Wheeler,  Brattleboro,  Vt.  $18 ; 
William  Lemont,  Youngstown,  Ohio,  $32  ;  E.  S.  Stevenson,  Portland,. 
Mich.,  $10  ;  C.  Carmichael,  Valley  Ford,  Ohio,  $32  ;  S.  McCrosky,  Mon- 
roe, Iowa,  $18  ;  B.  C.  Churchill,  Chicago,  111.,  $18  ;  Charles  W.  Siming- 
ton,  Juliet,  111.,  $12  ;  B.  T.  Murphy,  Toledo,  Ohio,  $44  ;  G.  B.  Adkins, 
Van  Buren,  Ark.,  $54 ;  Mrs.  "  E.  J.",  Ovid,  Mich,  $32  ;  L.  S.  Ross,  Oc- 
tagon, Ind.,  $32  ;  John  Lynch,  Milwaukee,  Wis.,  $32  ;  William  F.  Keith, 
Jr.,  Shelby ville,  Tenn.,  $5  ;  William  Nebel,  Muscoda,  Wis.,  $16  ;  Chas. 
Shoppa,  Albion,  Pa.,  $32  ;  Malcom  Taylor,  Caledonia  Station,  111.,  $32  ; 
George  D.  Faulkner,  Council  Bend,  Ark.,  $32  ;  C.  W.  Hinckley,  Bing- 
hamton^N.  Y.,  $32  ;  E.  H.  Wilcox,  Jefferson,  Ohio,  $32  ;  H.  J.  Runkle, 
Siadia,  Mo.,  $34  ;  John  Crov.  Colchester,  111.,  $34  ;  William  Burghart, 
Paterson,  N.  Y.,  $14  ;  D.  D.  Divine,  Jeffersonville,  Ind.,  $28  ;  James  H» 
Wilson,  Versailles,  111.,  $8  ;  N.  S.  Mitchell,  Tremont,  Wis.,  $32. 


SWINDLERS.  28  L 

During  two  months  the  New  York  post-office  stopped  between  sixteen 
and  seventeen  thousand  circulars  which  had  been  mailed  by  that  concern  ; 
thus  giving  a  fresh  demonstration  of  the  astonishing  extent  to  which  the 
swindle  had  spread. 

From  the  revelations  here  recorded,  which  are,  indeed,  disheartening  to 
every  true  patriot  and  every  honorable  man,  it  is  pleasant  to  turn  to  the 
history  of  a  similar  swindle  as  it  comes  to  us  from  Europe.  Four  Ameri- 
can swindlers  tried  to  introduce  the  saw-dust  swindle  into  Germany  ;  but 
it  turned  out  badly,  for  very  short  work  was  made  of  the  rascals  there. 
Their  names  are  :  Frederick  Langguth,  a  Dutchman,  but  who  had  lived 
in  this  country  more  than  20  years ;  Sebald  S.  Trau,  a  German  who  emi- 
grated to  Canada  in  1856  ;  Peter  Sal,  Cohen,  born  here,  of  German 
parents,  and  Edw.  Ryan,  an  Irishman  by  birth,  who  had  formerly  lived  ill 
San  Francisco  and  Iowa.  These  people  rented  an  office  in  Leipsic  Street, 
Berlin,  and  furnished  it  welL  They  pretended  to  carry  on  a  banking  busi- 
ness under  the  name  of  AVatson  &  Co.  They  distributed — after  the  fash- 
ion of  the  saw-dust  swindlers  here — an  immense  number  of  circulars 
throughout  all  places  in  Germany,  in  which  they  offered  counterfeit  United 
States  bonds  for  about  one-fourth  the  value  of  the  genuine.  But  the  people 
of  that  country  were  too  honest  for  the  rascals  to  make  much  out  of  them. 
Although  according  to  the  statements  of  the  authorities  of  the  Berlin  post- 
office  they  had  distributed  many  thousands  of  circulars,  they  had  had  only 
two  answers,  and  in  one  of  the  very  first  transactions  they  entered  into 
ihey  received  a  check.  A  Polish  jew  being  caught  by  the  bait  and  swin- 
dled, denounced  the  swindlers.  They  were  arrested  on  the  3d  of  Decem- 
ber, tried  on  the  16th  of  January,  and  each  of  them  sentenced  to  five  years 
penitentiary. 

Here,  in  the  Republic  of  the  United  States,  not  one  of  these  swindlers 
has  been  convicted,  although  not  content  with  being  the  most  consummate 
rascals  themselves,  they  induce  numberless  others  to  be  as  bad  ; — while  in 
imperial  Germany  they  are  promptly  punished.  What  a  contrast !  And 
how  humiliating  to  our  republicanism  !  How  long  then  shall  we  allow 
ourselves  to  be  shamed  in  honesty  and  the  proper  administration  of  jus'ice^ 
by  monarchical  Germany ! 

In  the  chapter  now  closing  we  have — we  are  convinced — disclosed  such 
a  picture  of  this  foul  spot  on  the  life  of  New  York  and  the  United  States,. 
as  has  never  before  been  shown  either  in  our  own  or  in  any  other  language. 
If  we  have  somewhat  exceeded  the  limits  wTe  had  prescribed  for  the  subject 
in  order  to  mention  all  the  swindling  concerns  that  have  been  presented  to 
us,  and  many  of  which  are  practised  outside  of  New  York,  it  seemed  neces- 
sary to  do  so  to  render  the  account  as  complete  as  possible  ;  and  it  was. 
only  by  completeness  that  we  could  convey  the  information  and  the  warn- 
ing that  we  desired.  We  hope,  therefore,  that  this  chapter  will  be  especi- 
ally useful  in  serving  to  protect  others  from  loss  ;  for  whoever  will  have 


282  THE   DARK   SIDE    OF   NEW    YORK   LIFE. 

read  it  must  certainly  be  in  a  better  position  to  defeat  the  swindlers  no 
matter  what  new  form  their  plans  may  be  made  to  assume. 

Swindling,  often  underrated  and  even  laughed  at,  occupies  in  reality  no 
subordinate  position  among  crimes  ;  and  it  is  so  much  the  more  dangerous 
inasmuch  as  the  swindler,  unlike  the  thief,  seeks  his  objects  not  by  contend- 
ing against  the  will  of  others,  but  by  making  that  will  subservient  to  him- 
self; an  act  which  he  accomplishes  by  deception  and  flattery.  The  swin- 
dler is  essentially  a  scorner  of  all  fidelity  and  trust ;  and  as  the  enemy  of 
-confidence  and  truth  he  is  the  soul  of  that  immoral  traffic  which  shakes 
from  its  foundation  the  whole  fabric  of  society,  strengthens  corruption  and 
fosters  indifference  to  injustice  and  crime. 

We  bave  already  given  a  list  of  the  principle  saw-dust  and  counterfeit 
money  swindlers,  we  propose  to  append  at  the  close  of  the  work  a  further 
list  to  include  as  far  as  possible  the  names  of  all  other  firms  of  swindlers. 


GAMBLING  HOUSES  AND  THEIR  VICTIMS. 

It  would  be  strange  if  in  a  city  like  New  York,  where  among  hundreds 
of  thousands  of  good  and  industrious  people  there  are  also  the  most  doubt- 
ful and  the  most  depraved  characters  gathered  from  all  the  nations,  as  it 
were  to  a  focus,  opportunities  were  not  found  readily  enough  to  gratify  a 
passion  which  has  prevailed  from  earliest  times  as  the  most  corrupt  ten- 
dency of  mankind  ;  one,  however,  which  at  all  periods  of  history  and  among 
all  people  has  been  followed  with  a  zeal,  may  we  not  almost  say,  with  a 
iury,  which  seems  to  justify  the  assertion  that  the  inclination  lies  deeply 
ingrained  in  human  nature  ;  and  that  its  fascinating  allurements  find  in  the 
hearts  of  individuals  a  sympathetic  approximation  which  makes  it  evident 
that  they  will  be  put  forward  in  the  future  for  their  destruction. 

We  speak  of  gambling,  and  its  ruinous  consequences  to  individuals,  to 
families,  and  to  the  entire  community. 

And  here  alas !  we  have  to  recognize  the  fact  that,  like  the  two  other 
deities  who  conduct  men  to  the  brink  of  ruin — Bacchus  and  Venus — to 
whom  in  the  proud  city  of  New  York  temples  and  palaces  of  unparallelled 
splendor  have  been  erected  ;  so,  too,  the  presiding  goddess  of  the  gaming 
table,  dame  fortune,  has  had  broad  halls  placed  to  her  honor  with  the  most 
artistic  taste,  luxury,  and  refinement  in  which  speculating  upon  the  nobler 
-emotions  of  the  human  breast  men  are  allured  so  enticingly  to  ruin. 

It  is  quite  incomprehensible  how  a  man  who  has  five  sound  senses  to 


GAMBLING    HOUSES    AND    TIIKIK    VICTIMS.  Z&8 

<niide  him  can  come  to  such  a  place  to  sacrifice  time,  money,  and  health, 
at  the  business  of  card  playing,  which  should  be  followed  in  an  innocent 
manner  and  in  leisure  time  by  way  of  recreation  and  amusement.  We 
take  exception  not  to  what  is  allowable,  but  only  to  the  excessive  use  of 
"•ames  of  chance.  But  it  seems  contrary  to  all  reason  that  otherwise 
fitted  men  are  unable  to  see  the  snares  and  traps  which  are  laid  for  them 
by  crafty  rascals  at  the  gambling  table  ;  and  that  the  purpose  of  these 
rogues  is  not  sociable  entertainment  and  amusement,  but  rather  the  means 
to  lead  an  idle  aud  voluptuous  life  at  the  expense  of  others.  Yes,  even  the 
open  disclosures  of  the  frauds  that  are  perpetrated  do  not  suffice  to  keep 
such  people  from  the  grasp  of  these  social  pests.  Instances  are  known  to 
us  where  people — respectable,  well  situated,  and  honorable  citizens, — could 
not  deny  themselves  the  temptation  even  though  by  hard  experience  they 
knew  that  they  would  be  cheated  ;  and  after  a  time  they  would  again 
become  slaves  to  the  spirit  of  gaming,  not  with  other  persons,  but,  and  this 
is  most  strange,  with  the  very  same  people  into  whose  nets  they  have  run 
before.  Justly,  indeed,  does  the  line  of  the  old  poet  apply  to  them : — 
"  Quem  Deus  vult  perdere  prius  dementat." 

There  is  only  one  explanation  to  this  apparently  inexplicable  state  of 
things,  that  the  dazzling  aspect  of  the  gaming  table  always  conceals  the 
consequences.  Whether  winning  or  losing  is  alike  immaterial  to  the  game- 
ster, who  seeks  excitement  for  its  own  merits.  The  interest  concerns  him 
so  much,  that  next  to  winning  the  sweetest  pleasure  is  to  lose.  The  mo- 
tives which  lead  to  gaming  are  very  different,  however.  Many  persons 
have  recourse  to  it  to  deaden  the  recollection  of  misfortune,  of  grief,  of 
family  discords,  or  of  injustice,  which  the  inner  consciousness  may  be  ever 
conjuring  up  before  the  mind.  These  are  the  grounds  upon  which  many 
give  themselves  up  to  the  vice  of  drunkenness.  And  we  have  remarked 
that  it  is  not  those  addicted  to  drinking,  but  another  class  which  takes 
refuge  at  the  gaming  table  ;  a  class  made  up  of  well-to-do  and  capable  men, 
to  whom  the  restraint  of  circumstances  does  not  lay  open  an  arena  where 
they  can  give  full  play  to  an  excess  of  power.  They  enter  with  ecstasy 
into  an  occupation  which,  while  it  agitates  their  innermost  existence  at  the 
behests  of  the  purest  chance,  gives  nourishment  to  fancy,  and  at  the  same 
time  challenges  their  every  energy  by  the  difficulties  that  follow  in  its 
train. 

Only  in  this  way  can  we  understand  how  a  genius  like  Lessing,  for 
instance,  could,  as  history  tells  us,  throw  himself  for  years  into  the  arms  of 
fortune  at  the  gaming  table.  There  is  but  one  means  known  to  us  to 
oppose  the  uneasy  impulses  which  flow  from  this  source  ;  that  is  an  earnest 
devotion  to  work  and  intellectual  employment.  Duty,  in  its  purity*  and 
integrity,  lies  far  away  from  the  limits  of  this  vice  ;  but  it  rectifies  the  exi- 
gencies we  have  spoken  of  by  opening  out  a  rich  field  where  activity  and 
energy  can  be  exercised. 


284:  THE   DARK   SIDE    OF   NEW   YORK   LIFE. 

The  desire  for  power  forms  another  motive  to  excessive  gambling.  A 
man  is  ambitious  to  control  fate,  and  thinks  to  be  able  to  set  up  a  system 
for  a  thing,  of  which  the  very  existence  depends  upon  the  fact  that  there  is 
no  system.  The  strange  multitudes  who  are  in  search  for  the  philosophers, 
stone  could  once  have  been  seen  in  crowds  at  the  now  closed  German 
watering  places.  There  they  would  sit  all  the  day  long,  pricking  with 
needles  upon  little  cards  the  progress  of  the  game,  and  drawing  from  the 
past  their  conclusions  as  to  the  future  ;  conclusions  which  soon  proved  to 
be  fallacies. 

It  would  be  a  great  error,  however,  to  take  these  for  short  sighted  peo- 
ple. On  the  contrary,  there  were  many  very  able  people,  scholars,  states- 
men, military  men,  merchants,  officers  ;  every  occupation  sent  its  contin- 
gent ;  even  distinguished  mathematicians  were  found  among  them.  From 
a  medical  point  of  view  these  people  should  rather  have  been  classed  a3 
monomaniacs.  More  than  once  we  have  heard  a  remark  of  this  kind  from 
one  or  other  of  them  : — "  I  can  do  nothing,  and  yet  that  fool  who  cannot 
hold  a  candle  to  me  succeeds  again  and  again." — And  so  it  was !  In  these 
proceedings  the  most  stupid  among  the  stupid  who  knew  nothing  whatever 
of  the  laws  of  chance. were  more  lucky  than  the  cleverest  of  the  clever. 
To  such  will  apply  the  thoughts  of  Polonius  i;  If  that  be  madness  there  is 
method  in't." 

These  we  have  mentioned  are  among  the  most  respectable  inducements 
which  we  can  discover  for  the  gambler.  But  there  is  a  good  series  of 
others  less  excusable,  down  to  the  impulses  of  the  professional  gambler 
who  practises  the  art  as  d  business  by  which  to  gain  his  livelihood,  first 
perhaps  honorably,  then  to  improve  his  luck  and  so  down  until  he  sinks  to 
the  level  of  criminality.  These  rascals  find  their  chief  associates  in  the 
ranks  of  idle  men,  among  whom  are  many  young  people  who  thereby  re- 
lieve the  tedium  of  idleness.  Vanity,  pleasure  seeking,  ostentation,  are  the 
chief  aids  to  ruin.  To  these  points  the  agents  of  the  bank  keepers  apply 
their  levers — those  miserable  creatures  more  contemptable  than  the  players 
themselves,  who  from  the  worst  dregs  of  vice  sustain  themselves  by  pander- 
ino-  to  others,  and  by  their  services  scorn  and  set  at  defiance  all  sense  of 
conscientiousness  and  honor.  Such  men  are  known  as  "  cappers," 
"  decoys,"  or  "  ropers  in." 

It  is  clearly  perceptible  that  the  rage  for  play,  as  we  have  described  it,, 
is  a  positive  passion,  which  may  have  its  origin  in  not  unworthy  instincts 
and  only  misses  its  direction^  while  only  indirect  motives  lead  to  gambling. 
The  latter  would  soon  disappear  from  the  world,  if  parents  by  the  proper 
education  of  youth  would  break  up  the  roots,  instead  of  pampering  them 
and  increasing  them  to  an  abnormal  size.  A  strict  adherence  to  industry 
would  restrain  the  weak  points  in  character,  and  save  the  young  from 
recourse  to  the  temples  of  gaming.  Just  as  an  inveterate  gambler  finally 
loses  all  inclination  for  honest  labor,  so  will  the  man  who  engages  zealously 


GAMBLING    HOUSES    AND    THEIR    VICTIMS.  285 

in  industrial  pursuits  acquire  no  desire,  whatever,  for  the  allurements  of 
the  gambling  table. 

In  this  reference  our  State  administrations  are  much  in  the  wrong  un- 
sanctioning institutions  of  the  kind,  especially  lotteries,  of  which  we  shall 
have  to  speak  in  another  chapter. 

But  this  by  the  way.  It  may  have  interested  the  reader  to  have  fol- 
lowed us  even  thus  far  into  the  rationale  of  a  passion  that  is  so  deeply  im- 
bued in  our  social  life,  while  at  the  same  time  we  do  not  remember  to  have 
found  any  searching  investigation  as  having  been  made  upon  the  question. 
It  is  not  any  part  of  our  province  to  enter  further  into  the  philosophy  of 
human  errors  and  their  origin.  It  is  facts  and  experiences  rather  that  we 
have  to  deal  with  in  the  present  work. 

In  this  direction  then  our  Metropolis  of  Xew  York  offers  to  the  gambler 
and  to  all  the  appurtenances  of  his  trade  a  field  at  ouce  wide  and  unfor- 
tunately rich. 

It  would  probably  be  as  easy  to  suppress  the  thousands  of  drinking  places 
and  whiskey  saloons  that  we  have  amongst  us,  as  it  would  to  root  out  all 
the  gaming  houses.  These  houses  flourish,  and  remain  open  both  dav  and 
night.  Very  many  persons  in  the  city  of  New  York  who  live  in  utter 
ignorance  respecting  their  incomes,  and  who  are  not  constrained  to  gam- 
bling as  a  profession,  nevertheless,  unfortunately  give  themselves  up 
repeatedly  to  the  vice  whenever  they  happen  to  have  no  inclination  to  work. 

In  Wall  Street  men  gamble  in  stocks  and  gold  on  the  Exchange,  while 
others  are  trying  their  luck  at  the  faro  bank.  That  is  the  only  difference 
between  the  two  sets  of  people,  however,  displeasing  and  unpleasant  the 
fact  may  seem.  Recourse  to  these  gambling  hells,  as  such  places  are  most 
justly  called,  generally  leads  to  inevitable  ruin,  though  sometimes  people 
are  to  be  found  in  them  who  risk  a  small  sum,  and  then  when  they  have 
won  five  and  twenty  or  fifty  dollars  they  leave.  But  people  who  gamble 
in  this  way  are  regarded  by  bank  keepers  and  the  proprietors  of  such 
houses  with  suspicion  and  even  aversion.  "  They  come  to  make  out  their 
expenses,"  say  they  ;  and  when  such  persons  enter  the  place,  their  usual 
reception  is  only  a  look  of  contempt. 

The  banker  loses  most,  when  he  loses  at  all  through  those  who  gamble 
to  gratify  a  constant  passion,  and  who  are  inextricably  in  the  toils.  But 
the  man  who  systematically  goes  away  after  he  has  won  fifty  dollars 
annoys  the  proprietor  above  all  the  rest.  Their  object  is  to  dupe  others  ; 
but  by  these  men  they  feel  that  they  themselves  are  victimized. 

Travellers  are  especially  marked  as  fair  game  by  this  confederacy  of 
sharpers.  The  possession  of  money  and  convenient  leisure  seems  to  these 
rascals  a  situation  highly  favorable  to  their  pernicious  work  ;  and  so  they 
follow  up  their  designs  with  ni3re  dexterous  skill  and  greater  precaution, 
such  as  only  long  experience  can  teach  them.  Their  plans,  too,  are  car- 
ried  out  vi  h  a  craftiness  and  a  degree  of  patieuce  that   are  checked  by 


286  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK   LIFE. 

nothing,  so  long  as  the  prize  they  are  playing  for  seems  large  enough.  It 
is  perhaps  hardly  to  be  wondered  at  that  new  victims  should  be  constantly 
turning  up,  when  we  find  them  looked  after  with  so  much  ability.  The 
artifices  of  the  rogues  are  so  alluring,  and  their  demeanor  so  well  adapted 
to  the  purpose  sought,  that  their  true  and  proper  character  is  generally 
quite  concealed  from  a  stranger.  Their  perseverance  and  tenacity  should 
be  most  commendable  if  they  were  only  to  apply  them  to  some  honor- 
able  end. 

There  are  many  persons  acquainted  with  the  pursuits,  and,  too,  with  the 
names  of  these  gamblers,  who  do  not  recognize  them  when  they  come  in 
contact  with  them.  These  are  but  a  few  who  have  not  heard  of  the  differ- 
ent swindlers  and  their  tricks,  and  there  are  thousands  who  from  year  to 
year  are  being  constantly  taken  in  by  their  devices.  People,  for  instance,, 
know  very  well  that  the  "  patent  safe"  is  a  cheating  contrivance,  and  yet 
they  allow  themselves  to  be  robbed  by  its  means.  There  are  people,  too, 
who  have  been  well  informed  at  some  time  or  other  as  to  the  single  inten- 
tion of  this  kind  of  deceit,  and  yet  they  are  so  forgetful  of  it  that  they 
readily  allow  themselves  to  fall  into  the  toils  of  an  artfully  laid  seduce- 
ment.  After  all  there  are  only  a  few  who  know  how  to  be  sufficiently 
aware  of  a  shrewd  and  experienced  scoundrel. 

In  the  city  of  New  York  there  are  about  a  dozen  gambling  houses  of  the 
first  class.  They  are  situated  in  the  most  fashionable  parts  of  the  town. 
Both  externally  and  internally  they  are  fitted  up  and  arranged  in  the  most 
elegant  manner ;  and  they  are  to  be  distinguished  from  the  neighboring 
dwelling  houses  of  prominent  residents  only  probably  by  a  large  silver- 
plated  door  plate  on  the  outer  entrance.  Venetian  blinds  and  heavy  cur- 
tains, kept  closed  and  drawn  during  the  day,  shelter  visitors  from  the  eyes 
of  the  curious.  If  anyone  would  enter  he  rings  the  door-bell  and  the  door 
is  opened  by  a  well-dressed  colored  servant ;  for  in  all  these  houses  the 
attendants  are  colored.  These  servants  are  well  trained  to  their  duties,. 
are  silent  and  polite.  After  the  first  greeting  the  porter  asks  "  Whom  do 
you  wish  to  see  ?"  The  proprietor  is  mentioned,  or  that  of  some  friend  or 
acquaintance,  and  the  visitor  is  at  once  shown  into  the  parlor.  The  ele- 
gance of  this  apartment  is  bewildering.  The  doors  are  of  rosewood. 
Costly  imported  carpets  cover  the  floor ;  mirrors  of  unusual  size  extend 
from  the  ceiling  to  the  ground ;  valuable  paintings  by  prominent  artists 
adorn  the  walls  ;  and  fine  frescoes  cover  the  ceilings.  The  furniture  is  of 
the  most  exquisite  workmanship,  made  in  rosewood,  ebony,  and  the  most 
costly  woods,  and  upholstered  with  velvets  or  satins  of  the  first  quality. 

The  basement  of  the  house  is  devoted  to  the  ordinary  purposes  as  in  a 
private  residence.  A  room  on  the  first  floor  is  the  dining-room  and  here 
we  have  presented  to  us  a  peculiar  feature  in  the  management.  Dinner  is 
placed  on  table  at  six  o'clock.  The  most  costly  viands  are  there,  served 
up  from  the  best  cooks.     Gold  and  silver-plate  and  rare  china  adorn  the 


GAMBLING  HOUSES    AND   THEIR    VICTIMS.  287 

table.     The  sideboard  groans  with  the  rarest  wines,  and  in  the  dessert  will 
be  found  the  finest  fruits.     The  dinners  and  all  connected  with  them  am 
unequalled  in  any  houses  in  New  York,  and  their  high  qualities  are  main- 
tained and  enhanced  through  the  rivalries  that  exist  among  the  proprietor* 
of  the  different  houses.     Dinuer  is  in  fact  a  part  of  the  business  of  tli- 
establishment,  and  every  proprietor  strives  to  earn  the  reputation  of  giving 
the  best.     But  these  dinners  are  free.     All  visitors  to  the  house  are  wel- 
come.    No   charge   is  made.     Call  for  the   choicest  wine   or  the   rarest 
liqueur  and  it  will  be  brought,  but  no  money  will  be  taken  for  it.     No 
questions  are  asked.     No  price  is  demanded.     No  one  is  solicited  either  to 
eat,  to  drink,  or  to  play ;  but  they  are  free  to  do  either,  or  all,  or  none. 
And  in  spite  of  this  liberality  the  proprietors  grow  rich  in  a  marvellously- 
short  time. 

The  play-room  is  usually  the  third  from  the  front,  built  expressly  in  the 
yard  with  solid  walls,  and  no  windows  ;  the  light  coming  through  a  glass 
dome  in  the  roof.  On  one  side  is  a  sideboard  upon  which  is  an  abundant 
supply  of  rare  wines  and  rare  refreshments,  all  of  which  are  supplied  by 
well  trained  attendants  without  any  charge.  All  are  welcome  to  anything 
the  house  provides.  The  roulette  table  is  ready  and  the  "  lay-out"  of  cards 
is  on  the  faro  table.  The  keeper  of  the  bank  and  the  dealer  of  the  card* 
are  in  their  places,  the  latter  using  a  patent  silver  case  for  shuffling  the 
cards.  Everything  necessary  for  gambling  is  there,  in  the  most  costly 
materials  and  got  together  in  the  most  consummate  style. 

The  dealer  shuffles  the  cards  at  a  table  eovered  with  green  cloth.  Some. 
players  risk  only  small  sums  and  leave  off  when  they  have  lost  five  or  ten 
dollars.  Others  play  for  large  sums  and  often  suffer  ruinous  losses.  Some- 
times a  hundred  thousand  dollars  change  hands  in  a  single  night.  Mer- 
chants, bankers,  clerks,  often  gamble  away  every  dollar  they  have,  and  at 
last  pledge  their  watches,  jewelry,  even  their  salaries,  and  thereby  incur 
debts  of  honor  to  gratify  the  morbid  passion  that  inflames  them.  And  theu 
the  visit  to  these  fashionable  hells  leads  to  defalcation,  peculation,  fraud, 
theft,  forgery,  and — the  jail. 

Not  long  since  a  man  lost  three  hundred  thousand  dollars  in  one  evening 
at  one  of  these  places.  Another,  still  in  New  York,  who  plays  on  a  syste- 
matic principle  has  won  as  much  as  two  hundred  thousand  dollars  in  an 
evening,  thus  enabling  him  to  reach  the  highest  ambition  of  a  gambler  and 
to  break  the  bank.  Gamblers  of  this  kind  lead  fast  lives.  The  money 
they  win  is  soon  dissipated  in  women,  wine,  or  the  gratification  of  sensual 
passions  and  vanity.  If  luck  go  for  a  time  against  them  they  descend  to 
the  lower  class  houses,  and  when  dame  fortune  smiles  again  they  return  to 
the  more  fashionable  resorts.  But  in  the  end  they  save  nothing,  probably 
not  a  dollar  in  a  year. 

Access  to  the  higher  class  establishments  is  only  attained  by  those  who 
conduct  themselves  as  gentlemen.     Their  must  be  no  breach  of  decorum. 


1288  THE   DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW   YORK   LIFE. 

Play  goes  on  by  the  hour  in  perfect  silence, — no  words  are  uttered  beyon 
the  few  whispers  of  those  who  have  charge  of  the  game.  In  aspect,  not 
unlike  the  rooms  of  a  first-class  club  house,  these  apartments  are  filled  by 
men  of  the  first  rank  in  society  and  down  town  ;  leading  men  on  the  Stock 
Exehange,  merchants  of  the  highest  position,  and  others  whose  names  are 
among  those  of  the  most  respected  of  our  citizens.  Some  read  and  enter- 
tain themselves.  Others  look  in,  take  a  glass  of  wine,  move  about  and 
observe  the  game  with  apparently  indifferent  interest,  and  leave.  The 
greatest  gamblers  are  generally  those  whose  business  it  is  to  gamble,  who 
gamble  at  the  "  hell"  at  night,  and  on  the  Stock  Exchange  throughout  the 
day  ;  but  the  inexperienced  in  such  matters  would  be  surprised  to  see  that 
visitors  generally  are  taken  from  all  occupation  in  the  higher  ranks  of 
society. 

The  usual  amount  of  the  play  is  from  five  to  twenty-five  dollars.  Checks 
are  purchased,  and  when  these  are  used  the  moderate  player  generally 
leaves  the  table.  But  others  continue  on  under  the  influence  of  the  weird 
fascination,  and  at  times  old  men  and  mere  boys  may  be  seen  side  by  side 
staking  alike  their  money  and  their  reputations,  throughout  a  long  evening. 

One  of  the  most  celebrated  proprietors  of  the  fashionable  hells  is  John 
Morrissey.  This  man's  life  is  remarkable  ;  and  contains  some  points  that 
are  fertile  themes  for  consideration,  of  which  not  the  least  important  are 
those  wherein  we  find  prominent  men  who  consider  themselves  above  the 
level  of  ordinary  society  lowering  themselves  (  ?)  to  use  this  man  for  their 
own  private  ends.  But  the  custom  is  common  enough  in  New  York, 
among  those  pretentious  worshippers  of  mammon  who  strain  their  necks  to 
reach  above  their  fellows  in  the  false  glow  of  greenbacks,  while  their  bodies 
and  all  else  lie  grovelling  in  the  filthy  depths  of  trickery  and  corruption. 

John  Morrissey  was  once  a  resident  of  Troy,  and  not  of  the  most  "  aristo- 
cratic." He  kept  a  drinking  saloon ;  not  of  the  largest,  nor  of  the  most 
reputable.  But  he  had  many  patrons.  Pugilists,  gamblers,  thieves,  pro- 
stitutes, loved  to  honor  themselves  by  supporting  him.  In  fact  he  had  so 
many  friends  and  those  friends  were  endowed  with  such  marked  character- 
istics that  the  authorities  in  a  paroxysm  of  virtue  closed  his  house.  John 
Morrissey's  friends  did  not  now  help  him  through  ;  they  were  too  much 
like  other  friends  to  aid  a  man  when  he  needs  aid.  They  deserted  him ; 
and  he,  poor,  penniless,  almost  shirtless,  gravitated  towards  New  York. 
He  had  been  a  pugilist,  and,  as  we  all  know,  brute  force  is  generally  at  a 
premium  here  ;  but  less  now,  happily,  than  it  was  then.  At  that  time  it 
carried  the  elections,  and  as  elections  are  frequent,  Morrissey's  abilities 
soon  found  a  field.  "  Vote  early  and  vote  often,"  was  not  then  a  joke  ;  it 
was  the  principle  upon  which  the  "  sovereign  people"  put  the  best  men  into 
the  best  places  ; — or  thought  they  did.  The  "  bloody  sixth"  held  posses- 
sion of  the  city.  Respectable  men,  opposed  to  the  corruption  of  that  day 
and  who  went  to  vote,  were  intimidated,  driven  from  the  polls,  or  half 


v 


GAMBLING  HOUSES    AND    Tlll.in    VKTIMS.  2#9 

killed.  The  police  were  among  the  worst  of  the  bad.  Instead  of  pro 
in<*  the  liberty  of  the  citizens  they  sought  only  to  protect  themselves,  and 
for  that  purpose,  too,  often  leagued  wiih  the  ruffians  who  ruled  the  place. 
Amid  such  a  state  of  things  John  Morrissey's  qualifications  became  invalu- 
able and  he  did  not  fail  to  apply  them.  A  city  election  was  at  hand.  The 
friends  of  order  could  carry  it,  if  they  dare  to  vote,  and  if  the  minority 
should  not  destroy  the  ballot-boxes  and  smash  the  beads  of  the  presiding 
officers.  But  there  was  the  difficulty.  And  to  meet  it,  John  Morrissey 
tendered  his  services.  He  offered  to  defend  the  ballot-boxes  in  the  inter- 
ests of  order,  if  he  were  paid  for  the  sacrifice.  lie  undertook  to  raise  an 
army  of  ruffians  who  should  stand  at  no  act  of  violence  that  might  seem 

expedient. 

The  late  Mr.  Kennedy  was  then  Superintendent  of  Police  ;  and  the  fol- 
lowing storv  is  told  in  connection  with  this  matter. 

Mr.  Kennedy  one  day  came  into  her  husband's  private  office  and  said 
"  There  is  an  awful  looking  man  at  the  door  who  wants  to  see  you.  He  is 
dirty  and  ragged,  and  looks  so  savage.  He  is  the  worst  looking  fellow  I 
ever  saw.     Don't  go  to  the  door  ;  he  certainly  means  mischief." 

"Is  he  a  big  fellow?"  asked  Kennedy. 

"Yes,  broad  shouldered  and  tall,  with  his  nose  turned  on  one  side." 

"  Oh  !  I  know,  let  him  in  ;"  said  the  superintendent. 

Mrs.  Kennedy  obeyed  her  husband's  behests  and  in  walked  John  Mor- 
rissey. The  thing  was  soon  settled.  The  services  were  accepted,  the 
army  of  desperadoes  was  raised,  the  ballot-boxes  were  defended  and  John 
Morrissey  rendered  his  first  public  service  to  his  fellow-citizens.  He  did 
that  in  his  capacity  as  pugilist,  &c.  He  has  done  many  since  in  another 
position.  He  was  then  not  a  very  attractive  looking  man — but  "  fine  feath- 
ers make  fine  birds."  The  "  honorable"  John  Morrissey,  in  his  gaming 
house  at  Saratoga,  dressed  in  black,  parading  the  saloons  amid  the  dazzling 
radiance  of  a  diamond  breast-pin  and  multitudes  of  diamond  rings,  is  quite 
a  different  being  from  the  quondam  plaiu  John  Morrissey,  pugilist  and  bar- 
tender ;  and  now  the  pretentions  in  the  land  are  proud  to  do  him  homage. 
For  he  has  money, — he  controls  the  great  diety  of  America  to  the  extent 
they  say  of  half  a  million  ;  and  that  in  the  eyes  of  our  people  is  well  worth 
worshipping,  even  in  the  person  of  the  once  poor  outcast  of  Troy. 

But  it  is  not  often  that  a  gambler  makes  money.  His  life  is  a  life  of 
excitement,  and  excitement  kills.  He  works  late,  drinks  hard,  lives  upon 
stimulants,  and — dies  of  stimulants.  Begin  as  cautious  as  you  will,  the 
road  is  down  hill.  Start  at  the  most  fashionable  houses,  and  you  will  be 
pulled  up  sharp  one  day  at  the  gate  of  perdition,  in  the  lowest  depths  of 
infamy.  There  are,  it  is  true,  a  few  who  keep  themselves  afloat  and  who 
have  been  known  as  gamblers  for  half  a  century  mayhap.  But  they  are 
extraordinary  men,  men  of  iron  nerve  and  a  determination  of  purpose  such 
as  lew  possess.     They  never  yield  to  fascination,  never  drink,  never  allow 

1Q 


290  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

themselves  to  be  allured  out  of  the  well  resolved  purpose  they  themselves 
have  fixed.  Some  live  in  luxury  and  are  respected  in  themselves  and  in 
their  families,  though  the  latter  rarely  know  the  source  from  whence  the 
means  are  obtained. 

There  are  two  principal  kinds  of  game  in  New  York.  The  one  is  known 
as  the  "  square  game"  and  is  played  in  first-class  houses  ;  the  other  is  the 
"  skin  game"  and  is  played  in  the  lowest  parts  of  the  town.  In  houses 
where  the  square  game  is  played  no  visitor  is  solicited  to  play,  but  where 
the  skin  game  is  in  vogue  a  visitor  must  either  play  or  be  prepared  to  have, 
at  least,  his  head  broken.  These  accommodating  establishments  employ 
agents  who  visit  even  the  first-class  hotels  to  enveigle  victims,  and  sweep 
them  together  from  all  places  of  public  resort. 

Their  mode  of  proceeding  is  simple.  They  keep  their  eye  upon  the 
visitors  books  at  the  hotel  counters,  and  when  a  stranger  enters  the  place 
they  note  his  name  and  person  so  as  to  identify  him  again.  In  the  evening 
the  agent  hunts  him  up  in  one  or  other  of  the  rooms  and  soon  gets  into 
conversation  with  him.  The  stranger,  hardly  knowing  what  to  do  to  kill 
time,  is  glad  of  a  temporary  companion  ;  and  the  "  roper-in"  knows  this. 
Moreover,  he  is  misled  by  the  pretence  that  his  new  acquaintance  knows 
friends  of  his  in  the  place  he  came  from,  the  note  in  the  registry  book  being 
again  made  use  of.  The  next  step  is  to  adjourn  to  the  bar.  Nothing  can 
be  done  without  a  "  drink."  But  it  moves  on  the  business  a  long  way. 
The  health  of  certain  persons  in  the  stranger's  town,  supposed  to  be  mutual 
acquaintances,  is  drunk.  Other  drinks  are  taken, — till  in  a  short  time 
several  glasses  have  probably  been  emptied,  and  the  stranger  has  been 
brought  to  the  condition  most  suitable  for  the  assaults  of  the  roper-in.  The 
two  friends  next  adjourn  to  the  front  steps  of  the  hotel.  Here  the  roper-in 
asks  his  victim  indifferently  what  he  proposes  to  do  with  himself,  and  a3 
the  latter  is  probably  more  ignorant  upon  that  point  than  upon  any  other, 
he  is  not  at  all  reluctant  to  let  his  new  acquaintance  answer  the  question 
himself.  A  suggestion  to  visit  a  private  club  house  is  made  and  at  once 
accepted ;  and  the  two  walk  off  arm  in  arm  to  the  destination.  More 
*'  drinks"  are  of  course  indulged  in,  and  after  a  few  personal  introductions 
the  visitor  is  asked  into  the  card  room.  After  a  little  politic  delay  the 
roper-in  suggests  that  his  new  friend  try  his  luck  for  some  small  amount. 
He  "  is  not  much  of  a  player  himself,  but  he  sometimes  risks  a  dollar  or 
two."  Now  the  bird  is  caught.  A  dollar  is  not  much  to  risk.  He  plays 
and  wins.  He  plays  again  and  wins,  drinking  in  the  interludes.  For 
drinking  is  essential.  When  this  has  gone  on  long  enough  and  the  man  is 
heated  with  wine  and  his  winnings,  he  is  induced  to  increase  the  stakes. 
Still  he  wins,  and  still  he  drinks.  He  plays  again,  and  wins,  and  drinks. 
Now  the  stakes  are  doubled,  he  plays,  and  loses.  But  the  loss  only  acts 
as  a  stimulus  to  try  his  luck  again  to  recover  his  past  fortune.  He  goes 
on  but,  loses  still,  and  drinks.     Money  gone,  he  risks  his  watch,  his  chain, 


GAMBLING    HOUSES    AND    TIIKIK    VICTIMS.  291 

his  rings,  and  still  he  loses.     By  this  time  his  senses,  too,  are  gone  ;  and 
in  a  helpless  state  of  intoxication  he  is  summarily  turned  into  the  street. 

In  these  places  vast  sums  of  money  are  sometimes  lost  in  a  single  night, 
.and  if  the  victim  has  sufficient  consciousness  left  next  morning  to  find  his 
way  back  to  the  place  ;  the  gamblers  are  gone.  No  vestige  of  their  pre- 
sence, no  indication  of  their  existence,  is  left. 

There  are  also  gaming  houses  where  the  same  kind  of  business  goes  on 
by  day.  These  are  usually  in  close  proximity  to  the  business  centres  in 
the  lower  part  of  the  town,  and  chiefly  within  the  space  bounded  by  Ann 
Street,  Wall  Street,  "Water  Street,  and  Broadway.  They  rely  for  support 
upon  business  men,  merchants,  bankers,  stock  gamblers,  clerks,  &c.  They 
have  their  ropers-in  just  as  the  night  houses  have,  and  pay  them  generally 
by  a  commission  on  the  amount  lost  by  the  victim.  These  agents  haunt 
the  corners,  the  curbstone,  the  restaurants  and  refreshment  rooms,  every 
place  in  fact  where  they  think  it  possible  to  find  their  game.  Having  once 
marked  their  man,  they  hover  after  him  from  place  to  place  to  seize  the 
first  faint  opportunity  for  addressing  him.  Looking  out  for  strangers  they 
offer  them  assistance,  either  to  conduct  them  to  some  place  they  want  to 
go  to,  to  take  them  to  a  place  of  amusement  or  to  see  the  lions  of  the  city. 
The  gambling  saloon  is  of  course  in  all  such  cases  the  actual  destination, 
— where  they  meet  thieves,  swindlers  and  stock  exchange  people, — and  are 
readily  fleeced  of  all  they  possess. 

These  day  saloons  are  useful  in  one  way.  The  police  constantly  resort 
to  them  to  find  anyone  who  may  be  especially  wanted,  and  they  are  not 
seldom  disappointed.  Missing  bonds  and  securities  frequently  turn  up  first 
ra  these  places.  "  Confidential"  clerks  resort  to  them  to  gamble  with  the 
funds  entrusted  to  them,  and  many  such  have  thereby  exposed  their  weak- 
ness to  a  detective  who  was  present  unobserved.  Thieves  who  snatch 
pocket-books,  cash-boxes,  &c,  indeed  all  the  criminals  who  feed  in  good 
apparel  upon  the  business  classes  of  that  particular  part  of  the  town  resort 
to  these  rooms  ;  where  they  are  readily  but  unwittingly  picked  out  by  the 
police.  We  have  already  mentioned  instances  of  this  kind  under  another 
chapter. 

If  the  night  houses  are  demoralizing,  these  day  houses  are  far  more 
dangerous  ; — inasmuch  as  lying  in  the  way  of  young  business  men  they  are 
largely  frequented  by  them  ;  and  are  the  scenes  where  many  a  clerk,  other- 
wise honest,  has  been  tempted  to  dissipate  the  monies  entrusted  to  his  keep- 
ing and  thereby  bring  misery  and  sorrow  upon  himself  and  his  family. 

The  men  who  open  such  places  generally  seek  a  building  where  the 
rooms  are  let  in  floors.  A  large  structure  in  which  there  are  many  offices, 
a  common  staircase,  and  much  traffic  is  preferred.  The  rooms  are  then 
carefully  prepared  for  the  purpose  intended.  Close  partitions  are  erected. 
The  windows  are  secured  with  shutters  and  curtains.  The  floors  are 
covered  with  soft  carpets.     The  furniture  is  suitable,  elegant,  and  costly. 


292  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

Roulette  and  faro  tables  are  indispensable,  and  soft  lounges  and  luxurious^ 
couches  surround  them.  More  precaution  is  used  here  than  in  the  night 
houses.  The  rooms  are  darkened,  and  only  gas-light  admitted.  Profound 
stillness  reigns,  broken  only  occasionally  by  the  smothered  voices  of  the 
men  who  have  charge  of  the  game.  All  who  enter  are  scrutinized  closely, 
and  persons  who  may  be  quite  unknown  are  usually  denied  admission. 

If  we  go  in  we  see  at  a  table  the  dealer  of  the  cards,  a  man  of  perhaps 
45  to  50  years  of  age.  There  is  a  wonderful  similarity  in  the  style  and 
appearance  of  the  mea.  They  all  seem  to  be  turned  out  of  the  same 
mould,  are  short,  thickset,  sturdy  fellows,  possessed  of  little  or  no  feeling, 
but  ready  in  a  moment  to  back  up  their  roguery  with  violence. 

The  proprietors  of  the  day  houses  in  the  lower  part  of  the  town  often 
hold  the  same  relations  with  the  night  houses  up  town,  opening  the  latter 
when  they  close  the  former.  But  notwithstanding  the  mischief  created  by 
both,  it  is  certainly  greater  in  those  places  which  are  placed  to  entrance 
and  infatuate  young  men  in  the  course  of  their  daily  business.  Nothing 
so  surely  as  the  gambling  table  justifies  the  sentiment  of  the  poet,  when  he 
tells  us  : — ' 

"  Vice  is  a  monster  of  so  deadly  mien 
That  to  be  hated  needs  but  to  be  seen ; 
But  seen  too  oft,  familiar  with  her  face, 
We  first  endure,  then  pity,  then  embrace." 

For  certainly  no  form  of  vice  is  more  seductive  or  more  perilous. 

With  soft  promises,  and  sweet  yet  delusive  hopes,  the  syren  breaks  up 
all  the  fondest  dreams  and  anticipations  of  life  in  one  inevitable,  irretriev- 
able ruin. 

It  would,  indeed,  be  an  easy  matter  to  moralize  even  to  the  end  upon 
this  subject,  and  the  temptation  to  do  more  in  that  direction  is  hard  to 
avoid  ;  for  no  admonition  is  strong  enough,  no  warning  can  be  often  enough 
repeated  against  the  danger  which  this  quicksand  of  life  threatens  to  so 
many,  and  into  which  hundreds  of  men  are  every  day  falling. 

The  capital  invested  in  the  gambling  houses  of  New  York  has  been  esti- 
mated at  over  a  million  dollars.  That  is  the  sum  yearly  paid  away  for  the 
maintenance  of  these  establishments.  If  the  same  amount  were  expended 
from  year  to  year  for  the  erection  and  maintenance  of  some  benevolent 
institution,  a  rich  harvest  might  be  the  result.  But  when  we  consider  that 
this  money  is  devoted  to  undermining  the  honor,  the  good  name,  the  self- 
respect  of  so  many,  how  is  it  possible  to  estimate  the  terrible  miseries  to 
body  and  mind  which  this  vice  carries  in  its  train  ! 

Then  note  the  vast  number  of  these  gambling  houses.  Tuey  are  to  be 
found  in  almost  every  street  in  the  city  ;  nay,  in  many  of  the  streets  they 
are  so  numerous  as  to  enter  into  a  vigorous  competition  one  with  the 
other. 


GAMBLING    BOUSES    AND    Tlli.ii;    VICTIMS.  293 

la  the  first-class  gambling  houses  the  most  desirable  visitors  are  they 
who  are  rich,  or  those  who  sooner  or  later  expect  riches.  But  why  is  it 
generally  so  difficult  to  obtain  entrance  to  these  aristocratic  hells?  In 
great  measure  because  it  might  be  inconvenient  for  the  patrons  of  these 
establishments  to  be  liable  to  meet  others.  In  fact  it  is  for  this  and  for  no 
other  reason,  to  avoid  the  inquisitive  looks  of  perhaps  fathers,  brothers, 
sons  and  principals.  The  young  counting  house  clerk  with  a  salary  of 
perhaps  from  eight  to  twelve  hundred  dollars  a  year — and  there  are  many 
such  who  spend  more  than  that  in  one  week  at  the  faro  table — would  not 
care  to  be  found  in  such  a  place  by  a  principal  whose  money  probably  he 
was  squandering.  Nor  on  the  other  hand  would  the  merchant,  who  per- 
haps is  continually  inculcating  into  his  clerks  and  apprentices  the  strongest 
maxims  and  doctrines  of  probity,  rectitude,  and  frugality,  care  to  be  seen 
by  any  one  or  other  of  those  young  men  at  the  roulette  table. 

The  following  case  will  illustrate  how  victims  fall  at  the  gambling  table 
even  from  the  highest  circles. 

Major  P.,  a  resident  of  Philadelphia,  was  in  the  year  1864,  through  the 
influence  of  a  senator,  nominated  to  a  paymastership  in  Sherman's  Army. 
As  he  was  known  to  be  a  man  of  irreproachable  character  and  unquestion- 
able patriotism,  he  was  frequently  entrusted  by  the  Treasury  and  the  War 
Department  with  missions  where  he  had  the  control  and  expenditure  of 
large  sums  of  money.  Upon  one  such  occasion  he  came  to  New  York  and 
lodged  at  the  St.  Nicholas  Hotel.  As  he  had  resided  all  his  life  in  Phila- 
delphia and  had  had  many  opportunities  to  observe  the  dark  side  of  life 
and  its  doings  in  the  Quaker  City,  he  had  no  apprehension,  whatever,  that 
lie  would  fall  a  victim  to  the  cunning  of  any  rascals  here.  There  were  at 
that  time  among  the  visitors  at  the  hotel  a  considerable  number  of  officers 
among  whom  was  a  captain  of  artillery  whom  we  will  call  S.  On  the  first 
night  after  his  arrival  Major  P.  went  with  this  man  to  the  theatre,  on  the 
next  night  to  the  opera  and  other  places  of  amusement.  At  last  came  the 
night  next  preceding  the  day  upon  which  the  major  intended  to  take  his 
departure. 

Being  then  invited  by  his  friend  S.  to  take  a  walk  they  set  out  together. 
He  also  accepted  without  any  hesitation  the  captain's  further  proposition  to 
pay  a  visit  to  an  acquaintance.  They  entered  thereupon  a  marble  build- 
ing fitted  up  in  the  interior  in  the  most  palatial  style.  After  our  friend 
from  the  Quaker  City  had  been  introduced  to  everybody  present,  with  all 
of  whom  Captain  S.  seemed  to  be  upon  the  best  of  terms,  they  partook  of 
a  sumptuous  supper  made  up  of  the  most  delicate  dishes  and  the  most  costly 
wines.  This  over  they  adjourned  to  a  back  room  where  a  little  friendly 
game  was  going  on.  Major  P.  now  accepted  with  pleasure  an  invitation 
to  join  in  with  the  others  "just  to  pass  the  time."  Presently  he  risked  ten 
dollars  and  won.  They  played  again  and  fortune  still  remained  friendly 
to  the  paymaster.     The  third  time  the  stakes  were  doubled  and  the  Major 


294  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

lost.  The  game  became  continually  more  exciting  and  the  luck  changed 
about.  At  last  the  fickle  goddess  deserted  him  entirely.  He  lost  continu- 
ally. He  plied  himself  with  brandy  and  drank  deep.  The  young  well 
bred  son  of  the  Quaker  City  became  reckless.  His  continued  run  of  ill- 
luck  made  him  desperate.  His  last  dollar  was  gone.  Then  the  demon 
tempted  him  further.  An  idea  struck  him.  He  took  the  money  entrusted 
to  him  by  the  Government,  in  the  hope  of  winning  back  at  least  a  part  of 
the  money  he  had  lost.  Thousands  of  dollars  were  laid  upon  the  table  and 
— lost.  Now  the  last  bank  note  was  placed  upon  the  card  and  this  too  in 
another  moment  was  swept  into  the  box  of  the  bank.  The  thought  in- 
stantly rushed  through  the  young  man's  mind  that  he  was  ruined, — his 
character,  his  honor,  the  confidence  that  had  once  been  placed  in  him,  all 
gone.  The  pangs  of  conscience  crushed  him  down.  Hastily  drinking 
another  draft  of  strong  liquor  he  drew  a  revolver.  In  another  moment  a 
report  resounded  through  the  room  and  there  fell  to  the  ground  a  self- 
murderer,  the  victim  of  the  detestable  vice  of  gaming. 

It  is  difficult  for  persons  who  are  not  gamblers  to  understand  the  acute 
pleasure  that  seems  to  be  derived  from  gaming,  and  it  seems  almost  impos- 
sible to  give  a  sufficient  explanation  of  the  ensnaring  spell  which  seizes  the 
victims  of  the  love  for  play.  Sooner  or  later  to  their  inevitable  ruin  these 
unfortunates  run  blindly  on,  obstinate  slaves  to  their  own  passions  and 
covetousness  until  they  plunge  madly  down  into  the  abyss  that  lies  across 
their  path.  The  passion  (for  it  is  nothing  else)  has  its  origin  in  ninety- 
nine  cases  out  of  a  hundred  in  so-called  business  circles.  Cards  and  domi- 
noes in  segar  stores,  drinking  places,  oyster  saloons  or  refreshment  houses 
of  any  kind  are  objectionable,  although  the  greater  number  of  those  who 
from  day  to  day  and  from  night  to  night  devote  themselves  to  the  practise 
will  question  the  assertion.  Betting  is  another  and  more  dangerous  form 
of  gambling.  The  propensity  to  acquire  money  easily  without  working  is 
developed  by  it  and  if  once  aroused,  it  is  very  difficult  to  withstand  the 
influence  induced  by  it. 

Americans  are  unusually  prone  to  give  themselves  to  the  passions  for 
betting,  and  it  is  to  this  that  so  many  have  to  ascribe  the  loss  of  their  char- 
acter and  fortune. 

It  is  not  often  that  "  country  greenhorns"  are  among  those  who  are 
fleeced  in  aristocratic  gambling  hells.  Such  small  games  are  not  in 
demand.  While  we  speak,  however,  of  the  aristocratic  gambling  hells,  we 
do  not  mean  to  say  that  gambling  has  yet  been  recognized  among  the  fash- 
ionable vices  in  this  country.  It  is  not  legalized  in  any  of  the  States.  The 
clubs  throw  restrictions  around  it ;  and  if  any  member  of  society  who  for 
the  sake  of  varying  the  entertainment  should  introduce  a  faro  table  into 
his  house,  would  soon  find  his  saloon  deserted  and  himself  and  his  place 
exposed  to  public  contempt.  What  is  a  custom  in  Paris  is  regarded  as. 
shameful  in  New  York ;  and  those  who  squander  their  money  in  Baden. 


GAMBLING    HOUSES    AND    TIHIK    VICTIMS. 

Baden  before  all  the  world  at  Rouge  et  Noir  would  be  bitterly  reproached 
if  they  did  the  same  thing  here  in  their  own  houses.  To  say  of  anybody 
that  lie  is  a  gambler  is  to  give  him  the  worst  kind  of  reputation  possible. 
Every  respectable  man  shuns  such  a  person.  He  would  be  tolerated  in  no 
good  company,  and  every  calling,  every  employment,  where  trust  and 
honor  are  indispensable,  would  be  closed  against  him.  His  passion  is  a 
curse  upon  him,  and  his  only  acquaintances  are  the  acquaintances  of  the 
gaming  room. 

This  condition  of  things  we  owe  to  the  simple  and  pure  manners  of  olden 
times  and  to  the  value  of  tradition  and  custom  even  though  they  be  but 
feebly  respected.  For  our  ancestors,  the  Fathers  of  the  Republic,  were 
the  most  decided  enemies  of  the  loose  manners  of  European  countries  and 
determined  not  to  permit  the  vice  of  gaming  to  be  introduced  into  the  new 
world. 

Although  then  as  we  have  seen  gambling  houses  of  every  kind  and 
degree  abound  and  flourish,  they  are,  nevertheless,  under  the  ban  of  the 
law,  and  may  at  any  moment  be  put  down  by  the  police. 

Broadway,  between  Spring  and  Tenth  Street,  is  the  locality  where  cheap 
eating-houses  abound.  In  almost  any  of  these,  at  a  late  hour  of  the  night, 
may  be  found  one  or  more  of  the  lowest  class,  the  Canaille,  of  gamblers, 
men  who  hang  about  the  places  where  they  can  at  once  become  devotees 
to  the  passion  that  has  enstaved  and  ruined  them,  and  at  the  same  time 
win  a  precarious  existence  either  by  small  bets  of  their  own,  or  by  captur- 
ing strangers  and  leading  them  off  to  some  place  where  they  may  lose  any 
money  they  happen  to  possess.  They  are  improvident,  reckless,  dissipated, 
in  their  habits  ;  dirty,  greasy,  and  thread  bare  in  their  appearance  ;  and 
coarse,  and  unclean  in  their  language.  Their  appearance  in  short  is  that 
of  the  lowest  order  of  the  tribe  known  in  "  sporting  men."  They  live  a 
hazardous  life,  depending  for  their  food  very  much  upon  the  free  feeds  that 
are  common  in  the  little  hells  they  patronize,  and  requiring  only  to  make 
special  provision  for  their  beds  and  clothes. 

But  they  are  very  different  from  their  fraternity  in  the  higher  ranks  of 
the  gambling  classes.  These  are  wonderful,  and  very  conspicuous,  for  the 
gorgeousness  of  their  vestments.  They  frequent  Broadway  with  much 
pertinacity,  and  may  be  seen  there  any  afternoon  lounging  carelessly  along, 
with  evidently  no  better  defiued  object  than  the  display  of  their  adornments 
and  the  exhibition  of  themselves  : — "  Fine  feathers  make  fine  birds  ;"'  and 
taking  the  Broadway  loungers  as  a  class,  it  may  generally  be  concluded 
with  some  certainty  that  the  solidity  of  their  characters  is  inversely  pro- 
portioned to  the  perfection  of  their  attire.  But  among  them  there  are 
again  two  classes.  The  better  of  the  two  are  men  of  good  manners  and 
gentlemanly  deportment.  The  proprietors  of  the  higher  grade  of  gambling 
houses  are  not  to  be  excelled  in  the  superficial  elements  of  good  breeding. 
They  can  always,  &nd  as  a  rule  they  do  always  conceal  their  true  character 


296  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK   LIFE. 

under  a  semblance  of  being  gentlemen.  It  is  a  part  of  their  business 
to  do  so.  To  throw  off  the  mask  and  appear  in  their  true  characters 
would  be  to  ruin  their  business.  Men  from  the  best  circles  of  New  York 
society — men  known  in  science,  art,  literature,  politics,  and  even  religion, 
frequent  these  establishments  and  they  have  at  least  to  equal  these  in  the 
amenities  of  society.  Nor  must  it  be  supposed  that  they  are  ignorant  men. 
Many  are  highly  educated,  and  highly  talented.  Mention  is  made  of  one, 
now  dead,  who  was  the  son  of  a  Portuguese  nobleman,  a  finished  gentle- 
man, one,  too,  who  had  received  all  the  highest  advantages  of  European 
universities.  Such  men  are  to  be  pitied,  even  while  we  condemn  the 
means  by  which  they  travel  through  the  world.  Believing  in  the  empti- 
ness of  human  life,  they  devote  their  talents  to  an  empty  trade.  They 
know  and  acknowledge  the  injury  they  are  doing  and  the  illegality  of  their 
proceedings.  Yet  they  are  influenced  by  a  sense  of  honor,  peculiar  though 
it  be,  under  which  they  would  scorn  to  take  a  dollar  by  any  means  which, 
according  to  their  code,  would  be  deemed  dishonorable  or  unfair.  A  simi- 
lar sense  of  honor  would  be  very  useful,  if  it  were  more  prevalent  among 
what  the  world  calls  honest  men. 

But  the  other  class  of  these  Broadway  loungers  is  very  different, — and 
deserving  of  no  consideration  whatever.  They,  too,  ape  to  be  fashionable. 
But  their  massive  gold  chains  are  not  gold,  nor  are  their  dazzling  diamonds 
much  else  than  glass.  They  are  coarse,  vulgar,  gaudy  men  ;  animal  in 
their  passions  and  appearance,  beastly  and  blasphemous  in  their  language. 
They  are  either  the  proprietors  or  the  ropers-in  for  the  third  or  fourth  rate 
hells,  where  no  spark  of  honor  ever  existed,  where  victims  are  fleeced  by 
fraud  and  cheating,  and  the  vilest  liquors  flow  to  aid  the  cause.  The 
wonder  is  that  such  men  can  do  the  business  they  do, — that  strangers  can 
be  so  infatuated  and  foolish  as  to  be  inveigled  by  them  ;  for  the  name  of 
swindler  is  visible  to  the  man-of-the-world  in  every  line  of  their  features 
and  on  every  article  of  their  clothes.  Such  companions  should  be  avoided 
as  some  beast  of  prey,  which  they  very  much  resemble  in  all  their  ways 
and  proceedings.  As  soon  as  faro  ceases  to  be  profitable,  these  vagabonds 
are  ready  to  turn  to  something  else,  it  may  be  a  "  poker"  party  or  it  may 
be  a  robbery.  Anything  to  get  money  without  working  for  it ;  for  to  them 
work  is  the  most  degrading  occupation  of  man.  When  all  else  fails  them 
they  become  confidence  operators,  or  rank  themselves  among  some  or 
other  of  the  swindlers  whom  in  various  forms  we  have  already  described. 
They  have  the  most  admirable  confidence  in  themselves.  Self-esteem  is  a 
ruling  feature  in  their  organization.  They  believe  themselves  capable  of 
cheating  anybody,  and  th*  belief  strengthens  their  boldness  and  self- 
reliance.  But  it  is  not  up^ta  such  men  that  the  low  class  hells  directly 
depend  for  their  support.  One  of  such  men  winning  or  losing  from  one  of 
his  fellows  brings  little  good.  It  is  like  taking  money  from  one  hand  to 
put  it  in  the  other.     It  is  the  victims  whom  they  inveigle  that  form  the 


GAMBLING  HOUSES    AND    THEIR    VICTIMS.  207 

real  food  for  the  faro  houses.  It  is  the  occasional  gambler  that  supports 
those  places,  and  he  does  it  in  proportion  to  the  money  that  he  chances  to 
be  able  to  control,  for  he  is  seldom  allowed  to  escape  before  he  has  lost  all 
that  he  possesses.  The  man  who  plays  only  now  and  then  may  think  that 
his  patronage  is  very  small  to  support  the  gamblers,  but  in  truth  the  gam- 
bler could  not  live  without  him.  It  is  just  such  occasional  playing  that 
does  all  the  mischief. 

"We  will  now  examine  more  closely  the  games  most  prevalent  in  New 
York,  to  show  that  even  in  what  is  known  as  the  "  square  game,"  that  is 
the  honest  game,  how  the  chances  preponderate  in  favor  of  the  bank. 

Iu  both  "  commerce"  and  games  with  dice  there  is  the  purest  chance, 
but  besides  these  there  are  games  in  which  reasonable  calculations  may 
not  be  quite  excluded,  but  where  chance  still  prevails. 

It  is  to  be  expected  that  in  New  York,  the  place  where  people  from  all 
nations  of  the  earth  come  together,  the  games  of  all  nations,  too,  are  to  be 
found.  And  so  it  is.  The  Englishman  cultivates  whist ;  the  Frenchman, 
piquet  and  ecarte  ;  the  Spaniard,  f  hombre  ;  the  Hungarian,  tarock  ;  the 
German  his  native  scat,  solo,  binocle,  sechsundsechzig,  &c,  &c. 

With  these  games  we  have  here  nothing  to  do,  although  by  means  of 
heavy  stakes,  which,  however,  are  not  usual,  they  may  assume  the  charac- 
ter of  games  of  chance.  At  the  same  time,  among  such  games  of  games, 
we  have  besides  roulette  and  keno  to  notice,  especially  games  with  cards. 
To  make  our  account  more  complete  we  must  mention  the  dice  also,  since 
they  are  much  used  in  New  York.  But  a  mere  mention  will  suffice,  for 
according  to  our  experience  the  use  of  the  dice  here,  when  used  fairly,  is 
confined  merely  to  the  settlement  of  drinking  scores,  hardly  ever  for  money, 
and  these  are  so  light  that  they  do  not  involve  the  ruin  of  either  player. 
The  only  evil  that  the  practise  brings  in  its  train,  being  the  inducement  it 
offers  very  often  for  people  to  drink  more  than  they  require.  The  various 
kinds  of  games  with  dice  are,  however,  very  numerous.  They  amount  to 
more  than  eighty. 

Faro  has  so  much  the  preference  here  amoDg  all  games  of  chance,  that 
it  will  be  better  to  notice  it  first. 

It  is  played  with  the  ordinary  whist  pack  of  fifty-two  cards,  which  is 
divided  into  the  four  suits  of  13  each.  The  different  values  of  the  several 
cards  are  immaterial  in  faro,  all  depending  upon  which  side  a  card  chances 
to  come.  Throughout  the  game  the  dealer  draws  his  cards  and  lays  each 
down — the  first  on  the  left,  the  second  on  the  right,  the  third  again  on  the 
left,  the  fourth  on  the  right,  the  fifth  on  the  left  and  so  on  throughout  the 
whole.  One  pile  thus  formed  constitutes  the  winning  cards,  the  other  the 
losing  cards  ;  the  left  side  being  in  favor  of  the  bank,  the  right  of  the 
players.  Before  beginning  the  latter  have  to  declare  upon  what  card  and 
to  what  amount  each  bets,  and  according  to  whether  the  particular  card 
falls  on  the  side  of  the  bank  or  of  the  player,  he  loses  or  wins  the  amount 


298  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

of  his  stake.  This  is  placed  by  the  player  at  the  commencement  either 
upon  a  card  of  the  same  kind  as  that  upon  which  he  bets,  or  a  so-called 
"  temple"  or  lay-out  is  used.  This  consists  of  a  board  or  table  or  piece  of 
cloth  upon  which  the  13  different  cards  of  the  whist  pack  are  either  pasted,. 
or  represented  in  the  same  number  of  separate  squares. 

The  chances  in  favor  of  the  bank  in  this  game  are  very  considerable. 
As  the  top  card  is  readily  visible,  the  dealer  before  beginning  the  first 
"turn"  shows  it,  so  that  upon  this  bets  can  only  be  made  three  and  not 
four  times  as  is  the  case  with  the  other  cards.  On  the  last  or  2Gth  turn, 
also  the  dealer  has  nothing  to  pay.  He  wins  all  that  is  placed  on  the  left 
side  card  of  this  turn,  the  last  card  but  one  in  the  game.  This  gives  him 
a  chance  of  about  four  per  cent,  over  the  player.  He  derives  another 
advantage .  from  the  "splits."  These  occur  when  two  cards  of  the  same 
kind  come  out  in  the  same  turn,  one  on  the  left,  the  other  on  the  right. 
In  this  case  the  bank  takes  half  the  money  bet ; — and  the  advantage  it 
gains  is  reckoned  at  from  four  to  six  per  cent.  In  this  way  then  without 
any  risk  there  is  a  chance  amounting  to  about  ten  per  cent,  in  favor  of  the 
bank,  a  fair  proportion,  indeed,  and  one  which  secures  a  continual  suc- 
cess. 

One  would  think  that  with  such  disadvantages  there  would  be  few  play- 
ers at  faro.  But  the  opposite  is  the  case.  Each  person  trusts  to  his  own 
good  fortune,  and  never  calculates  the  chances  that  are  against  him. 

It  is  very  easy  to  cheat  at  faro.  While  the  cards  lie  in  the  hand  of  the 
dealer,  he  can  have  so  arranged  them  as  to  understand  the  order  in  which 
they  come,  so  that  he  knows  exactly  the  value  of  the  next  card  which  is  to 
fall  to  the  left.  By  a  little  careful  handling  he  is  able  whenever  he  wishes 
to  draw,  not  the  uppermost  card,  but  the  second,  and  thus  to  make  a  card 
fall  to  the  left  which  ought  to  go  to  the  right.  This  is  the  secret  of  the 
"  skin  game." 

To  remedy  this  they  have  introduced  in  New  York  a  metallic  box  into 
which  the  cards  are  placed,  instead  of  having  them  open  in  the  hands  of 
the  dealer.  At  the  bottom  of  this  box  is  a  strong  spring  which  presses  the 
pack  upwards.  On  the  open  surface  at  the  right  side,  under  the  rim 
which  retains  the  cards,  is  a  small  slit  just  large  enough  to  let  one  card 
pass  through.  By  this  contrivance  the  dealer  must  take  out  the  cards  in 
their  proper  order  as  they  are  in  the  box.  He  cannot  change  them  about 
at  his  pleasure. 

In  order  to  know  clearly  the  cards  that  have  been  already  drawn,  an 
arrangement  has  also  been  introduced  where  a  person  connected  with  the 
bank  notes  all  that  are  drawn  and  duly  records  them  on  a  tally,  so  that 
every  player  may  see  at  a  glance  how  many  kings,  how  many  queens,  &c, 
have  been  drawn  and  how  many  there  are  still  remaining  in  the  packv 
This  is  done  by  means  of  small  round  ivory  dices  which  are  placed  upon 
wires  or  rods,  and  as  each  card  is  drawn  they  are  moved  from  one  end  of 


GAMP.!. IXC     lid   3ES     \M>    THEIB    VICTIMS.  2'JD 

the  frame  to  the  otherwhere  the  card  is  represented,  much  in  the  same 
manner  as  the  contrivance  generally  used  for  counting  the  points  made  at 
billiards. 

1 1  seems  scarcely  credible  that  with  such  securities  as  these  there  can  be 
anything  unfair  at  faro,  and  many  persons  fancy  that  with  them  there  is 
every  guarantee  for  an  honest  game.  Nevertheless,  it  is  a  fact  that  false 
drawings  of  the  cards  do  happen.  The  dealer  needs  only  to  enlarge  the 
opening  through  which  the  cards  pass  so  as  to  permit  two  to  go  through 
instead  of  one,  and  immediately  the  way  to  cheating  is  opened  far  and 
wide.  Then  before  the  beginning  of  the  game  the  dealer  has  ample  time 
to  mark  every  card  and  so  to  impress  the  marks  upon  his  own  memory 
that  he  knows  each  card  by  its  feel ;  thus  it  is  easy  enough  by  adroit 
manipulation  to  take  out  the  card  upon  which  he  stands  to  win  most  and 
in  the  same  manner  to  prevent  the  drawing  of  one  that  is  at  the  moment 
unfavorable  to  the  bank.  Then  if  in  one  round  the  knave,  for  example> 
appears  only  three  instead  of  four  times,  the  marker  has  to  give  it  an  extra 
mark  as  though  it  had  been  drawn,  but  for  this  purpose  there  are  concerted 
signals  between  him  and  the  dealer,  which  are  not  known  to  nor  remarked 
by  the  uninitiated.  A  player  very  seldom  keeps  account  for  himself  as  to 
how  often  this  or  that  card  has  been  drawn.  He  leaves  all  to  the  marker, 
and  thus  the  very  thing  which  was  originally  intended  as  a  protection  is 
perverted  into  exactly  the  opposite.  If  at  any  time  any  one  should  keep 
the  account  and  mention  the  circumstance,  he  is  furiously  charged  with 
having  made  the  mistake  himself,  and  as  certain  evidence  of  this  he  is 
shown  the  card  in  the  pack  already  drawn,  where  of  course  it  is  met  with 
once  ofteuer  than  the  perFon  making  the  complaint  had  calculated. 

Next  to  faro,  the  game  common  in  New  York,  is  rouge  et  noir.  In  the 
European  watering-places,  where  gambling  has  been  common,  this  game 
has  assumed  the  form  of  trente  et  quarante,  but  here  the  original  character 
has  been  maintained.  We  will  endeavor  to  explain  the  difference.  The 
whole  of  this  game — rouge  et  noir — depends  upon  betting  upon  the  particu- 
lar color  of  a  card  which  will  come  up  at  a  particular  time.  In  trente  et 
quarante  the  value  of  the  card  comes  into  consideration,  each  court  card 
counting  as  ten  and  all  the  others  according  to  the  number  of  pips  they 
have  upon  them.  Two  rows  now  are  used  on  the  table,  the  upper  one  for 
the  black  cards,  the  other  for  the  red. 

The  dealer  now  draws  out  cards  and  places  them  on  the  first  line  till 
their  value  amounts  to  more  than  thirty.  Thirty-one  is  the  lowest  number 
that  a  row  can  have  and  forty  the  highest.  The  row  where  the  number 
comes  nearest  to  thirty  wins.  A  "  tableau"  having  a  black  and  a  red  divi- 
sion is  used  for  the  stakes,  and  every  time  that  this  or  that  color  wins  the 
amount  of  the  bets  placed  upon  that  particular  color  is  either  paid  out  or 
taken  up  for  the  bank.  If  the  number  be  the  same  in  both  rows,  a  new- 
deal  is  made.     But  if  the  number  in  both  rows  be  31,  the  bank  then  takes 


500  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

half  of  all  the  stakes.     This  is  called  the  refait.     It  is  the  only  chance  in 
favor  of  the  bank,  and  as  a  percentage  is  a  little  less  than  that  in  faro. 

Tlie  prescribed  form  of  rouge  et  noir  leaves  no  room  for  cheating.  For 
this  the  principle  and  method  must  be  extended.  Six  whist  packs  are  used 
at  once  ;  although  for  the  game  common  in  New  York  two  only  are  em- 
ployed. They  are  used  as  before,  but  three  cards  are  now  drawn  from  the 
back  of  each.  Of  these  two  are  turned  down,  the  other  up.  According 
as  to  whether  this  last  is  red  or  black,  the  corresponding  color  wins,  and 
the  stakes  are  paid  or  won.  Bets  may  also  be  made  upon  the  two  red 
colors,  hearts  and  diamonds,  or  the  two  black,  clubs  and  spades,  and  the 
winning  then  is  three  times  the  amount  of  the  stakes.  If  a  man  puts  his 
money  on  the  knave  and  there  comes  out  a  knave  at  the  next  drawing,  he 
gets  eight  times  the  amount  of  the  stake  ;  if  he  lays  it  on  a  particular 
knave,  as  of  hearts  for  instance,  or  spades  and  so  on,  twenty-seven  times 
the  amount  is  paid.  Here  the  knave  forms  the  "  refrait."  All  who  have 
not  laid  on  the  knave,  but  have  played  only  on  the  greater  chances  of  color, 
lose  half  of  their  wagers  if  a  knave  comes  up  at  the  nex  drawing. 

At  this  game  a  man  may  lose  or  win  much  more  quickly  than  at  faro, 
since  the  bets  are  settled  at  every  drawing  of  the  cards  and  are  not  laid 
over  to  the  end  of  the  pack.  As  a  general  rule  it  is  resorted  to  as  a  kind 
of  aid  at  the  wish  of  some  player  who  has  been  losing  at  faro,  and  who 
wants  to  try  a  new  chance  for  recovering  his  money. 

Keno  and  Roulette  are  no  card  games.  The  former  resembles  the  Ger- 
man game  of  "  Lotto."  As  in  that,  cards  are  dealt  out  in  several  rows 
one  under  another  as  many  as  you  choose,  but  five  in  each  row.  Corre- 
sponding numbers  are  inscribed  upon  little  wooden  or  ivory  counters, 
which  are  placed  into  a  large  drum  or  box  and  shaken  well  together.  The 
drum  has  an  opening  at  one  end  through  which,  by  an  arrangement  with  a 
spring,  a  counter  can  be  taken  out,  but  only  one  at  a  time.  The  number 
inscribed  upon  this  counter  is  secured  by  all  those  who  find  the  same  num- 
ber upon  their  cards.  Whoever  wins  two  numbers  has  an  "  aulb"  ;  three, 
a  "ternion"  or  "trey";  four,  a  "  quaterne"  ;  five,  a  "  quinterne"  ;  and 
upon  every  such  combination  a  prize  is  fixed. 

Next  to  faro  this  is  perhaps  the  most  widely  extended  game  of  chance 
in  New  York.  It  is  practised  in  very  many  gaming  houses  constantly. 
It  is  also  adopted  into  many  private  places,  even  as  we  find  it  in  Germany 
and  some  other  parts  of  Europe,  although  there  the  stakes  are  seldom 
higher  than  a  penny  or  two. 

Tn  gambling  places  it  is  very  frequently  played  dishonestly.  By  means 
of  accomplices  there  is  nothing  easier  than  so  to  regulate  the  drawing 
arrangements  as  to  bring  out  certain  desired  numbers.  These  are  known 
to  the  associates  of  the  bank,  to  make  the  highest  winnings  as  a  bait  to 
others,  but  which  afterwards  are  returned  to  the  bank.     The  public  gets 


GAMBLING    HOUSES    AND   THEIR    YICTtMB.  301 

nothing.     Complaints  ia  this  direction  are  loud,  and  where  an  enquiry  is 
instituted  they  are  generally  found  to  be  well  grounded. 

is  likewise  a  game  of  numbers.  In  a  box  standing  by  itself  or 
in  the  middle  of  a  table  is  a  disc  or  cylinder  which  turns  freely  in  either 
direction.  The  side  of  this  is  divided  into  37  partitions,  half  of  which  are 
red  aud  half  black,  inscribed  with  ciphers  from  0  and  1  to  3G.  On  a  small 
tablet  the  same  numbers  are  ranged  in  12  rows  of  4  figures  each,  with  the 
0  at  the  top.  Besides  these  there  are  also  six  squares  or  diagrams  upon 
which  the  player  can  bet  on  the  chances,  *;  red  or  black"',  "  odd  or  even," 
"high  or  low  :"  the  numbers  1  to  18  being  low,  19  to  3G  high.  A  certain 
sum  is  now  placed  upon  any  particular  number  (en  plein)  or  upon  two 
numbers  (<i  cheval),  upon  three  numbers,  as  for  instance  1  to  3,  34  to  3G, 
called  a  transversals,  upon  four  numbers  (quarrc),  or,  indeed,  upon  six  or 
twelve  consecutive  numbers.  In  twelve  numbers  the  player  may  take  all 
in  any  three  vertical  columns.  The  0  or  zero  may  be  treated  with  as  any 
of  the  other  numbers.  The  dealer  or  manager  of  the  game  now  places  a 
crossbar  in  the  perpendicular  support  of  the  cylinder  and  sets  it  rapidly  in 
motion,  while  at  the  s:ime  time  he  puts  a  small  ivory  ball  in  motion  in  the 
opposite  direction.  This  runs  in  the  hollow  ring  upon  which  the  disc  or 
cylinder  turns.  Presently  the  ball  strikes  into  one  of  the  partitions  that  are 
colored  and  numbered,  and  the  game  is  over.  Each  single  risk  wins  a 
single  stake.  All  placed  on  the  correct  number  is  multiplied  35  times. 
It  a  stake  is  made  a  cheval,  the  payment  is  made  17  fold,  if  a  tran.srersaley 
11  fold  ;  a  quarre,  8  fold  ;  upon  six  numbers,  5  fold  ;  and  upon  twelve,  3 
fold.  The  advantage  of  the  bank  consists  in  this,  that  when  the  zero  comes 
out  it  takes  up  the  half  of  all  the  single  stakes. 

Roulette  is  not  played  as  much  in  Xew  York  as  faro  ;  still  there  is  gener- 
ally a  room  for  it  in  first  class  gambling  houses  and  people  can  go  to  it  if 
they  like.  The  course  of  the  player  is  immensely  exciting  ;  the  game  is 
completed  every  minute,  and  as  long  as  there  is  anything  left  in  the  pockets 
of  the  gambler,  the  hope  always  remains  to  him  of  a  possibility  that  with 
his  last  dollar  even  he  may  recover  something,  if  only  he  can  quickly  hit 
off  the  numbers. 

Of  another  game,  monte,  we  shall  speak  further.  But  we  should  be 
guilty  of  an  omission,  if  we  were  not  to  take  up  the  purely  American  game 
of  poker,  called  also  by  some  draw-poker.  This  game  requires  a  full 
whist  pack.  From  three  to  six  players  may  take  part  in  it.  The  dealer 
goes  round  the  parts.  He  has  no  advantage  over  the  other  players.  Each 
receives  five  cards  and  in  one  form  of  the  game  he  has  to  play  with  it ;  but 
in  another  he  may  draw  to  improve  his  hand.  Bets  are  then  made  as  to 
who  has  the  best  hand. 

Each  player,  when  he  has  a  bad  hand,  seeks  to  discourage  the  others 
from  playing,  and  so  induce  them  to  withdraw  and  leave  their  stake  in  the 
general  pool.     The  player  who  has  a  good  hand  seeks  to  conceal  it,  and 


302  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

thereby  to  lead  his  companions  into  making  high  bets,  which  he  himself 
will  finally  put  into  his  pocket  when  the  decision  comes  to  be  made  as  to 
the  best  hand. 

The  most  valuable  combination  which  can  be  held  consists  of  four  cards 
of  the  same  value  in  one  hand.  Of  such  the  four  aces  are  the  best,  then 
the  four  kings  ;  the  twos  being  the  lowest. 

A  flush,  or  all  the  cards  of  one  suit,  constitutes  the  next  best  hand.  The 
best  flush  runs  from  ace  to  ten,  the  lowest  from  two  to  six. 

Next  comes  the  full  hand.  This  can  only  be  when  three  of  the  five 
cards  are  directly  consecutive  in  value,  the  other  two  also  ;  or  for  example 
three  aces  and  two  kings  make  the  highest  full  hand,  and  two  threes  and 
three  twos  make  the  lowest. 

In  the  hand  that  stands  fourth  in  value  there  must  be  three  cards  of  the 
same  kind..    Three  aces  are  the  highest,  three  twos  the  lowest. 

Next  comes  the  "  run",  that  is  five  cards  which  succeed  each  other  in 
value  ;  reference  to  color  not  being  necessary ;  for  instance  the  ace  of 
spades,  king  of  clubs,  queen  of  diamonds,  knave  of  hearts  and  ten  of 
spades. 

The  hand  that  comes  sixth  in  value  is  where  there  are  two  pairs  ;  for 
instance  among  the  five  cards  there  mu3t  be  two  alike,  as  for  example  two 
aces  and  two  kings,  down  to  two  threes  and  two  twos. 

The  seventh  hand  in  value  has  one  pair,  from  a  couple  of  aces  down  to 
two  twos. 

The  combinations  are  of  course  manifold.  The  chief  attraction  of  the 
game  consists  in  the  tricks  and  artful  devices  by  which  the  player  seeks  to 
deceive  his  opponent.  It  is  dangerous  just  as  he  is  bold  enough  to  set  up 
the  value  of  a  card,  perhaps,  of  the  least  worth  and  thereby  to  raise  the 
belief  of  his  fellow-players  that  he  has  a  wonderfully  good  hand  ;  then 
strengthening  the  illusiou  by  drawing  no  card,  to  improve  his  hand,  thereby 
intimidating  his  partner  into  withdrawing,  and  laughing  afterwards  not  at 
the  value  of  the  cards,  but  at  the  diplomacy  by  which  he  is  enabled  to  rake 
in  the  bets  he  has  won.  In  this  way  each  player  bluffs  his  opponent, 
whence  manifestly  comes  the  name  of  "  bluff"  which  this  game,  commonly 
has,  especially  among  the  Germans.  Generally  there  are  at  last  only  a 
couple  interested  in  the  pool  who  remain  in  the  contest,  each  trying  to  out- 
do the  other  in  cunning  devices  ;  all  the  rest  having  withdrawn,  preferring 
a  certain  but  small  loss  to  the  chances  of  a  heavy  risk.  Experience  tells  us 
that,  as  in  gambling,  under  the  games  before  mentioned,  so  here,  nothing 
leads  more  forcibly  to  misfortune  than  not  being  able  to  bear  a  present 
piece  of  ill-luck  without  obstinately  seeking  after  better  fortune.  At 
"  bluff"  many  people  will  throw  away  ten  dollars  in  order  to  recover  one. 
It  is  so  alluring,  so  fascinating,  to  feel  that  with  nothing,  whatever,  one 
may  be  able  to  out-bluff  somebody  else.  This,  however,  often  happens, 
that  when  one  intends  to  withdraw  and  has  allured  the  "  bluffer"  on  as  far 


GAMBLING   HOUSES   AND   THEIR    victim-.  $08 

as  he  can,  he  suddenly  out-bids  him  on  the  ground  of  his  good  hand  in  such 
a  manner  as  to  make  his  hair  stand  on  end. 

It  is  clear  that  of  all  possible  card  combinations  in  this  game  there  are 
only  two  that  cannot  be  beaten,  namely  four  aces,  and  four  kings  where  in 
the  last  the  fifth  card  is  an  ace  ;  because  under  these  circumstances  there 
cannot  be  four  aces  in  another  hand.  It  is  only  these  hands,  too,  that  have 
an  absolute  value,  in  the  others  it  is  merely  relative.  Four  kings  are  in 
themselves  worth  nothing,  because  they  maybe  beaten  in  the  same  deal  by 
four  aces.  But  four  high  cards  so  seldom  come  together  in  one  hand,  that 
the  probability  of  a  combination  of  the  four  highest  in  one  hand  is  always 
very  small.  Nevertheless,  it  happens  sometimes.  It  is  easy  enough  to 
calculate  how  often  it  ought  to  happen  ;  and  in  some  of  the  German  gaming 
houses  the  calculation  has  been  made  quite  closely  how  often  a  certain  run 
of  color,  red  or  black,  should  be  made. 

Meanwhile  nothing  has  been  won  by  it.  For  the  looked  for  consumma- 
tion only  comes  in  with  a  long  run  of  losses,  and  the  moment  when  it  will 
come  cannot  be  realized.  It  has  been  found,  for  example,  that  a  red  or 
black  series  of  18  can  only  be  regarded  as  a  probability  once  in  eighteen 
months.  Nevertheless,  it  is.a  fact  that  in  the  year  1842  the  Spanish  envoy 
at  the  late  German  Diet,  at  Frankfort  on  the  Main,  in  a  gaming  house  at 
Homburg,  had  a  run  of  18  on  the  red  on  the  same  day,  between  the  hours 
of  twelve  and  one.  He  began  with  the  stake  of  one  gold  Napoleon  and 
relieved  the  bank  of  100,000  francs  ;  and  in  the  evening,  at  seven  o'clock, 
he  had  another  run  of  18  on  the  red,  by  which  he  drew  in  stakes  to  the 
amount  of  200,000  francs.  Now  if  anyone,  after  the  first  run  of  18,  had 
come  to  the  resolution,  as  many  people  do,  to  play  a  "  martingale"  against 
the  series — the  name  is  taken  from  that  of  the  appliance  used  in  breaking 
in  untrained  horses — trusting  to  the  calculation  that  such  a  run  would  not 
recur  in  less  than  a  year  and  a  half,  he  would  have  lost  an  immense  sum 
of  money  on  the  evening  of  the  very  same  day. 

Probably,  however,  no  series  of  18  red  occurred  again  for  three  years ; 
and  yet  it  might  not  have  been  impossible  for  two  runs  of  18  on  the  red  to 
have  occurred  even  on  the  next  day  and  no  further  repitition  to  have  taken 
place  for  six  years.  The  proposition  that  at  last  there  must  come  an 
equalization  in  the  results  of  gaming,  where  the  chances  are  even,  is  im- 
plicitly correct,  because  based  on  mathematical  formula,  only  gamblers 
overlook  the  fact  that  they  cannot  hold  out  with  time  and  capital,  and  this 
fateful  oversight  ruins  them. 

"  Bluff"  is  played  very  much  in  the  German  as  well  as  in  the  American 
circles  of  New  York,  and  if  the  conditions  which  would  restrain  the  players 
are  not  carried  too  high,  there  is  much  in  it  to  entertain  a  company. 

The  more  inexperienced  the  victims  of  a  dishonest  player  are,  the  more 
boldly  do  the  latter  defraud  them.  Travellers  and  our  "  dear  cousins  from 
the  country"  furnish  admittedly  one  of  the  finest  fields  of  operation.     Some 


304  AHE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK  LIFE. 

interesting  examples  of  the  tricks  and  infamies  practised  upon  such  people 
have  come  to  our  knowledge,  which  we  will  not  withhold  from  our  readers. 

Upon  almost  all  the  steamboats  and  railway  lines  between  New  Orleans 
and  Boston  the  passengers  are  pestered  with  every  kind  of  so-called  con- 
fidence men,  gamblers,  pickpockets,  and  men  of  that  stamp.  These  travel- 
ling rascals  generally  go  in  companies  of  three,  four  or  more. 

Under  the  words  "  a  party  of  pleasure"  one  of  the  commonest  snares  is 
laid  in  which  nothing  like  harm  can  even  be  guessed.  One  of  the  sharpers 
usually  comes  on  board  the  boat  or  into  a  car  at  one  place,  looks  out  for 
his  victim  and  is  then  joined  by  some  of  his  accomplices  at  two  or  three 
other  places.  These  then  seek  to  get  near  the  person  whom  they  have 
decided  to  plunder,  treating  the  first  comrade  of  course  as  a  stranger.  By 
and  by  they  scrape  an  acquaintance,  which  ends  later  in  a  little  game. 
At  first  they  only  play  for  "  love" — but  presently  someone  makes  the  pro- 
position that  they  have  a  small  stake  just  to  increase  the  interest.  As  soon 
as  a  stranger  makes  up  his  mind  to  play  under  such  circumstances,  he  may 
be  certain  that  he  will  be  cheated.  If  he  consents  to  anything  through 
kind  feeling  or  amiability  just  to  please  his  fellow-travellers,  he  is  lost. 

There  are  three  or  four  different  ways  by  which  these  scoundrels  fleece 
their  victims  as  soon  as  they  have  agreed  upon  a  game  for  pleasure.  The 
first  is  a  fair  game  of  euchre  in  which  the  player  confines  himself  within 
the  limits  of  ordinary  rules.  In  this  game  the  chance  of  the  traveller  is  as 
one  to  three,  because  one  of  the  swindlers  who  plays  as  his  partner  is  iu 
reality  playing  against  him.  When  this  method  of  robbery  goes  on  too 
slowly, — if  they  cannot  bleed  their  victims  freely  enough, — or  if  he  shows 
an  inclination  to  venture  more  money,  they  have  recourse  to  the  devices 
offered  by  "  poker."  One  of  the  players  so  deals  the  cards  that  the  novice 
gets  three  queens  and  a  "  pair"  ;  while  to  one  of  the  others  he  gives  three 
aces  and  two  other  cards.  In  the  mean  time  one  of  the  accomplices  takes 
a  view  of  his  cards,  and  says  with  a  knowing  look  "  If  I  were  playing 
poker  now  I  would  not  wish  for  a  better  hand."  If  the  novice  does  not  see 
through  this,  somebody  calls  out  "  Well  I  doubt  whether  the  cards  are  bet- 
ter than  mine."  Upon  which  the  first  replies  : — "  I  don't  want  to  win  your 
money,  but  I  could  throw  two  cards  away  and  still  beat  you."  "  Oho,  I 
am  willing  to  play  poker  with  my  cards  for  any  sum,"  responds  the  country- 
man. The  other  confederates  discuss  the  matter.  The  result  finally  is 
that  a  large  stake  is  played  for,  and  that  is  just  what  the  rogues  are  aiming 
at.  When  the  cards  are  about  to  be  played,  after  the  professional  player 
has  thrown  away  his  two  cards,  the  unfortunate  victim  calls  out  "  full  hand 
with  three  queens."  He  then  shows  his  cards  and  expects  to  take  the 
stakes.  But  his  antagonist  only  says  : — "  Full  hand  with  three  aces  !"  and 
takes  up  the  money. 

"  Not  so  fast,"  says  the  victim.  "  those  are  only  three  cards — a  full  hand 
beats  that." 


GAMBLING    IIOUSES    AND    THEIR    VICTIMS.  305 

Certainly  they  are  only  three  aces,  but  they  were  in  my  hand,  and  "  full 
hand  with  aces"  always  beats  a  "full  hand  with  queens'',  if  I  understand 
the  game. 

44  That  is  the  strangest  way  of  playing  poker  I  ever  heard  of.  I'll  leave 
the  question  to  any  gentleman  iu  the  car." 

The  two  accomplices  of  course  stand  by  their  own  acquaintance.  Other 
disinterested  persons  are  surprised  at  the  device,  but  the  victim  has  only 
his  own  folly  to  thauk  for  the  loss,  in  having  consented  to  make  a  bet  in 
such  a  way. 

Sometimes  the  cards  are  simply  laid  out,  that  is  without  any  ulterior 
design  behind.  A  very  good  hand  for  poker  is  dealt  out ;  but  the  antago- 
nist receives  one  that  is  a  little  better  ;  and  an  occurrence  of  this  kind  the 
following  observations  will  explain. 

In  the  smoking  car  of  a  train  on  the  Hudson  River  Railroad  a  gambler 
beguiled  a  traveller  from  the  West  into  playing.  After  some  rounds  had 
been  played  very  pleasantly,  the  western  man  found  the  four  queens  aud 
an  ace  in  his  hand  and  offered  at  once  to  bet.  "Very  well,"  said  the 
player.  "  I'll  bet  you  a  hundred  dollars  against  your  gold  watch  that  I 
can  beat  you  with  my  cards." 

The  bet  is  taken.  The  watch  and  the  money  are  placed  in  the  hands  of 
an  acquaintance  of  the  scoundrel  who  happened  to  be  standiug  by.  The 
cards  were  shown.  The  gambler  had  four  kings  and  took  the  watch.  As 
the  train  neared  Peek  skill  the  player  prepared  to  go,  but  a  friend  of  the 
man  he  had  cheated  immediately  set  himself  in  the  way,  prevented  him 
from  getting  off  and  demanded  without  further  ceremony  the  return  of  the 
watch.  The  gambler  placed  himself  in  a  position  of  defence,  but  the  friend 
was  by  no  means  intimidated.  He  drew  a  revolver  and,  holding  the 
weapon  at  the  head  of  the  fellow  who  had  the  watch,  he  said  quite  coolly: 
— "I'll  give  you  ten  seconds  to  return  that  watch.  Out  with  it,  unless 
you  would  rathfT  have  a  bullet  through  your  head."  The  player  returned 
the  watch  aud  there  the  matter  ended. 

But  it  is  not  every  passenger  who  has  the  same  courage  as  this  brave 
backwoodsman  ;  hence  the  gamblers  who  in  such  numbers  infest  the  rail- 
way trains  generally  get  good  plunder  from  the  western  people. 

The  third  and  most  infamous  method  of  knavish  intrigues  of  this  kind  is 
where  false  cards  are  used.  In  New  York  there  is  a  large  business  done 
in  the  manufacture  of  cards  expressly  for  the  purpose  ot  cheating  people. 
Marked  cards  are  not  in  common  use,  but  the  gambler  uses  them  geuerally 
ior  no  other  purpose  thau  to  plunder  the  victim  whom  he  has  espeeially 
turned  his  attention  to.  When  a  player  is  alone,  seeking  for  prey  on  his 
own  account,  and  working  his  calliug  for  himself  only,  he  makes  use  of 
cards  of  this  kind.  But  when  they  go  in  parties,  they  usually  practice  one 
of  the   methods  already  mentioned.      The  most  usual  way  of  marking  the 

20 


306  THE    DARK    SIDE    OP    NEW    YORK   LIFE. 

cards  is  by  means  of  very  fine  piercers,  which  enable  them  to  ascertain  the 
value  of  the  card  by  the  touch. 

From  what  we  have  said  of  the  extent  and  degree  to  which  gambling  is 
carried  on  in  New  York  and  by  New  Yorkers,  it  will  hardly  be  thought 
possible  that  the  practice  is  forbidden.  Yet  it  is.  The  law  upon  this  sub- 
ject speaks  out  as  plainly  and  as  unequivocably  as  can  possibly  be  desired. 

The  statute  which  makes  gambling  illegal  in  New  York  was  passed  in 
1851.     It  is  chapter  504  of  the  State  laws,  and  runs  as  follows  : — 

Every  person  who  for  the  purpose  of  gambling  keeps  or  exhibits  gamine 
tables,  rooms,  apperatus  or  impliments,  or  any  such  material  for  faro  or 
-any  other  game  of  chance,  whereby  money  or  property  of  any  kind  is  to 
depend  upon  the  result  of  such  game,  or  who  deals  in  or  sells  lottery  tickets, 
cards,  &c,  or  who  issues  any  publication,  document,  or  any  other  notice 
for  the  purpose  of  a  bet  or  the  advising  of  the  numbers  drawn  in  any  pub. 
lie  or  private  lottery,  or  a  book  or  any  other  publication  issued  for  the  pur- 
pose of  selling  lottery  tickets  to  other  persons  or  dealing  in  the  same  shall 
be  treated  as  a  common  gambler  and  shall  be  punished  as  such.  The 
penalty  for  such  offence  shall  be  imprisonment  for  not  less  than  ten  days 
with  hard  labor  in  the  common  jail  or  confinement  in  the  States  prison 
with  hard  labor  for  a  period  not  exceeding  two  years  with  a  fine  of  one 
thousand  dollars,  and  in  the  event  of  this  fine  not  being  paid,  the  prisoner 
to  remain  in  prison  until  such  time  as  it  is  paid  or  until  it  shall  have  been 
remitted. 

Every  person  who  owns  a  building,  or  a  ship,  or  any  other  kind  of  ves- 
sel which  he  permits  to  be  used  for  purposes  of  gaming,  as,  too,  any  pro- 
prietor, agent  or  superintendent  of  such  place  who  knowingly  lets  or  per- 
mits it  to  be  used  for  purposes  of  gaming,  and  knows  that  it  is  used  for 
such  purpose,  shall  be  liable  under  this  act. 

Fvery  person  who  induces  another  to  visit  a  gaming  house  and  there 
causes  him  to  gamble,  shall  be  liable  under  this  act  and  shall  in  addition 
to  the  prescribed  penalty  be  held  liable  for  any  money  or  other  property 
lost  by  such  person  in  consequence  of  such  inducement,  and  may  be  pro- 
ceeded against  by  civil  action  for  the  recovery  of  the  same. 

It  shall  be  the  duty  of  all  sheriffs,  police  ofiicers,  constables,  and  prose- 
cuting attorneys,  to  lay  an  information  against  and  to  prosecute  all  such 
persons  whom  they  may  have  sufficient  reason  to  believe  are  offenders 
against  this  law.  And  any  neglect  on  the  part  of  such  ofiicers  shall  render 
every  such  officer  liable  to  a  penalty  not  exceeding  $500. 

Every  person  who  at  any  time  by  gaming  or  betting  shall  have  lost  to 
any  other  person  so  gaming  a  sum  of  money  or  property  equal  in  value  to 
$25  or  more,  and  who  shall  have  paid  it  or  any  part  thereof  to  the  person 
so  winning  it,  shall  be  entitled  within  three  months  of  the  date  of  such  loss 
to  enter  a  suit  in  civil  action  for  the  recovery  of  said  money  or  of  any 
property  lost  in  the  manner  aforesaid. 


GAMBLING    HOUSES    AND    TIIKIR    VICTIMS.  307 

Provided  that  in  case  any  such  person  who  may  have  lost  any  such  sum 
or  value  shall  neglect  within  the  specified  time  and  in  the  manner  aforesaid 
and  without  any  secret  understanding  with  another  person  to  take  action 
for  the  recovery  of  the  lost  value,  it  shall  then  be  competent  for  the  district 
overseer  of  the  poor  in  the  place  where  the  offence  was  committed  to  enter 
proceedings  and  to  recover  from  the  winner  of  the  same  three  times  the 
amount  of  the  loss  and  the  amount  30  recovered  shall  be  applied  to  the 
benefit  of  the  poor. 

This  then  is  a  rigorous  law.  And  yet.  in  spite  of  it  there  is  not  a  towu 
in  the  Union  where  there  are  more  gaming  houses  than  there  are  in  tae 
chief  city  of  the  State  of  New  York.  There  are  in  this  city  more  than 
two  hundred,  probably  nearer  three  hundred  lottery  offices  and  other  places 
where  games  of  chance  are  more  or  less  practised  ;  and  there  are  some  two 
thousand  five  hundred  persons  known  to  the  police  as  professional  gam- 
blers. It  seems,  however,  that  they  forbear  to  carry  out  the  provisions  of 
the  law  against  this  class  of  offenders,  and  thus  from  year  to  year  gambling 
goes  on  unhindered. 

The  following  interesting  disclosure  respecting  the  practical  tricks  and 
devices  of  ordinary  gamblers,  was  made  by  a  professional  player  residing 
in  the  upper  part  of  the  city,  who  after  a  severe  sickness  gave  up  his  pre- 
carious calling.     He  said  : — 

"  I  once  knew  a  gentleman  from  the  South  who,  although  he  could  not 
"be  reckoned  among  the  regular  professional  players,  still  did  a  very  con- 
siderable business  at  the  gaming  table.  He  gave  out  that  he  was  very 
fond  of  a  little  game  to  pas3  the  time  ;  but  the  curious  part  of  the  thing  was 
that  he  invariably  won,  and  as  he  moved  in  the  best  circles  of  society  both 
in  consequence  of  his  high  connections  and  manner,  she  had  intercourse 
with  persons  of  ample  means,  and  as  a  result  his  winnings  were  consider- 
able. I  often  played  with  him,  but,  notwithstanding,  my  experience  as  an 
old  player  I  regularly  lost.  I  was  convinced  that  there  must  be  something 
here  not  quite  right,  and  I  resolved  to  find  it  out  if  such  a  thing  were  pos- 
sible. I  examined  the  backs  of  the  cards  most  carefully,  and  as  I  was 
well  acquainted  with  all  the  tricks  that  are  practised  in  that  direction,  I 
soon  became  satisfied  that  so  far  as  this  was  concerned  there  was  nothing 
wrong.  I  observed  the  way  in  which  he  dealt  the  cards.  He  did  this 
with  great  rapidity  ;  but  his  shuffling  of  the  cards  was  perfectly  fair. 

One  day  I  provided  myself  with  a  powerful  magnifying  glass,  and  ex- 
amined very  closely  a  pack  of  cards  with  which  we  had  played  on  the  pre- 
ceding evening.  A  long  and  thorough  examination  revealed  a  number  of 
very  minute  notes  upon  all  the  aces  and  pictured  cards.  These  were  so 
exceedingly  small  that  they  could  not  possibly  be  discovered  by  the  naked 
eye,  although  they  could  be  readily  felt  by  the  tips  of  the  fingers.  Later 
observations  exposed  his  mode  of  operation.  On  the  inside  of  his  signet 
ring  he  had  an  extremely  fine  pointed  instrument  concealed,  and  at  the 


308  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK   LIFE. 

beginning  of  every  game  he  so  arranged  it  that  by  bringing  the  right  side- 
of  the  aces  and  pictured  cards  against  this  contrivance  he  could  prick  them 
with  one  or  more  very  small  punctures,  and  by  this  means  mark  the  cards 
for  his  own  purpose.  His  sense  of  touch  in  the  fingers  was  so  extremely 
delicate  that  even  while  dealing  the  cards  he  could  ascertain  their  value  by 
touching  them  with  the  middle  finger  of  his  left  hand.  And  although  he 
dealt  with  great  dexterity,  he  always  knew  where  the  best  cards  were. 
This  of  course  gave  him  an  immense  advantage  and  the  result  was  that  he 
almost  constantly  won." 

We  mention  this  example  of  cheating  at  the  gaming  table  to  show  to 
what  devices  in  roguery  gambling  will  lead,  and  to  what  unsuspected  and 
inconceivable  tricks  the  honest  player  who  is  not  looking  for  anything 
wrong,  may  be  subjected. 

To  the  oldest  and  most  transparent  deceptions  that  used  to  be  practised 
against  the  unexperienced  belongs  the  game  of  three  card  monte.  Duriug 
the  past  year  many  persons  who  either  for  health  or  recreation  have  gone 
to  Coney  Island,  have  had  to  suffer  annoyances  from  a  class  of  bullies  and 
vagabonds  who  in  many  instances  have  enticed  them  into  this  infamous 
swindle.  At  different  times  energetic  efforts  have  been  made  to  prevent 
these  rascals  visiting  the  Island,  but  thus  far  they  have  not  succeeded  and 
the  fellows  carry  on  their  knavish  trade  more  vigorously  than  ever.  One 
would  think  that  no  man  who  has  sense  enough  to  find  his  way  to  the 
Island  could  be  so  foolish  as  to  let  himself  be  cheated  by  such  miserable 
cheats.  For  no  one  ever  saw  these  people  lose  at  play.  They  always  win. 
They  come  there  for  no  other  purpose  than  to  take  people's  money,  to 
steal,  and  to  rob  and  plunder  their  neighbors. 

It  is  especially  on  Sundays  that  these  despicable  rascals  are  mostly  to  be 
met  with  in  Coney  Island ;  and  as  the  authorities  of  Long  Island,  under 
whose  jurisdiction  the  place  is,  trouble  themselves  very  little  about  the 
wretched  business  that  goes  on  there  ;  there  is  no  check  to  the  impudence 
with  which  these  people  carry  on  their  calling.  During  the  past  summer 
we  noticed  especially  two  such  cases  in  which  the  people  were  perfectly 
well  known  to  the  police  as  proprietors  of  the  most  dangerous  gambling 
hells  in  the  lower  part  of  the  city. 

Each  of  them  has  two  or  three  decoys  or  "  ropers-in"  in  his  serviee  ;  and 
it  is  the  business  of  these  men  to  resume  an  air  of  simpleness  and  inex- 
perience so  as  to  get  their  intended  victim  to  instruct  them  in  the  mysteries 
of  three  card  monte.  If  he  is  once  drawn  into  the  game,  he  frequently 
stands  by  it. 

The  manner  of  the  player  is  this  : — He  takes  three  cards  in  his  hand, 
for  example  an  ace,  a  queen,  and  the  seven  of  hearts.  A  small  table  is  in 
front  of  him  on  which  he  can  at  his  pleasure  throw  the  cards  from  side  to 
side.  Holding  the  cards  in  both  hands  and  throwing  them  quickly  about,, 
he  calls  upon  the  people  in  something  like  these  words : — "  Now,  come 


GAMBLING  HOUSES    AND    TIIKIH    VICTIMS.  300 

.along,  gentlemen,  just  to  pass  away  a  little  time.  I'll  show  you  a  little 
game  that  you  can  all  learn.  It  is  so  simple.  Watch  me,  gentlemen,  and 
you'll  understand  it  in  a  second." 

Saying  this,  he  throws  the  cards  dexterously  one  over  the  other. — 
K"  Look  !  here  is  the  ace,  there  is  the  queen,  and  that's  the  seven.  Well 
then.  Now  who  will  bet  ten,  twenty,  or  fifty  dollars,  that  he  will  guess 
any  of  these  cards.  Yes,  gentlemen,  I  have  some  money  and  I'm  willing 
to  make  a  bet  that  there  is  no  one  here  who  can  pick  out  either  of  these 
cards,  which  ever  he  chooses." 

Whilst  the  speaker  turns  away  his  face,  perhaps  to  spit  or  to  blow  his 
nose,  one  of  his  confederates  who  stands  among  the  on-lookers  slyly  marks 
one  of  the  three  cards.  In  his  pocket  meanwhile  there  are  cards  belonging 
to  a  pack  of  exactly  the  same  make.  Now  if  no  one  can  be  found  who  i3 
willing  to  take  up  the  bet  with  his  associate,  the  fellow  himself  plays  with 
the  pretended  stranger,  and  lets  him  win  through  his  knowledge  of  the 
marked  card  ;  thereby  deceiving  the  crqwd.  But  if  a  "  greenhorn"  lets 
himself  be  induced  to  bet  that  he  can  find  the  card,  another  card  is  by  a 
rapid  manipulation  made  to  take  the  place  of  the  marked  one.  This  card 
has  the  same  marks,  but  is  of  another  suit.  The  money  wagered  is  placed 
in  the  hands  of  an  accomplice  of  the  rascal  who  is  near  by  ;  the  card  is 
turned  and — of  course  it  is  not  the  one  upon  which  the  victim  betted. 

The  whole  secret  of  this  swindling  game  consists  in  the  vagabond  who 
practises  it  being  a  good  talker  and  a  dexterous  manipulator  of  the  cards. 
It  is  generally  played  at  agricultural  shows  in  the  country  and  at  horse 
races  in  small  places. 

On  the  occasion  of  one  of  our  visits  to  Coney  Island  last  summer  a  case 
•occurred  which  seems  sufficiently  worthy  to  receive  notice  here. 

One  of  the  bystanders  near  a  gambling  table,  stepped  up  to  the  man  who 
had  charge  of  the  bank,  after  most  of  the  crowd  had  gone  away,  and 
-addressed  him  as  follows  : — "  You  are  the  most  stupid,  careless  set  of  gam- 
glers  I  ever  saw.  Why  don't  you  get  some  fellow  to  do  the  "  roping-in" 
for  you,  who  knows  your  work?  Look  at  that  sporting  fellow  there,  the 
man  is  here  in  the  same  way  every  Sunday.  This  is  the  twelfth  time  I 
have  seen  him  here." 

"And  who  the  devil  are  you,"  growled  the  person  addressed,  while  his 
•comrade  made  a  sign  to  put  a  bullet  through  the  head  of  the  audacious  fel- 
low, or  a  knife  into  his  breast.  But  the  man  kept  very  quiet  and  replied 
"  I  am  a  gambler,  too,  but  I  play  on  the  square.  I  can  beat  you  in  your 
own  game,  and  will  bet  twenty,  thirty,  fifty,  or  a  hundred  dollars,  that  you 
don't  know  how  to  pick  out  the  knave.  The  banker  accepted  the  challenge 
and  the  stranger  took  the  cards.  He  shuffled  them  with  wonderful  dex- 
terity and  then  offered  to  make  a  bet.  The  monte  man  began  to  feel  a 
little  nervous,  but  at  last  he  concluded  to  bet  twenty  dollars  and  took  out 
.two  counterfeit  ten  dollar  bills.     But  the   "  honest"   stranger   would   not 


310  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

accept  this.  The  bet  was  taken  back  and  another  made  for  ten  dollars,, 
the  swindler,  though  very  unwillingly,  depositing  this  time  a  genuine  ten 
dollar  bill.  He  now  endeavored  to  pick  out  the  knave — and  lost.  "  Do 
you  understand  now  what  an  awkward  fellow  you  are?"  said  the  "honest" 
player,  as  he  very  quietly  picked  up  the  ten  dollar  note,  walked  away,  and 
left  the  astonished  sharper  wTondering  who  he  was. 

Among  the  many  peculiarities  of  the  city  of  New  York  the  Chinese  gam- 
bling houses  ought  to  be  enumerated.  The  number  of  Chinese  in  the  city 
is  about  6,000,  and  the  places  chiefly  frequented  by  these  for  play  are 
mostly  in  the  Sixth  Ward. 

But  these  pig-tailed  sons  of  the  East  do  not  render  themselves  specially 
remarkable  amid  our  life  of  civilization  ;  they  are  a  very  quiet,  harmless 
people  who  go  their  own  way  in  a  peaceful,  unpretending  manner.  But 
all  who  are  acquainted  wTith  the  Chinese  character  know  well  that  of  all 
passions  those  of  opium-eating  and  gambling  are  the  most  prominent  defects 
among  the  Chinese.  The  inhabitants  of  th^  Celestial  Empire  are  the  most 
abject  slaves  to  these  two  vices. 

Gambling  is  a  habit  with  the  Chinese  which  is  as  difficult  for  them  to* 
overcome  as  is  the  habit  of  drinking  to  the  drunkard.  These  Chinese  live 
in  a  lane  which  runs  out  of  Chatham  Street  and  is  known  as  "  Donovan's 
Lane."  The  third  house  on  the  right  as  you  go  down  is  a  Chinese  gaming 
house.  The  old  tumble-down  place  has  nothing  peculiar  in  external 
appearance,  which  serves  to  indicate  the  business  that  is  carried  on  inside 
of  its  walls.  At  the  door  there  is  neither  a  bell-pull  nor  a  knocker.  The- 
shutters  are  closed  and  there  is  no  other  way  of  seeking  access  to  the  inside 
than  by  knocking  loudly  on  the  door.  After  this  has  been  repeated  several 
times  the  door  is  opened.  A  Chinaman  asks  in  broken  English  "  What  do 
you  want?" 

"  I  want  to  come  in,"  is  the  brief  answer.  That  is  enough  ;  the  Asiatic- 
shuts  the  door  again  and  carefully  bolts  it.  A  little  money  put  into  his 
hand  seems  to  relieve  him  of  all  scruples.  He  leads  in  through  a  long 
narrow  passage  to  another  door,  which  is  likewise  carefully  locked  and 
bolted  on  the  inside.  Our  guide  knocks  in  a  peculiar  manner  and  this 
door  is  opened  immediately. 

A  little  court  yard  is  now  crossed.  On  the  opposite  side  of  this  we 
observe  three  windows,  from  which  a  clear  light  is  shining,  indicating  to 
us  that  we  have  nearly  reached  the  end  of  our  journey.  The  same  cere- 
mony of  knocking  and  of  signals  is  here  repeated  and  suddenly  we  find 
ourselves  in  a  brightly  lighted  room.  Immediately  the  eyes  of  all  present 
are  directed  upon  us.  Our  companion  whispers  some  words  and  the  eager 
players  who  for  a  moment  had  been  disturbed,  renew  their  game  with  wild 
enthusiasm. 

The  room  is  not  larger  than  any  ordinary  reception  room,  and  it  can 
readily   be  understood   that   in  such  a  place  forty  people — for  there  are 


GAMBLING    HOUSES    AND    THEIR    VICTIM?.  311 

generally  as  many  as  that — all  talking  together  create  a  considerable  amount 
of  noise,  which  is  out  of  all  proportion  to  the  place.  Our  guide  who,  as  it 
appears,  is  the  proprietor  of  the  establishment,  takes  no  active  part  in  the 
game  himself  and  only  makes  known  his  authority  by  now  and  then  calling 
cut  something  which  at  once  causes  silence  in  the  room.  It  is,  however, 
very  soon  followed  by  such  a  din  that  the  principal  has  again  and  again  to 
repeat  the  magic  words. 

While  the  Celestials  go  on  playing  with  all  eagerness,  they  seem  to  fall 
sometimes  into  a  complete  state  of  madness,  although  we  saw  very  little 
money  upon  the  whole  of  the  three  tables  that  the  place  contained,  and 
around  each  of  which  there  were  from  ten  to  twelve  Chinamen  assembled. 

The  game  is  called  Cha  Mei  and  is  played  for  "  tseen."  This  is  a  small 
copper  coin  of  less  value  than  a  cent, — but  yet  small  as  the  sum  is,  the 
players  get  most  agitated  and  excited  over  it.  On  the  table  stands  a  ves- 
sel which  is  pierced  with  holes  all  round.  Into  this  vessel  each  player  puts 
as  many  tseen  or  cents  as  he  pleases  up  to  a  given  amount ;  for  there  is  a 
limit  put.  A  spring  in  the  interior  of  the  vessel  drives  all  the  coins  into 
one  heap,  and  then  each  player  tries  to  guess  how  many  tseens  there  are  put 
in,  he  who  guesses  nearest  being  entitled  to  the  stakes.  At  first  sight  this 
game  seems  very  simple,  for  anyone  might  think  that  the  players  would  be 
sure  to  put  in  the  smallest  amount.  But  that  is  not  the  case  ;  for  each  one 
endeavours  by  craftiness  to  outwit  the  rest.  Sometimes  a  player  Mill  put 
in  a  sum  far  exceeding  all  the  rest  and  then  it  is  not  difficult  for  him  to 
make  an  estimate  nearly  correct.  It  is  interesting  to  the  looker-on  to 
watch  the  mode  and  manner  of  the  game  and  the  way  in  which  it  is  con- 
ducted, one  man  trying  to  make  the  others  believe  that  he  is  going  to  put 
in  a  large  number  of  tseens,  while  probably  he  only  puts  in  two  or  three. 
Another  will  make  his  hand  so  small  as  to  seem  as  if  he  had  only  a  few 
cents  in  it,  while  the  reverse  is  the  case.  And  especially  amusing  it  is  to 
observe,  amid  the  progress  of  this  Mongolian  amusement,  the  applause  and 
the  incessant  chattering  that  go  on  in  apparently  the  most  disorderly 
manner. 

During  the  course  of  the  evening  we  were  invited  to  take  part  in  the 
game,  and  for  an  American  quarter  dollar  we  received  a  perfect  heap  of 
Chinese  coins. 

The  exciting  moment  of  the  whole  game  is  that  when  all  having  made 
their  estimates,  the  amount  in  the  vessel  is  about  to  be  counted. 

The  proprietor  of  the  house  receives  only  a  small  per  cent,  of  each  stake. 
Spirits  are  very  little  drunk  in  these  places,  lemonade  and  tea  of  inferior 
quality  being  the  principle  refreshments.  The  house  is  closed  shortly 
before  midnight,  and  the  several  visitors  go  one  after  another  through  the 
dark  passage  out  into  the  street. 

We  close  this  with  the  recital  of  a  long  officially  authenticated  gambliDg 
affair,  which  differs  from  most  of  such  stories  in  having  for  its  termination 


312  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK   LIFE. 

the  fact  that  the  amount  which  had  been  obtained  by  the  swindle  was 
recovered  without  any  loss. 

It  is  an  interesting  case  related  by  the  well-known  Detective  McWatter's, 
and  it  illustrates  both  the  proceedings  of  the  gambler  and  the  dangers  they 
incur  who  allow  themselves  to  be  seduced  into  gambling  houses.  Mr. 
McWatter's  says  : — 

I  had  just  returned  from  a  business  journey,  and  wondering  at  not  find- 
ing my  companion  at  the  office,  I  concluded  that  he  had  suddenly  been 
called  away  to  a  distance.  To  pass  the  time  I  went  to  the  St.  Nicholas 
Hotel,  and  while  I  was  walking  backwards  and  forwards  in  the  entrance 
there  1  noticed  a  gentleman  whom  I  had  seen  a  few  days  before  in  a  car 
on  one  of  the  Western  Railroads.  lie  got  into  the  train  at  Painesville, 
Ohio,  and  by  different  peculiarities  of  dress  and  manner  he  made  himself 
remarkably  conspicuous.  I  found  it  difficult  to  make  out  what  he  was. 
At  first  I  thought  he  was  a  merchant,  then  I  fancied  he  was  a  lawyer,  and 
at  last  I  took  him  for  some  well-to-do  young  fellow  who  was  travelling  for 
pleasure.  At  any  rate  I  thought  it  would  be  worth  my  while  to  watch 
him  a  little.  I  do  not  know  why  I  did  so,  but  I  did  it  so  thoroughly  that 
I  could  not  readily  have  forgotten  the  man  again. 

Well  the  first  person  whom  I  met  in  the  hotel  was  this  young  man  and 
curiosity  leading  me  to  learn  something  more  about  him,  I  went  to  the 
clerk  and  enquired  of  him  the  stranger's  name.  I  learned  that  he  was  one 
Charles  Purvis  of  Louisville,  Kentucky.  "Purvis?"  said  I  to  myself, 
"  Purvis?"  Where  have  I  met  a  man  of  that  name  before?  The  name 
was  known  to  me  and  I  wracked  my  brain  to  think  about  it,  till  at  last  the 
story  occurred  to  me  which  one  of  my  colleagues  had  told  me  long  before 
on  one  of  the  Mississippi  steamers  ;  and  in  which  the  name  of  "  Purvis" 
had  figured  in  connection  with  a  criminal  case. 

Perhaps,  thought  I,  this  is  the  very  man  ;  and  as  I  had  nothing  particu- 
lar to  do  for  the  next  two  days,  I  undertook  to  myself  to  watch  the  stranger 
at  a  distance. 

I  lett  the  hotel  with  the  intention  of  returning  in  due  time  in  the  evening 
and  of  keeping  an  eye  upon  his  movements.  On  my  return  I  found  Mr. 
Purvis  in  a  very  cheerful  mood  at  the  bar  counter.  He  treated  several 
friends  in  a  very  iiberal  manner,  but  otherwise  kept  himself  reserved,  not 
making  any  lurther  acquaintances  among  the  guests  of  the  hotel  who  thus 
far  had  been  unknown  to  him.  At  last  he  left  the  bar  by  himself  and  went 
slowly  through  the  corridors  like  one  who  has  nothing  particular  to  do  and 
is  trying  to  think  how  he  can  amuse  himself.  Near  the  outer  door  there 
stood  three  men  who  were  keeping  up  a  lively  conversation  among  them- 
selves, but  they  were  people  whose  character  any  experienced  detective 
cou'.d  see  at  a  glauce.  Respectable  looking  people,  well  dressed,  of  courte- 
ous manners  and  crafty  aspect,  people  whose  power  ot  conversation  is  at 
times  very  striking,  but  who  -well  know  how  to  measure  their  words  and 


GAMBLING    HOUSES    AND    THEIR    VICTIMS.  313 

to  fit  them  to  the  person  with  whom  they  may  be  at  the  moment  brought 
into  contact.  They  belong  to  a  class  of  gamblers  who  devote  themselves 
to  u  roping-in''  strangers,  and  taking  them  to  the  several  gambling  houses 
bv  which  they  are  employed. 

Two  of  these  fellows  presently  approached  Mr.  Purvis,  having  first  taken 
leave  of  the  other  in  a  very  cordial  manner.  Wishing  Mr.  Purvis  a  very 
special  "  good  evening,"  they  seemed  to  indicate  that  they  looked  upon  him 
as  a  person  of  consiuerable  importance.  They  went  out  into  Broadway. 
Mr.  Purvis  hereupon  got  into  conversation  with  the  man  who  remained 
behind  and  who  began  it  with  the  remark  : — "  A  very  pleasant  evening  to- 
night." 

"  Indeed,  a  splendid  evening.  I  guess  you  don't  often  have  such  beauti- 
ful evenings  here  in  New  York." 

"  I  don't  know  that  it  is  so  very  unusual.  The  evenings  here  are  gener- 
ally fine.  Are  you  a  stranger  in  New  York  ?  if  you  permit  me  to  ask  the 
question  ?" 

"  Not  exactly  a  stranger,  but  I  do  not  reside  in  the  city.  I  have  been 
backwards  and  forwards  here  often  enough  to  know  the  city  pretty  well." 

"  That  has  been  the  case  with  me  the  last  two  years.  At  one  time  I 
lived  here  for  some  years.  It  is  a  gay  and  pleasant  place  to  stay  in  as 
soon  as  one  knows  the  streets  and  places  of  business  and  amusement." 

"  Certainly  it  is,"  replied  Mr.  Purvis,  "  but  I  have  never  had  much 
opportunity  to  make  many  acquaintances  here." 

"  Well,  I  don't  know  many  people  here,  but  I  manage  to  find  my  way 
about  without  much  difficulty,  for  I  generally  meet  with  some  of  my  old 
friends  from  Connecticut,  my  former  home.  Many  of  them  are  settled 
here  in  business. 

"  From  Connecticut  are  you  ?  Do  you  know  Hartford,"  said  Mr. 
Purvis. 

"  Yes,  indeed,  I  was  born  there.  And  a  very  pretty  little  town  it  is. 
The  people  are  well-to-do  and  very  superior." 

"  Yes,  that  is  so.  Some  years  ago  a  cousin  of  mine  from  Arkansas  was 
there  at  Trinity  College.  He  was  a  fine  young  fellow,  named  William 
Sebastian.  I  visited  him  there  while  he  was  a  student,  and  spent  a  week 
most  pleasantly.  Old  Sam  Colt  was  a  first  rate  fellow,  too.  We  passed 
many  a  pleasant  evening  with  different  jolly  people  through  in  the  rooms 
of  the  old  City  Hotel  at  Hartford.     You  know  it  I  suppose?" 

"  That  hotel  is  the  favorite  resort  of  the  students  of  Trinity  College. 
Many  a  pleasant  hour  I  have  had  there." 

"  I  am  glad  to  hear  that  you  know  Hartford.  I  shall  probably  make  a 
visit  there  before  I  return  home.     Do  you  expect  to  go  back  there  soon?" 

"  Yes,  perhaps  I  shall  be  going  early  to-morrow  morning,  But  I  may 
possibly  stay  here  two  or   three   days.     I  don't  quite  know  yet.     If  you 


014  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

should  be  ready  to  start  when  I  go,  I  shall  be  pleased  to  have  you  as  a 
companion." 

"  If  I  should  decide  to  go  there  I  shall  hope  to  have  the  pleasure  of  your 
company.  Have  the  goodness  to  give  me  your  card,  here  is  mine.  My 
name,  as  you  see,  is  Purvis,  from  Louisville." 

The  loafer  felt  about  in  his  pockets,  and  pretending  to  miss  something, 
said  "  I  haven't  a  card  about  me,  but  my  name  is  George  Ellsworth." 

"Ellsworth?  That's  a  good  name.  I  have  often  heard  my  Uncle 
Throckmorton  talk  about  the  Ellsworth's  of  Connecticut." 

It  was  clear  to  me  that  the  name  of  "  Ellsworth"  had  done  much  to 
ingratiate  him  in  the  confidence  of  Mr.  Pnrvis,  about  whose  character  I 
began  to  be  in  some  doubt.  At  first  I  had  associated  his  name  with  a 
criminal  offence,  but  notwithstanding,  it  now  seemed  to  me  from  his  man- 
ner in  the  conversation  with  Ellsworth  that  my  suspicions  were  unfounded. 

Presently  that  conversation,  which  had  already  become  as  confidential 
as  between  two  old  acquaintances,  was  carried  on  in  a  subdued  tone.  I 
therefore  endeavored  to  get  nearer  to  them,  and  opening  some  papers,  pre- 
tended to  be  in  deep  thought  about  something. 

"  Is  not  this  too  bad?  Mr.  Purvis,"  said  Ellsworth.  "  I  have  been  wait- 
ing here  an  hour  at  least  for  a  friend  who  was  to  have  gone  for  a  little 
walk  with  me,  but  I  guess  he  has  had  to  leave  me  in  the  lurch." 

"  Well,  the  evenings  now  are  tedious,  especially  for  strangers.  One  is 
lonely  in  these  large  cities  without  acquaintances.  Will  you  take  a  glass 
of  wine,  Mr.  Ellsworth?" 

"  I  drink  very  seldom  ;  but  when  I  am  travelling  I  take  a  small  glass 
now  and  then." 

"  Come  to  the  bar  with  me.  I  would  invite  you  to  join  me  in  a  bottle 
of  wine  in  my  room  ;  but  the  hotel  is  so  disagreeably  full  that  they  had  to 
give  me  a  room  at  the  top  of  the  house." 

"  All  right ;  but  you  must  not  mind  if  I  don't  take  more  than  one  glass* 
The  evening  is  long  yet,  and  we  shall  have  plenty  of  opportunity  to  drink 
many  times,  for  I  know  well,  too  well,  how  liberal  and  generous  the  South- 
ern people  are." 

"  Certainly  !  Well  we  are  a  little  inclined  to  kick  over  the  traces  ;  but 
come  along." — And  the  trusting  Purvis  carelessly  took  his  new  friend  s 
arm  and  went  away  with  him  to  the  bar. 

I  at  first  thought  of  following  them,  but  changed  my  mind  and  awaited 
their  return.  They  remained  away  much  longer  than  was  necessary  to 
drink  a  glass  of  wine,  and  when  they  came  back  they  remained  only  a 
moment  at  the  door,  but  went  together  down  Broadway.  Ellsworth  has 
his  game  in  hand  ;  thought  I  to  myself.     Where  are  they  going  now? 

As  I  never  doubted  that  some  mischief  would  be  done  before  the  evening 
ended,  I  followed  them  at  a  suitable  distance  and  noticed  that  they  stopped 
for  a  moment  before  a  house  in  Broadway.     Ellsworth  seemed  to  be  mow 


('.A Ml", I. INC.    HOUSES    AND    THEIR    VICTIMS.  5l9 

■ndecided  as  to  what  lie  would  do,  than  was  Purvis.  As  I  got  near  to 
them  I  fell  into  the  middle  of  a  number  of  people  and  without  being  noticed 
Iv  Purvis  I  was  able  to  hear  the  following  conversation  :  — 

"  If  you  think  we  shall  not  disturb  them,  let  us  go  up  and  look  for  your 
friend." 

"  Oh,  no,"  replied  Ellsworth,  "  we  shall  be  quite  welcome  ;  but  I  was 
thinking  whether  we  should  be  able  to  find  room." 

Nevertheless  he  went  in  followed  by  Purvin.  At  that  time  the  place 
gambling  hell,  kept  by  the  disreputable  son  of  a  well-known  physi- 
cian. I  had  never  been  in  it,  but  I  had  heard  that  it  was  much  frequented 
by  young  men  who  used  to  go  for  a  game  at  cards  ;  and  that  sometimes, 
too,  faro  was  played  there.  As  I  was  afraid  that  as  Ellsworth  had  possi- 
bly seen  me  a  good  deal  about  the  St.  Nicholas  Hotel,  he  would  suspect 
something  if  I  were  to  go  in  alone,  I  loitered  about  till  my  friend  W.,  a 
detective  also,  came  along.  He  was  about  my  height,  and  wore  a  blue 
coat.  Mine  was  a  black  one.  I  took  Henry  into  the  little  passage  and 
whispered  to  him  : — "  There's  business  overhead.  Change  coats  ;  and  if 
you  have  a  pair  of  mustachios  about  you,  lend  them  to  me." 

"I  haven't  any  mustachios,  but  I  have  something  that  will  -do  as  well,'* 
said  Henry,  taking  a  wig  out  of  his  pocket.  My  hair  happened  to  be  cut 
very  short,  so  the  long  haired  wig  just  suited  my  purpose. 

To  change  coats  and  put  on  the  wig  was  the  work  of  a  moment  only  ; 
and  promising  Henry  to  see  him  on  the  following  morning  we  parted,  and 
the  next  instant  I  was  in  the  card  room.  Without  any  ceremony  I  went 
in,  walked  up  to  the  sideboard,  as  is  customary  in  these  places,  took  a 
glass  of  wine,  and  began  to  look  about  the  room.  My  friends  Purvis  and 
Ellsworth  were  there.  The  latter  seemed  to  be  explaining  to  the  former 
the  ways  and  customs  of  the  place  and  what  was  to  be  done  there. 

In  one  of  the  rooms  faro  was  going  on  on  this  occasion,  and  in  the  other 
room,  ordinary  games  of  cards. 

After  a  little  while  I  heard  Ellsworth  say  "I  never  play  for  money,  but 
I  have  no  doubt  you  will  find  somebody  here  who  will  have  a  game  with 
you  for  amusement  if  you  like."  Whereupon  the  two  "  friends"  went  arm 
in  arm  into  the  card  room,  where  they  very  soon  found  a  party  ready  to 
play  a  game.  Ellsworth,  however,  declined  to  play,  but  took  a  seat  by  the 
side  of  Purvis  to  watch  the  game.  The  stakes  were  small.  Presently 
Purvis  lost  more  than  he  had  in  his  purse,  and  in  consequence  he  opened  a 
well  filled  pocket-book  which  he  carried  in  his  breast  pocket.  I  noticed  a 
peculiar  smile  on  Ellsworth's  face  as  his  eyes  rested  on  the  pocket-book, 
and  from  that  look  it  became  quite  evident  to  me  that  I  should  have  some- 
thing to  do.  I  looked  on  at  the  game  with  apparent  indifference,  but  as 
far  as  possible  kept  a  close  watch  upon  Ellsworth  who  seemed  to  be  getting 
very  uneasy.  People  went  in  and  out,  especially  to  and  from  the  next 
room,  and  Ellsworth's  face  was  constantly  turned  towards  the  door  whenr 


316  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    JfOItK   LIFE. 

ever  a  fresh  face  came  out,  or  he  heard  a  new  voice  or  an  unknown 
footstep.  Suddenly  he  seemed  to  brighten  up.  He  got  up,  went  into  the 
next  room,  took  a  glass  of  wine  and  as  he  was  coming  back  he  turned  as 
though  he  had  just  spied  a  friend  ;  then  he  called  out  "  Hello  Williams  ! 
liow  are  you  ?  How  did  you  get  here  ?  I  waited  for  you  for  more  than 
.an  hour  at  the  St.  Nicholas  Hotel." 

"  I  was  very  late. — I  didn't  know  where  I  should  find  you,  and  came 
liere  I  hardly  know  how ;  but  it  is  lucky  we  have  met,"  said  Williams, 
flapping  Ellsworth  on  the  shoulder. 

All  this  was  said  in  a  way  that  Purvis  must  hear,  unless  he  was  quite 
absorbed  in  the  interest  of  the  game.  The  two  confederates  now  went  into 
the  card  room  ; — "  allow  me,  gentlemen, *  said  Ellsworth,  "  to  interrupt  the 
game  one  moment." — Then  taking  Williams  direct  up  to  Purvis,  he  said 
"  Mr.  Purvis,  I  have  the  honor  to  introduce  to  you  my  friend,  Mr.  Williams, 
for  whom  we  were  waiting  so  long  this  evening.  Is  it  not  lucky  that  he 
dropped  in  here?" 

After  the  usual  courtesies  had  been  passed  and  Purvis  had  assured  Mr. 
Williams  that  it  gave  him  much  pleasure  to  make  his  acquaintance,  he 
added  : — "  The  game  will  soon  be  over  and  then  I  shall  be  pleased  to 
Decomc  better  acquainted  with  the  friend  of  my  friend  Ellsworth." 

But  who  was  this  man  Williams?  the  reader  will  naturally  ask.  I  did 
not  know  Ellsworth,  but  Williams  I  had  seen  before.  He  was  fashionably 
dressed,  even  better  dressed  than  Ellsworth,  and  not  inferior  to  him  in 
manners  ;  although  it  was  quite  apparent  to  any  experienced  observer  that 
he  was  really  a  much  commoner  man  than  Ellsworth.  He  seemed  a 
shrewder  man  and  much  better  adapted  to  the  performance  of  any  ille- 
gality. He  belonged  in  fact  to  the  most  crafty  set  of  pickpockets  in  the 
city,  and  had  long  been  known  to  me  as  "  Billy  Reaver." 

When  the  game  between  Purvis  and  the  stranger  had  come  to  an  end, 
Williams  proposed  to  join  in  another  game,  but  as  he  was  alone,  Purvis 
sat  down  to  it,  not  forgetting  first  to  refresh  himself  well  with  wine.  I 
noticed  that  Williams  took  occasion  to  go  with  Purvis  to  the  sideboard,  and 
I  heard  Williams  say  to  him : — u  Let  us  have  a  glass  of  red  wine"  ;  at  the 
same  time  pouring  out  a  glassful  which  Purvis  at  once  swallowed.  I  did 
Dot  doubt  in  my  own  mind  that  Williams  had  drugged  this  wine  and  was 
eager,  therefore,  to  watch  what  would  follow. 

Later  in  the  evening  I  took  part  in  a  game  myself  at  another  table, 
taking  care,  however,  so  to  sit  that  I  could  readily  observe  the  movements 
of  Purvis  and  his  partner.  For  some  time  Purvis  played  a  very  good 
game,  but  by  and  by  he  betrayed  a  most  marked  carelessness,  and  Wil- 
liams, who  was  very  pleasant  company,  began  to  relate  a  number  of  droll 
-Stories. 

He  took  every  imaginable  pains  to  keep  up  the  falling  spirits  of  Purvis 
hj  means  of  jokes  and  good  humor.     Purvis  was  repeatedly  going  to  the 


GAMBLING    IIOUSES    AND    THEIR    VICTIMS.  31 T 

sideboard,  while  the  mixture  he  had  was  doing  its  work.  He  lost  con- 
siderable sums  of  money  all  the  while,  too,  and  was  obliged  to  be  con- 
stantly having  recourse  to  his  pocket-book. 

At  the  end  of  about  au  hour,  Ellsworth,  who  had  not  taken  part  directly 
in  the  game,  made  the  remark  "  Isn't  it  about  time  for  decent  people  to  go 
home?"  Upon  which  Williams  replied  "As  you  like,  I  dare  say  Mr. 
Purvis  will  be  wanting  to  go  back  to  his  hotel."  Then  looking  at  the  clock 
on  the  mantel  piece,  he  said  "  It  is,  indeed,  later  than  I  thought  it  was." 
And  so  very  soon  the  three  left  the  place,  Mr.  Purvis  finding  it  no  easy 
matter  to  drag  himself  along. 

When  they  got  on  to  the  foot-path,  Ellsworth  said  to  Williams  : — "Let 
us  accompany  Mr.  Purvis  to  his  hotel,"  and  taking  him  by  the  arm  they 
went  towards  home.  The  distance  was  so  short  that,  as  I  had  heard  the 
conversation  on  the  step,  I  did  not  think  it  well  to  follow  them.  But 
hardly  had  the  rascals  been  gone  a  minute,  before  suddenly  a  fire,  which 
broke  out  at  the  corner  of  Houston  Street  and  Broadway,  attracted  my 
attention,  and  when,  after  a  few  minutes,  I  turned  round  to  look  for  the 
three  companions  they  were  gone.  I  hurried  to  the  hotel.  But  ihey  had 
not  gone  there.  I  asked  the  clerk  whether  Mr.  Purvis  had  had  his  key 
and  gone  to  bed.  But  no  one  had  seen  that  gentleman  since  quite  early  in 
the  evening. 

Where  then  could  the  rascals  have  taken  him?  Feeling  convinced  that 
the  Kentuckian  had  been  taken  into  one  of  the  coaches  which  at  that  hour 
of  the  night  were  about  the  hotel,  and  that  he  had  been  driven  away  ;  and 
knowing  that  it  would  be  the  height  of  folly  to  follow  the  thing  up  any 
further  at  that  time,  I  resolved  to  go  home  and  to  defer  any  further  enquiry 
till  the  next  morning.  I  took  the  clerk  of  the  hotel  into  my  confidence  and 
told  him  confidentially  that  I  feared  that  Purvis  has  been  made  the  victim 
of  a  set  of  swindlers,  by  whom  it  was  not  impossible  that  he  might  lose  his 
life.  I  begged  the  clerk  to  say  nothing  about  it  in  case  Purvis  should 
return  on  the  next  morning. 

"Keep  a  watch,"  I  said,  "upon  any  person  who  comes  back  with  him. 
Observe  him  well  and  try  to  find  out  the  number  and  the  name  of  the 
coachman,  also  whether  he  has  been  robbed  and  especially  what  has  been 
done  with  him.  To-morrow  morning  give  me  all  the  information  you  pos- 
sibly can." 

The  clerk  promised  me  that  he  would  do  all  this  carefully,  and  I  went 
contentedly  home,  feeling  assured  that  that  officer  of  the  hotel  would  do  his 
duty.  The  next  morning  I  was  awoke  by  him  at  about  seven  o'clock. 
He  told  me  that  about  an  hour  before  Mr.  Purvis  had  been  brought  into 
the  entrance  of  the  hotel  in  a  perfectly  unconscious  condition  ;  and  so 
strongly  had  he  been  stupified  by  some  narcotic  that,  after  spending  about 
half  an  hour  in  trying  to  restore  him,  he  had  been  obliged  to  send  for  a 
physician.     As  soon  as  the  identification  of  the  man  had  been  made  com- 


318  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK   LIFE. 

plete  in  the  vestibule  of  the  hotel,  the  clerk  had  hurried  out  into  the  street 
and  had  seen  a  slim  man  running  down  Broadway,  while  a  coach  was 
being  driven  at  a  gallop  in  the  opposite  direction.  It  was,  however,  uncer- 
tain whether  the  coach  had  anything  to  do  with  this  business. 

"But,"  he  continued,  "I  examined  the  person  and  the  clothes  of  Mr. 
Purvis  and  found  them  covered  with  spots  ot  blood ;  and  on  the  right  side 
of  the  coat  I  found  a  slit  which,  however,  did  not  seem  large  enough  to  get 
a  large  pocket-book  through." — As  the  side  pocket  was  tolerably  large,  I 
thought  that  probably  on  leaving  the  gaming  house  the  rascals  aad  tried  to 
take  the  money  through  an  opening  in  the  coat,  and  as  they  had  failed  in 
the  attempt,  they  had  taken  their  victim  away  in  order  to  accomplish  the 
work  in  some  other  way.  I  immediately  dressf  d  myself  and  hurried  away 
to  the  hotel. 

Purvis  had  been  carried  to  his  room  and  a  physician  was  rendering  him 
all  the  assistance  that  could  be  given.  Medecine  had  been  administered 
and  all  that  was  necessary  was  being  done. 

The  physician's  assistant  said  that  he  was  a  native  of  Louisville  and 
knew  the  Purvis  family  very  well.  Moreover,  he  would  gladly  himself 
give  five  hundred  dollars  to  find  the  swindlers  who  had  so  shamefully 
robbed  his  townsman.  I  was  much  prepossessed  in  favor  of  the  young 
Southerner,  and  wheu  the  physician  went  away  I  asked  him  to  remain  a 
little  while — which  he  did.  We  staid  over  an  hour  by  the  side  of  Purvis 
before  he  had  sufficiently  recovered  to  be  able  to  open  his  eyes  to  recognize 
his  acquaintance  from  Louisville  and  to  answer  my  questions  as  to  how 
much  he  had  lost.  The  last  was  what  I  chiefly  wanted  to  know.  He  had 
not  the  smallest  idea  where  he  had  been  ;  but  he  knew  that  on  the  previous 
evening  he  had  in  his  possession  a  thousand  and  sixty  dollar.  He  had  a 
thousand  dollars  in  his  pocket-book  which  he  carried  in  his  overcoat,  and 
the  other  sixty  dollars  in  small  money  were  in  the  pockets  of  his  other 
clothes.  On  the  day  before  he  had  in  the  fulfilment  of  a  commission  paid 
a  large  amount  away  to  a  number  of  residents  in  Louisville,  in  consequence 
of  which  this  was  all  the  money  he  had  left,  and  half  of  that  was  not  his 
own  ;  which,  as  he  said,  "  made  the  matter  so  much  the  worse." 

After  I  had  learned  this  much,  I  knew  enough  to  enable  me  to  take  steps 
by  which  I  hoped  to  be  able  to  take  Ellsworth  and  Williams ;  and  I  had 
then  no  doubt  that  they  were  still  to  be  found  in  the  city.  But  as  all  con- 
jectures about  their  designs  were  very  doubtful  and  as  it  seemed  to  me 
advisable  to  have  some  assistance  in  my  movements,  I  took  my  young 
friend,  the  young  physician,  with  me,  for  he  was  very  enthusiastic  in  the 
matter.  But  as  we  had  to  use  the  utmost  precaution  in  order  effectually 
to  defeat  the  enemy,  he  went  to  his  lodgings  and  I  to  my  office  to  make 
all  the  necessary  preparations.  We  agreed  to  meet  again  in  an  hour  at 
the  St.  Nicholas  Hotel.  When  we  did  so,  it  occurred  to  me  whether  Pur- 
vis's pocket-book  may  not  have  had  some  particular  mark  by   which  it 


GAMBLING    HOUSES    AND    TIIEIR    VICTIMS.  319 

could  be  known  ;  we  went,  therefore,  to  his  room  where  we  learned  that  it 
was  a  present  of  his  brother's,  and  under  the  cover  had  the  imprint  "  C. 
II.  P.,  Louisville,"  in  gold  letters,  which  were  now  nearly  rubbed  out  and 
illegible. 

Upon  this  we  began  our  round  of  inspection.  I  thought  I  could  easily 
find  out  Williams's  lodgings  ;  and  that  I  should  there  probably  discover  him 
and  his  friend  Ellsworth  taking  a  nap  ;  but  in  this  instance  I  had  reckoned 
without  my  host. 

Although  we  spent  the  whole  day  in  going  from  one  place  to  another,  at 
nightfall  we  had  discovered  nothing  and  were  tired  out.  But  as  we  passed 
Roosevelt  Street  on  the  way  to  the  Williamsburg  Ferry,  a  tall,  slim  man 
slipped  by  us,  in  whom  I  immediately  recognized  Williams.  He  wmt  into 
a  small  oyster  saloon  and  we  followed  him.  He  took  a  seat  in  the  farthest 
and  darkest  corner  of  the  dirty  place  and  there  ordered  some  soup.  He 
seemed  to  be  quite  exhausted,  as  if  he  had  just  come  off  a  long  excursion. 
He  was  so  nervous  that  he  threw  a  part  of  the  soup  over  his  clothes.  And 
it  seemed  to  me  as  if  he  himself  was  still  under  the  influence  of  some  nar- 
cotic drug.  I  did  not  doubt  for  one  moment  that  it  was  he  who  had  stolen 
the  pocket-book,  and  probably  he  had  it  still  in  his  possession,  but  as  I  had 
•no  warrant  with  me,  in  order  to  make  myself  more  secure,  I  had  to  follow 
him  up  further.  As  soon  as  he  had  finished  his  soup  and  had  moved  in 
the  direction  of  the  door  as  if  to  go  away,  the  slovenly  looking  proprietor 
of  the  place — an  Irishwoman — called  out  to  him  just  as  he  had  got  his 
hand  on  the  door  : — 

"  Hillo  you  sir  ! — Do  you  call  yourself  a  gentleman,  and  go  away  with- 
out paying  for  what  you've  had?" 

Williams,  who,  indeed,  hardly  knew  what  he  was  about,  had,  as  I  sus- 
pected, never  intended  to  cheat  the  woman,  was  very  much  irritated  at  the 
coarseness  of  her  manner,  turned  round  and  cursed  her  warmly ;  upon 
which  the  woman  called  out  to  us  "  Gentlemen,  will  you  sit  there  guilty 
and  let  a  man  cheat  an  honest  woman  ?  such  a  miserable  vagabond  as  this, 
too.     Take  hold  of  him  !" 

My  excitable  friend,  the  young  physician,  did  not  wait  for  any  further 
invitation,  but  quickly  threw  his  strong  arms  round  Williams  and  cried 
out : — Here  scoundrel,  pay  this  poor  woman  before  you  go  out,  or  we'll 
keep  you  here  all  night.'' 

Thereupon  he  dragged  him  up  against  the  dirty  counter  behind  which 
the  woman  was  standing.  Williams,  still  half  drunk,  and  held  in  the  grip 
of  the  stout  young  fellow  who  had  him  as  in  a  vice,  was  soon  quieted  and 
began  to  feel  about  in  his  pocket  for  money.  While  this  was  going  on  he 
unintentionally  pulled  out  a  silk  scarf,  which,  as  we  found  later,  had  been 
stolen,  and  with  it  fell  out  at  the  same  time  the  well-filled  pocket-book. 

Williams,  who  was  drunk,  as  I  at  first  expected,  appeared  not  to  take 
much  notice  of  what  had  happened ;  and  after  he  had  found  some  small 


320  THE    DAEK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

change  in  his  waistcoat  pocket  and  paid  the  old  woman,  I  took  hold  of  the 
pocket-book  and  spoke  to  him  : — "  Here,  don't  forget  this, — yon  may  per- 
haps want  it."  He  looked  at  me  with  an  air  of  surprise  and  came  towards 
me.  Without  further  ceremony  I  opened  the  flap  of  the  pocket-book,  and 
found  there  #the  gold  lettered  imprint  described  by  Purvis.  "  I'll  take  this 
thing  for  myself,  Mr.  'Williams,"  said  I,  "  then  I  can  look  after  it.  My 
good  woman,  this  man  is  a  pickpocket.''  Then  turning  to  my  friend,  I 
requested  him  to  bolt  the  door,  which  he  immediately  did. 

"  You  take  charge  of  Williams,  while  I  examine  the  pocket-book.  You, 
old  lady,  keep  quiet ;  and,  Williams,  if  you  dare  to  make  the  least  noise,  it 
will  go  hard  with  you." 

I  soon  finished  the  examination  and  found  930  dollars,  a  part  of  which 
was  in  Kentucky  bank  notes  ;  also  a  beautiful  lady's  watch  and  chain,  from 
the  latter  of  which  some  links  had  been  broken,  and  which  had  evidently 
been  stolen  by  Williams  quite  recently. 

The  fellow  presently  realized  the  fact  that  he  was  in  custody,  but  he 
protested  that  he  had  not  stolen  the  money  and  declared  that  Ellsworth 
alone  was  guilty.  I  was  also  inclined  to  credit  this,  for  I  knew  that  Ells- 
worth had  been  the  "  roper-in"  of  Purvis.  As  it  was  of  more  consequence 
to  me  to  catch  Ellsworth  than  to  hand  Williams  over  to  the  authorities,  I 
promised  him  that  if  he  would  tell  me  the  whole  truth,  and  let  me  know 
where  Ellsworth  staid,  I  would  let  him  go  as  soon  as  Ellsworth  was  found. 
He  then  gave  me  all  the  details. 

On  the  previous  night  they  had  taken  Purvis  to  Ellsworth's  house  at 
Williamsburg,  where  the  latter  ostensibly  lived  with  his  family.  There  of 
course  it  was  easy  enough  to  effect  the  robbery.  As  they  had  no  proper 
place  to  put  Purvis,  and  as  it  seemed  dangerous  to  keep  him  there  any 
longer,  they,  before  daylight,  took  a  coach  and  Williams  had  gone  alone 
with  Purvis  to  New  York. 

The  driver  had  received  fifty  dollars  for  the  journey.  He  had  just 
returned,  he  said,  from  Williamsburg  and  they  were  to  meet,  he  and  Ells- 
worth, on  the  next  day  at  a  house  in  the  Bowery  to  divide  the  money. 

I  handed  Williams  over  into  the  care  of  a  police  officer  who  on  the  in- 
formation of  the  fraud  took  him  for  the  time  into  his  custody.  On  the 
next  day  I  went  to  the  place  indicated  by  the  thief.  Williams,  in  charge 
of  a  police  officer,  was  there  at  the  right  time  and  expressed  his  surprise 
that  Ellsworth  did  not  come  as  he  had  promised  ;  a  circumstance,  however, 
at  which  I  by  no  means  wondered.     We  returned  now  to  the  hotel. 

It  is  hard  to  imagine  any  man  more  delighted  than  Purvis  was  at  the 
return  of  so  large  a  portion  of  the  money,  all  of  which  he  thought  had  been 
lost. 

I  followed  up  Ellsworth  very  eagerly,  visited  his  "  family"  in  Williams- 
burg, but  I  could  not  get  hold  of  him  till  he  fell  into  my  hands  in  another 
town,  where  I  made  use  of  him  for  the  discovery  of  several  other  scoundrels. 


GAMBLING   HOUSES    AND    TI1KIR    VICTIMS.  S21 

When  I  took  leave  of  Purvis  he  told  rae  that  if  the  whole  thousand  dol- 
lars had  boeu  lost  to  him,  he  should  still  have  eousidered  that  he  ha  1 
bun-lit  his  experience  very  cheaply," 

AVe  think  that  iu  the  chapter  now  brought  to  a  close,  we  have  presented 
such  a  picture  of  the  proceedings  of  the  gamblers  iu  the  hells  of  this  city, 
and  of  the  dangers  which  beset  their  victims,  as  should  be  a  sufficient 
warning  to  all  sensible  people  to  avoid  the  gaming  table.  Even  in  the 
houses — aud  there  are  but  few  such — where  the  play  is  conducted  fairly, 
that  is,  where  there  is  no  actual  cheating,  the  chances  of  the  bank  are  at 
ail  times  greatly  out  of  proportion  to  those  of  the  plavers  ; — aud  experience 
teaches  us  that  even  in  these  places  not  one  in  a  hundred  of  the  visitors 
win  anything.  Sooner  or  later  loss  is  certain.  But  to  those  who  visit  the 
gaming  table  there  is  something  jeopardized  which  is  of  far  more  import- 
ance than  money,  namely  : — peace  of  mind,  contentment  and — character. 


PROSTITUTION  AND  ITS  VICTIMS. 

We  come  now  to  one  of  the  saddest  sections  of  our  work  on  the  dark 
side  of  life  in  the   great  city— the  so-called  "  social  evil"'  or  prostitution. 

Till  lately  this  theme  was  unfortunately  ranked  among  those  which  a 
mischievous  prudery  would  only  permit  to  be  brought  in  the  faintest  pos- 
sible manner,  if  at  all,  before  the  notice  of  the  public.  An  excessively 
moral  pedantry  was  long  accustomed  to  content  itself  with  the  knowledge 
that  the  social  evil  was  a  necessity  which  could  not  be  extirpated.  And 
as  it  had  to  be  tolerated  patiently,  the  argument  was  carried  on  further 
that  under  the  circumstances  it  were  better  not  to  speak  about  the  thin? 
more  than  was  absolutely  necessary,  that  thereby  people  might  not  be 
reminded  of  their  happy  ignorance  of  its  existence,  nor  led  to  fall  into  the 
snare.  In  consequence  of  this  mode  of  regarding  the  matter,  it  became  the 
custom  to  ignore  the  evil  altogether  in  the  public  press,  no  matter  how 
glaringly  it  obtruded  itself  into  notice,  aud  to  leave  the  management  and 
control  of  it  altogether  to  the  police. 

It  is  true,  a  consideration  of  the  social  evil  brings  necessarily  to  the 
front  many  things  which  together  present  a  terrible  picture,  and  wirhal  a 
disgusting  one,  of  the  social  condition  of  our  city.  The  theme  is  no  agree- 
able one,  and  it  would  be  better  if  it  never  came  within  the  cognizance  of 
the  innocence  and  inexperience  of  youth.  No  thoughtful  man",  however 
would  assert  the  possibility  of  that.     No  vice  veils  its  publicity  under  such 

21 


322  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

allilring  forms  as  does  prostitution.  None  weaves  its  toils  or  sets  its  8nares 
more  systematically  or  with  more  deceptive  cunning,  than  does  prostitu- 
tion. No  vice,  no  criminality  is  conducted  to  its  shameful  purpose  more 
openly  or  more  fearlessly  than  this  same  evil,  which  at  the  same  time  in 
all  its  varied  forms  seems  to  enjoy  the  toleration  at  least  of  the  law.  It  is 
the  more  dangerous,  inasmuch  as  it  seeks  out  its  victims  among  those  who 
in  the  innocence  of  early  life  are  unsuspecting  of  evil,  and  who,  whence 
once  they  have  fallen  into  its  snares,  have  no  way  of  escape  left  open  to 
them.  But  wherefore  should  so  dangerous  a  rock  lie  hidden  in  the  seas  of 
life  just  where  the  inexperienced  are  about  to  begin  the  steering  of  their 
own  life  bark?  It  is,  indeed,  a  very  curious  philanthropy  which,  aiming 
at  one  thing,  through  well  intended  but  false  opinions  brings  about  the 
exact  opposite  !  For  our  part  we  belong  to  that  class  of  reformers,  who 
believe  in  the  maxim  that  in  order  to  remove  an  evil,  the  first  step  must  be 
to  expose  and  lay  it  bare.  We  are  ready  to  acknowledge  that  the  discus- 
sion of  this  subject  is  a  task  of  some  delicacy.  But  "  to  the  pure  all  things 
are  pure,"  says  an  old  proverb  ;  and  it  is  not  the  discussion  of  a  subject  on 
its  own  merits,  but  the  causes  that  induce  the  discussion  which  justify  it  as 
a  warning  against  a  dangerous  allurement.  Our  readers  know  well  from 
the  previous  sections  of  this  book,  that  our  aim  is  not  to  write  a  merely 
sensational  work  which  shall  serve  only  as  an  empty  curiosity,  or  to  serve 
up  a  little  empty  frivolity  as  a  piquante  stimulant.  It  is  rather  to  be  use- 
ful and  practical. 

As  in  our  former  chapters,  we  shall  remain  true  to  the  same  design  here. 
But  as  we  cannot  take  our  readers  around  to  the  allurements  which  abound 
in  the  streets  or  show  them  personally  the  interiors  of  the  hells  where  vice 
is  cultured,  it  must  be  our  aim  to  strip  off  its  glittering  exterior  and  so  to 
lay  open  in  all  its  hatefulness  the  grinning  skeleton  that  lurks  behind.  As 
very  many  know  nothing  beyond  the  enchantments  of  outside  appearances 
as  they  are  presented  to  their  eyes  by  the  vice  of  prostitution,  we  see  the 
reason  especially  why  so  many  hopeful  lives  are  wretchedly  victimized  to 
this  deplorable  vice.  But  we  will  not  moralize,  nor  seek  to  paint  all  the 
misery,  sorrow,  and  despair,  that  are  summed  up  in  the  one  word  "  prosti- 
tution." Such  a  picture  will  rise  up  in  dazzling  form  enough  from  the 
following  details  in  our  delineation.  It  will  give  its  own  impressive  lesson, 
one,  however,  which  without  the  details  we  shall  offer  would  not  be  pos- 
sible. 

It  is  no  secret  with  anybody  that  the  crime  of  prostitution  prevails  to  a 
most  lamentable  degree  in  our  city.  But  it  is  difficult  to  estimate  the 
degree  in  figures.  If  we  would  depend  upon  the  well  meant  views  of  some, 
it  must  be  regarded  as  an  evil  that  spreads  in  the  most  terrible  manner 
over  a  very  wide  circle.  For  example,  Bishop  Simpson  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church  in  a  lecture  at  the  Cooper  Institute  in  1866,  made  the 
number  of  women  who  were  either  occupying  well-known  houses  or  who 


PROSTITUTION    AND    ITS    VICTIMS. 

■were   following  a  life  of  shame,  to  be  as  numerous  as  the  members  of  his 
own  church,  namely  20,000. 

Such  a  statement  was  indeed  frightful.  The  calculation  was  afterwards 
accepted  by  Dr.  Reeves  and  Dr.  Sawyer  without  probably  further  proof  of 
its  accuracy.  But  for  this  reason  the  figures  should  be  taken  with  some 
degree  of  caution  ;  although  they  found  many  believers  and,  as  might  be 
supposed,  they  created  some  sensation.  From  the  pulpit  and  the  columns 
of  the  periodical  press  there  emanated  long  and  edifying  jeremiads  upon 
the  degradations  of  the  modern  Sodom  as  indicated  by  this  declaration. 
It  remained  for  the  then  Police  Superintendent  Kennedy,  upon  whose  man- 
agement such  a  propagation  of  prostitution  cast  no  flattering  reflection,  to 
vindicate  the  reputation  of  the  city.  He  immediately  required  an  enumera- 
tion to  be  made  of  all  the  houses  in  the  city  which  were  used  for  prostitu- 
tion and  of  their  occupants.  The  result  was  as  follows  : — That  in  January, 
1866,  there  were  within  the  city  limits  615  houses  of  prostitution,  99  as- 
signation-houses, and  77  so-called  concert  and  drink  saloons.  In  these 
there  were  2,670  prostitutes  and  747  waiter  or  bar  girls,  whose  calling  and 
reputation  were  much  the  same.  Thus  then  in  round  numbers  there  were 
about  3,400  women  who  made  a  trade  of  prostitution. 

This  official  statement  gives  a  far  less  terrible  picture  than  did  Bishop 
Simpson  with  his  legion  of  20,000.  But  it  must  be  evident  to  any  person 
who  will  give  the  matter  a  thought,  that  such  an  enormous  multitude  as 
that  of  the  devotees  of  Venus  in  a  city  whose  population  is  only  between 
900,000  and  1,000,000  were  impossible.  If  we  take  the  population  even 
at  a  million  and  the  female  portion  of  it  at  half  a  million,  there  must  be, 
among  every  25  women,  including  children  and  old  people,  one  prostitute  ! 
Now  what  man  having  any  knowledge  of  life  can  have  the  courage  to 
"believe  in  such  an  enormity?  And  yet  in  the  spring  of  1871  the  same 
statement  was  repeated  as  a  fact  before  a  public  audience  by  the  Rev.  Dr. 
Bellows. 

The  report  made  by  Police  Superintendent  Kennedy  placed  the  condi- 
tion of  prostitution  at  a  point  assuredly  high  enough  for  a  city  of  the  size 
of  New  York,  without  there  being  any  necessity  to  cling  to  exaggerations 
arising  from  well  intentioned  zeal.  Mr.  Kennedy  proved  this  to  a  gentle- 
men who  thought  that  the  numbers  given  by  the  police  were  too  small. 
"How,"  said  he,  "  can  you  think  this  too  favorable  to  the  city  when  you 
remember  that,  if  all  the  houses  that  are  devoted  to  prostitution  were  to 
De  placed  side  by  side  on  both  sides  of  Broadway,  they  would  reach  from 
the  Battery  to  Houston  Street?"  But  even  if  in  any  events  this  calcula- 
tion be  taken  as  something  less  than  the  truth,  it  must  not  be  forgotten 
that  in  the  year  1866  prostitution  in  New  York  exceeded  what  it  had  been 
in  former  years  and  probably  what  it  has  been  since  ;  for  with  the  termina- 
tion of  the  war  the  whole  elements  of  prostitution  which  had  gathered 
around  the  army  was  thrown  back  upon  the  towns,  and  of  course  New 


324  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

York' received  the  lion's  share.  The  number  is,  however,  one  that  fluctu- 
ates from  year  to  year,  and  if  we  take  the  present  number  at  5,000,  we 
probably  do  not  set  it  too  low.  This  number  comprises,  it  must  be  under- 
stood, only  the  public  prostitutes  and  those  waiter-girls  who  rightly  or 
wrongly  are  included  by  the  police  in  the  same  category.  Women  who 
visit  or  frequent  as .ugnatiou-houses,  to  enslave  themselves  and  sell  their 
purity  for  extravagant  Iress  or  the  love  of  pleasure,  and  who  yet  seek  to 
clothe  themselves  i  the  mantle  of  respectability,  it  is  of  course  impossible 
to  number.     At  any  raio  it  ought  not  to  be  very  large  ! 

It  is  not,  however,  by  the  number  of  the  courtesans  who  at  the  moment 
are  in  the  service  of  this  vice  that  the  extent  and  the  terrible  consequences 
of  the  social  evil  have  to  be  estimated.  The  Moloch  of  sin  consumes  its 
devotees  in  a  truly  frightful  manner.  By  statistics  formed  through  the 
intervention  of  medical  science  it  seems  that  the  longest  time  that  a  prosti- 
tute is  able  to  pursue  her  calling  does  not  exceed  five  years.  From  this 
then  it  must  be  evident  that  every  five  years  a  new  5,000  girls  and  women 
are  necessary  to  fill  the  places  of  those  who  in  the  same  time  have  yielded 
to  the  destructive  effects  of  their  shameful  life. 

Five  years  !  and  the  short  life  of  the  unhappy  victim  of  prostitution  has 
run  out !  Exceptions  to  this  rule  are  only  few  and  rare.  And  what  a  life 
it  is  !  "  Pleasure  is  short  indeed,  and  repentance  is  long" — and  no  where 
is  the  first  part  at  least  of  the  saying  more  true  than  in  the  case  of  prosti- 
tution. In  no  other  calling  of  life  do  the  delusive  flowers  which  adorned 
it  at  the  beginning  fade  more  quickly  or  more  suddenly,  and  none  ends 
more  surely  and  inevitably  in  the  slough  of  hopeless  despair.  The  poor 
deluded  creature  who  goes  on  the  way  of  shame  in  the  first-class  palaces 
of  prostitution  with  all  the  grace  of  youth  aud  beauty,  little  dreams  that  the 
glitter  of  a  fast  life  and  the  whirl  of  pleasure  in  which  she  lives  can  ever 
come  to  an  end.  But  thoughtless  excess  is  one  of  the  worst  enemies  of 
female  beauty.  Nothing  strips  off  the  magic  freshness  of  youth  more 
quickly  or  more  surely  ;  and  puts  in  its  place  the  unconcealable  marks  of 
decay.  As  a  rule  this  fatal  change  comes  in  less  than  a  year,  even  upon 
the  fairest  ; — and  it  is  to  it  that  the  proprietor  of  the  establishments  where- 
they  live  prepare  themselves.  She  cannot  permit  any  falling  off  to  occur 
in  the  attractions  of  her  house  ;  she  therefore  takes  care  to  renew  them 
from  time  to  time  with  fresh  goods,  while  those  already  worn  out  and 
faded  are  cast  pitilessly  out  of  doors.  And  through  the  well  known  indis- 
cretion that  affects  girls  of  this  kind,  the  poor  creatures  leave  their  homes 
thus  driven  away  with  little  more  in  their  possession  than  the  clothes  they 
stand  in  and  the  tawdry  finery  they  can  put  upon  their  backs. 

This  is  but  the  first  realization,  yet  it  forms  the  turning  point,  where  the 
hitherto  flowery  path  of  vice  leads  suddenly  downward,  and  at  every  step 
becomes  more  comfortless  and  more  terrible.  When  next  we  see  the 
unfortunate  girl,  she  is  probably  in  one  of  the  common  houses  of  prostitu- 


PROSTITUTION    AND    ITS    \  l<  nut.  325 

lion,  where  her  treatment  is  far  harder  and  her  service  more  sorrowful 
than  any  she  had  hitherto  known.  She  may  possibly  last  out  in  these 
houses  two  or  even  three  years.  But  this  is  more  than  sufficient  to  brand 
her  with  every  mark  of  a  professional  prostitute.  In  the  company  of  rough 
and  reckless  visitors,  all  her  former  graces  and  polished  manners  have  dis- 
appeared ;  and  a  repulsive  shamelessness  protrudes  itself  under  the  bright 
paint  that  conceals  the  worn  aspect  of  her  face.  She  has  been  too  much 
D8  d  also  to  have  recourse  to  the  excessive  use  of  strong  drink,  either  to 
bring  oblivion  over  her  sorrows  or  to  revive  her  physical  failings,  and 
while  following  only  the  natural  consequence  of  her  mode  of  life,  she  im- 
poverishes herself. 

But  when  she  has  arrived  at  this  stage,  she  is  no  longer  fitted  for  the 
class  of  house  she  now  occupies.  She  is  again  sent  adrift,  and  must  once 
more  seek  out  a  new  field  where  she  can  turn  into  money  the  last  rem- 
nants of  her  attractions  and  so  at  least  for  a  time  save  herself  from  starva- 
tion. And  thus  she  becomes  a  common  street  walker,  or  an  occupant  of 
one  of  the  lowest  dens  of  sin  ;  an  instrument  for  gratifying  the  lusts  of  the 
roughest  class,  the  acquaintance  and  consort  of  thieves  and  swindlers,  and 
not  unfrequently  too  she  herself  a  thief!  She  is  regarded  as  the  slave  of 
her  possessor  and  as  such  she  is  treated.  It  is  only  men  who  physically 
and  morally  are  sunk  as  deeply  in  the  depths  as  she,  who  hold  any  com- 
munication with  her.  Disease  in  its  most  loathsome  form  consumes  her 
body.  She  soon  begins  to  make  a  frequent  acquaintance  with  the  police 
courts ;  and  if  she  lives,  she  finds  herself  ere  long  in  all  probability  an 
inmate  of  the  penitentiary  or  of  a  sick  bed  on  Ward's  or  BlackwelTs 
Islands. 

Soon  she  reaches  the  last  stage  of  her  journey.  Every  trace  of  woman, 
hood  has  deserted  her,  even  as  all  sense  of  honor  had  left  her  long  before. 
Opium  and  the  vilest  spirits  have  become  her  means  of  support  and  the 
only  objects  of  her  faith  ;  and  the  fact  is  plainly  enough  marked  in  her 
expressionless,  bloated  face.  Then  too  often  a  draught  of  poison,  or  a  leap 
into  the  waters  of  the  bay,  taken  in  the  terrible  despondency  arising  from 
absolute  hopelessness,  terminate  a  life  of  misery  and  woe. 

This  is  the  career  of  ninety-nine  women  out  of  every  hundred  who  addict 
themselves  to  prostitution !  Even  though  the  beginning  of  it  may  not 
always  be  so  attractive  or  so  glittering,  the  end  is  seldom  less  miserable. 

"  Hopelessly  lost"  is  that  woman  who  once  heads  the  path  of  shame. 
It  is  very  rare  that  one  such  feels  even  a  momentary  wish  to  better  her- 
self, and  still  more  rarely  does  she  possess  the  moral  force  necessary  to  do 
so.  It  would  seem  as  though  society  is  so  fashioned  that  every  possible 
difficulty  shall  be  placed  in  the  way  of  those  who,  having  once  fallen,  desire 
to  return  to  an  honorable  life.  The  man  may  descend  deep  indeed,  and 
society  is  ever  ready  to  receive  with  open  arms  the  debauchee  and  to  for- 
get the  past.     But  it  is  not  so  with  woman.     She  may,  by  years  of  virtuous 


326  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK   LIFE. 

life,  .have  made  atonement  for  the  false  step  long  since  passed  awayP 
yet  society  spurns  her  again  the  instant  when  by  any  chance  a  light  is 
reflected  upon  the  one  dark  spot  of  her  life.  Whilst  the  oppression  of  scorn 
thus  stands  in  the  way  of  the  prostitute  and  prevents  her  escaping  from  the- 
mire  of  vice,  and  whilst  society  pitilessly  hurls  stones  on  the  unfortunate- 
woman,  it  can  find  no  weapon  against  the  man  whose  unbridled  passions 
have  made  him  accessory  to  the  crime,  and  who  very  often  by  his  coldly 
planed  seduction  delivers  over  new  victims  to  the  monster :  prostitution.. . 
This  is  a  subject  upon  which  public  attention,  with  all  its  ostentatious  dis- 
play of  humanity  and  Christianity  has  been  very  much  too  little  bestowed.. 

The  victims  of  prostitution  understand  this  and  the  injustice  of  it  very 
well,  and  in  consequence  they  feel  the  bitterest  resentment  against  society. 
The  way  in  which  this  feeling  pervades  all  classes  was  shown  one  day  iu 
a  most  striking  manner  at  one  of  the  police  stations.  The  police  had  made 
a  raid  upon  a  house  of  prostitution  and  had  taken  all  the  people  found  in  it 
to  the  station.  The  male  portion  of  the  company  was  discharged,,  but  the 
women  were  detained  with  a  view  to  further  proceedings.  Among  the- 
number  was  one  quite  young  girl,  pretty  and  attractive,  to  whom  the  police^ 
captain  addressed  a  few  well  intentioned  words  and  then  he  enquired  of 
her  how  it  was  that  she  could  thus  throw  herself  away  to  pursue  a  life  so> 
full  of  shame  and  misery?  Upon  this  the  girl  in  a  state  of  hysterical 
excitement  said : — 

"  Men  have  made  me  what  I  am  !  Only  one  year  ago  I  lived,  an  inno- 
cent girl,  in  my  father's  house.  I  had  a  lover  and  was  engaged  to  be  mar- 
ried to  him.  I  loved  him  truly  and  fervently,  and  my  father  trusted  him 
implicitly.  Was  it  a  crime  if  I  was  weak?  Yet  this  weakness  was  my 
misfortune ;  for  he  proved  himself  a  common  scoundrel,  and  he  betrayed 
me.  He  deserted  me,  and  soon  the  consequences  of  my  weakness  could 
no  longer  be  concealed.  Yet  I  might  then  have  been  saved  ;  but  my  father 
cast  me  away  and  all  my  friends  turned  their  backs  upon  me.  In  the 
whole  town  there  was  not  one  soul  who  would  pity  me  so  much  as  to  give- 
me  a  night's  shelter  or  a  crust  of  bread.  But  he,  my  betrayer,  who  had 
deliberately  taken  advantage  of  the  most  sacred  trust  was  received,  except 
by  my  own  family,  into  every  circle  of  society.  What  remained  for  me  if 
I  would  not  starve  ?  To  destroy  my  life  I  had  not  the  courage.  So  I 
came  to  New  York,  to  the  house  whence  you  have  taken  me.  You  call 
that  a  "  disorderly  house."  It  may  be  so  ;  perhaps  it  is.  I  know  that  it 
is  bad  enough,  but  are  not  the  men,  whom  you  found  there  and  took  away 
when  you  took  me,  at  least  as  bad  as  we  are?  You,  captain,  do  not  seem 
to  think  so,  for  you  let  them  go,  while  we  girls  are  kept  here.  I  am  still 
young,  but  I  am  old  enough  to  know  that  all  the  shame  and  punishment  of 
this  thing  falls  upon  us  girls,  while  the  men  go  free,  although  it  is  they  m. 
truth  who  make  us  what  we  are.,, 

The  logic    of   this    little   rebel    against  social   custom  can   hardly   be 


PROSTITUTION    AND    ITS    VICTIMS.  327 

combatted.  She  had,  if  not  the  law,  at  least  justice  on  her  side.  And  if 
we  could  trace  back  the  histories  of  most  prostitutes  to  the  moment  where 
their  life  took  the  momentary  turn  towards  the  path  of  shame,  we  should 
have  to  acknowledge  that  while  proportionately  very  few  of  these  women 
might  deserve  contempt,  by  far  the  greater  number  would  justly  claim  our 
pity  and  deepest  sympathy. 

What  is  it  now  that  impels  so  many  thousands  of  girls  and  women  to 
devote  themselves  to  a  life  of  shame?  a  life  which  sooner  or  later  will 
assuredly  come  to  a  miserable  end. 

In  this  relation  there  are  two  classes  of  prostitutes  to  be  distinguished  : — 
Those  who  take  the  step  of  their  own  inclination  without  any  sufficient 
cause,  and  those  who  enter  upon  it  against  the  impulse  of  their  own  moral 
sense,  but  dragged  down  by  adverse  circumstances.  The  reasons  which 
influence  the  former  of  these  are  : — fondness  for  an  untrammelled  life, 
freedom  from  parental  control,  indolence  and  thoughtless  levity,  the  desire 
to  lead  a  life  of  pleasure  without  work,  and  lastly  resentment  at  the  faith- 
lessness of  a  lover,  where  to  avenge  one  who  has  deceived  her  she  con- 
sents for  a  past  wrong  even  to  sacrifice  herself.  In  the  second  class  are  : — 
first,  necessity,  arising  out  of  the  want  of  work,  which  may  be  due  to  many 
causes  ;  then  seduction  which  ruins  many  girls  who  are  barely  out  of  the 
limits  of  childhood  ;  and  lastly  compulsion  on  the  part  of  unnatural  parents 
who  live  upon  the  shame  of  their  children. 

These  are  the  most  frequent,  but  not  by  any  means  the  only  causes 
which  are  ever  bringing  new  recruits  to  the  armies  of  prostitution.  There 
are  for  example  cases  where  the  victim,  so  to  speak,  springs  out  of  the  cir- 
cle of  honor  and  virtue  into  that  of  vice  at  one  bound  without  any  apparent 
cause  whatever.     Here  is  an  illustration  of  a  case  of  this  kind  :  — 

In  one  of  the  most  palatial  abodes  of  vice  which  are  to  be  found  in  the 
fashionable  part  of  the  city  there  was  till  recently  a  young  girl  whom, 
whether  we  consider  her  high  birth,  her  physical  endowments  or  her 
accomplishments,  no  man  would  ever  have  looked  for  in  such  a  place. 
Her  beauty  would  have  corresponded  with  Raphael's  ideal  of  a  Madonna, 
and  a  careful  education  had  brought  out  her  talents  to  a  more  than  ordinary 
degree.  Skilled  in  drawing  and  painting,  highly  accomplished  as  a  musi- 
cian and  singer,  her  winning  manners  striking  all  hearts  in  the  circles  of 
society  where  she  moved,  she  seemed  born  to  take  an  enviable  position  in 
life  and  to  enjoy  as  much  happiness  as  fortune  can  bestow. 

She  was  the  child  of  wealthy  parents  belonging  to  one  of  the  oldest  fami- 
lies in  New  England.  There  after  having  completed  her  education  in  one 
of  the  highest  educational  institutions  in  the  country,  she  lived,  the  pride 
and  joy  of  her  parents  and  the  pampered  darling  of  all  who  had  access  to 
the  family  circle.  One  may  imagine  then  the  anguish  and  alarm  of  the 
family  when  one  evening  the  child  thus  cherished  failed  to  return  from  a 
visit  she  had  been  makiug,  and  when  all  enquiries  after  her  and  all  search 


328 


THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 


to  find  her  proved  in  vain.  Days  and  weeks  passed  away  and  still  nothing 
was  learned  respecting  her,  till  at  length  the  parents  in  despair  gave  up 
their  child  as  dead  and  mourned  her  as  the  victim  of  some  terrible  crime. 

It  would  have  had  been  better  for  the  poor  girl  if  this  conclusion,  terri- 
ble as  it  was,  had  been  a  reality.  But  that  was  not  to  be.  One  day  the 
parents  of  her,  whom  they  believed  to  be  dead,  were  astounded  with  the 
news  that  their  daughter  was  one  of  the  residents  in  a  notorious  house  in 
New  York  !  The  explanation  now  seemed  easy — the  uufortunate  girl  had 
either  by  force  or  stratagem  been  decoyed  into  the  house  of  shame  and  she 
would  with  joy  hasten  back  to  the  open  arms  into  which  her  fond  parents 
were  ready  to  receive  her.  But  even  this  very  natural  hope  was  destined 
to  be  shattered !  Far  from  being  affected  at  the  sight  of  her  father  and 
mother  who  came  to  take  their  unhappy  child  home  again,  she  showed 
them  only  the  coolest  indifference.  Neither  the  distress  of  her  mother  nor 
the  grief  of  her  father  softened  her, — great  as  they  were  when  the  old  peo- 
ple found  it  necessary  to  leave  her  again  in  that  atmosphere  of  vice  for 
which  the  unnatural  girl  had  left  the  house  of  her  parents.  Alike  fruitless 
were  all  later  attempts,  which  both  the  parents  and  many  young  friends  of 
the  fallen  girl  made  to  rescue  her  from  her  miserable  condition.  "  Learn 
to  think  of  me  as  of  one  that  is  dead !"  was  the  invariable  answer  which, 
without  personally  seeing  them,  she  caused  to  be  given  to  her  friends  and 
relations  whenever  they  expressed  a  desire  to  see  her.  Her  resolution  was 
and  remained  irrevocable.  What  it  was  that  induced  her  to  leave  parents, 
home,  and  friends  without  any  stated  cause,  and  then  to  pursue  the  path 
of  shame  which  leads  to  certain  misery,  while  the  road  to  the  brighest  hap- 
piness that  life  affords  lay  open  before  her,  is  an  impenetrable  mystery  ! 
It  is  a  secret  that  she  alone  can  unveil.  But  will  it  ever  be  disclosed  ?  It 
may  be.  But  hardly  before  the  worm  of  despair  has  began  its  gnawings 
in  her  cold  heart ;  and  she,  sinking  deep  into  the  slough  of  her  vicious  life, 
shall  curse  the  moment  in  which  she  thrust  away  the  hands  that  would 
have  saved  her ! 

The  following  case  seems  to  be  even  more  mysterious  and  more  inex- 
plicable. It  is,  however,  an  actual  incident ;  and  one  which  comes  to  us 
from  the  narrative  of  a  detective. — Here,  too,  the  victim  was  a  bright, 
young  girl  of  not  more  than  17  years  of  age,  who,  under  the  anxious  and 
watchful  care  of  her  parents  living  in  the  city,  had  received  a  most  excel- 
lent education.  Gentle  and  good  in  disposition,  and  carefully  guarded 
from  every  doubtful  association,  there  seemed  no  room  left  in  the  heart  of 
this  blooming  girl  for  even  the  germ  of  any  evil.  Religiously  brought  up, 
she  offered  up  her  daily  prayers  at  the  altar  of  home  and  was  a  zealous 
attendant  at  the  Sunday  school.  But  on  one  Sunday  when  she  went  to  the 
school  she  did  not  return.  At  first  the  anxious  parents  rested  on  the  hope 
thatishe  had  gone  to  visit  some  friend.  But  when  evening  came,  and  then 
the  night,  and   still  no  news  of  the  absent  one,  the  anguish  of  the  parents 


PR03TITUTI0H    AN!»    ITS    VICTIMS.  321} 

knew   no   bounds.     Grief  laid   her   mother   on   a   sick    bed.     Hie    father 

wandered  through  the  city  far  and  wide  in  search  of  her,  arousing  his 
friends  and  acquaintances  on  all  sides  aud  anxiously  enquiring  for  the  lost 
sill.  But  nobody  could  give  him  information.  At  last  uuconsoli'd  he 
returned  home,  having  first  referred  the  whole  affair  to  the  police.  The 
unhappy  pareuts  reckoned  little,  however,  now  upon  any  favorable  result 
to  their  search.  They  seemed  impressed  with  the  idea  that  their  child 
was  no  longer  alive,  and  that  she  had  either  been  the  victim  of  some  fear- 
ful misfortune  or  had  lost  her  life  by  the  act  of  an  assassin. 

The  suggestion  of  a  detective  that  she  might  perhaps  be  found  in  some 
house  of  ill-repute  was  treated  by  the  faimily  almost  as  an  insult.  u  A 
child  so  good,  so  pure,  so  devout,  in  a  house  of  ill-fam3  !  Impossible  !  How 
could  anyone  suggest  such  a  thing !"  Nevertheless,  the  detectives,  armed 
with  a  photograph  of  the  girl,  made  it  their  business  to  look  for  her,  and 
they  began  their  investigation  in  the  houses  of  public  women. 

It  was  not  long  before,  in  a  fashionable  establishment  in  Broadway, 
they  traced  out  a  young  girl  whose  face  at  least,  if  not  her  dress,  seemed 
to  resemble  the  photograph  very  closely.  Further  enquiries  left  the  detec- 
tives in  no  doubt,  whatever,  that  they  had  found  the  cage  into  which  the 
little  bird  had  fled.  The  girl,  it  appeared,  had  gone  to  the  house  on  one 
Sunday  afternoon  and  had  told  the  proprietor  that  she  had  just  come  from 
Sunday  school  and  wanted  to  take  up  her  quarters  there.  Thereupon  she 
had  put  off  her  hat  and  mantle  and  requested  that  she  might  be  supplied 
with  clothes  equal  in  appearance  to  those  worn  by  the  other  girls  in  the 
house.  And  as  the  girl  was  young,  pretty,  and  handsome,  the  occupant 
of  the  establishment  did  not  hesitate  for  a  moment  to  comply  with  the 
request. 

In  this  way  was  the  unhappy  child — hardly  an  hour  out  of  the  Sunday 
school — started  on  the  road  to  vice  and  shame  ;  and  she  trod  that  road, 
too,  with  a  nofrchalence  as  though  it  were  especially  made  for  her. 

The  detective  now  announced  his  discovery  to  the  parents,  and  the 
father  went  with  a  sad  heart  to  see  if  what  seemed  to  him  impossible  could 
indeed  be  true?  And,  indeed,  it  was  true  !  Hardly  had  the  door  of  the 
house  of  vice  been  closed  upon  him,  before  his  daughter  threw  herself  into 
his  arms,  and  embracing  him,  covered  his  face  with  burning  kisses.  The 
father,  in  whose  breast  grief  and  anger  contended  for  the  supremacy,  was 
rooted  as  it  were  to  the  ground  motionless  and  speechless,  till  his  daughter 
led  him  away  into  one  of  the  parlors  and  seated  herself  beside  him  on  a 
sofa.  There  she  sat  with  closed  hands,  her  head  lowered,  and  her  eyes 
fixed  upon  the  ground,  listening  to  the  prayers,  the  entreaties,  and  remon- 
strances, which  fell  from  her  father's  lips.  But  she  had  no  answer  to 
them  ;  and  icfused  most  resolutely  to  give  any  reason  for  the  terrible  step 
which  she  had  taken. 

Entreaties  and  prayers  were  alike  useless  ;   and  the  father  had  to  leave 


330  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK   LIF.2. 

the  -house  of  shame — his  heart  full  of  despair — where  his  daughter  declared, 
it  was  her  unalterable  determination  to  remain. — A  visit  from  her  mother 
was  equally  ineffective.  "With  every  appearance  of  child-like  affection  the 
mysterious  girl  threw  herself  into  the  arms  of  her  mother  and  wept  long 
and  bitterly  on  her  breast.  But  that  was  all !  She  still  persisted  in  refusing 
to  leave  the  house  or  to  say  upon  whom  or  upon  what  the  blame  must  be 
thrown  for  the  course  she  had  taken.  Prayers,  entreaties,  and  the  repeated 
promise  that  if  only  she  would  return  to  her  father's  house  all  should  be 
forgiven  and  forgotton,  were  as  ineffectual  in  the  hands  of  her  mother  as 
they  had  been  in  those  of  her  father.  "  Oh  !  mother,  dear  mother,  it  is 
too  late  !"  This  was  the  only  answer  over  and  over  again  repeated  which 
the  daughter  had  for  everything  that  her  mother  urged.  Yet  from  time  to 
time  this  fallen  girl  will  return  to  her  father's  house.  There  as  in  the 
happy  days  of  her  childhood,  she  hangs  her  hat  and  shawl  in  the  accustomed 
place  ;  and  then  falling  on  her  mother's  breast  she  sobs  and  weeps  as  though. 
her  heart  would  break.  But  when  evening  comes  she  gets  up  quickly,, 
clears  away  her  tears,  and  prepares  to  leave.  No  entreaties .  restrain  her.. 
The  sorrowful  lamentations  of  her  family  are  of  no  avail.  She  goes,  after- 
having  first  kissed  her  mother,  back  to  the  place  where  some  devilish, 
power  seems  to  draw  her  into  the  pursuit  of  her  self-chosen  calling. 

Both  these  illustrations  are  apparently  inexplicable  psychological  puz- 
zles. Neglected  education  and  poverty,  the  two  factors  which  go  to  make 
up  more  than  half  the  victims  of  prostitution,  are  wanting  here  entirely*. 
Every  impulse  and  influence  seems  in  these  two  cases  to  be  tending  to  the 
side  of  virtue.  And  yet  what  a  deep  inexplicable  fall !  One  is  almost  dis- 
posed to  explain  and  excuse  such  incidents  as  these  on  the  theory  of  in- 
sanity, recently  grown  so  popular  iu  reference  to  murders  and  other  crimes. 
It  would  be  at  least  as  justifiable. 

Among  the  causes  which  we  have  mentioned  as  helping  to  fill  up  the 
ranks  of  prostitution,  we  gave  that  where  unnatural  parents  sacrifice  their 
children  in  order  to  live  upon  the  price  of  their  shame.  Unfortunately 
examples  of  this  are  not  wanting.  But  more  rarely  the  companion  picture 
presents  itself  to  us  where  girls  through  filial  affection  have  recourse  to 
prostitution  in  order  by  the  proceeds  of  sin  to  obtain  means  to  support  poor 
and  aged  parents,  who  have  no  idea  whatever  as  to  how  the  money  is  pro- 
cured.    The  following  instance  of  this  kind  is  full  of  interest : — 

One  of  the  principle  bookbinders  iu  New  York  employs  many  girls  in 
his  factory.  The  proprietor  of  the  business  is  very  particular  to  have  only 
respectable  girls  and  women  in  his  place,  and  to  keep  all  doubtful  charac- 
ters at  a  distance.  He  goes  so  far  as  to  engage  none  who  cannot  bring 
the  most  satisfactory  references  as  to  character.  Among  the  girls  who 
were  working  for  him  some  time  ago  there  were  two  sisters.  Both  were 
perfect  patterns  of  respectability  in  their  behaviour,  of  neatness  in  their 
outward  appearance,  of  diligence  and  punctuality  in  their  work.     In  all 


PROSTITUTION    AND    ITS    VICTIMS. 


331 


their  doings  with  their  co-workers  they  kept  themselves  at  a  distance  ;  aud 
their  timid  seclusion,  combined  with  an  earnestness  unusual  in  girls  so 
young,  seemed  as  though  there  were  some  deep  cause  for  trouble  lyiug 
concealed,  which  was  weighing  heavily  on  their  young  lives.  This  could 
not  be  kept  from  the  proprietor  of  the  establishment,  and  he  soon  began  to 
feel  a  special  interest  in  the  youug  couple.  He  approached  them  with  the 
best  intentions  and  sought  in  many  fatherly  ways  to  win  their  confidence. 
But  he  did  not  succeed  as  he  wished.  The  girls  did  not  admit  him  within 
the  circle  of  secrecy  and  reserve  where  they  had  long  kept  themselves 
apart  from  their  other  surroundings.  Their  only  wish  seemed  to  be  left 
alone,  and  their  well  meaning  employer  seeing  this,  desisted  from  further 
troubling  them. 

One  evening  as  he  was  going  home  along  Broadway  he  was  addressed 
by  a  girl  at  the  corner  of  Houston  Street,  who  asked  him  to  accompany 
her.  It  was  rather  dark.  He  did  not  see  her  face,  but  he  thought  he 
recognized  the  voice.  At  the  next  gaslight  he  looked  her  directly  in  the 
face.  Her  eyes  caught  his  at  the  moment  and  uttering  a  lond  scream  the 
girl  immediately  fled  from  his  side  and  disappeared  up  a  dark  street. 
The  recognition  had  been  mutual.  The  girl  had  seen  in  him  her  employer, 
and  he  had  recognized  in  the  street  walker  one  of  his  own  work  girls,  that 
too,  to  his  amazement,  none  other  than  one  of  the  two  sisters  whom  he 
had  hitherto  been  accustomed  to  regard  as  models  of  discretion  and  respect- 
ability. The  bare  possibility  that  he  may  have  been  deceived  was  dis- 
sipated on  the  following  morning  by  the  fact  that  the  twro  sisters  usually 
so  punctual  were,  neither  of  them,  in  their  places  ;  and  never  made  their 
appearance  there  again  ! 

Further  enquiries  which  were  made  by  the  work  girls  in  the  establish- 
ment concerning  the  two  mysterious  sisters  brought  no  further  information 
either  as  to  their  character  or  as  to  their  past  career.  Only  one  of  the 
girls  who  more  than  all  the  rest  seems  to  have  enjoyed  their  confidence 
made  a  statement  which  possibly  might  be  taken  as  the  key  to  a  psycho- 
logical puzzle.  The  sisters  had  confidentially  told  her  that  their  father 
was  old  and  in  all-health  and  that  his  farm  was  deeply  encumbered.  They 
must  on  this  account  have  denied  themselves  every  pleasure  and  possibly 
have  earned  much  money  in  order  to  discharge  this  indebtedness  and  thus 
prevent  their  father  in  his  old  age  from  being  turned  out  of  his  house. 

If  ever  the  Jesuit  axiom  that  "  the  ends  justify  the  means'*  was  applic- 
able in  any  case,  it  assuredly  was  so  here. 

But  after  all  such  cases  as  these  are  exceptional.  Seduction  is  always 
the  most  common  cause  that  leads  to  prostitution  ;  and  it  brings  about  the 
ruin  of  young  girls  in  the  most  various  ways.  Instead  of  pity,  the  poor 
creature  who  has  been  betrayed  meets  with  nothing  but  cold  repulsion. 
Not  only  does  the  world  turn  its  back  upon  her,  but  her  parents,  too,  and 
her  friend  desert  her.     Bitter  misery  becomes  her  lot,  and  in  very  many 


OK 


332  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF     NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

instances  there  remains  for  her  at  last  but  the  bitter  choice  of  starvation 
in  the  streets,  or  protection  by  a  means  where  the  cloven-foot  of  satan  is 
but  too  apparent.  However  dreadful  the  consequences  may  be,  who  under 
such  circumstances  can  condemn  a  girl  when  at  such  a  moment  she  first 
yields  and  then  falls?  In  such  a  case  the  saying  of  Madame  de  Stael  is 
especially  applicable  : — "  to  understand  all  is  to  forgive  all."  But  an 
illustration  of  an  instance  of  this  kind  will  be  most  useful  and  as  such  we 
select  the  short  sketch  of  a  life  which  was  published  here  in  one  of  our 
weekly  papers  by  a  courtesan  of  the  city,  who  was  well  known  in  former 
days  as  much  for  her  abilities  as  for  her  beauty.     She  wrote  as  follows  >-J 

"My  home  was  in  one  of  the  finest  portious  of  the  State  of  Virginia. 
I  received  an  excellent  education  and  moved  in  the  best  circles  of  society. 
A  young  man  of  good  family  paid  his  addresses  to  me.  I  was  young, 
romantic,  and  of  ardent  temperament,  and  I  loved  him.  He  was  my  ideal 
of  honor  and  manliness,  and  I  thought  it  impossible  that  he  could  be  guilty 
of  anything  that  bore  even  the  appearance  of  wrong.  One  day  he  proposed 
to  me  that  we  should  go  together  to  New  York,  there  be  married,  and  then 
surprise  our  parents  and  friends  by  returning  a i  man  and  wife.  The  pro- 
position was  one  that  in  its  romantic  character  pleased  me,  and  never  for 
a  moment  suspecting  anything  wrong,  I  consented.  The  plan  was  soon 
carried  out,  and  to  New  York  we  came.  We  staid  at  an  apparently 
respectable  hotel  where  my  companion  registered  us  as  husband  and  wife. 
In  other  respects,  too,  he  began  to  lay  claim  to  the  privileges  of  a  husband. 
He  easily  overcame  my  scruples  and  objections  by  the  representation  that 
we  already  belonged  to  each  other  and  that  in  the  morning  we  should  be 
married.  The  morning  came  and  the  day  passed,  but  the  marriage  did 
not  take  place.  My  lover  told  me  that  he  could  not  obtain  a  license, 
because  he  was  not  known  here.  He  expected,  however,  either  that  day 
or  the  next  the  arrival  of  a  friend  who  was  a  prominent  citizen  of  New 
York,  and  when  he  came  the  matter  could  very  soon  be  settled.  But  when 
this  friend  did  not  seem  to  make  his  appearance,  and  while  I  regretted  it 
much,  I  still  lived  on  as  before  in  the  fullest  confidence  in  him  whom  I 
had  grown  to  regard  as  my  husband.  One  day  then  my  lover  went  out, 
as  he  said  the  expected  friend  had  arrived  to  have  the  thing  definitely 
arranged.  It  was  then  a  happy  moment  for  me,  a  morning  full  of  the 
sweetest  hope !  In  every  foot-fall  on  the  stairs  I  seemed  to  hear  the 
arrival  of  my  future  husband  with  the  happy  news  that  all  was  in  readi- 
ness. But  evening  came  and  he  had  not  returned.  Night  came,  and 
through  the  long  hours  as  I  lay  sleepless  and  alone  the  most  terrible 
anxiety  grew  up  in  my  breast.  Had  some  accident  happened  or  was  I 
betrayed  ? 

This  last  I  could  not  believe.  But  the  morning  came  and  he  did  not 
even  then  return.  On  the  contrary  the  proprietor  of  the  hotel  sent  up  to 
imy  room  a  bill  for  $24  which  he  requested  should  be  paid  immediately. 


PROSTITUTION    AND    ITS    VICTIMS.  333 

As  I  had  not  a  cent  of  money,  I  thought  by  telling  the  hotel  proprietor  the 
true  facts  of  the  case  I  could  at  least  induce  him  to  give  me  a  little  time. 
But  lie  only  laughed  in  my  face,  and  declared  that  my  u  man" — as  he 
Called  him — had  told  him  that  in  case  he  did  not  return  on  the  previous 
evening,  I  should  leave  the  hotel  to-day  and  go  after  him.  What  now 
could  I  do  ?  betrayed  and  without  either  money  or  friends  in  a  strange 
<itv?  the  cruel  hotel  man  threatening  to  lock  me  up  if  I  did  not  imme- 
diately find  the  meaus  to  pay  him? 

One  of  the  "guests"  in  the  house  then  took  pity  (?)  on  me  and  paid  the 
824,  to  rescue  me,  as  I  in  my  despair  believed,  from  prison.  But  he  did 
not  do  it  for  nothing !  lie  came  to  me  only  too  soon  with  an  imputation 
which  iu  the  first  bitter  feeling  after  my  betrayal  and  in  the  bewilderment 
of  my  anguish  I  did  not  at  first  reject,  and  at  last  even  half  willingly 
endured.  The  first  step  was  already  passed  and  there  was  I  nothing  better 
than  a  dishonored  girl.  I  need  not  tell  further  details  of  my  fall,  and  of 
my  rapid  descent.  My  family  know  nothing  of  me,  and  believe  that  I  am 
dead.  Often  comes  the  wish  upon  me  to  return  to  them.  But  imme- 
diately upon  it  a  hopeless  despondency  seizes  me,  and  as  one. who  is  lost 
and  degraded  I  have  not  the  courage  to  return  to  the  condition  of  sur- 
roundings where  in  happy  innocence  I  dreamt  the  first  happy  dreams  of 
my  life."' 

A  story  not  less  sad,  of  the  ways  by  which  a  well  educated  and  virtuous 
girl  fell  into  the  pool  of  prostitution,  is  told  by  a  respectable  storekeeper  of 
our  city  whom  we  will  call  Mr.  L. 

Returning  home  from  his  office  in  William  Street  one  evening  late,  he 
was  addressed  by  a  female  in  the  neighborhood  of  Fulton  Ferry,  and 
requested  by  her  to  go  home  with  her.  Indignant  at  the  impertinence,  his 
first  thought  was  to  send  her  away,  when  the  gentle  tone  of  her  voice 
raised  a  feeling  of  sympathy  in  his  heart  and  caused  him  to  enter  into  a 
conversation  with  her.  His  sympathy  was  still  further  increased  when  by 
the  light  of  the  lamp  he  observed  under  her  veil  a  face  in  which  the  marks 
of  a  dissolute  life  had  not  effaced  a  peculiarly  noble  expression. 

He  soon  found  that  the  conversation  of  the  unfortunate  creature  in- 
dicated much  superiority,  and  showed  a  careful  education  and  culture. 
His  interest  now  increased  yet  more  when  the  girl  in  response  to  his  ques- 
tion, how  it  was  that  she  had  sunk  so  low,  broke  out^fnto  convulsive  sobs 
and  weeping.  He  soothed  her  with  kind  words,  took  her  arm  in  his  own 
and  went  back  with  her  to  his  office.  There  he  caused  some  refreshment 
to  be  brought  for  her  from  a  neighboring  restaf/rant,  and  finally  requested 
her  to  give  him  some  account  of  her  life. 

The  poor  girl  was  won  over  by  the  friendly  treatment  which  Mr.  L. 
gave  her  and  thanked  him  heartily.  "  The  story  of  my  life,"  she  said, 
"  is  very  short.  My  name  is  Henrietta  S.  My  father,  a  man  of  comfort- 
able means,  lived  in  Stamford,  in  Connecticut,  where  he  had  a  good  busi- 


334  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK   LIFE. 

ness.  My  mother  died  when  I  was  only  six  years  old  and  as  an  only  child 
I  received  from  my  father  the  most  careful  education.  I  grew  up  in  plenty 
and  affluence  without  even  a  thought  of  care  or  want.  !  Two  years  ago  my 
father  died  suddenly.  Thereby  I  lost  my  only  protector  at  an  age  when  a 
father's  guidance  was  most  necessary  to  me,  but  more  than  that  it  appeared 
at  the  settlement  of  the  affairs  of  the  estate  that,  during  the  few  years  just 
preceding  his  death,  my  father  had  suffered  very  heavy  losses.  In  a  word, 
I  was  penniless !  I  had  no  relations  and  now  that  my  father's  affairs 
turned  out  so  badly,  all  my  former  friends  deserted  me.  And  this  it  was 
that  I  a  spoiled  child  was  driven  to  think  how  to  make  my  own  way  in  the 
world.  After  many  fruitless  efforts  I  at  last  found  a  place  in  Norwalk, 
whether  I  had  gone  as  work  girl  in  a  factory.  There  I  toiled  day  and 
night  without  being  able  to  earn  more  than  would  procure  me  the  barest 
necessaries  of  life. 

I  constantly  heard  New  York  spoken  of  and  how  easy  it  was  to  earn  a 
living  there.  I  came  to  the  city.  The  little  money  I  possessed  just  suf- 
ficed to  defray  the  costs  of  the  journey,  and  when  I  came  here  I  found 
myself  without  money  and  without  friends,  not  knowing  where  to  turn  my 
steps.  Then  for  the  first  time  I  felt  the  terrors  of  my  position  !  A  feeling 
of  despair  began  to  overtake  me  when  I  stood  helplessly  upon  the  landing- 
place  long  after  all  the  other  passengers  had  gone  away  to  their  destina- 
tions in  the  city.  Presently  a  well-dressed  and  respectable  looking  woman 
came  up  to  me,  spoke  kindly  to  me,  and  invited  me,  after  she  had  heard 
the  particulars  of  my  solitary  condition,  to  go  home  with  her  and  to  remain 
there  until  I  could  find  a  suitable  situation. 

This  offer  filled  me  with  rapture,  and  from  my  heart  I  blessed  my  fate 
to  think  that  at  the  moment  of  my  deepest  need  I  had  so  unexpectedly 
found  such  a  rescuing  angel.  And  yet  she  wTas  the  blackest  fiend,  whom 
under  the  mask  of  an  angel  I  accompanied  in  the  most  innocent  confidence. 
To  what  my  pretended  preserver  brought  me,  you,  sir,  can  well  under- 
stand ! 

Quickly  enough  my  eyes  detected  the  nature  of  the  place  where  she  took 
me.  I  tried  constantly  to  leave  the  house,  but  always  in  vain.  I  saw 
myself  treated  as  a  prisoner,  and  inducements  of  every  kind  and  at  last 
threats  were  used  to  make  me  yield. 

I  resisted  both,  and  it  was  only  by  force  that  they  made  me  what  I  now 
am.  One  night,  when  I  had  even  cried  myself  asleep,  this  woman  came 
into  my  room  with  a  man,  and  almost  before  I  knew  what  was  happening 
to  me,  my  honor  and  with  it  the  power  to  make  further  resistance  were 
alike  gone/* 

So  with  artless  interest,  ran  the  story  of  this  unfortunate  girl.  Mr.  L. 
listened  to  it  with  emotion.  He  saw  that  in  his  first  impressions  he  had 
not  been  deceived,  and  that  he  had  one  before  him  who  deserved  indeed 
the  deepest  pity,  but  by  no  means  condemnation.     The  very  natural  wish 


PROSTITUTION    AND    ITS    VICTIMS.  835 

which  arose  in  his  breast  to  assist  the  poor  girl  and  to  bring  her  back  to  a 
better  condition  was,  however,  in  vain.  All  his  suggestions  and  proposal 
to  that  end  were  answered  by  her  in  the  most  hopeless  self-abandonment 
with  the  words  : — "It  is  too  late.  I  am  lost  both  in  body  and  soul,  but  I 
thank  you  from  my  heart  for  your  kindness  and  good  will  which  you  have 
shown  me." 

Saying  this  she  left  the  office  and  although  Mr.  L.  requested  her  to  come 
back,  she  was  speedily  lost  in  the  darkness  of  the  streets.  Mr.  L.  has 
never  seen  nor  heard  of  her  since. 

It  is  strange,  perhaps,  that  very  few  prostitutes,  even  of  those  who  have 
been  drawn  into  a  career  of  vice  against  their  inclinations,  have  the  moral 
courage  to  restore  their  reputation  by  a  return  to  a  respectable  life.  Ardent 
■desires  and  empty  wishes  are  all  that  we  see,  and  the  words  "  It  is  too 
late"  form  the  general  refrain  to  every  well  meant  remonstrance  or  encour- 
agement. It  certainly  is  not  pleasure  and  enjoyment  in  their  mode  of  life 
which  restrain  these  women.  The  chief  influence  is  undoubtedly  the  fear 
of  difficulties  which  society  so  implacably  places  in  the  way  of  fallen  women 
whenever  they  seek  as  penitents  to  return.  And  besides  this,  there  is  the 
fact  that  too  often,  while  plenty  of  cheap  philanthropy  in  the  form  of  fine 
words  and  sermons  is  offered  to  the  penitent  Magdalene,  there  is  shown 
her  no  practical  means  of  support,  by  which  she  can  escape  from  the  toils 
of  vice.     The  following  illustration  is  to  the  point. 

Some  years  ago  there  was  a  pretty  and  intelligent  girl  of  about  seven- 
teen taken  up  in  this  city  as  a  prostitute.  She  obstiuately  refused  to  give 
up  either  her  name  or  her  residence,  or  to  furnish  any  information  concern- 
ing herself.  The  case  came  to  the  knowledge  of  the  then  mayor,  who 
caused  the  girl  to  be  brought  before  him,  and  used  his  powers  of  persuasion 
to  induce  the  girl  to  give  some  disclosures  as  to  her  life.  The  only  reply 
he  got  for  his  trouble  was  this  : — 

"I  know  all  that  you  say  about  the  disgrace  and  the  degradation  and  so 
on  of  my  mode  of  life.  But  what  can  I  do?  I  have  received  a  good 
education.  I  am  a  musician,  and  skilled  in  all  female  accomplishments. 
I  abhor  the  life  I  am  leading,  and  twice  I  have  tried  to  give  it  up.  Each 
time  either  by  accident  or  by  some  malicious  scandal  my  past  shame  came 
to  light,  and  then  without  any  consideration  for  my  blameless  conduct 
afterwards  the  door  was  closed  upon  me.  What  then  remained  for  me, 
but  either  to  starve  or  to  return  to  my  former  vicious  life?"  To  the  further 
suggestions  of  the  mayor  that  she  ought  not  on  that  account  to  be  discour- 
aged, but  that  she  should  again  venture  the  experiment,  ihe  virl  replied 
with  the  question  : — "  Would  you  yourself  take  me  iuto  your  house  as  work 
girl  or  as  music  teacher  to  your  daughters?" 

The  mayor  was  silent. 

"If  then  you,"  coutinued  the  girl,  "  who  pretend  to  take  an  interest  in 
me,   have  neither  the  courage    nor    the   incliuation,   do    you    think    that 


336 


THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 


anybody  else  will  be  more  inclined  to  do  so?'*  All  other  conversation  was 
to  no  purpose.  In  spite  of  her  youth  and  her  talents  the  girl  was  beyond 
redemption  ! 

It  must  not,  however,  be  taken  for  granted  that  all  prostitutes  have  been 
made  so  through  seduction,  and  that  they  having  been  once  pure  and  inno- 
cent have  had  recourse  to  a  vicious  life  in  opposition  to  their  own  better 
feelings.  A  large  number  of  them  have  grown  up  in  poverty  and  uncared 
for,  without  even  an  idea  of  virtue  or  female  honor !  For  such  as  these 
prostitution  is  little  else  than  a  kind  of  natural  developement.  "  Like  sire 
like  son"  is  an  old  saying  which  even  the  field  of  prostitution  profusely 
illustrates. 

The  ranks  of  the  public  women  .a  New  York  are  repaired  and  aug- 
mented  from  all  parts  of  the  Union.  New  York  itself  supplies  proportion- 
ally far  less  than  might  be  expected.  A  large  number  of  the  unfortunate 
women  come  from  New  England,  and  especially  from  Maine,  whence  an 
excess  of  female  population  every  year  streams  in  multitudes  towards  New 
York.  Unacquainted  with  the  conditions  that  surround  them  in  a  strange 
city,  tbey  soon  find  the  difficulty  of  getting  situations.  Many  of  them  are 
overtaken  by  want  and  difficulty  which  together  with  their  inexperience 
make  them  fall  easy  victims  to  the  many  allurements  that  in  so  many 
forms  surround  them.  Besides  these  there  are  very  many  girls  and  women 
constantly  coming  to  the  city  from  all  parts  of  the  country  for  the  purpose 
of  hiding  the  consequences  of  some  false  step  from  the  knowledge  of  their 
acquaintances,  little  thinking  when  they  do  so  that  they  are  there  only 
more  frequently  placed  in  contact  with  circumstances  where  they  are  more 
likely  to  be  made  for  the  rest  of  their  lives  the  victims  of  a  life  of  shame. 

Let  us  glance  now  at  the  various  forms  in  which  the  poison  of  prostitu- 
tion insinuates  itself  through  the  limits  of  the  city,  and  first  the  form  in 
which  it  is  presented  before  the  eyes  of  even  the  most  innocent,  that  of  the 
street  walker. 

If  in  the  region  of  woman's  shame  we  can  make  any  classification,  then 
this  one  must  be  awarded  the  lowest  place.  Her  common  character  is,  as 
her  name  implies,  that  of  one  who  walks  the  streets,  and  either  by  gesture 
or  language  solicits  prostitution.  It  seems  hardly  to  be  credited,  but  many 
of  these  girls  work  regularly  during  the  day  in  factories  or  other  establish- 
ments were  female  labor  is  employed.  But  as  this  kind  of  work  is  usually 
very  badly  paid,  they  in  the  evening  have  recourse  to  this  disreputable 
mode  of  getting  the  means  either  to  supply  actual  necessities  of  life  or  to 
supply  the  higher  demands  of  dress  and  enjoyment.  As  a  rule  though, 
vice  is  the  only  calling  by  means  of  which  the  street  walker  subsists.  It 
is  a  terrible  fact  that  among  this  class  of  prostitutes  there  are  too  to  be 
found  many  young  girls  who  are  constrained  to  a  life  of  shame  by  their 
parents  in  order  that  these  may  indulge  in  drink  or  lead  a  life  of  idleness ! 

Most  of  the  street  walkers  have   begun  their  career  of  prostitution  a* 


PROSTITUTION    AND    ITS    VICTIMS.  337 

such.  Others  have  taken  to  it  after  their  services  in  the  fashionable  houses 
of  ill-repute  have  been  no  longer  required,  while  only  a  few  of  these 
unfortunates  can  lay  any  claim  to  beauty  of  form  or  appearance. 

The  greater  number  carry  the  stamp  of  roughness  and  impudence  in  a 
manner  which  neither  rouge  nor  an  affectation  of  respectability  can  con* 
ceal.  As  a  rule  they  are  given  to  the  excessive  use  of  spirituous  drinks, 
and  medical  experience  shows  that  most  of  them  suffer  from  loathsome  and 
dangerous  diseases,  which  are  spread  among  them  in  the  most  terrible- 
forms.  For  this  reason  their  lives  are  necessarily  short.  After,  at  the 
most,  two  years  one  after  another  of  the  street  walkers  disappears,  and  in 
some  hospital  for  the  poor  her  living  body  wastes  into  the  grave.  Her 
moral  ruin  is  little  less  complete  than  her  physical  destruction.  Thefts 
perpetrated  on  the  men  who  go  with  them  are  of  common  occurrence. 
Often,  too,  they  are  the  associates  of  thieves  and  robbers  into  whose  hands 
they  lead  their  victims. 

But  in  connection  with  the  common  band  of  shame  and  social  presciip- 
tion  there  are  many  who,  although  in  the  same  limits  of  classification,  by 
their  youth  or  personal  attractions  are  enabled  to  take  their  business  walks 
in  more  or  less  fashionable  parts  of  the  city.  No  part  of  the  town  is  free- 
from  them.  Prostitution  in  New  York  has  long  been  raised  to  the  charac- 
ter of  a  business.  In  accordance  with  that  unknown  law,  whereby  certain 
branches  of  business  are  in  some  manner  concentrated  in  certain  portions 
of  the  town,  so  has  street  prostitution  taken  hold  of  a  tolerably  well  defined 
part  of  the  city  as  its  principle  scene  of  action.  This  ?s  Broadway  and  the 
streets  running  parallel  to  it  from  Canal  to  Twenty-fourth  Streets.  More 
particularly  is  it  to  be  met  with  in  Broadway  and  the  neighborhood  which 
lies  between  Grand  and  Amity  Streets.  The  neighborhood  of  the  hotels, 
the  theatres,  and  other  places  of  amusement  on  Broadway  are  especially 
favorite  places  for  parade, — and  Chatham  Street  and  parts  of  the  lower 
Bowery  serve  as  favorite  places  of  rendezvous. 

The  omnibusses  and  street  cars,  too,  as  well  as  the  theatres  and  places 
of  entertainment  themselves  are  fields  of  operation,  which  are  by  no  means 
neglected. 

The  street  walker  is  not  hard  to  recognize  as  she  goes  on  her  profes- 
sional tramp.  She  wishes  to,  and  indeed  she  must  have  her  calling  known. 
Just  when  in  the  evening  the  legitimate  business  activity  begins  to  die  out 
in  the  streets,  these  lost  children  of  darkness,  one  after  another  begin  to 
make  their  appearance.  Walking  backwards  and  forwards  on  the  foot- 
paths, her  look  tells  every  man  plainly  enough  what  her  calling  is.  The 
more  impudent  among  them  seek  besides,  either  by  a  familiar  greeting  or 
by  a  special  request  in  half-toned  words  to  entice  men  and  to  induce  them 
to  accompany  them.  The  police  on  Broadway  now  do  not  allow  any 
prostitute  to  stand  still  and  hold  conversation  with  a  man.  But  if  she  finds 
that  any  man  has  bestowed  a  look  of  attention  and  wishes  to  follow  her, 

22 


338  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK   LIFE. 

she  gives  him  a  sign  and  turns  quickly  into  the  next  side  street,  where  the 
police  take  very  little  notice  of  them. 

In  the  more  frequented  streets  and  places  that  are  looked  after  closely 
by  the  police,  the  street  walkers  are  obliged  as  far  as  possible  to  keep 
within  the  bounds  of  outside  respectability.  But  in  more  remote  streets, 
such  as  Green  and  Marion  greets,  or  the  neighborhood  of  Thompson, 
Sullivan,  Broome  and  Grand  Streets,  where  the  haunts  of  the  lowest  order 
of  street  walkers  are,  the  shamelessness  and  impudence  of  these  girls  know 
no  bounds.  Singly  or  arm  in  arm  they  parade  the  streets,  using  the  most 
obscene  language  ;  or  they  stand  in  groups  upon  the  street  corners,  and 
waylaying  every  man  that  comes  along ;  their  conduct  is  oftentimes  so 
scandalous,  that  the  police  are  forced  to  interfere.  Yet  among  these 
wretched  creatures  are  probably  many  who  have  not  yet  passed  beyond  the 
years  of  childhood  ! 

Street  walkers  are  not  at  liberty  to  ply  their  vocation  anywhere  they 
please.  In  this  respect  long  custom  has  made  it  a  kind  of  law  among 
them,  which  they  all  with  a  certain  kind  of  punctiliousness  unite  to  obey. 
Those  of  them,  for  instance,  who  patrol  Wooster,  Green,  Bleeker  Streets 
and  so  on,  look  upon  this  route  as  their  own  special  quarter,  and  they  never 
go  beyond  it,  not  at  least  for  "  business  purposes."  On  the  other  hand  the 
girls  elsewhere  having  other  routes,  as  for  example  the  Amity  Street  route, 
have  no  right  to  come  within  the  limits  of  her  Wooster  Street  sisters,  and  so 
to  come  into  unwelcome  competition  with  theo.  It  is  very  seldom  that 
these  regulations  are  infringed  upon,  and  if  they  are,  the  intrusion  seldom 
goes  unpunished.  Scratched  faces  and  disarranged  toilets  are  the  inevit- 
able consequences  of  any  errors  of  that  kind  even  though  it  be  uninten- 
tional. 

Broadway  alone  is  a  piece  of  common  ground,  although  it  is  not  of  much 
use  for  the  poorer  or  lower  class  of  night  wanderers  to  come  and  place 
themselves  into  competition  with  their  better  dressed  and  more  attractive 
sisters  in  shame. 

The  more  fashionable  classes  of  street  walkers  do  not  limit  their  energies 
to  the  street  pavements  of  New  York  only.  In  summer  time  they  sojourn 
at  the  different  watering  places,  and  often  find  a  journey  on  the  night 
steamers  both  pleasant  and  profitable.  They  often  infest  the  Albany  and 
Boston  boats  in  large  numbers.  Two  or  three  of  them  together  take  a 
r;tate-room,  which  they  use  as  the  headquarters  whence  to  conduct  their 
operations  for  the  conquest  of  the  male  passengers.  The  annoyance  created 
by  these  girls  in  this  manner  has  in  many  seasons  been  allowed  to  grow  to 
such  an  extent,  that  respectable  ladies  have  often  been  prevented  from 
travelling  by  the  night  boats  at  all. 

With  the  time  when  the  theatres,  drinking  saloons,  and  other  places  of 
entertainment  close,  comes  also  the  time  when  the  promenades  of  these 
girls  are  ended.     If  they  have  not  obtained  a  companion  earlier,  and  so 


riiOSTITUTION    AND    ITS    VICTIMS.  839 

retired  before,  they  now  return  to  their  dwellings,  or  to  the  places  where 
for  the  time  being  they  are  staying.  Evoo  as  the  external  appearance  of 
these  girls  assumes  all  degrees  of  respectability,  from  the  well-dressed  lady 
•of  fashion  down  to  the  ragged,  dirty  shrew,  so  do  their  places  of  abode 
vary,  from  the  stinking  cellar  of  some  back  place  in  Thompson  or  Sullivan 
Streets  to  the  comfortable  apartment  of  £ome  respectable  looking  hired 
house  in  Houston  or  Amity  Streets.  If  the  character  of  the  house  per- 
mits it,  and  if  the  girl  makes  no  secret  of  her  vocation,  she  brings  home 
any  acquaintancce  she  has  made  during  her  walk  to  her  own  room.  In 
other  cases  she  takes  them  to  one  or  other  of  the  many  bed-houses  in  the 
city,  where  for  a  payment  of  from  25  cents  to  $10  every  visitor  may  be 
Accommodated  with  a  room  without  being  troubled  with  any  questions. 

The  number  of  these  women  who  walk  the  streets  of  New  York  has 
"been  estimated  at  2,000,  and  unfortunately  this  is,  too,  probably  below  the 
truth.  Street  prostitution  represents  in  fact  one  of  the  most  dangerous 
forms  of  degradation  which  threaten  to  cut  farther  yet  into  the  body  of 
society  with  its  physical  and  moral  poison.  The  fact  that  2,000  representa- 
tives of  vice  in  its  least  attractive  form  are  engaged  throughout  the  night 
in  earning  their  daily  bread  for  the  morrow,  is  alone  sufficient  to  justify 
this  consideration  ! 

As  before  stated,  most  of  the  street  walkers  are  not  only  themselves 
thieves,  ready  to  bring  the  dexterity  of  their  fingers  into  operation  on  any 
favorable  opportunity,  but  they  are  also  very  often  the  accomplices  of  the 
most  dangerous  thieves  and  criminals. 

In  the  "  panel-houses"  this  alliance  between  thieves  and  prostitutes  has 
been  brought  to  a  complete  system,  and  it  is  them  which  we  must  next 
•consider.  The  meaning  of  the  term  "  panel-house'*  will  become  apparent 
from  the  following  description. 

The  requisites  tor  a  "  panel-house"  in  the  proper  sense,  are, — a  crafty, 
cunning  street  walker ;  a  not  less  cunning  and  at  the  same  time  sturdy 
scoundrel — known  in  the  slang  of  the  business  as  a  "Badger" — and  a 
room  prepared  specially  for  the  purpose  by  having  a  small  invisible  open- 
ing, generally  a  noiselessly  opening  panel  in  the  partition  or  entrance  door, 
by  which  access  to  the  place  can  be  had  from  an  adjoining  room.  These 
three  requisites  obtained,  it  becomes  the  duty  of  the  panel-thief  to  find  the 
fourth  in  any  "  greenhorn"  that  can  be  picked  up  on  the  streets  and  induced 
to  come  into  the  apartment. 

The  street  walker  is,  however,  accomplished  in  this  art.  She  belongs 
generally  to  the  more  fashionably  dressed  class.  Pretty  and  intelligent 
lookiug,  she  knows  how  so  to  dress  and  to  conduct  herself,  that  notwith- 
standing her  fascinating  coquetry  no  one  would  take  her  for  a  common 
woman.  She  contrives  so  to  veil  her  coquetry  in  a  certain  air  of  modesty 
and  manages  it  in  such  a  way  that  even  that  appearance  of  modesty  itselC 
becomes  a  bait  to   those  whom  she  wishes  to  allure.     She  hunts  not  for 


340  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

common  game  !  She  does  not  receive  the  first  who  would  come  into  her 
net.  She  chooses  her  victims  with  the  wisdom  of  experience,  and  old 
married  men  having  the  appearance  of  respectability  and  means  are  they 
whom  she  seeks  to  secure. 

Old  married  men  with  the  appearance  of  honor  and  wealth,  too,  have 
often  weak  moments  when  they  seem  to  forget  the  oaths  sworn  at  the 
altar ; — and  consequently  the  women  has  no  difficulty  in  getting  such 
"  honorable  men"  into  her  clutches  and  going  off  with  them  to  her  roonu 

The  residence  is  plain,  but  neat  and  comfortable,  and  contains  nothing 
which  could  raise  the  smallest  suspicion  in  the  mind  of  the  respectable  old 
sinner  that  he  is  visiting  the  apartment  of  a  professional  thief  and  prosti- 
tute. Even  here  his  companion  continues  to  play  the  game  of  modesty 
and  correctness.  She  carefully  fastens  the  door  and  will  permit  nothing 
until  the  lamp  is  extinguished.  The  very  respectable  gentleman  lays  his 
clothes  carelessly  upon  a  chair,  together  with  his  watch  and  well-filled 
purse,  and  the  hour  of  pleasure  begins.  But  the  woman's  accomplice  is 
outside  the  partition  and  at  a  signal  from  her  he  knows  that  now  the  time 
for  him  to  take  action  has  arrived.  Silently  he  opens  the  secret  door- 
Light  as  a  cat  the  "  badger"  passes  through  it,  and  with  his  usual  dexterity 
begins  to  examine  carefully  all  the  clothes  of  his  victim  as  they  lie  on  the 
chair,  far  away  from  the  bed.  The  darkness  of  the  room  facilitates  his 
work.  Very  soon  he  has  got  possession  of  all  that  is  of  any  value  and  he- 
creeps  back  through  the  opening.  The  door  shuts  as  noiselessly  as  it  wa& 
opened.  The  object  of  the  two  is  attained  and  now  it  only  remains  to  set 
free  the  plucked  bird  without  any  disturbance.  As  soon  as  the  "  respect- 
able gentleman"  begins  to  dress,  somebody  suddenly  knocks  at  the  door- 
The  "respectable  gentleman"  gets  alarmed.  His  companion  does  the 
same  ;  she  urges  him  to  dress  as  quickly  as  possible,  and  to  go  out  by  the 
back  door,  for  it  is  quite  certain  that  her  husband,  or  father,  or  brother, 
as  the  case  may  be,  has  returned  and  wants  to  come  in.  In  desperate 
haste  the  "  respectable  gentleman"  slips  on  his  clothes.  He  is  ready  for  a 
journey  in  less  time  than  ever  he  was  in  his  life  before,  and  as  the  pay- 
ment was  made  ia  advance,  he  escapes  by  the  other  door  without  being 
reminded  of  his  purse. 

So  was,  and  so  is,  the  original  system  of  panel-house  robbery.  More 
recently,  however,  it  has  been  much  simplified,  that,  too,  in  a  manner 
which  secures  the  same  object  to  the  thieves,  while  it  is  probably  more 
disagreeable  for  the  victim.  Under  this  system  the  secret  door  is  not 
needed.  Tne  robbery  depends  upon  the  dexterity  of  the  woman,  while  the 
"  badger"  acts  only  the  role  of  a  jealous  husband. 

Under  this  modified  plan  of  proceeding  this  is  about  what  happens  to  our 
"  respectable  gentleman"  when  he  has  entered  the  "  badger's"  den.  He 
finds  himself  with  his  lady  in  a  room  which  has  but  one  doOr.  Possibly 
he  may  have  not  begun  to  undress,  or  if  he  have,  only  partially.     Bnt  the 


PROSTITUTION    AND    ITS    VICTIMS.  341 

woman  lias  good  humoredly  arranged  her  plans  and  decided  upon  the 
proper  moment  when  the  theft  should  be  done.  That  moment  soon  comes. 
A  sharp  knock  is  heard  at  the  door.  The  woman  crying  out  with  apparent 
fear,  threatens  to  faint,  and  exclaims  in  great  excitement  that  her  husband 
or  her  lover  has  come  back. 

"  What  is  to  be  done?     lie  is  fearfully  jealous  and  will  kill  us  both." 
The   hair  of  the  respectable  gentleman  stands  on  end.     Helplessly  he 
rushes  about  the  room.     The  woman  urges  him  at  least  to  set  his  clothes 
in  order,  so  that  when  the  dreaded  man  comes  into  the  room  his  rage  will 
not  be  more  excited. 

The  knocks  at  the  door  now  come  more  frequent  and  more  furious.  The 
poor  victim  of  the  comedy  seems  paralyzed  with  fear  and  the  woman  with 
apparently  trembling  hands  assists  him  to  arrange  his  toilette.  It  is  hardly 
necess  try  to  say  that  while  she  does  this  she  takes  care  to  remove  every- 
thing of  value  from  the  pockets  of  the  man  who  by  this  time  is  well  nigh 
frightened  to  death.  At  last,  when  the  door  is  threatened  to  be  burst  in, 
a  lucky  thought  comes  to  her  mind  and  she  gets  him  under  the  bed.  Her 
pretended  husband  comes  in  in  a  fury.  A  scene  follows  in  which  the 
woman  crys  and  sobs  while  he  threatens  to  murder  her.  At  last  he  pre 
tends  to  be  convinced  that  she  had  nobody  in  the  room  and  then  they  go 
out  together. 

The  u  respectable  gentleman"  who  in  his  narrow  hiding-place  is  in  a  pro- 
fuse perspiration,  now  creeps  out  and,  findiug  the  door  open,  hurries  away 
with  his  best  speed  out  of  the  house.  When  his  excitement  is  a  little  sub- 
sided, he  feels  for  his  watch,  for  this  unpleasant  affair  has  quite  thrown 
him  out  of  time.  But  he  is  dumbfoundered, — the  watch  is  gone  !  the 
-chain,  too  !  With  spasmodic  haste  he  now  feels  for  his  purse.  That  is 
gone,  too,  and  so  are  his  gold  shirt  studs  and  sleeve  links  ;  and  oh  !  heaven 
even  his  ring,  that  is  gone.  A  light  now  dawns  upon  him,  and  with  anger 
.and  shame  he  seems  ready  to  sink  to  the  ground. 

His  first  thought  is  to  go  to  the  police,  and  straightway  he  directs  his 
: Steps  towards  the  nearest  station  house.  But  he  has  not  gone  far  before  a 
new  thought  occurs  to  him  : — "The  cursed  papers,"  he  growls  to  himself, 
"  with  all  their  details  of  these  things  !  Why  I  shall  be  ruined  if  all  this 
affair  gets  published  !"  He  turns  about  and  thinks  no  more  of  the  police  ; 
but  only  as  to  what  story  he  must  make  up  to  account  for  the  grievous  loss 
and  to  compromise  himself  as  little  as  possible  among  his  family  and 
friends. 

There  are  other  variations  in  the  panel  game.  We  will,  however,  men- 
tion here  but  one  more,  one  which  is  especially  followed  when  a  man  of 
superior  appearanee  is  inveigled  into  the  net  of  the  courtesan.  In  this 
case  she  plays  the  part  of  an  unfortunate  wife,  who  through  the  roughness 
and  dissolute  conduct  of  her  husband  is  forced  to  keep  off  starvation  at  the 
expense  of  her  honor.     She  protests  that  this  is  her  first  step  in  that  direc- 


342  TIIE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK   LIFE. 

tion  and  hopes  that  it  may  be  the  last,  and  so  on.  Scarcely,  however,  is 
the  loving  Adonis  in  the  apartment  of  the  woman  before  a  sound  of  heavy 
steps  is  heard  coming  up  the  stairs  and  the  figure  of  the  desperate  husband^ 
foaming  with  rage,  presents  itself  at  the  door. 

"  Ha  !  you  false  wretch  !  have  I  found  you  cut  at  last?"  cries  out  the 
man  ;  who  of  course  is  none  other  than  a  "  badger"  metamorphosed  for  the 
occasion.  u  Well,  this  shall  be  the  last  time  ;  and  yonr  scamp  of  a  friend, 
too,  he  shan't  leave  the  room  alive  ! — Wait  a  moment,  you  rascal !"  he- 
roars  out  with  a  multitude  of  oaths,  "  wait  a  moment,  I  will  teach  yon 
what  it  is  to  interfere  with  my  family. "  Upon  this  he  seizes  a  poker  or 
any  other  murderous  weapon  that  stands  in  his  way  and  makes  pretence 
of  carrying  his  threat  into  effect. 

But  the  "  unhappy  wife"  falls  crying  into  his  arms,  and  a  general 
scrimmage  ensues  in  the  midst  of  which  the  astonished  visitor  in  vain  tries 
to  appease  the  angry  man  by  some  kind  of  explanation.  Then  "-quite  by 
chance"  a  good  friend  of  the  deceived  husband  makes  his  appearance  in 
the  room  and  asks  in  wonderment  what  in  Heaven's  name  this  infernal 
noise  is  all  about? 

The  matter  is  explained  to  him  by  both  sides  so  far  as  the  state  of  con- 
fusion will  admit.  The  friend  takes  vehement  part  against  the  rascally 
intruder,  but  he  treats  the  affair  more  quietly  than  the  other  and  thinks 
that  it  is  one  that  might  be  settled  peacefully.  None  is  more  ready  to 
endorse  this  opinion  than  the  stranger.  The  "  friend"  does  not  see  then 
why  the  matter  for  example  might  not  be  settled  by  the  payment  of  some 
money.  The  "  deceived  husband"  at  first  repels  the  very  idea  of  the  thing, 
in  a  rage  ;  but  after  a  time,  when  the  stranger  has  expressed  his  readiness 
to  pay  down  a  considerable  sum,  he  with  apparent  reluctance  consents. 
The  "  friend"  receives  what  money  the  victim  has  about  him,  together 
with  any  valuables  he  may  possess  as  a  payment  on  account.  As  for  the 
balance,  which  according  to  the  means  and  position  of  the  victim  is  some- 
times as  much  as  $1,000,  a  cheque  is  drawn  ;  and  glad  enough  he  gener- 
ally is  to  get  out  of  the  matter  this  easily.  If  the  cheque  be  not  paid  on 
presentation,  the  matter  may  come  before  the  courts  and  public,  and  that 
is  just  what  the  victim  would  give  anything  to  avoid. 

But  it  is  possible  that  some  one  may  at  times  fall  into  the  clutches  of  a 
panel-thief  without  having  any  immoral  intentions. 

Many  a  simple  fellow  from  the  country  for  example,  whom  the  panel- 
thief  can  always  at  a  glance  detect,  can  testify  to  this.  An  example  we 
will  relate  by  way  of  illustration,  and  we  do  so  the  more  readily  because 
it  serves  to  show  at  the  same  time  how  readily  a  well-dressed  woman  of 
the  town  can  improvise  any  kind  of  panel  comedy. 

Mr.  John  N.  is  the  nineteen-year-old  son  of  very  respectable  parents  at 
Fall  River.  He  had  already  heard  so  much  of  the  wonders  of  New  York 
that  he  could  not  longer  restrain  himself  from  seeing  them  with  his  own 


PftOSTITl   IK'N     AND    ITS    VICTIMS. 


349 


In  vain  did  mania  weep  ;  in  vara  did  papa  warn  !  The  boy  must 
make  the  journey  and  was  quite  sure  lie  was  clever  enough  to  snap  his 
fingers  at  the  dangers  and  traps  of  the  city.  Had  he  heard  and  read  so 
much  of  the  rascality  of  New  York  and  did  not  know  by  a  hundred  differ- 
ent  ways  how  to  distinguish  at  sight  a  rogue  from  an  honest  man?  So  he 
took  leave  of  his  parents,  but  not  till  mama  had  loaded  him  with  good 
advice  ;  nor  till  papa  had  done  the  much  more  practical  service  of  well 
filling  his  purse  for  the  journey.  Aud  so  he  reached  New  York  at  last. 
The  first  afternoon  he  took  a  stroll  round  Union  Square,  which  was  near 
to  his  hotel,  looking  out  all  the  while  for  faces  of  those  rascals  whom  he 
knew  from  his  experience  were  always  waiting  for  strangers.  But  he 
could  not  find  anybody  in  Union  Square  who  at  all  bore  out  his  ideal  of  * 
such  a  person. 

The  trees  and  flowers  were  in  blossom,  and  scented  the  air  with  per 
fume,  and  the  birds  twittered  about  as  though  there  were  an  eternal  spring. 
Children  tumbled  about  in  their  frolics  on  the  grass  ;  tender  babies  were 
asleep  in  their  perambulators  or  in  the  arms  of  their  nurses,  while  here 
and  there  on  a  shadowy  bench  rested  the  pretty  form  of  some  sweet  girl 
deeply  buried  in  the  perusal  of  an  entrancing  love  story.  The  soft  splash- 
ing of  the  fountain,  the  rustling  of  the  trees  in  the  spring  breeze  combined 
with  the  shouts  of  the  children  to  make  up  a  music  which  did  not  go  to 
make  up  the  gloomy  picture  that  our  Fall  River  Telemachus  had  made  of 
New  York  rascality.  So  in  the  same  ideal  frame  of  mind  he  stretched 
himself  upon  a  bench  and  received  his  first  favorable  impression  of  city 
life. 

Presently  turning  his  eyes  towards  the  fountain,  he  sprang  up  !  A  round 
faced  youngster  of  some  three  years  was,  as  our  "  greenhorn"  thought,  in 
dangerous  proximity  to  the  water.  He  seized  the  mannikin  by  his  clothes^ 
dragged  him  away  in  spite  of  his  screams  and  stuggles,  and  took  him  to  his 
nurse.  In  the  conscious  conviction  that  he  had  done  a  great  and  glorious 
deed,  he  threw  himself  back  into  his  seat  with  an  expression  that  he  felt 
sure  would  protect  him  from  any  evil  disposed  person.  But  look,  there 
comes  someone  tripping  towards  him?  It  is  no  rogue  either.  No  indeed  ! 
It's  a  charming  little  girl ;  the  very  embody fication  of  modesty  too  !  and 
she  blushes  as  she  approaches  him  !  She  speaks  to  him  !  tells  him  she  is 
the  sister  of  the  little  boy  whom  by  his  lucky  presence  he  had  saved  from 
drowning.  The  nurse  has  gone  home  with  "  little  brother/'  but  she — the 
sister — could  not  leave  the  park  without  first  thanking  him  for  the  coura- 
geous act  of  rescue. 

If  the  greatest  villain  had  seized  him  by  the  throat  and  taken  away  his 
purse,  he  would  not  have  been  so  affrighted  as  when  from  a  pair  of  such 
charming  lips  he  received  this  unexpected  glorification.  Without  hardly 
knowing  what  he  said,  he  stuttered  out  some  kind  of  an  auswer  ;  the  angel 
before  him  meantime  devising  some  new  material  out  of  which  to  spin  a 


344  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF     NEW    *ORK   LIFE. 

conversation.  When  presently  the  opportunity  offered,  Johnny  was  very 
glad  to  begin  to  talk  about  himself.  Here,  too,  he  grew  quite  communica- 
tive,— told  all  about  Fall  River,  his  father  and  mother,  and  all  the  story 
of  how  he  got  here  and  why  he  had  come  all  the  way  from  Fall  River  to 
Union  Square.  The  young  lady  listened  to  him  with  intense  interest.  Her 
interest  reached  its  utmost  intensity  though  when  she  heard  of  the  two 
hundred  dollars  which  the  careful  papa  had  given  him  for  his  expenses. 

"  Oh  !"  she  softly  murmured,  "  how  delighted  papa  and  mama  would  be 
to  be  able  to  see,  and  to  thank,  the  rescuer  of  poor  little  Charlie." 

At  last  she  asked  him  with  much  timidity  whether  he  would  do  her  the 
pleasure  to  accompany  her  home  to  her  parents,  and  to  receive  their  thanks 
and  congratulations.  At  this  invitation  the  simple  young  fellow  blushed 
to  his  ears.  He  had  prepared  himself  for  some  terrible  adventure  with 
robbers,  and  now — an  angel  of  a  girl  comes  to  his  side,  evidently  belonging 
to  one  of  the  best  families  in  New  York,  with  the  offer  of  an  introduction 
to  that  family,  whose  youugest  members  life  has  been  saved  through  his 
courage. — Why  the  whole  thing  at  once  opens  out  to  him  a  splendid  per- 
spective, at  the  end  of  which  he  already  thinks  he  sees  the  shadow  of  a 
marriage  altar,  coming  within  his  reach  !  He  accepts  the  flattering  invita- 
tion. He  enters  the  house  of  the  parents  of  Florine — for  that  he  discovers 
is  the  name  of  his  companion.  Elegant  as  it  was  on  the  outside,  it  was 
none  the  less  brilliant  in  the  interior.  Splendid  mirrors,  richly  decorated 
candlelabra,  rosewood  furniture  and  heavy  damasks,  beautiful  pictures, 
&c,  &c,  in  short  everything  spoke  of  wealth  and  taste.  The  happy  sim- 
pleton who  never  for  a  moment  suspected  that  he  was  in  a  palace  of  pro- 
stitution, hardly  knew  what  was  happening  to  him,  when  an  elderly  lady 
who  played  the  part  of  Florine's  mother,  as  soon  as  the  adventure  in  the 
park  had  been  told  her,  covered  him  with  thanks.  She  was  sorry,  she  said 
at  last,  that  papa  was  not  at  home,  but  he  would  be  in  soon  and  in  the 
meantime  she  and  Florine  would  take  care  that  the  time  should  not  be 
tedious.  And  thus  it  happened !  Wine  and  cakes  were  served  and 
"  Charlies  rescuer"  soon  climbed  into  the  seventh  heaven  of  delight.  He 
threw  peculiar  tender  glances  at  Florine,  who  seemed  to  return  them! 
Then  mama  left  the  room. — And  what  happened  after  that  history  does 
not  record.  All  we  know  is  that  "  Charlies  rescuer"  was  by  and  by 
frightened  out  of  his  dreams  by  Florine's  shrieks,  and  by  the  rough  voice 
of  a  man.  A  furious  "  papa"  stood  before  him  and  threatened  him  with 
murder  and  death,  while  "  mama"  wrang  her  hands  and  cursed  him  for 
having  so  shamefully  violated  her  confidence  ! 

Florine,  dear  child,  with  her  dress  rumpled  and  her  whole  toilette  dis- 
ordered was  a  living  charge  and  proof  against  him  who  at  once  destroyed 
any  idea  that  he  might  have  had  to  plead  "  not  guilty."  But  what  was  to 
be  done  now?  That  was  the  question  to  the  speedy  solution  of  which  the 
"  greenhorn"  had  now  to  devote  himself.     With  true  Yankee  instinct  he 


PBOSTITUTIOH    AND    ITS    VICTIMS.  349 

bethought  him  at  this  terrible  moment  of  his  purse  as  the  best  means  of 
salvation  !  In  auy  other  house  this  idea  would  only  have  made  matters 
worse,  but  in  this  house  it  was  quite  possible  to  repair  the  injured  honor 
of  a  daughter  with  dollars  ! 

Papa  at  last  made  an  excellent  trade,  by  appraising  the  injury  at  $150. 

The  Fall  River  paid  over  this  amount  with  all  the  resignation  of  a 
country  simpleton,  and  he  slipped  out  of  the  house  with  a  heavy  heart,  but 
a  much  lighter  purse.  Later  on  he  learned  what  the  true  character  of  the 
house  was,  in  which  his  romantic  experience  had  been  attained. 

But  when  first  he  heard  that  the  angel  in  Union  Square,  together  with 
"  mama"  and  u  papa,"  were  none  other  than  the  swindlers  belonging  to  a 
common  house  of  ill-fame,  and  that  they  had  not  the  most  remote  connec- 
tion with  the  "  little  brother  he  had  saved,"  his  former  confidence  in  his 
own  knowledge  of  life  disappeared  like  a  broken  bubble. 

As  we  have  said  already,  panel-thieves  prefer  to  take  their  victims  from 
among  the  more  respectable  classes  of  men.  This  is  not  only  because  the 
profits  from  such  people  are  more  considerable,  but  also  because  these 
classes  out  of  respect  to  their  families  and  to  their  position  in  business 
scarcely  ever  will  take  any  measures  against  the  thieves.  The  panel- 
honses  are  very  well  known  to  the  police  ;  but  unless  a  charge  is  made  in 
due  form,  they  can  do  nothing  with  energy  against  the  thieves.  The  crimi- 
nal business  of  the  panel-thief  is  therefore  one  where  there  is  very  little 
danger.  Even  when  a  case  comes  before  the  courts,Jit  seldom  ends  in  any 
way  satisfactory  to  the  complainant.  It  is  difficult  to  fix  the  theft  upon 
any  particular  thief  and  still  more  difficult  to  identify  the  stolen  property 
and  to  restore  it. — The  records  of  the  police  give  only  one  case  of  the  kind 
of  any  importance,  where  the  victim  of  a  panel-house  prosecuted  the  thief 
without  regard  to  publicity.  It  was  successful  in  so  far  as  the  fellow 
received  his  well  merited  punishment.  But  that  was  all !  The  complainant 
received  back  very  little  of  his  property.  But  the  scandalous  scenes  and 
circumstances  which  the  process  of  law  disclosed  ruined  the  man.  He 
was  expelled  from  his  church  and  even  his  family  turned  their  backs  upon 
him.  He  had  at  last  to  give  up  a  profitable  business  in  the  town,  and  to 
begin  life  anew  in  another  part  of  the  country.  This  truly  was  no  encour- 
aging precedent ! 

Consequently  the  panel  game  flourishes  here  very  luxuriantly.  A 
scoundrel  who  is  well  knowa  to  the  police  and  who  bears  the  nickname  of 
the  "king  badger,"  carries  it  on  on  a  large  scale.  He  keeps  in  his  pay 
quite  a  host  of  women  who  maintain  his  different  panel-houses  in  the  ways 
we  have  described.  If  we  consider  the  number  of  these  thieves  and  the 
luxurious  lives  they  lead,  the  value  of  the  property  that  falls  into  their 
hands  in  the  course  of  a  year  must  be  enormous.  The  lion's  share  of  it 
falls  into  the  pocket  of  the  "badger"  ;  while  his  accomplices,  the  street 
walkers,  receive  little  more  than  suffices  to  give  them  the  fine  clothes,  and 


346 


THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 


whatever  else  they  require  to  carry  on  their  reckless  life  from  one  day  to- 
another. 

Redress  a  remedy,  still  less  the  extirpation  of  the  panel  game,  cannot  be 
expected  from  the  side  of  the  authorities.  It  will  go  on  to  flourish  until 
the  classes,  whence  its  victims  chiefly  come,  have  moral  strength  or  under- 
standing enough  to  treat  with  contempt  the  baits  that  are  being  ever  held 
out  for  them  by  the  league  of  prostitution  and  robbery. 

We  now  come  to  speak  of  that  form  of  prostitution  which  takes  a  little 
more  trouble  to  remove  itself  from  the  public  eye,  namely  that  which  goes 
on  in  the  ordinary  houses  of  prostitution.  The  difference  between  those 
daughters  of  shame  who  walk  the  street  and  those  who  remain  in  the 
houses  is  not  very  great.  The  first  look  for  their  friends  in  the  streets, 
the  others  await  their  arrival  inside  of  four  walls.  That  is  all.  Moreover 
even  this  diflerence  dwindles  away  to  something  still  less  when  one  thinks 
how  small  the  step  is  from  the  house  of  prostitution  to  the  street.  The 
occupant,  too,  even  of  the  most  fashionable  of  the  houses,  is  in  the  course 
of  a  very  few  years  brought  down  to  the  level  of  the  common  street  walker, 
so  that  at  the  best  the  difference  between  them  is  only  one  of  time.  But 
let  us  look  at  prostitution,  as  it  appears  to  the  observer,  and  we  shall  find 
different  grades  which  present  to  us  the  vice  in  its  most  alluring  as  well  as 
its  most  terrible  forms. 

We  will  begin  with  the  gold  and  tinsel  bedecked  aristocracy  of  shame 
as  it  lies  hidden  behind  the  marble  or  brown  stone  front  of  a  first-class 
house  of  prostitution.  There  are  not  very  many  such  and  probably  the 
number  does  not  exceed  fifty  in  the  whole  city.  They  are  only  in  the  most 
fashionable  parts  of  the  city,  and  as  those  versed  in  the  matter  affirm, 
Fifth  Avenue  is  not  by  any  means  free  from  them.  So  far  as  external 
appearances  go,  they  are  conducted  in  a  manner  so  that  as  a  rule  the  near- 
est neighbors  do  not  know  their  true  character.  Everything  is  anxiously 
avoided  which  can  possibly  bring  this  character  to  light.  Only  persons 
known  to  the  proprietress  of  the  establishment,  or  men  introduced  by  them, 
are  allowed  access  to  the  house.  With  the  proprietress,  a  stately  person- 
age mostly,  there  usually  lives  an  individual  who  passes  for  her  husband 
and  who  affects  the  title  of  some  German  baron,  or  French  marquis,  or 
Russian  count.  The  house  of  palatial  appearance  is  generally  only  rented, 
but  the  rent  paid  is  often  $10,000,  or  $12,000,  or  even  more.  It  is  in  all 
respects  regulated  with  the  greatest  elegance  and  splendor,  and  not  even 
the  strictest  moralist  could  take  exception  on  the  ground  of  morality  to  any 
picture  or  piece  of  sculpture  that  it  contains.  The  "  ladies"  of  the  estab- 
lishment present  a  circle  of  combined  youth,  beauty,  and  fashion.  Their 
conversation  and  demeanor  in  the  parlors  of  the  house  differ  in  no  respect 
from  what  would  be  met  with  in  the  best  society.  And  since,  as  we  have 
said,  the  true  character  of  the  house  is  kno^u  only  to  comparatively  a  few 
who  are  in  the  secret,  the  occupants  do  not  suffer  socially  in  the  manner 


PROSTITUTION    AND    ITS    VICTIM-.  347 

which  weighs  down  girls  who  are  loss  fortunately  situated.  They  go  to 
the  most  fashionable  public  soirees,  make  their  appearance  in  the  best 
boxes  at  the  opera  and  have  even  a  pew  in  some  fashionable  church  which 
they  regularly  occupy.  They  are  usually  young  girls  or  women  who  are 
taking  their  first  walk  upon  the  flowery  path  of  vice,  and  upon  whom  the 
poison  has  not  yet  had  time  to  leave  the  stamp  of  degradation.  But  the 
brilliancy  which  surrounds  them  is  very  deceptive.  The  rich  rewards  of 
vice  which  are  cast  into  their  laps  go  for  the  most  part  into  the  pocket  of 
the  proprietress  of  the  establishment,  while  for  the  girls  themselves 
remains  little  more  than  the  finery  with  which  their  vocation  requires  them 
to  dress  themselves. 

The  visitors  to  such  houses  are  necessarily  only  men  who  can  pay  con- 
siderable sums  of  money — whether  their  own  or  somebody  elses  is  irrmia" 
terial.  Influential  politicians,  speculators,  sporting  men,  as  well  as  many 
of  the  commercial  and  financial  worlds  form  the  chief  support  of  these 
establishments. 

The  greater  number  of  them  are  middle  aged  and  old  men,  and  gener- 
ally, too,  those  who  would  be  the  most  unrelenting  at  the  slightest  false 
step  on  the  part  of  a  wife  or  a  daughter.  There  are  also  often  to  be  found 
in  these  palaces  of  sin  men  who  attach  the  prefix  of  u  Reverend"  to  their 
name ;  and  wrho  certainly  have  not  gone  there  on  a  mission  of  con- 
version. 

The  contrivances  for  the  arrival  and  departure  of  visitors  are  such  that 
no  one,  unless  he  wishes,  need  be  seen  by  anybody  else.  No  one  who  has 
the  golden  key  of  admission  to  such  a  house  wants  to  feel  the  fear  of  dis- 
covery and  exposure.  And  it  is  not  necessary  to  say  that  in  the  interests 
of  the  house  the  firmest  maintenance  of  external  respectability  is  as  neces- 
sary on  the  part  of  the  visitors  as  on  that  of  the  inmates. 

These  houses  are  all  well  known  to  the  police.  But  they  are  never 
molested  by  them,  because  in  t\\&  first  place  there  never  occurs  any  circum- 
stance which  wrould  justify  such  a  course  ;  and  more  especially  because  the 
rich  proprietors  understand  very  well  the  art  of  inducing  the  police  to  wink 
at  anything  they  may  see. 

From  these  hiding  places  of  shame,  which  are  concealed  under  the  most 
alluring  and  attractive  colors  down  to  the  low  brothels  of  Green,  Woosterr 
or  Water  Streets,  the  descent  is  by  imperceptible  steps. 

Houses  of  the  second  class  endeavor  like  the  others  to  keep  up  as  far  as 
possible  an  appearance  of  external  respectability.  But  the  falling  off  in 
comparison  with  the  others  is  only  too  perceptible.  The  girls  found  in 
these  houses  are  in  part  snch  as  have  already  been  removed  from  the  better 
houses,  or  perhaps  those  who  have  not  been  able  to  find  a  reception  in 
those  houses. 

There  is  upon  them  a  superficial  and  theatrical  kind  of  glitter.  They 
cannot  allure  the  aristocratic  portion  of  the  sensualist  members  of  society, 


348  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK   LIFE. 

They  speculate,  therefore,  upon  more  numerous  visitors  and  are  not  nearly 
as  particular  in  the  selection  of  their  customers.  Their  vocation  conse- 
quently is  no  secret  to  their  neighbors.  Not  unfrequently  noisy  scenes 
take  place  in  them.  In  such  cases  the  police  enter  and  take  the  whole 
company  off  to  the  station  house.  It  is  in  these  houses  then  that  the 
miserable  devotees  of  Venus  first  make  the  discovery  that  the  bright  flowers 
that  lie  along  the  paths  of  shame  are  not  by  any  means  without  sharp 
thorns. 

Another  class  of  prostitution-houses  are  those  which  make  themselves 
notorious  by  external  appearance  even  to  those  who  do  not  otherwise  know 
them.  Lamps  of  a  significent  character  hang  at  the  entrances,  and  from 
behind  curtains  and  jalousies  impudent  glances  are  passed  from  the  eyes  of 
the  occupants  at  every  man  who  passes.  Other  houses  again  seek  to  an- 
nounce rather  than  to  hide  their  shameful  business  by  means  of  perhaps  a 
cigar  store  or  some  other  ostensible  trade.  In  many  of  these  there  is  a 
bar  where  wretched  liquors  are  retailed  at  the  most  extortionate  prices. 
'  The  lower  the  character  of  these  places,  the  more  frequent  do  riots  and 
disturbances  take  place  in  them,  and  the  oftener  do  they  come  in  contact 
with  the  police.  Many  of  them  are  the  resorts  of  thieves,  in  which  too 
often  visitors  are  made  drunk,  then  robbed  of  their  money  and  property  of 
any  value  and  turned  on  to  the  streets  again.  The  women  in  these  places 
are  rough  and  impudent,  and  as  such  they  are  very  fitting  acquaintances 
and  companions  for  the  men  who  frequent  such  places. 

One  step  lower  and  we  are  at  the  bottom  of  the  list.  It  brings  us  to  he 
•dens  of  Green  and  Water  Streets.  A  representation  of  this  lowest  stratum 
-of  prostitution  would  present  a  more  disgusting  picture  than  we  are  willing 
to  touch.  Yet  a  peep  into  it  contains  and  foreshadows  a  severe  moral. 
Reader  know  you  the  history  of  those  beings  whom  we  find  collected 
together  in  this  state  of  degradation  ?  Look  at  the  wretched  rooms,  where 
like  hopeless  galley-slaves  they  are  enchained.  Crime  and  vice  and  the 
despair  of  too  late  repentance  crowd  upon  them  !  Look  at  the  miserable 
creatures  as  they  stand  on  the  very  edge  of  the  abyss  without  the  power  to 
move  one  step  backward  !  Vapid  impudence  and  physical  and  moral  cor- 
ruption speak  out  from  faces  in  which  not  one  atom  of  womanhood  can  be 
detected  !  You  turn  with  loathing  from  them,  though  perhaps  not  without 
pity  !  But  the  poor  creatures  were  not  in  this  place  always.  Their  appear- 
ance has  not  always  been  so  repulsive.  Not  more,  perhaps,  than  six  or 
seven  years  ago  you  might  have  seen  these  shrews,  whose  appearance  to- 
day fills  you  with  disgust,  in  the  brilliant  parlors  of  one  of  the  prostitution 
palaces  which  we  sketched  at  first.  They  were  arrayed  in  gold  and  silks, 
they  were  the  spoiled  pets  of  rich  sensualists,  and  never  dreamt  that  the 
gilded  sin  was  a  stone  around  their  necks  which  would  at  last  drag  them 
down  to  so  terrible  a  depth. 

The  transformation  seems  incredible.     Yet  it  is  the  fact  that  ninety  out 


PROSTITUTION    AND    ITS    VICTIMS.  349 

of  every  hundred  prostitutes,  even  when  they  begin  their  career  in  a  palace 
of  shame  with  all  the  charms  of  youth  and  beauty,  after  a  few  short  years 
find  a  living  grave  in  the  dens  of  Green  and  Water  Streets.  If  there  are 
any  exceptions,  they  are  as  a  rule  only  such  where  death  ensues  as  a  con- 
sequence of  a  life  of  vice  before  the  girl  has  sunk  to  the  lowest  depths  of 
infamy.  So  as  it  would  seem  by  a  necessity  of  nature  the  consequence  of 
crime  very  soon  dissipates  the  deceptive  appearances  with  which  it  was 
adorned  at  the  beginning.  There  is  in  truth  no  difference  in  the  crime 
which  stretches  itself  through  Fifth  Avenue  from  that  which  disgusts  us  in 
Water  Street.     Both  are  alike  dangerous  pitfalls  of  evil. 

If  any  difference  must  be  found  between  them,  it  can  only  be  by  repre- 
senting the  first  as  the  beginning  and  the  last  as  the  ending  of  the  same 
great  moral  corruption. 

Now,  how  do  these  dens  of  vice  get  their  occupants? 

This  question  opens  up  to  us  a  very  dismal  insight  into  human  depravity 
and  heartlessness.  We  have  before  enumerated  the  principal  causes  that 
go  to  make  up  the  victims  of  prostitution.  The  system  is  conducted  as  a 
business  on  a  large  scale,  and  the  procuration  of  that  which  the  business 
requires  must  not  be  left  to  chance.  Aud  it  is  not.  No  legitimate  busi- 
ness is  carried  on  in  a  more  thoroughly  systematic  manner  than  that  which 
deals  as  an  article  of  trade  with  the  honor  and  life  long  happiness  of 
woman.  The  main  spring  of  the  whole  business  is  the  "  procuress,''  that 
female  monster  who  looks  upon  the  ruin  of  innocent  girls  and  honorable 
women  as,  unfortunately,  a  mere  matter  of  business.  With  her  the  whole 
becomes  apparent ;  for  among  her  coadjutors  she  always  has  women  who 
are  already  in  the  ranks  of  prostitution. 

These  procuresses  are  from  every  stratum  of  society,  high  as  well  as 
low,  and  they  lay  their  snares  as  well  for  the  rich  as  for  the  poor.  They 
are  to  be  met  with  at  concerts  and  balls,  and  in  churches,  too,  to  see  if 
only  they  can  find  out  a  fitting  victim.  Girls  schools,  and  watering  places, 
are  favorite  centres  for  their  operations.  There  is  no  hotel  in  the  city,  no 
emigrant  ship  on  the  ocean  that  has  not  been  surveyed  for  their  purposes, 
and  in  which  under  some  form  or  other  they  have  not  made  their  appear- 
ance among  the  female  passengers  to  spread  their  pernicious  nets.  Iu 
this  work  these  human  hyenas  are  often  aided  by  male  agents  known  as 
"  runners." 

Creatures  of  no  moral  sense,  these  fellows  are  for  the  most  part  nothing 
better  than  cunning  rascals  of  decent  appearance  and  plausible  manners — 
qualifications  that  are  essential  to  render  them  useful  as  abettors  of  the 
procuress.  Their  duty  is  to  effect  the  fall  of  any  girl  who  from  youth  and 
beauty  seems  suitable  to  the  purposes  of  the  procuress,  and  with  whom 
other  means  have  failed ;  that  once  accomplished,  the  procuress  never  has 
much  difficulty  iu  rendering  the  ruin  of  the  girl  complete.  In  the  choice 
of  means  by  which  these  scoundrels  carry  out  their  purpose  they  are  not 


350  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK   LIFE. 

over  scrupulous,  and  it  need  hardly  be  said  they  are  not  particular  about 
making  any  kind  of  professions  of  love  or  the  most  sacred  promises  of 
marriage  if  these  are  necessary.  It  is  easy  to  understand  that  it  is  especi- 
ally among  the  poorer  classes  and  the  ill-paid  sewing  and  factory  girls  that 
the  well-laid  snares  of  both  male  and  female  prostitution  agents  find  the 
readiest  and  the  most  victims.  The  possession  of  beauty  and  of  the  fresh- 
ness of  youth,  is  always  a  dangerous  gift  of  nature  to  these  girls,  and  one 
which  sets  the  whole  crowd  of  seducers  on  her  heels.  "  Poverty  is  no 
disgrace/'  says  the  proverb  ;  and  yet  through  the  fault  of  our  social  condi- 
tion how  many  does  it  not  unhappily  reduce  to  shame. 

We  have  already  said  that  the  family  circles  of  the  rich  are  not  exempt 
from  the  watchfulness  of  the  procuress.  The  women  who  set  their  nets  in 
those  quarters,  are  generally  matronly  persons  of  superior  manners  and 
with  the  appearance  of  possessing  ample  means.  They  represent  themselves 
generally  as  rich  widows  or  as  the  wives  of  sea  captain's  whose  husbands 
are  away  from  home. 

Under  this  mask  it  is  not  difficult  for  them  to  obtain  the  acquaintance 
of  respectable  families,  for  instance  in  popular  watering  places.  As  they 
know  well  how  to  comport  themselves  in  strict  accordance  with  the  degree 
of  respectability  they  have  assumed,  nobody  recognizes  their  real  character ; 
and  the  consequence  is  that  they  soon  get  welcomed  even  in  what  seem 
to  be  very  exclusive  family  circles,  as  the  most  welcome  guests.  How 
they  profit  by  such  friendliness  needs  hardly  to  be  defined.  Very  often 
these  dealers  in  souls  are  themselves  the  proprietors  of  prostitution  houses, 
who  during  the  summer  season  frequent  fashionable  watering  places  to 
make  propaganda  among  the  male  and  female  visitors  on  account  of  their 
New  York  establishment.  We  will  present  our  readers  here  with  an 
illustration  to  the  point : — 

The  "lady"  in  question  gave  out  that  she  was  the  widow  of  a  West 
India  sea  captain  ;  and  she  played  the  role  so  effectually  that  no  respect- 
able observer  could  possibly  have  detected  her  true  character.  She  pos- 
sesses a  charming  villa  in  one  of  the  New  England  States,  whither  she 
journeys  in  the  summer  months.  Although  she  goes  about  these  amid  all 
the  external  appearance  of  respectability,  she  spends  the  greater  part  of 
the  year  in  New  York,  where  she  acts  as  the  proprietor  and  secret  man- 
ager of  one  of  the  most  fashionable  assignation-houses.  But  amid  the 
apparent  retirement  of  her  country  life,  this  wretch  does  not  neglect  to 
busy  herself  about  her  shameful  calling.  Her  wealth,  together  with  her 
pretentions  to  respectability  have  secured  her  access  to  almost  all  the  fami- 
lies in  the  neighborhood  ;  and  she  avails  herself  of  this  in  the  most  fiendish 
manner.  Gifted  with  a  pleasing  and  flattering  manner,  she  finds  no  diffi- 
culty in  worming  herself  into  the  confidence  of  pretty  girls  and  young, 
single  women  and  widows.  This  done,  she  next  sets  to  work  to  utilize  the 
failings  of  her  selected  victims,  to  undermine,  unobserved,  their   morsl 


PROSTITUTION    AND    ITS    VICTIMS.  S51 

constancy,  and  systematically  to  fit  them  for  the  purpose  for  which  she  has 
chosen  them. 

With  this  her  share  of  the  work  is  done.  The  rest  is  left  to  the  old  or 
young  sensualists  whose  wishes  she  has  been  subserving  and  who,  for  the 
information  she  can  afford,  pay  her  a  rich  reward. 

Examples  are  not  wanting  where  common  procuresses  have  been  furn- 
ished with  letters  of  introduction  by  men  of  wealth  and  influenca,  and  by 
this  means  have  obtained  access  as  visitors  to  the  midst  of  respectable 
families.  The  object  for  which,  in  these  instances,  the  letters  of  introduc- 
tion were  written,  were  none  other  than  to  bring  within  the  reach  of  the 
accursed  arts  of  the  procurer  some  female  member  of  the  family  whom  the 
rich  seducer  had  seen.  The  women  then  leaves  nothing  undone,  and 
never  ceases  her  work  till  all  the  devices  of  the  seducer  have  been  used 
upon  her  victim,  or  if  these  fail,  then  till  the  girl  has  been  ruined  by  strat- 
agem or  even  force. 

In  most  cases  the  work  of  the  procuress  is  not  an  easy  one.  Very  often 
she  has  to  adopt  the  most  complicated  means  to  attain  her  end.  Very 
often,  however,  again  the  task  is  wonderfully  easy,  and  the  bird,  so  to 
speak,  flies  into  the  net  in  a  moment.  An  interesting  case  of  this  kind 
came  into  public  notice  in  this  city  during  the  past  autumn.  As  it  gives 
at  the  same  time  a  peculiar  iusight  into  the  relations  that  exist  between  the 
police  and  prostitution,  we  willingly  narrate  it  here. 

One  day  an  elderly  lady  from  Boston  made  her  appearance  in  company 
with  a  married  daughter  at  the  office  of  the  captain  of  the  detective  police. 
She  made  a  complaint  to  the  effect  that  some  days  before  her  youngest 
daughter  Mary  had  disappeared  in  an  inexplicable  manner,  and  she  said 
that  it  was  the  opinion  of  the  Boston  police  that  she  would  most  likely  be 
found  in  New  York. 

She  gave  to  the  captain  a  photographic  likeness  of  the  missing  girl  and 
entreated  him  to  aid  in  finding  her.  The  captain  gave  the  sorrowing 
mother  every  hope,  and  at  once  detailed  a  etective  to  the  work.  This 
man  began,  as  in  such  cases  is  usual,  to  look  around  the  various  houses  of 
prostitution.  Soon  he  learned  that  a  young  girl  from  Boston,  who  was 
said  to  resemble  her  who  had  been  missing,  was  to  be  found  in  a  house  of 
ill-fame  in  Amity  Street.  And  as  the  name  of  this  girl  was  Mary,  there 
could  be  but  little  doubt  that  they  were  already  on  the  right  track.  Only 
they  did  not  wish  by  any  awkwardness  to  give  any  such  hint  to  the  pro- 
prietress of  the  establishment  as  would  induce  her  to  smuggle  away  her 
victim  and  to  hide  her  in  some  other  place  of  concealment.  Mary's  sister 
called,  however,  every  day  at  police  headquarters  making  enquiries,  and 
she  thought  that  the  captain  ought  not  to  have  withheld  any  satisfactory 
information  relative  to  the  clue  that  had  been  discovered.  To  this  lady, 
indeed,  the  police  seemed  to  work  much  too  slowly. 

Accordingly  without   saying  anythiug  about  what  she  was  going  to  do, 


352  THE    DARK   SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

she  forthwith  made  an  assault  upon  the  house  of  shame.  A  coDvulsive- 
pull  at  the  bell  brought  the  proprietor  of  the  establishment  to  the  door  in 
person.  "  What  do  you  want?"  she  shouted  as  though  she  were  an  angel 
of  vengeance  appointed  against  anybody  who  should  attempt  to  enter  the 
place.  "  I  want  my  dear  sister  Mary,"  was  the  short  but  decisive 
answer.  But  the  keeper  of  the  house  was  not  to  be  intimidated  and  she 
met  her  unwelcome  visitor  with  the  words  : — "  You  have  no  business  here, 
and  if  you  don't  get  out  in  an  instant  I'll  call  the  police,  and  have  you  put 
out."  As  this  threat  did  not  succeed,  she  without  another  word  pressed 
her  hand  upon  a  small  knob  on  the  wall.  The  vehemence  with  which 
the  lady  insisted  upon  seeing  her  sister  had  in  a  moment  collected  the 
women  who  resided  at  the  house  into  the  hall,  some  of  whom  found  the 
scene  very  amusing,  while  the  sympathy  of  others  was  shown  for  the 
woman  who  was  weeping  with  so  much  agitation.  Very  few  minutes  had 
passed  since  the  "  Madame"  of  the  house  had  touched  the  little  knob  on 
the  wall,  which  was  in  fact  a  private  telegraph,  before  a  boy  appeared 
from  a  neighboring  telegraph  office  ;  and  with  him  a  policeman.  Mary's 
sister  who  had  no  idea  of  the  secret  understanding  between  the  police  and 
these  dens  of  vice,  explained  to  the  blue-coated  representative  of  the  law  in 
a  very  few  words  the  object  of  her  presence  there  and  begged  him  to 
assist  her. 

What  then  was  her  astonishment  when  she  found  the  policeman  taking 
the  part  of  the  brothel  keeper ! — "  You  have  no  business  in  this  house. 
You  must  leave  it.  I  protect  you  only  while  you  go  out  of  it ;"  was  the 
answer  of  the  police  officer.  And  thereupon  he  r„ade  a  show  of  taking 
the  lady  by  the  arm  and  putting  her  out.  "  Don't  touch  me,"  she  cried,. 
"  I  shall  not  go  away  without  my  sister." 

But  her  courage  and  firmness  had  hardly  helped  her,  if  one  of  the  women 
had  not  taken  pity  on  her  and  without  being  observed  whispered  to  her : — 
"In  the  hall  room  on  the  second  floor." 

Before  the  policeman  or  madame  could  stop  her,  she  flew  up  the  stairs 
with  renewed  energy  to  the  room  indicated.  Bursting  open  the  door  she 
saw  her  unfortunate  sister  who  in  tears  had  heard  all  that  was  going  on^ 
The  two  threw  themselves  into  each  others  arms  and  the  unfortunate  girl 
declared  her  readiness  without  a  moments  delay  to  leave  the  place. 

Neither  the  trader  in  souls  nor  her  ally,  the  policeman,  attempted  to 
oppose  the  determined  will  of  the  two  sisters  and  they  left  the  house  forth- 
with unhindered. 

The  possible  supposition  that  the  policeman  in  this  case  was  only  a 
scoundrel  in  the  service  of  the  keeper  of  the  house,  is  not  true.  Almost 
all  the  principle  houses  of  prostitution  in  the  city  are,  by  means  of  private 
apparatus,  in  direct  telegraphic  communication  with  the  telegraph  offices, 
so  that  when  necessary  they  may  readily  procure  the  assistance  of  thfr 
police  for  their  own  purposes. 


prosteti  i  [om  am>  ns  vn  ci  358 

The  police  are  required  in  these  places,  but  they  are  not  necessarily  kept 
;irv  ;    nevertheless  it  is  a  well-known    iact   that   every  service   of  tfa  i 
kind  rendered  by  them  is  always  handsomely  paid  for,  so  that  the  not  over- 
scrupulous policeman  is  always  ready  to  make  himself  useful  either  directly 
ur  indirectly  to  such  houi 

How  very  easy  the  task  of  the  procuress  was  in  the  case  just  mentioned 
is  apparent  from  the  statement  which  Mary  after  her  happy  liberation 
made  to  her  mother  of  the  method  of  her  abductiou  : — She  said  that  on  the 
afternoon  before  her  disappearance  she  was  on  her  way  home  from  school, 
when  a  well-dressed  lady  met  her  and  in  a  friendly  manner  said  to  her  : — 

"  You  are  very  pretty,  my  child  !  AVould  you  not  like  to  go  with  me  to 
New  York?  You  could  live  in  a  fine  house  there,  go  to  the  theatre  and 
to  balls,  and  dress  just  as  well  as  I  do."  Mary  said  at  once  that  she 
should  like  it  very  much.  This  was  all  that  was  said  and  both  went  on 
their  way. 

On  the  next  morning  a  fashionable  carriage  drew  up  before  the  house  of 
Mary's  mother,  and  the  coachman  enquired  for  Miss  Mary.  The  mother, 
however,  gave  the  coachman  to  understand  that  there  must  have  been 
some  mistake  made,  either  in  the  house  or  the  name.  She  never  for  a 
moment  thought  that  such  a  terrible  danger  was  threatening  her  childish 
thoughtless  daughter.  But  the  miserable  procuress — for  nothing  else  than 
that  was  the  "  well-dressed  lady" — was  not  going  to  let  her  chosen  victim 
slip  out  of  her  hands  as  easily  as  this.  She  lurked  about  after  the  girl 
until  at  last  she  met  her  by  herself  on  the  street.  She  had  then  very  little, 
trouble  to  get  the  girl  to  consent  to  go  with  her  and  on  the  next  morning 
they  took  the  train  to  New  York.  In  the  cars  the  innocent  victim  met 
about  a  dozen  other  young  girls  whom  the  procuress  was  taking  away  to 
a  life  of  shame  and  misery. 

Fieldisg,  in  his  well-known  romance  of  "  Paul  Jones,"  compares  female 
purity  to  a  young  hare,  which,  wherever  it  shows  itself,  is  sure  to  be 
attacked  and  hunted.  And  surely  to  no  city  is  that  comparison  more  ap- 
plicable than  to  New  York.  The  fact,  too,  is  well  known,  and  for  a  long 
time  past  the  reputation  of  the  city  in  this  particular  has  been  no  flattering 
one.  And  while  other  large  cities  are  not  much  better,  .they  are  loud  in 
their  predictions  of  coming  disaster  and  cry  woe  and  alas  over  the  ruin  of 
the  modern  Sodom.  So  to  the  shocking  details  of  murder,  homicide  and 
seduction  which  from  day  to  day  and  every  day  are  being  served  up  by  the 
New  York  journals  for  the  delectation  of  their  readers,  the  corresponding 
contributions  of  the  journals  of  other  cities  must  be  added.  In  this  con- 
nection we  have  a  recent  incident  reported  in  the  "  Chicago  Journal"  in 
which  at  the  same  time  is  shown  the  dangers  to  which  ladies  who  are 
travelling  and  who  are  not  acquainted  with  the  conditions  of  our  city  may- 
tali.  The  narrative  relates  to  the  mysterious  disappearance  of  a  youn«- 
lady  from  Chicago  :  — 

23 


354  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK   LIFE. 

This  lady,  Henrietta  R.,  the  daughter  of  wealthy  parents,  had  set  out 
for  New  York  to  pay  a  visit  to  some  relatives.  When  after  several  days, 
since  which  Heurietta  should  have  been  in  New  York,  no  news  from  her 
reached  her  parents,  they  wrote  to  the  relatives.  The  answer  was  to  the 
effect  that  they  had  neither  seen  nor  heard  anything  whatever  of  the  girl. 
The  terrified  parents  went  to  the  police,  and  a  brother  of  the  missing  girl 
went  with  a  detective  officer  to  New  York.  With  the  help  of  a  New  York 
detective  they  managed  to  find  the  driver  of  tlie  conveyance  who  had  taken 
her  and  her  box  from  the  railway  station.  At  first  the  fellow  would  not 
know  anything.  It  was  not  till  the  prospect  of  a  prison  was  held  out 
before  him  that  he  began  to  yield.  lie  then  named  the  house  where  he 
had  taken  the  girl,  and  which,  as  already  surmised,  was  the  house,  of  a 
notorious  procuress.  Thither  the  brother  went,  in  company  with  a  detec- 
tive, and  was  fortunate  enough  to  rescue  his  sister  just  in  time  from  her 
terrible  situation.  We  will  not  here  attempt  to  depict  the  affecting  scene 
which  followed  the  meeting  of  the  brother  and  sister  under  such  peculiar 
circumstances.  We  need  have  only  to  do  with  the  short  narrative  which 
Henrietta  gave  of  her  abduction  as  soon  as  the  joy  at  her  unexpected 
release  gave  her  new  utterance. 

She  arrived  by  the  train  at  New  York  at  midnight.  Without  suspect- 
ing any  danger  she  took  the  first  conveyance  that  there  was  for  hire  and 
told  the  coachman  the  street  and  house  to  which  she  wished  to  be  taken. 
After  what  seemed  to  her  a  very  long  and  zigzag  drive,  the  coach  stopped 
at  last  before  a  house  which  the  coachman  told  her  wras  that  to  which  she 
wanted  to  go.  It  was  her  first  visit  and  she  did  not  know  the  house  of  her 
relations.  She  entered  the  house,  and  was  shown  into  one  of  the  back 
rooms.  Nothing  seemed  strange  to  her,  even  when  none  of  her  relations 
came  to  receive  her.  She  explained  this  to  herself  by  the  lateness  of  the 
hour.  But  in  the  morning  the  scales  fell  from  her  eyes  only  too  soon- 
She  had  been  handed  over  to  the  mercies  of  a  heartless  procurer !  It  is 
true  no  harm  was  done  to  her ;  but  she  was  detained  a  prisoner  in  her 
room,  and  no  kind  of  inducement,  persuasion  or  even  threat  was  omitted 
to  make  her  submissive  to  the  purposes  of  shame  for  which  she  was  here 
intended.  The  girl  was,  however,  strong  enough  to  resist  and  to  set  at 
defiance  all  these  temptations  even  up  to  the  time  when  she  received  her 
unexpected  deliverance. 

But  if  her  release  had  been  much  longer  delayed,  it  is  hard  to  suppose 
that  the  unhappy  girl  would  not  at  last  have  been  ruined.  The  demon  of 
prostitution  in  whose  clutches  she  here  was  had  most  assuredly  sooner  or 
later  secured  her  as  a  victim. 

And  this  case  shows  us  the  dangerous  alliance  that  sometimes  exists 
between  the  drivers  of  public  conveyances  and  procurers. 

Such  instances  as  this  are  by  no  means  unfrequent,  and  similar  means 
have  produced   many  victims.     But   there  are  other  most  dangerous  allies 


PROSTITUTION    AND    ITS    VICTIMS. 

of  M  procurers"  which  especially  deserve  notice.  These  are  a  certain  kind 
of  labor  bureaus  or  intelligence  offices,  where  young  girls,  perhapi  from 
the  country  or  only  recently  landed  from  Europe,  apply  for  work  or  situa- 
tions. There  are  plenty  of  such  offices  in  the  city  which  are  respectably 
conducted  and  to  which  younjr  girls  looking  for  situations  can  go  with  con- 
fidence. But  there  are  also  a  considerable  number  of  a  very  suspicious 
character,  where  the  name  of  "intelligence  office"  is  only  the  cow 
which  is  used  to  conceal  a,  totally  different  object. 

Whoever  will  take  the  trouble  to  look  carefully  round  one  of  the3e 
offices,  cannot  fail  to  observe  much  that  will  arouse  his  suspicion.  For 
example  there  will  probably  sweep  by  a  lady  dressed  out  in  the  very 
height  of  fashion  who  reviews  with  lowering  eyes  the  faces  of  the  girls  who 
are  waiting  for  places.  If  she  finds  none  among  them  sufficiently  good 
looking,  she  first  says  a  few  words  to  the  proprietor  of  the  office  and  then 
soon  disappears.  But  she  acts  very  differently  if  any  girl  is  present  whoso 
face  seems  to  be  suitable  for  her  purpose.  Then  she  is  quite  condescend- 
ing and  amiability  itself  and  especially  to  the  owner  of  the  pretty  face  for 
whom  she  presently  evinces  quite  a  motherly  friendship.  The  girl  is  soon 
enraptured  with  a  lady  so  good  and  so  superior.  The  prospect  of  good 
pay  and  of  comparatively  very  easy  work  docs  the  rest.  The  girl  takes 
with  delight  the  engagement  which  is  soon  closed,  and  she  follows  her  kind 
mistress.  But  whither?  Need  we  say?  The  "lady"  was  a  procurer; 
and  once  let  her  get  her  victim  within  the  four  walls  of  her  house,  and  her 
escape  from  it  before  she  has  been  ruined  in  body  and  soul  is  as  improb- 
able as  if  she  were  in  the  den  of  a  tiger. 

It  was  by  such  a  lady  and  in  such  an  intelligence  office,  that  a  notorious 
procurer  in  (Jreen  Street,  well  known  to  the  police  under  the  name  of 
"  Miss  Annie,"  engaged  a  girl  once  to  do  needle-work.  The  young  creature 
had  come  to  New  York  from  Massachusetts,  but  hardly  had  she  been  a 
day  in  the  house  before  Miss  Annie  came  to  her  with  propositions  of  a  very 
different  character  from  those  in  the  original  engagement.  In  a  word,  the 
girl  saw  that  she  had  got  into  a  house  of  ill-fame  of  the  very  worst  kind, 
and  that  nothing  more  was  expected  of  her  than  that  she  would  lend  her- 
self to  the  work  of  vice. 

This  she  refused  downright  to  do,  and  she  insisted  upon  instantly  leav- 
ing the  house.  But  this  was  not  so  easy  to  do.  She  was  retained  by 
force,  and  so  closely  watched  that  in  two  attempts  to  escape  she  was 
trust  rated.  As  promises  and  soft  words  did  not  answer,  they  adopted  a 
different  course  and  sought  to  turn  her  by  threats  and  even  cruel  treatment. 
Still  the  brave  girl  remained  firm.  An  elderly  man  who  was  a  frequent 
visitor  at  the  house  at  last  took  an  interest  in  the  "refractory  beauty"  and 
undertook,  since  she  Mould  not  consent  to  her  seduction,  at  any  price  to 
her  to  escape.  At  first  he  tried  stratagem,  and  under  the  pretext  of 
taking  her  for  a  walk  thought  to  be  able  to  get  her  out  of  the  house.      But 


356 


THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 


this  was  at  once  put  a  stop  to  by  "  Madame"  ;  and  he  saw  himself  neces- 
sitated to  overcome  by  the  active  use  of  his  arms  the  opposition  which  was 
offered  to  his  act  of  rescue  by  the  tender  "  Miss  Annie"  and  the  other 
nymphs  of  the  house.  The  girl  was  happily  rescued,  but  she  was  obliged 
to  have  recourse  to  the  assistance  of  the  law  to  recover  her  box  which 
"  Miss  Annie"  was  unwilling  to  give  up  under  the  pretence  that  there  was 
money  due  to  her. 

The  manner  in  which  fortune  tellers  and  marriage  bureaus  work  iu  the 
interests  of  the  procuresses  will  be  shown  in  another  chapter  of  this  book. 
When  work  girls  lose  their  situations,  they  are  often  reduced  to  consider- 
able necessity,  and  then  it  is  that  the  procuress  avails  herself  of  her  oppor- 
tunity and  plies  her  miserable  trade.  Under  the  hypocritical  mask  of 
motherly  friendship  she  draws  the  girls  towards  her  out  of  whom  she 
thinks  any  money  can  be  made,  and  they  do  not  hesitate  to  spend  money 
in  order  to  secure  her  confidence.  As  soon  as  a  degree  of  intimacy  has 
been  attained  in  this  way  the  female  demon  begins  to  work  upon  the  weak- 
ness of  the  poor  girl  with  deep  laid  plans.  The  contrast  of  a  life  of  pleas- 
ure apparently  free  from  care,  with  the  poverty  stricken  life  of  a  badly  paid 
work  girl  is  put  before  her  in  glaring  colors,  and  she  is  assured  that  she 
was  born  for  something  better  than  to  work  herself  into  a  consumption  in 
a  factory  or  work  room.  She  is  introduced  to  girls  who  have  already 
learned  the  secret  how  one  can  lead  a  "  splendid"  life  without  harassing 
oneself  from  morning  till  evening  about  work.  And  much  other  persua- 
sion of  the  same  kind  is  urged  upon  her.  What  wonder  then  if  the  poor 
girl's  head  gets  bewildered,  and  forgetting  the  lessons  taught  by  her  mother, 
at  last  selects  to  revel  at  the  broad  table  of  vice  instead  of  starving  at  the 
more  frugal  board  of  virtue.  If  allurements  of  this  kind  do  not  suffice,  the 
procuress  threatens  to  withdraw  her  protection  from  the  homeless  girl,  or 
torments  her  with  demands  for  the  payment  of  debts  which  she  insists  that 
she  has  incurred  for  her  friendship.  But  we  can  elucidate  this  mode  of 
operation  on  the  part  of  the  procuress  by  a  practical  example,  which  at  the 
same  time  forcibly  shows  how  a  tragical  denouement  may  sometimes  be  the 
fearful  punishment  for  these  heartless  wretches  who  live  by  the  destruction 
of  innocent  girls. 

Clara  L.,  a  young,  amiable  girl  who  by  the  death  of  her  father  was 
driven  to  make  her  own  way  in  the  world,  came  a  few  years  ago  to  New 
York  from  St.  Louis,  where  she  obtained  employment  in  Division  Street 
as  a  dress-maker.  She  lodged  at  the  house  of  a  widow  in  Cherry  Street, 
whom  we  will  call  Mrs.  N.,  and  being  engaged  all  day  at  her  business  she 
had  no  suspicion  of  the  doubtful  character  of  her  landlady.  Times  were 
bad  and  in  consequence,  as  in  many  other  branches  of  business,  so,  too,  in 
the  dress-making,  many  engaged  in  it  had  their  services  dispensed  with. 
This  was  the  case  with  Clara.  In  spite  of  all  her  efforts  she  could  not 
obtain  any  other  employment  and  very  soon  the  little  money  she  had  saved 


'INSTITUTION    AND    ITS    VICTIMS. 


S5: 


was  gone.  Mrs.  N.  was  the  embodification  of  kindness;  and  requested 
her  tenant  not  to  trouble  herself,  as  she  might  remain  in  the  house  till  bet- 
ter times  came  and  she  could  procure  work.  Soon,  however,  Clara  found 
out  that  Mrs.  N.  was  in  the  habit  of  receiving  visits  from  men  in  a  manner 
which  but  little  harmonized  with  her  pretensious  to  respectability.  She 
felt  sickened  and  enraged  at  this  wheu  she  observed  that  Mrs.  N.  inten- 
tionally managed  to  leave  her  alone  with  these  several  visitors. 

When  she  explained  that  she  did  not  want  any  visitors  and  still  less 
such  as  these,  the  diabolical  woman  changed  her  tone. 

kl  It  would  be  better,"  she  said,  ll  if  people  would  pay  their  board-bills 
before  they  began  to  give  orders  about  a  house  !"  But  although  Clara  felt 
wretched  at  beiug  spoken  to  in  this  way,  she  was  not  in  a  position  to 
leave  the  house  until  she  could  pay  the  debt  which  from  day  to  day  was 
growing  more  heavy.  Her  tormentor  now  became  more  vehement  in  her 
demands  and  the  visitors  more  impudent  and  more  importunate. 

Clara  was  nearly  driven  to  despair.  She  had  not  clothes  enough  on  her 
body  to  be  able  to  go  out  of  the  room,  for  Mrs.  N.  with  fiendish  calcula- 
tion had  taken  possession  of  her  entire  wardrobe  as  security  for  the  debt. 
The  terrified  girl  now  worried  herself  and  tried  every  means  that  she  could 
think  of  to  avoid  a  life  of  shame.  But  neither  the  tormenting  of  the 
woman  nor  the  obtrusive  persuasions  of  the  debauchees,  who  had  already 
looked  upon  her  as  a  victim,  had  yet  come  to  an  end. 

One  evening,  when  the  old  hag  seemed  more  than  usually  friendly,  she 

I  felt  very  weak  and  confused  after  drinking  a  cup  of  chocolate.  She  very 
soon  did  not  know  where  she  was,  but  as  though  in  a  dream  she  saw  her- 
self helpless  and  in  the  power  of  the  female  fury  and  of  a  mas  who  then 
slipped  into  her  room.  When  she  woke  up  she  was  a  ruined  girl.  The 
female  Satan  who  planned  her  seduction  was  sitting  by  her  bedside,  pre- 
tending much  friendly  anxiety.  Now  what  was  the  unfortunate  girl  to 
do  ?  She  now  felt  herself  more  than  ever  in  the  power  of  the  woman  ; 
and  why  now  should  she  fight  and  trouble  herself  about  something  that 
was  already  lost.  Only  once  more  did  the  female  tempter  use  her  elo- 
quence to  submit  to  the  girl  the  alternative  that  now  lay  before  her.  Clara 
sobbed  and  was  silent. 

It  was  the  silence  of  resignation — resignation  to  a  life  of  shame.  The 
crisis  in  her  life  had  come  ! 

Clara  looked  no  more  after  work.  She  had  fine  clothes,  and  she  lived 
at  least  to  all  appearance  free  from  all  care  in  the  intoxication  of  pleasure 
and  amusement.  She  staid  with  Mrs.  N.,  whom  she  had  to  thank  for  her 
fortune  (?)  and  who  did  not  fail  to  find  what  a  source  of  profit  she  had  in 
Clara. 

But  fate  followed  with  rapid  strides  both  on  the  seducer  and  the  seduced. 
One  day  Mrs.  N.  received  a  visit  from  a  man  who  had  known  her  husband 
after  he  had  been  separated  from  her.     Madame  did  not  omit  to  introduce 


358  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

to  her  visitor  Clara,  her  prettiest  lodger.  The  man  grew  pale,  and  looked 
with'  a  piercing  glance  first  at  the  woman,  then  at  the  captivating  beauty- 
of  the  fallen  girl  before  him. 

"  Are  you  the  devil  himself,"  he  cried  out  at  last,  jumping  from  his 
seat,  "  that  you  will  sell  your  own  daughter  to  perdition?" 

Mrs.  N.  screamed,  but  then  tried  to  convince  herself  and  him  that  there 
was  some  mistake,  thereby  hoping  to  silence  her  visitor.  A  full  explana- 
tion followed  and  the  result  at  last  was  the  disclosure  of  the  terrible  fact 
that  Clara  was  indeed  the  daughter  of  the  procuress  ! 

The  following  is  the  key  to  the  solution  of  this  dismal  history  : — 
Mrs.  N.  had  been  separated  from  her  husband  when  Clara  was  a  little 
child.  The  father  kept  his  daughter  and  went  to  a  small  city  out  West  in 
order  to  prevent  his  wife  asserting  any  claim  to  the  child  ;  and  he  lived 
under  another  name.  This  name,  which  was  unknown  to  her  mother, 
Clara  still  bore.  She  had  never  heard  her  father  speak  of  her  mother  and 
believed  in  fact  that  she  was  dead.  It  was  under  these  circumstances  that 
at  the  death  of  her  father  she  came  to  New  York,  where  her  evil  star  took 
her  direct  to  her  mother,  who  under  very  little  disguise  did  the  business  of 
a  procuress. 

The  scene  which  followed  this  disclosure  can  hardly  be  depicted,  nor  is 
it  expedient  to  attempt  so  to  do.  With  the  wretched  woman  who  had 
brought  about  the  ruin  of  her  own  daughter  and  who  in  spite  of  her  utter 
heartlessness  sincerely  bemoaned  the  turn  things  had  taken,  we  will  not 
trouble  ourselves.  Let  us  look  only  at  the  fate  of  the  girl,  who  was  indeed 
to  be  pitied.  With  one  cold  look  after  her  mother  she  left  the  house  never 
to  return.  Her  future  home  was  in  the  streets  and  amid  the  filthiest  dens 
of  prostitution.  It  seemed  as  though  she  sought  forgetfulness  of  the  past 
in  the  deepest  mire  of  vice  ;  for,  after  all,  such  forgetfulness  can  be  the  only 
blessing  which  a  life  like  hers  can  have.  She  found  it  at  last  in  little  less 
than  a  year  under  the  turf  in  a  remote  corner  of  Potter's  Field. 

A  volume  might  be  filled  with  the  disclosures  of  the  tricks  and  pretexts 
with  which  the  ubiquitous  procuress  fastens  herself  on  to  the  tracks  of  the 
innocent  and  seeks  to  hunt  her  to  the  death  like  a  bloodhound  after  the 
fleeing  roe.  But  what  we  have  already  noted  will  suffice  to  lay  bare  the 
detestable  habits  and  occupation  of  the  procuress,  and  to  give  an  idea  of 
the  amount  of  misery  that  springs  out  of  this  trade.  The  chief  task  of  these 
hyenas  in  human  form  is  gradually  to  undermine  the  constancy  of  virtue, 
and  when  weakened  and  wavering,  then  by  well  directed  means  to  bring 
about  a  fall  from  which  there  is  no  recovery.  The  ruined  happiness  of 
thousands  of  families  and,  too,  the  destruction  of  thousands  of  very  often 
the  most  excellent  women  is  often  to  be  traced  to  the  hellish  work  of  the 
procuress  !  It  seems  almost  incredible  that  a  woman  should  make  it  the 
business  of  her  life  to  ruin  and  to  bring  into  a  life  of  shame  the  members 
of  her  own  sex!     And  yet  they  do  it !     But  this  kind  of  traffickers  in. 


PROSTITUTION    AMD    ITS    VICTIMS.  3i9 

!  amao  souls  is  recruited  from  those  classes  of  prostitutes  in  whom  no  spark 
(  f  womanly  honor  ever  gleamed  ;  from  those  classes  who  with  cold  calcula- 
tion  have  devoed  themselves  to  a  life  of  shame  not  from  any  extremity  of 
i  aman  weakness,  hut  through  the  most  ingrained  depravity.  They  are  at 
the  head  of  those  classes  of  prostitutes  who,  as  we  have  said  before,  deserve 
none  of  the  pity,  but  all  the  contempt  and  condemnation  with  which  the 
world  is  prone  to  look  down  upon  the  daughters  of  shame  ! 

It  is  to  these  women  whom  the  proprietors  of  prostitution-houses  of  all 
grades  apply  if  they  find  it  necessary  to  make  a  change  in  their  "  wares" 
or  to  fill  up  any  vacancies  in  their  ranks.  There  are  procuresses  who  con- 
duct their  business  "  wholesale."  These,  by  means  of  male  and  female 
agents  and  associates  extending  over  the  whole  country,  are  in  a  position 
to  fill  with  promptness  any  orders  that  may  be  given  them.  They  are  at 
any  time  ready  to  satisfy  all  demands  in  reference  either  to  the  quantitv 
or  the  quality  of  the  required  "  merchandize."  Thev  are  ready  at  the 
shortest  notice  to  forward  either  any  desired  number  of  freshly  caught,  in- 
nocent girls,  into  the  fashionable  prostitution  palace,  or  a  parcel  of  worn- 
out  prostitutes  to  a  Green  or  Wooster  Street  den.  But  enough  of  this 
painful  subject ;  the  picture  of  human  traffic  in  its  worst  form  !  That  such 
a  traffic  can  exist,  is  the  burning  disgrace  of  an  age  which  imaginary  pride 
has  been  too  often  regarded  as  the  age  of  humauity. 

Another  form  of  prostitution  is  that  met  with  in  Assignation-Ho>i ises . 
By  the  term  assignation-house  is  meant  a  house  in  which  on  the  payment 
of  a  certain  sum  man  and  woman  can  meet  for  improper  purposes  ;  or  a 
house  where,  in  order  to  render  such  meetings  more  easy,  persons  coming 
to  them  are  received  without  their  character  and  purpose  being  taken  into 
consideration  so  long  as  they  pay  for  the  accommodation.  As  will  become 
apparent,  such  houses  as  these,  which  by  right  come  within  the  circle  of 
prostitution,  are  among  the  most  dangerous  to  the  moralitv  of  societv.  In 
this  reference  it  is  a  significant  symptom  that  the  number  of  comraop 
brothels  has  of  late  years  diminished,  while  the  number  of  assignation- 
houses  has  very  much  increased. 

In  respect  to  external  appearance,  assignation-houses  are  of  all  grades, 
from  the  suspicious  looking  den  of  some  remote  street  to  the  elegant  look- 
ing private  house  of  a  fashionable  locality.  They  may  be  conducted  either 
on  the  basis  of  a  public  hotel  or  on  that  of  a  private  establishment  in  its 
widest  signification.  While  to  the  one  anyone  seeking  admission  obtains 
it,  the  doors  of  the  other  are  opened  only  to  those  who  can  produce  refer- 
ences. Many  of  the  smaller  hotels  of  this  city  are,  through  the  lax-way 
in  which  they  are  conducted,  hardly  better  than  assignation-houses.  Eves 
the  first-class  hotels  have  some  difficulty  to  keep  up  their  respectability  in 
this  particular. 

The  hotel  proprietor  for  example  sees  Mr.  X.  arrive  at  the  hotel  with 
Miss  Y.  and  a  travelling-bag;   and  when  they  register  themselves  as  M- 


360  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF     NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

X.  and  wife  he  cannot  possibly  know  that  their  only  object  is  to  find  a 
lovers  rendezvous.  Such  cases  in  themselves  do  not  inflict  any  injury  upon 
a  hotel. 

The  persons  connected  with  a  hotel  have  generally  very  sharp  eyes,  and 
as  a  rule  they  soon  find  out  how  matters  are  by  the  suspicious  embarrass- 
ment that  follows  upon  any  questions  respecting  their  condition.  If  then 
the  case  be  more  than  usually  offensive,  the  pretended  husband  receives 
the  hint  that  he  cannot  have  his  room  any  longer  by  receiving  his  account 
unsolicited. 

But  then  in  contrast  to  such  respectable  hotels  as  these  there  are  others 
which  willingly  and  knowingly  on  the  part  of  their  proprietors  are  nothing 
more  than  assignation-houses  or  the  boarding-houses  of  kept  women.  If 
an  unsuspecting  stranger  comes  into  one  of  these  often  very  pretensious 
looking  hotels,  he  will  be  politely  shown  the  door,  with  the  remark  that 
there  is  no  room.  But  if  he  go  to  the  entrance  of  that  hotel  in  the  even- 
ing, the  deeply  veiled  women  and  the  mysterious  looking  men  who  singly 
or  in  pairs  come  to  the  hotel  in  carriages  will  soon  open  his  eyes  to  the 
reason  why  there  were  no  rooms  in  the  place  for  him. 

A  dangerous  kind  of  public  assignation-house  is  often  to  be  found  in  the 
favorite  excursion  places  outside  of  the  town,  which  enjoy  a  popularity 
among  the  more  lax-elements  of  the  wealthier  classes.  In  such  places 
there  are  often  very  elegint  restaurants  or  refreshment  places  where  at 
any  time  for  money  private  rooms  may  be  obtained  with  the  tacit  under- 
standing, that  nobody  troubles  himself  as  to  what  goes  on  within  the  four 
walls  while  it  is  so  occupied. 

Another  class  of  public  assignation-houses  are  the  so-called  "  bed-houses" 
of  the  city.  The  situation  and  external  appearance  of  these  differ  accord- 
ing to  the  kind  of  people  for  whom  they  are  intended.  This  harmlessly 
sounding  name  covers  in  almost  all  cases  a  very  dirty  business.  They 
are  very  well  known  in  the  neighborhood  where  they  are  and  often  far 
beyond  it.  They  bring  in  large  profits  and  are  often  the  property  of  men 
who  pass  before  the  world  as  being  highly  respectable,  and  who  often  find 
some  widow  fit  for  the  business  to  take  charge  of  the  house. 

But  the  public  never  know  who  the  real  proprietors  are.  They  do  not 
wish  to  be  known.  They  are  too  highly  respectable,  often  they  are  emi- 
nently pious  people,  and  then  they  have  only  established  a  "  sleeping- 
house."  Of  what  actually  goes  on  in  these  sleeping-houses  the  very  respect- 
able men  know  nothing  ;  or  rather  they  refuse  to  know  anything  !  What 
they  do  know  is  that  their  capital  is  invested  at  a  most  profitable  rate  of 
interest,  and  that  suffices  to  silence  any  scruples  that  may  chance  to  affect 
their  tender  consciences. 

As  regards  quiet  and  order,  these  places  are  very  strictly  conducted,  as 
auy  disturbance  would  be  immediately  followed  by  the  place  being  closed 
by  the  police.     The  visitor  cuters  the  front  hall.     If  he  has  rung  the  bell, 


PROSTITUTION    AM'    ITS    I  n   I  IM8. 

there  presently  appears  an  indistinct  form  through  the  darkness  who  either 
briefly  addresses  him  with  the  words  "  no  room"  or  clcc  enquires  of  him 
what  kind  of  room  he  wants.  As  soon  as  the  visitor  lias  paid  the  rent  for 
the  room,  and  this  varies  from  fifty  cents  to  ten  dollars,  lie  is  conducted  to 
the  apartment  where  he  may  remain  either  alone  or  with  his  lady  for  half 
.our  or  throughout  the  whole  night,  if  he  pleases. 

As  must  readily  be  seen  these  Bleeping-houses  are  the  worst  form  ot 
»8signation-house,  which  in  character  come  very  near  to  the  ordinary 
brothel.  At  all  hours  of  the  night  male  or  female  visitors,  alone  or  in 
couples,  may  for  a  mere  payment  obtain  access  to  these  houses,  free  from 
all  enquiries. 

They  are  also  the  places  to  which  a  certain  class  of  street  walkers  take 
the  conquests  they  have  made  upon  the  streets. 

Any  observer  who  would  station  himself  before  one  of  these  houses  in 
the  eveuiug  would  have  an  opportunity  to  make  some  interesting  studies. 
There  for  example  comes  a  girl  scarcely  passed  her  childhood,  followed  by 
a  man  whose  gray  hair  only  too  plainly  endorses  the  truth  of  the  proverb 
that  old  age  does  not  prevent  folly,  or  as  we  have  it  more  tersely  put  "the 
greatest  fools  are  the  old  fools."  The  girl  and  her  companion  obtain 
.admittance  without  any  hesitation.  She  is  a  regular  customer  of  the  house, 
aind  probably  has  a  certain  room  set  apart  there  for  her  own  use  at  a 
-weekly  rental.  A  few  moments  after  a  carriage  drives  up.  A  female 
form  thickly  veiled  skips  out  and  hurries  with  timorous  steps  into  the  dark 
entrance.  She  pays  nothing,  but  merely  mentions  a  name,  upon  which 
an  attendant  figure  procures  a  caudle,  and  followed  by  the  lady,  goes  up 
stairs.  The  lady  has  made  this  a  place  of  meeting  for  one  of  her  admirers, 
who  has  already  secured  a  room  for  the  purpose.  Fashionably  dressed 
men,  their  hats  drawn  down  over  their  faces,  poorly  but  neatly  clad  women, 
many  of  them  seemingly  uncertain  what  they  are  goiug  to  do  a  moment 
before  they  enter  the  house,  are  frequently  making  their  appearance  to  fill 
up  the  house. 

But  how  is  it  with  that  woman  who  has  just  goue  in  in  a  simple  house- 
hold apparel  with  milk  jug,  or  it  may  be  a  market  basket  on  her  arm  ? 
The  basket  or  the  jug  is  in  these  cases  nothing  but  the  disguises  of  matri- 
monial infidelity.  The  husbands  of  these  women  have  perhaps  gone  to 
sleep  after  supper,  wearied  out  with  their  days  work, — or  perhaps  they  are 
buried  deep  in  the  perusal  of  the  news  of  the  day.  This  is  then  the  best 
time  for  these  women  to  make  their  purchases  for  the  following  morning.  (  ?) 
It  is  true  there  is  nothing  in  the  "bed-house"  to  purchase,  but  then  they 
find  there  awaiting  their  arrival  the  lovers  who  had  previously  arranged 
for  a  happy  hour  together.  The  basket,  the  jug,  or  whatever  other  market- 
ing paraphernalia  they  may  carry,  has  no  other  use  than  to  make  the 
departure  aud  stay  of  their  better  half's  plausible  to  the  jealously  disposed 
husl  ;.  ils. 


362  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

These  houses  are  usually  most  lively  about  the  time  that  immediately 
follows  the  closing  of  the  theatres  or  concerts.  Handsome  equipages, 
generally  closely  shut  up,  now  rattle  up  to  the  house  and  out  of  them  very 
often  some  comically  disguised  couples  are  seen  to  slip  into  the  door-way. 
Take  away  the  disguises  and  there  may  be  recognized  a  lady  and  gentle- 
man who  half  an  hour  ago  were  sitting  in  all  their  radiance  in  a  box  at 
the  Academy  of  Music!  Both  are  married  ;  but  of  course  not  intermar- 
ried. 

Their  short  sojourn  in  this  very  modest  house,  still  less  the  purpos2  of 
it,  they  would  not  have  known  to  their  respective  married  partners  for  any 
price  whatever.  The  coachman  knows  very  well  the  character  of  the 
place,  but  he  is  very  safe  and  does  not  talk.  The  more  lively  the  street  in 
which  the  house  is,  and  the  simpler  its  external  appearance,  the  more  it  is 
patronized  by  this  class  of  people.  For  under  those  circumstances  the 
stopping  of  a  carriage  at  the  quiet  entrance  door  or  a  person  going  in  from 
the  crowd  of  foot  passengers  is  much  less  noticeable.  Secrecy  is  always 
and  everywhere  the  best  accomplice  of  sin  ! 

It  may  seem  strange  how  a  house  of  apparently  moderate  size — the 
largest  of  them  contains  about  fifty  rooms — can  in  the  course  of  one  night 
receive  so  large  a  number  of  persons  as  the  looker-on  from  his  point  of 
observation  sees  go  in.  The  matter,  however,  soon  becomes  explicable 
when  he  learns  that  by  far  the  greater  number  of  the  visitors,  although 
they  pay  for  the  room  for  a  whole  night,  stay  no  more  than  an  hour ;  some 
not  more  than  half  an  hour.  This,  together  with  the  high  prices  charged, 
is  also  the  chief  cause  of  the  rich  incomes  which  these  houses  bring ! 

With  respect  to  the  private  assignation-houses,  these  are  found  mostly 
in  the  best  streets,  and  they  have  the  aspect  of  respectable  private  resi- 
dences. In  many  instances  their  appearance  is  so  deceptive  that  even  the 
police  have  been  a  long  time  before  discovering  their  true  character.  The 
interests  of  these  houses  are  promoted  by  avoiding  everything  that  is  cal- 
culated to  create  suspicion. 

The  girl  or  the  woman  as  well  as  the  substantial  old  man,  and  the 
young  one,  too,  who  would  steal  the  forbidden  fruits  of  vice  without  having 
their  character  suffer  before  the  world,  would  hardly  venture  into  a  house 
that  was  in  any  degree  suspected.  For  this  reason,  such  houses,  although 
plain  in  outward  appearance,  are  still  respectable.  The  closed  doors,  and 
the  windows  securely  concealed  by  jalousies  and  blinds,  awaken  the  con- 
fidence of  even  the  most  nervous  of  their  female  visitors.  The  charge 
made  in  such  houses  for  the  use  of  rooms  varies  according  to  the  class  for 
which  it  is  especially  iDtended.  But  in  all  of  them  it  is  so  high  that  the 
revenues  ot  these  places  are  always  very  remunerative. 

But  however  varied  be  the  outside  form  of  the  assignation-houses,  the 
business  for  which  they  are  used  is  everywhere  a  dirty  and  pernicious  one. 
It  is  these  houses  which  have  been  the  means  of  substituting  a  clandestine 


PROSTITUTION    AND    ITS    VICTIMS. 

for  a  public  form  of  prostitution,  one,  too,  whose  poison  bearing  roots  have 
foimd  their  way  into  the  inmost  recesses  of  many  family  circles.  For  it  is 
a  saddening  fact  that  assignation-houses  are  visited  by  women  and  girls  in 
all  stations  of  society,  there  at  the  cost  of  their  honor  aud  purity  to  find 
the  means  of  gratifying  a  list  for  finery  and  pleasure  which  their  husbands 
or  parents  are  not  able  to  afford  them.  The  simple  work  girl,  the  wife  of 
the  mechanic  as  well  as  of  the  rich  merchant  or  tradesman,  are  alike 
among  the  number  of  those  who  in  the  infamous  rooms  of  these  places 
make  a  market  of  the  invaluable  jewel  of  womanhood.  Others  again  think 
to  justify  themselves  in  an  occasional  recourse  to  them  by  the  alternative 
that  is  forced  upon  them  of  either  dying  of  starvation  in  the  streets  or 
obtaining  the  means  of  subsistence  by  the  sale  of  their  honor.  The  assig- 
nation-house is  a  place  of  rendezvous  also  where  faithless  wives  and 
thoughtless  girls  go  to  meet  their  lovers.  When  seen  in  this  light  they  are 
powerful  aids  to  seduction  !  Rich  roues  here  take  their  mistresses,  or 
allure  into  them  fresh  victims  to  their  licentiousness. 

As  scenes  of  the  seduction  of  many  innocent  girls,  assignation-houses  are 
on  all  sides  notorious.  Any  heartless,  ruffian  who  may  have  won  over  the 
affections  of  a  trusting  young  girl,  here  finds  every  facility  for  the  attain- 
ment of  his  infamous  designs.  During  a  walk  with  his  victim,  for  exam- 
ple, he  easily  manages  to  get  her  into  an  assignation-house.  He  says,  for 
instance,  that  his  aunt  lives  here  and  he  wants  to  visit  her  for  a  few  miu- 
utes.  The  street  is  quite  respectable,  the  house  looks  decent  and  good,  and 
the  girl  willingly  goes  in  without  a  though:  beyond.  The  "Madame"  of 
the  establishment  is  already  prepared  for  the  visit.  She  plays  the  part  of 
the  aunt  in  the  most  amiable  manner.  She  entertains  the  visitors  with 
cake  and  wine,  and  well  understands  the  right  moment  when  to  leave  the 
couple  by  themselves.  "The  opportunity  makes  the  thief."  Wine  and 
cake,  especially  when  they  are  specially  prepared  for  the  purpose,  prepare 
the  opportunity  here  which  has  often  before  been  the  ruin  of  many  a 
woman's  virtue  who  without  them  would  have  remained  firm  as  a  rock. 
So  it  is  in  this  case  ; — and  the  girl  leaves  the  house  ruined  !  Official  data 
have  informed  us  that  in  these  houses  wine  and  refreshments,  specially 
prepared  to  facilitate  the  purpose  of  the  seducer,  are  ever  ready  to  be  sup- 
plied to  those  who  will  pay  for  them.  Nay,  many  of  the  proprietors  of 
assignation  houses  go  so  far  as  to  sanction  in  their  rooms  the  forcible  vio- 
lation of  girls  allured  into  them  ;  and  while  no  attention  is  paid  to  their 
supplications  and  calls  for  help,  every  possible  assistance  is  rendered  to  the 
seuucer  for  the  completion  of  his  crime.  Well,  indeed,  is  it  that  all  these 
places  are  not  as  bad  as  this,  but  the  fact  remains,  that  any  man  who  is 
vicious  enough  to  make  use  of  all  the  means  which  these  houses  afford, 
can  at  his  discretion  dispose  of  the  virtue  of  any  girl  who  will  accompany 
him  into  them  ! 

We  could  give  many  illustrations  in  proof  of  this,  but  we  will  limit  our- 


364  THE    DAKK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

selves  to  one  especially  glaring  case  which  created  a  gloomy  sensation 
some  time  ago  :  — 

A  young  man  moving  in  the  higher  circles  of  society  had  a  monomania 
for  seducing  pretty  young  girls  of  nis  acquaintance.  Good  looking,  young, 
and  rich  as  he  was,  the  circles  of  the  best  families  were  open  to  him,  and 
in  these  he  conducted  his  operations  with  the  most  diabolical  calculation. 
With  all  the  art  of  an  adroit  hypocrite  he  first  sought  to  win  the  affections 
of  the  girl  whom  he  selected  for  his  victim.  This  done,  it  was  to  him  an 
easy  matter  to  put  her  on  the  road  to  ruin,  for  which  he  systematical! v 
made  his  arrangements.  A  hotel,  in  other  words  an  assignation-house,  at 
one  of  the  excursion  resorts  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  city,  gave  him  the 
most  favorable  opportunity.  Thither,  with  the  girl  of  his  choice,  he  used 
to  take  quiet  drives,  which  of  course  ended  with  a  little  refreshment  in  the 
private  parlor  of  the  establishment.  There,  too,  when  he  had  stupefied 
his  unsuspecting  companion  by  means  of  wine  prepared  for  the  purpose  so 
that  she  was  quite  uncapable  of  offering  any  resistance,  he  robbed  her  of 
her  honor.  As  soon  as  the  ruined  girl  recovered  her  senses,  he  met  the 
storm  of  tears  and  reproaches  with  the  following  satanic  philosophy : 
"  What  is  done  cannot  be  undone  !  Be  reasonable  about  it.  No  one  knows 
what  has  happened.  If  anything  further  should  follow  I  will  be  answer- 
able for  it.  At  present  it  is  as  much  your  interest  as  mine  that  this  thing 
should  be  kept  quiet ;  and  if  you  are  a  sensible  girl  you  will  not  say  a 
word  to  anybody." 

In  the  short  space  of  one  year  no  less  than  five  bright  and  hopeful  girls 
of  the  best  families  in  the  neighborhood  were  ruined  in  that  same  assigna- 
tion-house  by  this  heartless  fiend.  They  all  remained  silent,  treating  the 
robber  of  their  honor  with  contempt.  His  crimes  would  probably  never 
have  been  known  to  the  world,  if  a  severe  illness,  which  brought  the 
wretch  to  the  brink  of  the  grave,  had  not  driven  him  to  a  full  confession. 
It  must  be  added  here  that  one  of  the  five  girls,  in  whom  other  results  of 
"her  seduction  showed  themselves,  died  at  the  end  of  a  year  of  consump- 
tion ;  a  disease  which  indicated  how  the  seducer  was  responsible  for  the 
consequences  of  his  villainy  ! 

In  the  category  of  assignation-houses  we  must  by  right  include  many 
small  rented  houses.  It  is  difficult  to  recognize  this  kind  of  residence,  and 
to  anyone  looking  for  apartments  for  instance,  even  though  he  be  well 
acquainted  with  the  moral  condition  of  the  city,  it  may  easily  happen  that 
he  falls  across  one  of  these  assignation-places.  Under  the  heading  of 
u  Furnished  rooms  and  apartments  to  let,"  in  the  newspaper  advertise- 
ments, there  are  plenty  of  announcements  which  ought  to  be  a  warning  to 
him  in  his  hunt  for  rooms.  "  A  room  to  let  in  the  house  of  a  widow  liv- 
ing alone," — or : — A  lady  living  by  herself  wants  to  let  one  or  two  rooms 
io  "  respectable  gentlemen"  ; — or  "  Rooms  to  let  in  a  house  where  the 
hoarders  are  not  annoyed  with  obtrusive  questions,"  &c,  &c.     Notices, 


PROSTITUTION    AND    ITS    VICTIMS.  3G5 

such  as   these,  show  only  too  clearly  the   character  of  the   respective  resi- 
dcu 

Hut  advertisements  which  appear  under  the  most  harmless  forms  cou- 
ceivable  have  reference  sometimes  to,  not  only  suspicious  houses,  but  to 
some  of  the  very  worst  kind.  Strangers,  and  especially  ladies  travelling 
alone,  can  never  be  too  cautious  in  the  selection  of  a  place  to  stay  in, 
whether  it  be  a  hotel,  a  boarding  establishment  or  a  private  house  ! 

What  now  we  have  said  with  reference  to  the  subjects  of  assignation- 
places  will  suffice  to  characterise  the  very  worst  form  of  the  so-called 
social  evil. 

These  houses  are  far  more  daugerous  to  the  innocent  and  inexperienced 
than  are  the  public  houses  of  prostitution,  because  their  apparent  respect- 
ability facilitates  seduction,  and  the  allurement  into  them  of  unsuspecting 
victims.  They  are  far  more  pernicious  than  the  worst  dens  of  prostitu- 
tion. For  the  professional  prostitute  is  by  virtue  of  her  vocation  outside 
the  hall  of  society.  She  does  not  come  in  contact  with  the  purer  elements 
of  it  at  least  and  consequently  her  harmful  influence  is  more  limited.  But 
it  is  quite  otherwise  with  the  female  visitors  of  the  assignation-house. 
These,  after  they  have  been  making  themselves  the  instruments  of  prostitu- 
tion, return  to  the  hallowed  ground  of  social  life  ;  back  into  the  family 
circle,  where  they  carry  the  germs  of  the  physical  and  moral  contamina- 
tion of  prostitution. 

Be  it  now  remembered  that  the  number  of  assignation-houses,  well 
known  to  be  such,  is  at  the  least  a  hundred  ; — let  it  be  remembered,  too, 
that  the  female  depravity  which  is  represented  in  them  is  proportionally 
greater  than  even  that  on  the  part  of  the  men  ;  and  further  that  the  princi- 
pal patrons  of  such  places  are  found  among  the  married  men  and  women 
of  the  more  prosperous  classes  of  the  community,  and  no  one  then  will 
think  us  in  error  when  we  declare  the  assignation  business  to  be  the  very 
worst  form  of  the  social  evil.  A  remedy  for  this  kind  of  prostitution  is 
unfortunately  the  more  difficult  since  the  mischief  works  in  concealment, 
and  the  sin  hides  itself  on  its  secret  path  under  the  mantle  of  hypocrisy. 

Here  again  looms  up  the  question  of  the  superiority  of  the  white  over  the 
colored  race.  But  if  now  we  give  to  the  colored  street-women  a  special 
notice,  the  reader  is  not  to  conclude  that  we  admit  any  difference  in  the 
degree  of  degradation  on  the  part  of  the  women,  merely  because  the  one  is 
in  a  white  skin  and  the  other  in  a  black  one.  "We  hold  that  the  vocation 
of  both  of  them  is  alike  shameful.  But  it  is,  nevertheless,  a  fact  that  the 
colored  street  walkers  put  their  calling  before  the  public  eye  in  a  manner 
which  sinks  them  to  the  lowest  ranks  of  prostitution,  and  so  makes  them 
appear  in  a  conspicuous  group  by  themselves. 

To  understand  this,  it  is  not  necessary  to  judge  from  every  colored  pro- 
stitute who  may  be  seen  any  evening  promenading  Broadway  or  other  well 
requeuted  streets.     There  they  come   under  the   strict  eye  of  the  police. 


306 


THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YOKK    LIFE. 


and  they  know  that  any  transgression  beyond  a  certain  limit  of  demeanor 
win  be  followed  by  their  arrest.  It  is  not  here  then  that  we  must  look  for 
the  difference  between  the  white  and  the  colored  street  walkers.  To  dis- 
cover this,  one  must  go  to  their  own  lodgings  and  to  the  headquarters  of 
colored  prostitution  and  there  observe  their  ways. 

For  this  purpose  we  should  select  that  part  of  the  city  lying  between 
Thompson,  Sullivan,  Broome  and  Grand  Streets,  which,  having  the  form 
of  an  arch  from  Thompson  to  Sullivan  Streets,  has  been  named  the  "Arch 
Block."  Since  they  began  to  clear  away  the  dens  of  the  "  Five  Points"  in 
-order  to  make  new  streets,  the  neighborhood  of  the  Arch  Block  has  been 
chiefly  resorted  to  by  those  centres  of  vice  and  crime  which  before  resided 
in  the  Five  Points.  There  it  is  that  the  moral  dregs  of  New  York  show 
themselves  in  their  most  concentrated  form  ; — and  there,  too,  it  is  that  the 
colored  street  walkers  exhibit  themselves  as  a  conspicuous  feature  of  New 
York  prostitution. 

What  strikes  one  at  the  very  first  step  into  this  region  is  the  great  num- 
ber of  colored  people  who  are  living  there.  Almost  half  the  inhabitants 
are  colored,  and  they  belong  to  the  most  degraded  and  wretched  class.  At 
present,  however,  we  are  concerned  with  only  the  female  portion  of  them 
and  to  these  we  turn  for  the  present  our  chief  attention.  Hardly  is  the 
twilight  npon  us,  before  there  emerge  from  the  several  doors  female  forms 
of  various  lines,  from  raven  black  to  a  waxen  yellow  ;  and  they  stalk  along 
the  streets  in  trailing  groups.  Every  man  they  meet  is  stared  at  with 
brazen  impudence  long  before  they  come  up  to  him  ;  and  as  they  approach 
nearer  he  is  met  with  obscene  looks  and  gestures  or  with  yet  more  obscene 
remarks.  One  need,  indeed,  be  no  paragon  of  virtue  to  be  filled  with  the 
deepest  disgust  for  a  vice  which  meets  us  here  in  such  a  beastly  form. 
The  wise  man  will  go  his  way  as  though  he  neither  hears  nor  sees  any- 
thing ! 

If,  however,  any  one  should  speak  to  these  creatures,  and  if  at  last  he 
should  refuse  to  follow  them,  he  would  receive  a  perfect  hurricane  of  curses 
and  invectives  as  a  farewell  greeting.  And  it  is  these  black  street  women 
whom  oae  must  hear  curse  and  swear  in  order  to  learn  how  much  that  is 
disgusting  and  horrible  the  human  fancy  can  devise  in  the  form  of  words ! 
But  it  is  not  only  in  the  streets  that  colored  prostitution  presents  itself  in 
this  loathsome  form !  Faces  bloated  with  vice  and  drink  stare  at  the 
passer-by  out  of  the  dirty  windows  of  filthy  dens  and  with  shameless  impu- 
dence invite  him  in.  He  must  be  a  brave  man  who,  with  his  senses  clear, 
would  accept  such  an  invitation.  Filth  and  the  most  horrible  stench  keep 
guard  over  the  entrance  and  frighten  away  all  but  those  who  with  the  most 
iron  nerves  are  ready  to  suffer  much  in  order  to  study  this  phase  of  the 
nether  life  of  New  York.  Even  old  experienced  policemen,  men  who  have 
been  accustomed  to  these  scenes  of  vice  and  crime,  declare  that  the  trade 
-of  the  colored  prostitutes  in  the  Arch  Block  is  a  most  fearful  one. 


PROSTITUTION    AND    ITS    VICTIMS. 


367 


There  arc  white  street  walkers  whose  conduct  is  not  one  whit  less 
loathsome  than  that  here  depicted.  But  these  are  only  exceptional,  and 
in  no  part  of  the  city  do  the  white  street  prostitutes  appear  as  a  body  in 
Midi  a  shameless  form.  Fortunately  this  form  of  colored  prostitution  is 
confined  entirely  to  a  limited  portion  of  the  city,  where  it  is  comparatively 
withdrawn  from  public  view  and  where  its  pestiferous  influence  can  only 
be  exercised  over  the  same  restricted  district.  Nevertheless  it  is  much  to 
be  wished  that  the  police  would,  with  the  least  possible  delay,  clear  out 
these  colored  prostitutes  from  the  limits  of  the  "Arch  Block,"  since  they 
certainly  ought  not  to  be  allowed  to  surpass  with  impunity  even  the  worst 
of  their  sisters  in  shame. 

We  have  now  considered  the  subject  of  prostitution  in  all  the  different 
forms  in  which  it  presents  itself  to  the  observer.  We  have  recognized  it 
as  a  dangerous  canker  which  is  ever  gnawing  deeper  and  deeper  into  the 
body  of  society  and  threatening  to  instill  its  poison  through  the  whole 
organism.  The  next  question  now  is,  whether  there  is  any  remedy  against 
this  evil,  and  if  so,  whether  it  is  really  necessary  ;  whether  nothing  cau  be 
done  to  regulate  it  and  to  limit  its  dangerous  consequences?  Unfortunately 
we  must  confess,  that  prostitution,  an  out-growth  of  our  unnatural  and 
preposterous  social  circumstances,  will  be  a  necessary  evil  just  so  long  as 
that  unnatural  perverseness  of  condition  remains.  And  from  this  point  of 
view  it  must  be  evident  that  many  generations  will  pass  before  any  marked 
change  can  be  effected. 

We  look  upon  the  total  abolition  of  the  evil  of  prostitution  only  as  a 
pleasant  dream,  purely  chimerical,  and  we  concern  ourselves  only  with  the 
question  whether  and  by  what  means  the  evil,  as  it  is,  can  be  regulated 
and  restricted.  That  such  regulation  and  restriction  are  possible,  is  shown 
to  us  in  many  of  the  States  of  Europe,  and  also,  indeed,  upon  at  least  one 
portion  of  American  soil,  where  an  experiment  has  beeu  tried  after  the 
European  model  with  most  encouraging  results.  These  results  are  in  fact 
so  striking  that  they  cannot  be  gainsaid  nor  ignored. 

They  are  glaringly  opposed  to  the  favorite  assertion  of  certain  American 
moral-philosophers,  that  any  regulation  having  for  its  object  the  allevia. 
tion  of  prostitution  and  the  making  it  less  dangerous,  is  nothing  else  than 
holding  out  an  encouragement  to  vice,  and  that  consequently  its  increase 
must  follow.  "  Every  man  who  sins,"  say  these  good  and  pious  people, 
u  must  suffer  the  consequences  which  God  has  ordained  as  the  punishment 
and  warning  to  that  particular  sin." 

In  opposition  to  this  theory,  experience  has  shown  that  rational,  legal 
regulations  have  had  the  effect  of  lessening  prostitution  and  alleviating  its 
pernicious  consequences  in  a  comparatively  short  space  of  time.  The  care- 
fully collected  data  of  the  medical  faculties  in  many  of  the  large  European 
towns,  notably  in  Berlin,  have  demonstrated  this  unanswerably. 

To  furnish  all  the  details  here  would  lead  us  too  far  beyond  our  purpose. 


3G8  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF     NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

We  cannot,  however,  omit  to  give  the  results  of  an  experiment,  based  upoa 
the  European  model,  which  has  been  tried  in  St.  Louis. 

Some  two  and  a  half  years  ago  the  City  Council  of  St.  Louis  passed  a 
law  for  the  regulation  of  the  social  evil,  of  which  the  following  are  the- 
essential  points  : — 

Every  house  devoted  to  purposes  of  prostitution,  from  the  most  fashion- 
able down  to  the  very  lowest,  must  be  registered  by  the  police  and  also  by 
the  clerk  of  Board  of  Health,  and  it  is  then  subjected  to  continual  inspec- 
tion. Whenever  a  house  is  newly  devoted  to  the  purpose,  information 
must  be  given  to  the  police.  Every  woman  who  takes  such  a  house  must 
at  once  notify  the  police  and  give  full  information  as  to  her  family  affairs 
and  other  circumstances.  Changes  of  residence  can  only  be  made  with  the 
express  sanction  of  the  police  made  in  writing.  For  sanitary  inspection 
the  city  is  divided  into  four  districts,  and  for  each  of  these  an  inspecting 
physician  is  appointed,  whose  duty  it  is  to  examine  every  prostitute  in  his 
district  once  a  week.  If  any  are  unwell,  they  are  immediately  removed 
to  the  hospital,  where  they  have  to  remain  till  completely  recovered.  The 
healthy  women  receive  a  certificate  from  the  physician  which  they  are 
required  to  show  to  the  police  at  any  time  when  it  is  wanted,  and  also 
when  they  change  their  residence.  Every  breach  of  these  regulations  is 
met  by  a  severe  punishment.  Besides  this  the  law  provides  for  the  erec- 
tion of  a  "  Magdalene  Hospital",  that  is  a  hospital  for  the  reception  of  pro- 
stitutes who  are  sexually  diseased,  and  a  reform  school  for  the  improve- 
ment and  advantage  of  neglected  girls  who,  left  to  themselves,  are  in  danger 
of  becoming  the  irretrievable  victims  of  prostitution.  By  this  law  the  cost 
of  maintenance  of  the  hospital  and  the  reform  school  is  defrayed  out  of  a 
small  tax  collected  every  week  from  all  the  prostitutes  in  the  city. 

Now  let  us  see  how  this  law  has  worked.  The  last  registration  of  pro- 
stitutes made  at  the  beginning  of  the  year  in  St.  Louis  gives  us  some  in- 
formation to  the  point : — Although  the  law  had  only  been  in  operation  about 
two  years  and  a  half,  yet  it  appears  that  in  that  short  space  of  time  the 
number  of  public  prostitutes  had  diminished  by  150.  This,  however,  may 
be  regarded  a  comparatively  small  matter.  Of  much  more  importance  is 
the  result  of  the  police  and  health  inspection  of  prostitutes.  To  this  inspec- 
tion we  are  indebted  for  the  fact  that,  according  to  the  opinion  of  the  most 
noted  physicians  in  St.  Louis,  the  pestilence  of  what  are  called  secret 
diseases  have  been  diminished  by  more  than  fifty  per  cent.  Whoever 
knows  the  pernicious  effects,  carried  down  for  several  generations  of  this 
class  of  diseases,  though  they  are  too  little  appreciated  alas  !  will  award 
the  fullest  measure  of  approval  to  a  law  which  has  done  so  much  for  their 
removal.  And  not  only  is  no  expense  thereby  by  the  city  government,  but 
the  taxes  or  fees  that  are  raised  furnish  a  surplus,  which  in  the  manner 
provided  by  law  is  used  for  the  further  controlling  and  prevention  of  the 
evil. 


PROOTTIUTIOM    AND    IT-    VICTIMS, 

Notwithstanding  this  satisfactory  result  of  tlie  experiment  at  St.  Louis, 
no  notice  has  been  taken  of  it  in  New  York  !  Our  legislators  persist  in 
the  convenient  system  of  ignoring  the  fact!  The  only  notice  they  have 
L-iven  to  the  evil  thus  far,  consists  in  the  passage  of  a  law  whereby  any 
woman  is  prohibited  from  "  addressing  men  on  the  public  streets  for  the 
purpose  of  soliciting  prostitution"  !  The  execution  of  this  ridiculous  and 
almost  impracticable  law  is  then  left  to  the  police.  How  these  officials 
carry  it  out  is  well  known.  Accordiug  to  their  own  good  pleasure  they 
either  do  nothing,  or  they  allow  their  zeal  for  duty  to  break  out  by  fits  and 
starts,  just  to  remind  the  poor  victims  of  shame  of  the  necessity  for  closing 
the  eyes  of  the  law  to  their  actions  by  some  tribute  from  their  earnings. 
In  like  manner  is  the  law  maintained  with  reference  to  houses  of  prostitu- 
tion and  similar  places  against  which  the  police  only  apparently  interfere 
when  any  complaint  is  made  against  one  of  them  as  a  public  nuisance. 
Such  a  complaint,  and  as  a  consequence  the  surprise  of  such  a  house  by 
the  police,  is  not,  however,  delayed  very  long,  if  the  proprietress  of  the 
place  should  long  omit  to  provide  the  police  captain  of  the  district  with 
evidence  of  the  "  responsible  nature"  of  her  establishment  in  the  matter  of 
dollars  and  cents.  Houses  which  are  not  tardy  nor  niggardly  in  this 
respect  are  seldom  called  upon  to  resist  the  charge  of  being  a  "  nuisance." 

In  a  word,  the  law  as  it  exists  for  the  u  regulation"  of  prostitution  in 
New  York,  makes  the  evil  appear  somewhat  in  the  light  of  milch  cow,  kept 
for  the  special  behoof  and  to  serve  the  interests  of  the  police,  rather  than 
a  means  for  restraining  and  controlling  an  evil  in  the  interests  of  the  com- 
munity. 

What,  for  example,  is  the  use  of  those  raids  on  the  part  of  the  police, 
through  which  from  time  to  time  whole  ranks  of  street  walkers  and  resi- 
dents of  brothels  are  brought  up  at  the  station  houses?  The  unfortunate 
girls,  under  the  form  of  a  fine,  are  only  robbed  of  the  money  they  have 
hardly  earned  at  the  cost  of  honor  and  happiness,  or  they  are  sent  to  Black- 
well's  Island,  soon  to  be  thrown  back  again  upon  the  world  poorer,  more 
degraded,  and  more  hopeless,  than  they  were  before.  Better,  far  better 
would  it  be  to  give  the  poor  girls  support  or  assistance  to  enable  them  to 
return  to  an  honorable  life  ;  for  with  that  the  police  would  have  nothing 
left  to  do.  By  such  raids  the  police  only  give  to  the  devotees  of  Venus  an 
illustration  of  their  authority,  and  to  the  public,  in  default  of  something 
better,  a  proof  of  their  zealous  attention  to  duty.  As  for  the  evil  itself 
they  have  not  remedied  it  one  iota  !  Prostitution  fastens  itself  on  to  us 
like  a  great  social  disease,  and  it  is  as  easy  to  uproot  it  by  means  of  the 
policeman's  club,  as  it  would  be  to  cure  small-pox  or  cholera  by  the  same 
means. 

So  far  as  the  authorities  are  concerned,  it  is  evident  then  that  up  to  the 
present  time  less  than  nothing  has  been  done  to  check  the  progress  of  tha 
social  evil.     Private  societies,  powerful  though  they  be,  to  aid  a  work  so 

24 


370  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF   NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

expedient  and  proper,  have  with  all  their  energy  and  good  will  shown  thus 
far  very  small  results.  The  evil  is  so  deep  and  so  wide  spread  that  no 
private  measures  can  by  themselves  suffice  to  reach  its  roots. 

In  New  York  there  are  such  private  societies  devoted  to  the  very  good 
purpose  of  giving  an  asylum  to  repentant  prostitutes,  by  means  of  which 
the  return  to  an  honorable  life  may  be  made  possible,  or  its  difficulties 
very  much  diminished.  The  most  important  of  these  is  a  society  which 
has  been  in  existence  about  thirty-nine  years  and  which  has  its  establish- 
ment at  the  corner  Eighty-eighth  Street  and  Fifth  Avenue.  It  is  known 
as  the  u  New  York  Magdalene  Benevolent  Society"  ;  and  is  managed  by 
two  directors,  a  treasurer,  two  secretaries,  and  27  members  of  committee, 
all  of  which  offices  are  held  by  ladies.  To  these  there  are  added  seven 
male  members  of  committee,  whose  advice  in  the  management  is  always 
available  when  required. 

According  to  the  annual  statement  of  May  6th,  1871,  there  were  at  that 
time  42  girls  in  the  asylum,  and  according  to  the  yearly  report  of  May 
6th,  1872,  the  number  of  those  who  had  been  admitted  during  the  year 
was  154.  Of  these  58  had  been  put  into  variou&  situations,  25  went  to 
their  relations,  50  left  the  institution  of  their  own  accord,  and  8  were 
expelled  either  as  irreclaimable,  or  as  injuring  the  other  inmates  by  their 
bad  example. 

It  is  clear  that  so  far  the  result  is  encouraging  and  would  be  yet  more 
favorable,  if  the  management  were  placed  upon  a  basis  exclusively  of 
humanity  and  not  as  it  is  upon  one  of  bigoted  sectarianism.  The  girls  in 
the  establishment  receive  every  day  instructions  in  necessary  branches  of 
knowledge  ;  while  sermons,  bible  explanations,  bible  readings,  and  prayers, 
form  part  of  the  days  discipline  under  the  guidance  of  a  chaplain  especially 
appointed.  The  remainder  of  the  time  is  occupied  by  the  residents  in  a 
manner  which  is  intended  to  give  them  the  means  of  earning  an  honest 
living  when  they  leave  the  asylum. 

Working  to  the  same  end  as  this  asylum,  there  are  others,  but  all  are  of 
a  strictly  sectarian  character.  Perhaps  the  most  efficacious  of  these  is  the 
"  Midnight  Mission,"  situated  most  judiciously  in  Green  Street,  in  the 
midst  of  the  most  notorious  houses  of  prostitution  in  the  city.  This  is  still 
a  young  institution,  not  having  been  established  more  than  five  years. 
The  building  is  calculated  to  receive  about  fifty  "  Magdalenes."  Daring 
the  brief  period  of  its  existence  it  has  received  into  its  apartments  more 
than  a  hundred  penitent  sinners,  and  it  has  either  placed  a  large  number 
of  those  into  honorable  situations  or  returned  them  to  their  families.  The 
means  and  methods  by  which  these  societies  carry  out  their  purpose  of 
propagandism  among  the  fallen  women  are  exceedingly  interesting.  Every 
Friday  evening  the  missionaries  of  the  city  go  into  the  various  dens  of 
prostitution,  or  search  through  the  streets,  and  by  printed  invitations  they 
call  upon  all  the  prostitutes  they  meet  to  come  to  a  tea-party  between  two 


CONCERT   SALOON8.  .">7l 

and  tour  o'clock  at  night  in  the  mission  building,  2(>0  Green  Street.  Those 
who  accept  the  invitation  (and  many  of  them  by  this  means  first  learn  of 
tiie  existence  of  the  mission)  are  received  in  a  most  friendly  manner  by 
the  friends  of  the  society,  ladies  and  gentlemen,  and  refreshment!  are  sup- 
plied to  them.  There  is  no  constraint.  Any  prostitute  may  leave  the 
house  again  at  any  moment  she  chooses.  No  one  needs  to  stay  long  with- 
out feeling  herself  induced  to  remain  by  kind  persuasions  and  representa- 
tions. The  mission  closes  its  nightly  meetings  with  simple  prayers. 
Penitents  who  wish  to  be  admitted  receive  protection  and  shelter  in  the 
building  and  work  suited  to  their  abilities,  one  half  of  the  proceeds  of 
which  goes  to  the  girls  themselves  and  the  other  half  is  applied  to  the  pur- 
poses of  the  mission. 

Still  the  work  done  by  these  private  societies  remains,  as  must  be  evi- 
dent, only  a  limited  and  superficial  one.  It  nips  off,  so  to  speak,  here  and 
there  a  bud  from  the  upas  tree  of  prostitution,  while  the  roots  thrive  unin- 
jured, and  bear  new  shoots.  We  can  only  look  for  more  definite  results 
in  the  combating  of  this  evil  to  the  time  when  the  powerful  influence  of  the 
law  is  directed  emphatically  to  the  task.  In  the  face  of  the  admirable 
results  of  the  example  set  us  at  St.  Louis,  it  is  incomprehensible  that  this 
has  not  been  already  done  in  New  York  !  The  call  for  reform  in  the  field 
of  politics  is  loud  and  general.  It  is  re-echoed  in  the  daily  press,  aud 
from  the  public  rostrum.  And  in  the  social  field  reform  is  none  the  less 
needed,  although  at  the  best  we  hear  only  here  and  there  a  single  voice 
raised  in  its  favor.  It  is  high  time  to  begin  an  agitation  for  the  reform  of 
our  social  condition  ;  and  the  first  object  of  it  must  be  the  restriction  and 
alleviation  of  what  is  so  characteristically  termed  the  social  evil. 


CONCERT  SALOONS. 

The  subject  of  the  present  chapter  sounds,  in  comparison  with  that  of 
the  one  just  concluded,  quite  harmless. 

But  appearances  are,  in  this  case,  very  deceptive,  and  the  name  "  Con- 
cert Saloon"  is  in  fact  but  a  glaring  lie.  "  Dens  of  thieves  and  prostitutes" 
or  "  Hot-beds  of  corruption  and  infamy"  would  be  a  much  more  applicable 
term  for  these  places,  in  which,  under  an  apparently  harmless  name,  the 
most  pernicious  business  is  concealed.  Why  they  should  be  called  "  Con- 
cert Saloons,"  Heaven  only  knows  !  Very  few  of  them  are  anything  better 
than  musty  cellars;   which,   when  necessiry,  are  decorated   with   tinseU 


872  TUE    DAKK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

The  trinkling  and  mournful  scraping  of  an  old  worn-out  piano  and  of  a 
fiddle  out  of  time,  make  a  mockery  of  a  concert,  and  are  much  more  fit  to 
drive  anyone  with  an  ear  for  music  to  the  verge  of  desperation. 

If  exceptionally,  now  and  again,  one  may  hear  music  which  merits  the 
name,  it  is  because  some  musical  genius  has  drifted  into  the  place  to  use 
the  piano  or  the  violin  as  a  means  to  gratify  a  morbid  proclivity  to  drink. 
What  is  it  then  that  gives  to  these  places  their  attractiveness,  which,  for  a 
certain  section  of  the  public  they  undoubtedly  have,  and  which  has  made 
them  one  of  the  sensations  among  the  lower  strata  of  New  York  life.  This 
question  will  best  be  auswered  by  a  more  intimate  examination  of  the 
places  themselves  and  of  what  goes  on  within  them. 

It  may  be  about  fifteen  years  ago  that  an  enterprising  Philadelphiau 
opened  a  new  place  of  amusement  on  Broadway  under  the  name  of  the 
"  Melodeon,"  in  the  situation  formerly  occupied  as  the  "  Chinese  Assembly 
Rooms."  The  idea  of  this  place  was  taken  from  the  London  Concert 
Halls  ;  but  it  became  the  pioneer  of  the  many  dens  which  in  the  course  of 
a  year  sprang  into  existence  under  the  name  of  "  concert  saloons."  Like 
many  of  the  imitations  which  the  new  world  makes  from  the  old  world, 
this  Melodeon  comprised  all  that  was  bad  with  nothing  that  is  good  in  the 
models  from  which  it  was  taken.  New  York  had  no  reason  to  bless  her- 
self at  this  acquisition,  and  very  soon  the  new  "  concert  saloon"  was  the 
rendezvous  for  all  the  most  doubtful  elements  in  the  community. 

The  speculative  proclivities  of  the  American  soon,  however,  led  to  the 
discovery  that  the  idea  might  be  improved  upon  and  it  was  not  long  before 
such  an  "  improvement"  was  brought  into  being.  It  was  this  which  under 
the  name  "  Gaieties"  soon  became  a  notorious  imitation  of  the  Melodeon 
on  Broadway  ;  but  its  attractions  were  increased  by  the  introduction  of 
girls  dressed  in  theatrical  style,  whose  duty  it  was  to  wait  upon  the  guests, 
and  who  became  known  as  the  u  pretty  waiter-girls."  Thus  the  "  pretty 
waiter-girl"  business  became  inaugurated.  The  offspring  was  worthy  of 
its  parent.  The  custom  did  not  decline.  The  "  pretty  waiter-girls"  who 
on  the  opening-evening  had  been  presented  to  the  public  at  the  "  Gaieties" 
were  taken  from  the  ranks  of  the  most  notorious  prostitutes,  just  as  it  is 
from  those  self  same  ranks  that  they  are  recruited  to  this  day.  The  thing 
paid  ;  and  the  "  Gaieties"  soon  took  the  shape  of  one  of  the  sensations  of 
New  York. 

Other  imitations  were  not  long  in  making  their  appearance,  and  the 
number  of  concert  saloons  with  "  pretty  waiter-girls"  went  on  increasing 
from  year  to  year,  till  now  they  number  somewhere  about  eighty  or  a 
hundred. 

Broadway,  Chatham  Street,  the  lower  Bowery,  and  other  of  the  most 
frequented  streets  are  blessed  with  them.  On  Broadway,  in  the  neighbor- 
hood of  Broome  Street  to  Amity  Street,  and  in  an  extent  of  less  than  a 
mile,  the  observer   may  count  some  twenty  of  these  saloons.     In  accord- 


I  o\(  r.ur    6  LLOOM8.  olQ 

With  their  character  as  moral  pitfalls  thoy  usually  occupy  the  base- 
ment floors,  to  which  you  have  to  descend  from  the  pavement  by  a  flight 
of*  steps.  During  the  day,  when  the  eye  is  pre-occupied  by  the  glitter  and 
activity  of  business,  the  foot  passenger  will  hardly  notice  the  quiet  and 
death-breathing  entrances  of  these  saloons.  But  in  the  evening,  when 
business  places  are  closed  and  black  iron  shutters  take  the  place  of  the 
bright  display  just  before  made  in  the  shop  windows,  the  matter  is  quite 
different.  Now  a  sea  of  light  streams  out  from  these  moral  cesspools,  and 
flaming  gaslights,  Chinese  lanterns,  and  colored  transparencies  attract  the 
attention  of  even  the  most  hasty  passer-by.  Then  out  of  the  depths  comes 
the  continual  trinkle  of  the  so-called  music,  and  if  we  stop  for  a  moment 
we  can  see  a  number  of  female  forms  hovering  about,  clad  in  a  form  ot 
costume  which  we  might  naturally  expect  to  find  in  a  ballet  company,  but 
not  in  a  Broadway  cellar.  One  of  these  "  concert  saloons,"  the  "  Canter- 
bury," which  was  both  the  most  dazzling  fitted  and  the  largest  of  these 
places,  occupied  the  first  floor  of  a  respectable  looking  building,  and  was 
especially  remarkable  for  the  multitude  of  gaslights  and  transparencies 
flaming  and  glaring  about  the  entrance. 

As  regards  the  allurements  they  offer,  the  Bowery  saloons,  and  still  less 
those  on  Chatham  Street  cannot  compare  with  their  fellows  on  Broadway. 
In  respect  to  the  depravity  of  their  purposes,  and  the  danger  they  present 
to  public  morality,  all  are  on  the  same  grade.  The  filthiest  den  in  Chatham 
Street  and  the  showy  rooms  of  the  "  Canterbury"  may  go  hand  in  hand  as 
sisters  of  equal  privileges  in  this  particular  at  least. 

It  is  difficult  to  give  any  definite  description  of  the  kind  of  business  that 
goes  on  in  these  places.  It  varies  very  much  according  to  circumstances. 
It  might  happen,  for  example,  that  a  description  given  by  an  observer  yes- 
terday, if  he  were  to  visit  the  same  place  again  to-morrow,  would  be  found 
then  severe  and  unjust.  A  quite  impartial  picture  might  be  drawn  repre- 
senting the  "  saloon"  as  at  least  not  very  indecent ;  while  on  the  very  next 
evening  a  visitor  would  find  it  the  scene  of  the  wildest  orgies.  This,  how- 
ever, is  easily  explained.  If  the  police  have  been  sleeping  a  long  sleep, 
so  that  the  occupants  of  the  saloon,  too,  come  to  slumber  in  a  feeling  of 
security,  the  ballet  dresses — never  too  long — of  the  "  pretty  waiter-girls" 
grow  shorter  and  shorter,  and  the  more  they  take  off  of  their  little  petti- 
coats, the  more  they  add  on  to  their  own  impudence  and  shamelessness, 
which  under  the  circumstances  soon  get  beyond  bounds  on  the  part  of  both 
the  "girls"  and  the  "guests."  Immodesty  throws  off  as  it  were  the  last 
fig  loaf  and  sensuality,  stimulated  by  drink,  celebrates  a  night  revelry  of 
demons.  As  soon  as  the  evil  reaches  this  terrible  height,  the  press  begins 
to  dole  out  its  moral  wailings  and  at  last,  if  nothing  better,  they  arouse 
the  good  police  out  of  their  slumbers.  Those  blue-coated  gentlemen  now 
disturb  a  few  of  the  places,  and  an  unmistakable  change  takes  place  iu  the 
t  st     The  hitherto  microscopic  dresses  of  the  "pretty  waiter-girls*1  creep 


C74  THE    DARK    SIDE    OP    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

rip  modestly  even  till  they  begin  to  cover  their  bosoms  ;  while  the  petti- 
coats go  down  according  to  the  degree  of  the  threatening  danger  either  to- 
the  knees  or  perhaps  even  to  the  ankles. 

At  the  same  time  the  conduct  of  the  girls  becomes  more  guarded,  and 
they  only  approach  those  men  who  are  habitual  visitors  to  the  saloon. 
After  such  a  paroxysm  of  virtue  as  this  the  police  once  more  draw  their 
night  caps  down  over  their  eyes,  and  the  old  scandal  goes  on  again 
throughout. 

The  general  picture  which  we  here  put  forward  of  the  proceedings  in 
these  "  concert  saloons"  is  self-evidently  one  which  presents  itself  as  a  rule 
after  a  long  apathy  on  the  part  of  the  police.  If  we  go  into  one  of  these 
places,  so  thickly  frequented  every  evening,  we  find  there  a  well  provided 
bar,  a  number  of  tables  spread  about  over  the  room  with  chairs  for  the 
visitors,  a  kind  of  platform  with  a  piano  and  perhaps  a  couple  of  desks  for 
stringed  or  wind  instruments.  Very  often,  too,  in  a  back  room  is  a  stage 
for  dramatic  (?)  performances  and  dancing.  A  peculiar  feature  in  the 
large  concert  saloons  consists  of  small  closed  apartments,  the  furniture  of 
which  consists  of  a  table,  two  chairs,  and  a  sofa.  A  notice  indicates  that 
these  apartments  are  "  wine  roor„s."  The  name,  however,  merely  serves 
as  a  cover  to  the  special  purpose  for  which  they  are  provided  ;  and  nobody 
will  be  left  in  ignorance  of  that  purpose  who  will  notice  the  various  couples 
who  withdraw  into  them.  Very  often  in  these  concert  saloons  there  is 
also  a  room  set  apart  for  gambling.  The  wails  are  covered  with  paintings 
of  all  colors,  representing  scenes  of  a  very  uoubtful,  sometimes  of  a  very 
disgusting  character. 

What  passes  in  these  saloons  for  music  we  have  already  briefly  noticed. 
We  turn,  therefore,  now  to  the  great  attraction  of  the  place,  the  "pretty 
waiter-girls."  These  make  their  appearance  for  the  most  part  in  fancy 
dresses,  which  may  vary  from  a  national  costume  with  very  short  petti- 
coats to  an  extremely  reduced  ballet  dress.  In  most  of  them  the  dress  is 
in  truth  nothing  to  speak  of.  That  these  half-naked  creatures  are  at  least 
in  one  sense  waiter-girls,  is  evident  from  the  fact  that  we  see  them  dis- 
tributing the  foaming  beer  and  the  golden  wine  to  the  several  visitors  as 
soon  as  they  sit  down  before  the  tables.  But  it  is  not  so  clear  where  the 
term  "  pretty"  comes  from.  Beauty  and  the  freshness  of  youth  are  very 
rare  articles  among  the  "  pretty  waiter-girls."  We  can  hardly  find  one 
anywhere  who  in  spite  of  paint  and  gaslight,  and  seen  at  a  suitable  dis. 
tance,  would  justify  the  application  of  "pretty." 

Generally  they  are  impudent  looking  girls,  their  faces  bloated  with  vice 
and  drink,  their  figures  various  ;  and  they  very  unpleasantly  disappoint  the 
visitor  who  should  go  into  such  a  place  with  excited  expectations  about 
iemale  beauty.  It  is  only  to  the  most  animal  organization  that  any  attract 
tiveness  can  be  suggested  in  a  low  prostitute,  dressed  in  the  very  minimum 


CONCERT    SALOONS.  >.   t 

of  a  ballet  costume,  and  whose   nakedness  to  any  nature  less  rough  than 
ber  own  can  only  be  disgusting  and  repulsive. 

Such,  however,  are  the  "  pretty  waiter-girls"  of  our  concert  saloons  ! 
They  wait  upon  the  guests  as  they  arrive,  and  bring  them  M  drinks"  from 
t he  bar  ;  behind  which  are  the  proprietor  and  bar-men.  When  the  beauti- 
ful creature  has  supplied  the  wants  of  her  visitor,  and  if  her  services  are 
not  just  at  present  further  needed,  she  keeps  him  company  and  without 
further  ceremony  sits  down  by  his  side.  Of  course  she  is  invited  to  drink, 
aud  of  course  she  accepts  the  invitation.  Her  purpose  is  two-fold,  to  make 
the  visitor  drink  as  much  as  possible,  and  to  get  as  much  mouey  out  of 
him  as  possible.  Her  interest  in  her  guest  is  gone  as  soon  as  she  finds 
that  he  has  come  to  the  limits  of  his  purse.  But  if  the  guest,  who  as  he 
very  likely  is,  be  a  fellow  from  the  country  or  some  simpleton  from  the 
town,  have  a  well  filled  purse,  her  affection  knows  no  bounds.  A  wink  is 
enough  to  communicate  to  her  sisters  the  good  news,  and  then  these  help 
her  to  divest  the  fortunate  possessor  of  more  money  than  brains,  of  the  little 
sense  and  understanding  that  he  has  ;  all  of  which  they  readily  effect  by 
means  of  drink  and  a  display  of  atfectionate  attention.  If  it  happen  that 
he  has  got  to  a  condition  where  he  does  not  know  what  is  going  on,  he  is 
got  away  to  a  private  room,  where  some  scoundrel  who  is  in  alliance  with 
the  girls  robs  him  of  everything  of  any  value  that  he  possesses  ;  and  he  is 
then  forthwith  kicked  out  into  the  street  through  a  back  door. 

There  the  police  find  hini  and  they  remove  him  to  the  station  house, 
where,  waking  up  in  the  morning,  he  first  discovers  his  loss.  He  knows 
very  well  that  he  visited  the  saloon,  but  he  cannot  say  whether  he  was 
robbed  there,  or  while  he  lay  drunk  on  the  foot-path.  He  is  fined  $10  for 
being  drunk,  however,  and  there  the  matter  ends.  It  will  be  well  for  him 
if  he  takes  the  lesson  presented  by  his  dearly  bought  experience  and  for  the 
future  runs  less  heedlessly  into  similar  dangers. 

Very  many  of  the  saloon  girls  are  accomplices  of  panel-thieves,  who 
take  suitable  victims  into  the  "badgers"  den.  Such  victims  are  generally 
old  "  respectable"  men  from  the  country,  who  are  seeing  something  of  New 
York  life,  and  depending  on  the  circumstance  that  nobody  knows  tliem, 
are  stealing  the  forbidden  fruits  to  their  hearts  content.  Such  fools  are 
not  to  be  pitied.  For  they  well  deserve  the  worst  that  can  befall  them 
under  such  circumstances. 

A  very  brief  observation  of  the  conduct  of  these  prostitutes  will  be  quite 
sufficient  to  fill  anybody  who  has  the  smallest  insight  into  character  with 
suspicion  and  abhorrence.  There  they  sit  around  the  tables  drinking  deep 
droughts  and  outbidding  the  roughest  of  their  half-drunken  guests  in  ob- 
scurity. Others  thrown  back  in  the  chairs  with  their  legs  upon  the  tables 
are  smoking  the  segars  that  have  been  given  to  them,  that,  too,  with  all 
the  aspect  of  old  viragos.  Here  and  there  may  be  seen  one  sittiug  upon 
the  lap  of  one  of  the  visitors,  who  from  His  manner  seems  to  think  that  he 


376  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

has  a  houri  from  Paradise  on  his  knees,  and  in  his  dizzy  stupidity  from 
drink  he  hugs  and  kisses  her  as  might  the  lover  in  the  moonlit  bower. 

If  the  fool  were  not  out  of  his  senses  he  would  notice  the  girl  taking  his 
watch  out  of  his  pocket  "  in  jest," — and  handing  it  presently  to  an  accom- 
plice passing  by,  and  who  immediately  goes  off  with  the  plunder.  If  the 
man  should  notice  the  loss  and  create  a  disturbance,  it  would  be  of  little 
use,  for  the  lost  watch  has  been  gone  out  of  the  place  for  some  time  and 
cannot  be  recovered.  The  girl  would  of  course  play  the  innocent  to  the 
drunken  fellow  and  in  another  moment  the  latter  would  find  himself  in- 
volved in  a  fight  with  her  "  protector."  In  these  cases  the  rascals  make 
very  short  work  of  their  victims,  and  before  the  poor  fool  has  time  to  think 
he  feels  himself  enjoying  the  night-air  out  of  doors,  with  a  couple  of  black 
eyes  and  a  good  many  smarting  ribs.  Many  of  the  pretty  waiter-girls  are 
exceedingly  accomplished  in  this  kind  of  robbery.  From  one  of  them  it 
was  once  ascertained  that  in  this  way  she  had  taken  no  less  than  six 
watches  in  the  course  of  an  evening. 

Another  opportunity  for  greenhorns  to  lighten  their  pockets  is  in  the 
gambling  room,  a  feature  that  is  seldom  wanting.  If  the  senses  of  the 
visitor  are  already  a  little  bedimmed,  the  girl  wha  has  already  been  attend- 
ing to  him  asks  him  to  go  and  try  his  luck,  and  to  divide  his  winnings 
with  her  !  Of  course  he  jumps  straight  into  the  trap  and  away  he  goes  by 
the  side  of  his  lady  to  the  green  table. 

If  the  worthless  rascal  at  the  head  of  the  concern  does  not  direct  the 
game  himself,  there  is  still  nothing  to  be  won,  for  the  man  is  alread}r  so 
intoxicated  that  his  head  is  dizzy  as  though  a  swarm  of  bees  had  taken  up 
their  residence  about  it.  So  he  loses  every  time  and  besides  that  he  is 
robbed  repeatedly  without  in  the  end  knowing  how  or  where  his  money  has 
gone.  Very  frequently,  too,  one  of  the  scoundrels  belonging  to  the  saloon, 
when  he  finds  that  a  man  has  not  been  completely  fleeced,  follows  him  into 
the  street  to  knock  him  down  in  some  unfrequented  locality  and  then  rob 
him  of  the  balance  which  the  "  pretty  waiter-girls"  and  their  gambling 
table  had  left  in  his  pockets.  Persons  who  are  robbed  in  these  places 
seldom  apply  to  the  police,  because  they  are  ashamed  to  see  their  names 
in  the  papers  as  having  visited  the  saloon. 

It  must  be  evident,  however,  that  all  visitors  to  the  concert  saloons  are 
not  treated  thus  unceremoniously.  It  would  be  against  the  interests  of  the 
saloon  ;  it  would  be  in  fact  like  killing  the  goose  that  lays  the  golden  eggs. 
The  proprietors  like  to  have  a  number  of  regular  visitors,  and  these  they 
cultivate  and  cherish.  These  are  generally  old  rou£s,  and  young  fellows 
hardly  out  of  boyhood  who  in  these  places  and  in  the  wildest  manner 
squander  the  money  that  they  earn  or  perhaps  steal.  Many  a  beardless 
lad  thinks  himself  a  very  great  man,  if  on  his  entrance  into  a  saloon  the 
prostitutes  there  address  him  by  his  Christian  name  and  recognize  him  as 
an  old  acquaintance.     But  this  honor  is  costly.     It  costs  a  great  deal  more 


<  0N<  i.KT    9  tLOONS.  577 

than  the  person  30  honored  can  earn  by  honest  moan-.  lie  is  in  all 
probability  only  a  young,  poorly  paid  clerk,  and  the  suspicion  must  go  with 
him  that  in  order  to  cover  the  deficiency  made  in  his  income  by  dissolute 
habits  he  must  have  recourse  to  robbery  from  the  funds  of  his  principal. 
But  the  pitcher  that  goes  too  often  to  the  well  gets  broken  at  last.  And 
oo  does  the  pitcher  of  our  jovial  clerk  break  at  last,  (or  the  concert  saloon 
been  to  him  nothing  more  than  the  preparation  lor  a — jail. 

Many  young  people  go  to  these  places  "just  to  see  life''  as  they  say. 
A  venturesome  experiment  it  is,  too,  for  all  whose  character  has  not  been 
Mitfieieutly  established  to  be  able  without  risk  to  resist  the  dangerous  in- 
fluence of  the  place.  The  terrible  hatefulness  of  vice  soon  comes  to  be 
disregarded  by  the  man  who  thinks  too  lightly  ol  its  intoxicating  influences. 
The  criminal  records  of  our  city  exhibit  many  instances  where  young  men 
have  been  ruined  for  life  through  that  desire  to  see  the  dark  side  of  life  as 
it  is  presented  iu  the  rooms  of  the  concert  saloons. 

A  never-failing  class  of  habitues  at  these  saloons  is  made  up  of  counter- 
feiters, swindlers,  thieves  and  rogues  of  every  kind,  who,  as  we  have 
already  shown,  lay  in  wait  for  their  victims  through  the  aid  of  the  "pretty 
waiter-girls."  By  these  the  saloons  are  made  dens  of  thieves  in  the  literal 
meaning  of  the  word.  Money  or  money's  worth  it  is  which  the  visitor 
looks  for,  and  he  is  not  afraid,  if  need  be,  to  obtain  it  either  by  direct  rob- 
bery or  murder.     There  are  plenty  of  examples  even  of  this. 

Many  a  stranger  who  has  disappeared  from  the  city  has,  according  to 
the  experience  of  the  police,  been  last  seen  in  one  of  these  concert  saloons. 
Many  a  dead  body,  too,  that  has  been  dragged  half-decomposed  aud  un- 
recognizable out  of  the  East  or  North  River  would,  if  they  could  speak, 
tell  a  tale  which  would  begin  with  the  visit  to  a  concert  saloon  and  end 
with  robbery  and  murder  inflicted  by  the  villains  who  frequent  such 
places. 

This  is  a  general  picture  of  the  character  of  our  concert  saloons.  They 
are  on  all  sides  the  rendezvous  of  the  rabble  and  scum  of  the  city.  We 
say  this  without  any  fear  of  there  being  one  white  sheep  in  the  flock  to 
whom  we  can  do  any  injustice.  There  are  gradations  of  quality  among 
them.  But  it  refers  only  to  a  little  more  or  a  little  less  of  that  abject 
depravity  which  gives  the  principal  tone  to  every  description  of  these 
"  places  of  pleasure."  To  speak  of  a  respectable  concert  saloon  would  be 
as  great  an  inconsistency  as  to  talk  about  a  "  respectable  house  of  prosti- 
tution.'  The  whole  difference  between  one  place  and  another  reduces 
itself  simply  to  the  way  in  which  the  thing  is  conducted  and  to  the  greater 
or  less  extent  within  which  the  business  is  limited.  How  great  the  differ- 
ence in  this  respect  may  be,  is  shown  in  the  case  of  the  pretentious  Broad- 
way "  Canterbury,"  which  can  accommodate  500  guests,  and  which  main- 
tains a  body  of  forty-five  "  pretty  waiter-girls,"  when  compared  with  any 
of  the   little  Chatham  Street  "saloons.*'  whose  tobacco-stained  rooms  can 


378  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK   LIFE. 

hardly  hold  fifteen  or  twenty  visitors,  and  where  only  three  or  four  prosti- 
tutes are  to  be  found. 

But  if  the  Chatham  Street  and  Bowery  saloons  are  set  down  as  the 
dirtiest  and  most  suspicious,  Broadway,  too,  has  its  "  saloons"  whose 
depravity  cannot  be  concealed  by  any  theatrical  tinsel.  On  one  of  the  cor- 
ners of  Amity  Street  there  is  such  a  saloon,  which  is  a  den,  whose  equal 
for  physical  and  moral  infamy  even  Water  Street  can  hardly  produce. 

After  what  we  have  already  said  of  the  vocation  of  the  "  pretty  waiter" 
girls,"  any  further  characterization  of  them  is  hardly  necessary.  Taken 
as  a  body  they  belong  to  the  lowest  and  very  worst  classes  of  prostitutes, 
and  as  such  their  career  has  in  every  instance  been  a  sad  one.  Many  of 
them,  it  is  true,  may  have  been  dragged  into  bad  associations,  and  without 
clearly  knowing  what  they  were  doing,  they  may  have  taken  this  situation. 
But  the  poisonous  influence  of  a  surrounding  such  as  they  have  in  these 
saloons  exercises  sooner  or  later  its  natural  effects.  Vice  must  at  last  in 
such  places  draw  within  its  power  even  the  most  strongly  resistant 
virtue. 

During  the  autumn  of  last  year  there  appeared  in  the  New  York  Herald 
a  communication  in  which  a  female  writer  came  forward  as  the  champion 
of  the  unjustly  suspected  honor  of  the  pretty  waiter-girls.  She  signed  her- 
self "  a  girl  from  Canterbury"  and  we  give  the  main  points  of  her  letter  as 
having  much  interest  here.     She  wrote  as  follows  : — 

M  I  can  assure  you  that  there  are  many  girls  engaged  in  these  concert 
saloons  who  are  not  only  virtuous,  but  modest.  I  can  fancy  I  see  women, 
who  throughout  their  whole  lives  have  never  known  what  it  was  to  want 
a  shelter  or  to  suffer  from  want  and  hunger,  smiling  incredulously.  I 
fancy  I  see  men,  who  among  ladies  of  fashion  and  wealth,  and  also  among 
authoresses  even,  find  plenty  of  women  of  easy  virtue,  laugh  jeeringiy  at 
the  very  thought  of  such  a  thing  being  possible  as  the  finding  of  virtuous 
girls  in  a  concert  saloon.  Yet  there  are  many  such.  And  not  only  are 
they  virtuous,  but  many  of  them  are  highly  brought  up  ;  women  who  have 
spent  their  last  cent,  who  have  advertised  for  situation  as  copyists,  teach- 
ers, or  housekeepers,  and  who  have  obtained  nothing  from  it  beyond  empty 
purses  and  insulting  offers  to  take  situations  as  kept  women.  When  such 
persons  find  themselves  on  the  brink  of  despair  and  starvation  they  are 
very  glad  to  take  places  in  a  concert  saloon.  I  for  example  was  very  glad 
of  such  a  place  when  my  money  was  gone,  and  when  notwithstanding  my 
knowledge  of  foreign  languages  and  my  ability  as  a  teacher  I  was  unable 
to  obtain  a  situation  in  a  school.  I  know  girls  who  are  engaged  in  these 
places  who  are  still  as  pure  as  when  they  were  under  the  protection  of  that 
mother  whose  death  they  still  mourn.  In  these  saloons  you  can,  if  you 
will,  prove  their  purity  ;  for  their  pay  is  such  that  they  are  not  compelled 
to  sell  themselves  in  the  way  that  many  poor  girls  are  who  work  in  so- 
called  respectable  places  of  business.     For  if  those  poor  girls  lose  their 


CONCERT    SALOONS.  37<> 

situations,  which  aro  badly  paid  enough  under  any  circumstances,  they 
must  either  starve  or  become  bad.  Who  amongst  those,  I  ask,  who  are 
■yen  so  ready  to  condemn  us,  will  provide  us  with  some  respectable  busi- 
ness which  will  enable  us  to  live?  Who  of  them,  I  ask,  will  supply  to  in 
u  surrounding  of  physical  and  moral  purity,  and  so  protect  us  from  the 
numerous  temptations  that  now  encompass  us?  Our  dress  is  certaiuly 
exceptional  and  most  of  us  would  not  prefer  such  a  one,  if  the  choice  lay 
with  them.  But  very  virtuous  people  go  to  the  "  Black  Crook"  to  see  the 
same  kind  of  thing ;  and  the  police  make  no  raids  on  the  "  Black  Crook." 
And  in  society,  too,  very  respectable  and  virtuous  ladies  wear  dresses 
which  are  quite  as  low  in  the  bodies,  if  not  quite  as  short  in  the  skirts  as 
ours." 

Among  many  hard  truths,  the  letter  contained  a  noteworthy  criticism  of 
our  social  condition.     But  we  do  not  think  that  the  £irl  from  the  "  Canter- 

o 

bury"  attained  her  object  or  that  she  will  have  converted  those  who  are 
sceptical  about  the  female  virtue  that  lies  concealed  in  the  concert  saloons. 
It  is,  however,  a  sad  fact  that  poverty  and  necessity,  as  well  as  depravity 
on  the  part  of  the  stronger  sex  have  taken  many  a  good  girl  to  these 
saloons.  Every  feeling  person  must  deplore  this,  but  at  the  same  time  he 
commisserates  the  girl  as  one  to  whom  virtue  and  honor  must  be  for  ever 
lost. 

Here  are  two  short  biographies  of  girls  who  may  be  takeu  as  a  type  of 
the  "  pretty  waiter-girls"  whom  we  find  in  the  concert  saloons.  Both  aro 
x^ry  well  known  in  their  own  circles  in  the  Broadway  saloons. 

Helen  N.  was  born  in  Tarry  town,  where  she  lived  with  her  parents  till 
she  was  eighteen  years  old.  Then  her  father  died.  Her  mother  now  had 
enough  to  do  to  sustain  herself  and  Helen's  younger  brother.  The  girl, 
therefore,  resolved  to  come  to  New  York  to  try  and  find  something  to  do. 
She  succeeded  at  a  dressmaker's  and  there  she  had  very  good  wages.  But 
it  did  not  last  long.  Bad  times  came  and  her  work  ceased.  Soou  the 
little  money  she  had  saved  was  gone,  and  she  was  presently  without  money 
or  friends  and  not  knowing  what  to  do.  She  could  not  find  work,  and  a 
false  shame  kept  her  away  from  Tarrytown  and  her  mother.  At  last  she 
saw  among  the  advertisements  in  a  paper  which  she  took  every  day  iu  the 
hope  of  meeting  with  a  situation,  the  announcement  of  a  proprietor  of  a 
concert  saloon  on  Broadway  who  was  wanting  some  "  pretty  waiter-girls." 
At  first  she  shuddered  at  the  thought  of  employing  herself  in  such  a  work. 
But  every  day  her  embarrassment  grew  greater.  She  could  find  no  work, 
but  every  day  this  concert  saloon  advertisement  stared  her  iu  the  face. 
At  last— for  hunger  is  hard — she  went  to  the  saloon  and  she  must  have 
been  rejoiced  when  she  was  accepted.  Young  and  pretty,  she  was  soon 
the  acknowledged  queen  of  the  saloon.  One  of  the  frequenters  of  the 
place  made  her  a  promise  of  marriage.  She  trusted  his  declarations  and 
let  herself  be  betrayed.     He  left  her ;   and  the  injured  girl  lost  the  last 


^380  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

moral  support  which  hitherto  had  maintained  her  above  the  surface  of  this 
swamp  of  depravity. 

Soon  she  was  no  better  than  the  others  of  her  class,  and  now  she  never 
thinks  of  ever  being  more  than  a  pretty  waiter-girl,  although  it  was  a  role 
which  she  took  at  first  against  her  will  and  only  as  a  temporary  expedient. 

But  it  is  not  often  that  such  a  biography  as  that  could  be  written  of 
ihese  girls.  Much  more  frequently  it  would  be  found  that  it  was  foolish 
levity  or  depravity  ingrained  into  them  in  their  early  educations  which  led 
these  girls  knowingly  and  willingly  to  the  saloons. 

The  next  sketch  of  the  life  of  another  well-known  "  ornament"  of  a 
Broadway  saloon  will  illustrate  this  : — 

Fanny  W.,  twenty  years  of  age,  was  born  in  Maine.  At  fifteen  years 
old  she  went  to  Massachusetts,  where  she  worked  in  one  of  the  factories  a 
Lowell.  But  work  seemed  to  have  no  attractions  for  Fanny.  For, 
although  still  a  child,  she  already  led  such  a  fast  life  that  she  was  con- 
sidered to  be  injuriously  affecting  the  morals  of  the  other  girls  in  the  place, 
and  accordingly  she  was  dismissed.  She  went  to  Boston  where  she  took 
\ip  her  quarters  at  a  notorious  house  in  Portland  Street.  There  her  bad 
conduct  bore  such  pernicious  fruits  that  she  had  the  option  given  her  of 
either  leaving  Boston  or  going  to  prison.  Fanny,  who  already  knew  that 
there  was  a  world  outside  of  Boston,  chose  the  former  and  she  determined 
to  give  New  York  the  joy  of  her  presence.  No  sooner  had  she  arrived 
here  than  she  made  the  acquaintance  of  "Billy  Banks."  Birds  of  a  feather 
come  together,  and  the  beautiful  couple  played  the  part  of  man  and  wife, 
till  after  a  little  while  "  Billy"  fell  into  the  clutches  of  the  police  and  went 
for  four  years  to  Sing  Sing.  Fanny  did  not  bewail  him  long.  Her 
•*'  Billy"  had  scarcely  got  himself  comfortably  settled  in  prison  quarters 
before  she  had  fixed  her  heart  upon  another  professional  scoundrel  who 
bore  the  name  of  Jemmy  Smith.  As  the  accomplice  of  this  man  she  now 
lives  in  a  Broadway  concert  saloon,  where  as  a  "  pretty  waiter-girl"  she 
does  her  best  to  support  and  extend  her  husband's  "  business." 

Upon  this  last  model  is  undoubtedly  the  whole  body  of  these  girls  made. 
Public  opinion  as  well  as  the  police  place  them  unhesitatingly  in  the  list  of 
prostitutes  and  accomplices  of  thieves. 

They  generally  receive  no  fixed  salary,  or  if  any  it  is  very  small.  Their 
only  payment  is  derived  from  a  small  percentage  on  the  money  spent  by 
visitors.  The  percentage,  however,  is  with  management  a  tolerably  good 
amount,  the  liquors  supplied  in  the  place  being  of  the  most  miserable  char- 
acter. Thus  it  is  in  the  interest  of  the  girls  to  induce  the  guests  to  drink 
as  much  as  they  can.  But  as, — having  made  the  visitor  drunk  or  put  him 
into  an  unusually  amiable  humor  by  their  devices — they  charge  him  much 
more  than  they  pay  over  at  the  bar,  their  receipts  are  often  very  consider- 
able even  when  prostitution  and  thieving  are  not  introduced  into  the  con- 
sideration.    But  ever  hanging  on  to  them  like  a  blood-sucking  vampire  is 


CONCERT    SALOONS.  &81 

the  man  ihey  live  with,  the  so  called  "  Louis,''  a  rascal  of  the  most  cou- 
temptible  sort  who  uses  these  girls  as  accomplices  in  their  villainy,  and 
too  often  as  their  ow ::  supporters  in  the  most  shameless  manner  share  the 
spoils.  This  and  the  well-known  recklessness  of  all  these  women  is  the 
i  that  their  money  seldom  last  them  longer  than  from  one  day  to 
another.  That  thev  have  to  suffer  the  most  brutal  treatment,  sometimes 
.  their  rough  half-drunken  guests,  and  sometimes  from  the  man  they 
live  with,  may  easily  be  understood.  Cases  where  the  "  pretty  waiter-girls'* 
are  knocked  down  in  the  saloon  and  then  kicked  and  trampled  on  are  not 
by  any  means  rare. 

A  peculiarly  characteristic  picture  both  of  the  girls  and  the  guests  of  the 
concert  saloons  is  presented  when  the  police  make  one  of  their  irruptions 
upon  the  place.     Generally  such   an   irruption   is   made  about  miduight 

,  when  the  business  of  the  saloon  is  at  the  height  of  its  glory.  Then  all  of 
l  sudden  a  person  stands  up  in   the  middle  of  the  place,  and  fastening  a 

i  police  shield  on  the  breast  of  his  coat,  he  calls  out  in  a  loud  voice  : — 
"  Everyone  present  will  consider  themselves  under  arrest."  The  sceue 
changes  in  an  instant.  The  hammering  and  rattling  of  the  music  cease. 
The  "pretty  waiter-girls"  fly  about  screaming  to  where  the  teirible  words 
come  from  and  the  visitors  as  if  at  the  word  of  command  spring  from  their 
-eats,  although  many  of  them  find    some  difficulty  in  standing  upon  their 

,  legs.  Then  follows  a  stampede  to  the  doors,  but  it  soon  checks  itself,  for 
the  fact  is  presently  knowu  that  the  police  are  blockading  the  only  place  of 
escape.  Curses  and  oaths  are  now  loud  and  general.  The  clash  of  break- 
ing glasses  and  tumbling  chairs  mingles  with  the  confused  shouts  of  the 
reckless  crowd  that  is  moving  about  the  place. 

It  is  wonderful  now  to  find  how  very  many  innocent  people  there  are 
among  the  guests  in  the  saloon.  All  these  virtuous  men  gather  arouud 
the  police  captain  or  sergeant  to  convince  him  that  their  presence  there 
was  the  purest  accident. 

Mr.  A.  only  just  went  in  to  light  his  segar.  He  had  not  the  least  idea  in 
the  world  of  the  character  of  the  place  ! — B.  is  only  here  in  the  way  of 
.business.  He  is  a  tailor.  He  saw  a  young  man  go  into  the  saloon  who 
owes  him  an  account.  He  followed  him  just  to  remind  him  ot  the  debt. 
— C.  was  on  his  way  home.  He  felt  thirsty  and  wanted  a  glass  of  beer. 
So  he  came  into  the  place  thinking  it  was  only  an  ordinary  drinking  saloon. 
— 1).,  a  very  "  respectable"  old  gentleman,  swears  most  solemnly  that  he 
only  came  there  because  he  heard  that  lie  might  be  able  to  find  his  mis- 
creant of  a  son  in  the  place.  And  so  on  with  the  rest.  The  young  lada 
who  are  present  try  to  make  bad  jokes  out  of  the  situation.  But  as  their 
»ale  faces  show,  these  jokes  do  not  come  from  their  hearts.  Fear  of  the 
'old  man"  at  home,  who  will  now  learn  how  his  son  spends  his  evenings  ; 
■r  of  what  the  principal  will  say  in  the  morning  when  he  sees  the  name  of 
us  clerk  figuring  at  the  Police  Court,  leaves  them  not  altogether  at  their 


382  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

case  ;  while  upon  the  brows  of  the  elderly  and  old  men  stand  great  beads 
of  cold  sweat,  induced  by  the  double  thought  of  their  wives  and  the  morn- 
ing papers!  Thence  come,  too,  visits  of  exoner  ition,  with  which  the  police 
captain  is  deluged  on  all  sides  to  give  the  poor  innocent  people  a  free  pass 
to  get  outside. 

At  last  to  effect  a  peace  the  captain  declares  that  lie  will  only  detain 
those  who  belong  to  the  place  ;  all  others  may  go  free  as  soon  as  they  can 
arrange  to  do  so.  These  words  remove  an  immense  weight  from  the 
breasts  of  most  of  the  guests,  and  many  whose  knees  had  been  badly  knock- 
ing together  a  moment  before,  now  look  as  though  the  whole  affair  had 
been  from  the  beginning  nothing  more  than  a  good  joke  for  them.  The 
scene  now  assumes  a  kind  of  interest  in  their  eyes,  and  they  begin  to  revel 
in  the  anxiety  and  rage  of  the  "  pretty  waiter-girls"  in  their  affliction. 
Those  among  the  girls  who  are  not  quite  hardened  cry  and  sob  and  give 
themselves  away  to  grief  in  a  way  that  one  would  hardly  expect  to  meet 
with  in  girls  of  this  class.  For  these,  perhaps,  this  is  the  first  experience 
with  the  police,  and  they  receive  now  the  first,  though  unfortunately  too 
late,  insight  into  the  consequences  to  which  their  mode  of  life  is  leading 
them.  Others,  for  whom  there  is  nothing  novel  in  the  action  of  the  police, 
pretend  to  swoon  away  or  at  least  to  have  an  attack  of  hysterics,  but  with- 
out any  other  result  than  to  bring  down  upon  themselves  the  rude  jest  of 
rough  visitors.  Others  who  have  long  been  stripped  of  every  sense  of 
shame  and  honor,  laugh  and  joke  either  among  themselves  or  with  the 
police  or  visitors.  Their  quiet  impudence  shows  that  to  them  at  least  the 
evening's  adventure  is  no  unaccustomed  thing. 

In  the  meantime  the  captain  has  got  together  and  seen  whether  there  is 
any  vagabond  there  who  is  especially  "  wanted." 

The  guests  hitherto  detained  now  receive  permission  to  leave  the  place, 
a  permission  which  they  are  not  slow  to  avail  themselves  of.  The  girls 
are  required  to  make  themselves  ready  as  speedily  as  possible  to  go  away. 
They  do  this  by  throwing  over  their  fancy  dresses,  perhaps,  nothing  more 
than  a  water-proof  cloak  or  other  covering,  and  then  standing  in  a  row, 
the  proprietor  and  other  assistants  at  the  /head,  they  are  escorted  to  the 
station  house  by  the  police.  It  is  not  necessary  to  say  that  even  at  mid- 
night an  irruption  like  this  upon  such  a  place  gathers  together  a  consider- 
able crowd  before  the  place, — and  it  does  not  go  away  without  demonstra- 
tion of  mischievous  pleasure  and  jeers,  made  in  honor  of  the  poor  half-clad 
girls,  and  which  are  repeated  by  the  running  crowd  that  accompanies  them. 
Arrived  at  the  station  house,  the  proprietor  of  this  nest  of  impurity  in 
required  to  give  security  for  his  appearance  in  court,  where  he  is  required 
to  answer  the  charge  of  keeping  a  disorderly  house.  The  remaining  assist- 
ants in  the  saloon,  the  "  pretty  waiter-girls"  included,  are  then  dismissed, 
after  having  passed  a  night  in  the  station  house,  on  giving  their  names, 
callings,  &c.  , 


CONCERT    SALOONS. 

From  what  we  have  now  said,  the  peculiar  character  of  these  concert 
saloons  may  be  readily  understood.  Neither  can  anybody  be  in  ignorance 
of  the  magnet,  which  in  these  places  is  the  principal  source  of  attraction. 
That  such  attraction  exists,  and  that  at  least  for  a  certain  class  of  the  public 
it  is  considerable,  nobody  can  deny  who  sees  the  crowds  of  people  who 
every  evening  preqeut  them. 

As  will  now  be  readily  conceded,  these  concert  saloons  are  not  in  the 
least  what  their  name  implies.  If  we  would  define  them  more  closely,  they 
must  be  described  as  a  combination  of  prostitution  dens  and  thieves  resorts, 
so  that  according  to  the  kind  of  saloon  the  one  or  the  other  becomes  at 
times  the  more  conspicuous.  It  is  then  hardly  worth  while  to  waste  more 
words  in  describing  their  dangerous  character  and  the  pernicious  influence 
they  exert.  This  danger  and  corrupt  operation,  already  in  themselves 
great  enough,  are  still  further  increased  by  the  publicity  with  which  the 
concert  saloons  carry  on  their  disgraceful  trade.  As  already  remarked, 
they  are  lawfully  licensed,  and  situated  in  the  most  frequented  thorough- 
fares, they  there  announce  their  purport  with  the  most  glaring  ostentation. 
Thereby  they  assume  the  mask  of  public  places  of  amusement,  and  many 
persons  no  doubt  go  into  them  who  would  consider  very  long  before  going 
into  any  notorious  house  of  prostitution  or  into  a  den  of  thieves. 

It  is  specially  for  thoughtless,  frivolous  youths,  that  these  saloons  have 
their  peculiar  attraction.  They  contain  everything  which  can  work  upon 
the  awakening  passions  and  lowest  instincts  of  humanity,  in  the  most 
unholy  ways.  Wine,  women,  and  the  gaming  table  are  never  brought 
together  in  a  manner  so  perilous  to  young  people,  as  they  are  in  these 
concert  saloons. 

The  police  in  their  hunt  for  criminals,  give  them  scrupulous  attention. 
Many  of  the  wrorst  criminals  have  been  taken  in  these  saloons,  which  thus 
become  the  last  scene  of  many  a  guilty  career.  But  the  saloons  are  also 
in  the  case  of  many  young  people,  the  first  entrance  upon  a  road  which 
leads  to  the  gloomy  cell  of  a  prison,  or  perhaps  to  the  gallows  itself.  Nor 
is  it  to  be  wondered  at,  when  we  see  that  lads  who  are  scarcely  more  than 
hoys,  are  the  most  conspicuous  type  of  concert  saloon  visitors.  Profes- 
sional swindlers,  shameless  prostitutes,  abject  debauchees  and  drunkards, 
form  there  a  company  where  the  poisonous  influence  upon  the  young,  whose 
character  is  just  unfolding  and  becoming  settled,  needs  no  further  ex- 
planation. 

How  far  the  impudence  goes,  with  which  these  places  make  there 
claims  upon  the  public,  can  be  seen  at  any  time  upou  Broadway.  One  of 
them  there  exhibits  an  ornamental  painting  on  the  streets,  which,  in  an 
elegant  frame,  exhibits  the  photographic  likenesses  of  two  or  three  dozen  of 
the  prettiest  girls.  Of  course,  everybody  stops  to  look  at  this  array  of 
"beauty  and  female  attraction,  and  to  wonder  what  it  means.     This  last  is 


384  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

explained  by  a  notice  with  the  following  words  at  the  top  of  the  picture,  i:.i 
a  form  which  the  most  short-sighted  person  might  read. 

"  Portraits  of  the  vounpr  ladies  en^a^ed  in  this  saloon.  The  attention  is 
now  naturally  directed  to  the  place  which  contains  such  a  harem  of  beauty. 
It  is  no  other  than  a  notorious  "  concert  saloon  ;"  the  entrance  to  which 
only  displays  that  drowsy  dullness,  so  characteristic  of  such  places  in  the 
day  time.  A  bad  delusion  awaits  all  those  who  allow  themselves  to  be 
allured  by  such  a  bait  into  the  place  in  the  evening,  in  order  to  admire  in 
nature  the  beauty  that  they  see  represented  on  the  picture.  Gaslight  and 
the  costume  of  the  ballet,  which,  under  ordinary  circumstances,  change 
ordinary  figures  into  the  most  angelic  forms,  here  seems  to  have  quite  an 
opposite  effect.  Of  all  the  graces  and  charms  that  were  so  apparent  on  the 
picture,  not  one  can  be  recognized.  Nothing  but  the  impudent  faces  and 
the  angular  or  coarse  forms  which,  lesser  things  excepted,  form  a  living 
satire  upon  the  epithet  "pretty  waiter  girls,"  in  every  concert  saloou. 
The  secret  of  this  deception  is  readily  explained.  The  picture,  which  is 
put  out  as  a  bait,  contains  the  photographs  of  girls  faces,  which  have  been 
collected  together  from  different  photographic  establishments,  only  on 
account  of  their  good  looks,  and  then  assembled  into  one  picture.  They 
are  not  likenesses  of  the  girls  engaged  in  the  saloon. 

Awkward  as  the  bait  is,  still  it  attracts.  Many  a  thoughtless,  young 
fellow,  lets  himself  be  allured  by  it  into  the  saloon,  and  finds  in  spite  of  all 
orignal  enlightenment,  that  he  has  fallen  into  the  mysteries,  where,  for 
the  first  time  it  may  be,  he  has  allowed  himself  to  be  inaugurated.  The 
public  scandal,  which  this  shameful  and  lying  exhibition  presented  in 
the  most  favorite  thoroughfare  in  the  city,  at  last  caused  the  police  to 
interfere,  and  the  picture  then  disappeared. 

How  does  it  happen  though  that  places  fraught  with  so  much  peril, 
should  continue  to  exist  without  any  ac'ion  on  the  part  of  the  police,  while 
they  ought  to  be  rooted  out  as  pestilential,  or  taken  back  from  the  eye 
of  publicity  into  the  remotest  lurking  holes  of  crime.  This  is  a  question 
to  which  no  one  with  sound  sense  or  a  feeling  of  justice  will  readily  find 
an  answer.  A  perfect  and  total  abolition  of  these  places  is  certainly  an 
impossibility  ;  and  any  experiment  with  that  end  in  view  would  indeed  be 
a  hopeless  undertaking.  But  this  is  what  can  be  done  ;  the  number  of 
these  saloons  might  be  reduced,  and  they  might  be  made  to  disappear 
from  the  most  frequented  streets,  where,  by  their  shameful  exhibitions, 
they  are  an  offence  to  every  decent  person. 

Their  fitting  locality  is  in  the  "  Five  Points,"  or  the  neighborhood  of  the 
u  Arch  Block  ;"  and  whoever  should  seek  them  out  in  those  mazes  of  filth, 
would  only  be  following  the  instinct  of  a  depravity,  already  ingrained  in 
his  nature,  about  the  further  injury  of  which  nothing  need  be  said.  But 
the  police  act  towards  these  concert  saloons  in  the  same  manner  which  we 
have   taken  occasion   to  find   fault  with  in    speaking  of  prostitution.     For 


CONCERT  SALOONS. 

a  long  time  they  ignore  their  existence,  then  they  enter  upon  a  scries  of 
raids  upon  them,  which  seem  much  more  intended  for  black  mailing  the 
proprietors,  than  for  correcting  the  evil.  To  which  must  be  added  the 
most  disquieting  fact,  that  the  number  of  these  concert  saloons  has  of  late 
years  much  increased,  and  the  proceedings  connected  with  them  have 
assumed  more  disgraceful  forms.  In  this  relation  there  are  reports  about 
which  are  not  very  honorable  or  flattering  to  the  police.  According  to 
these  rumors  there  is  a  number  of  the  most  "  fashionable"  saloons  which 
every  week  send  to  "  somebody"  a  net  sum,  not  less  than  $G00,  with  the 
tacit  understanding  that  the  saloons  in  question  shall  not  be  molested  by 
the  police  ! 

The  report  at  the  same  time  tells  us  that  those  saloons  which  do  con- 
tribute to  the  tribute  are  very  exceptionally,  indeed,  interfered  with  ;  and 
when  the  circumstance  is  mentioned  in  the  newspapers  it  meets  with  no 
remonstrance  from  anywhere.  But,  however  it  be,  the  fact  remains  that 
the  business  of  the  concert  saloons  flourishes  in  a  way  that  shows  that  all 
that  has  been  done  amounts  to  nothing  more  than  pertains  to  the  main- 
tenance of  external  appearances.  More  than  this  ;  the  concert  saloons 
know  not  only  how  to  blind  the  eyes  of  the  police,  but  also  how  to  pro- 
mote and  sustain  their  interests  in  the  halls  of  the  Legislature  at  Albany. 

The  existence  of  a  "  Concert  Saloon  Ring"  at  Albany  is  no  empty 
myth,  and  it  is  to  this  ring  that  we  are  indebted  for  the  fact  that  our 
"  honorable"  legislators  have  shown  no  desire  to  regulate  or  to  abolish 
these  saloons  by  fitting  legislation.  Some  years  ago  an  attempt  in  this 
direction  was  made,  and  a  law  with  very  decisive  provisions  was  intro- 
duced with  the  best  wishes  for  its  success  of  all  friends  of  public  morality. 
It  was  referred  to  the  Committee  on  Towns  and  Districts  for  report.  At  the 
same  time,  wonderful  to  relate,  a  young  man  made  his  appearance  in  the 
presence  of  the  proprietor  of  the  "Canterbury"  saloon,  who  undertook  for 

I  the  consideration  of  a  certain  sum  of  money  to  prevent  the  passage  of  this 
bill  and  also  all  other  legislation  that  might  be  attempted  on  the  same  sub- 
ject. Upon  this  a  meeting  of  concert  saloon  proprietors  was  held  to  con- 
sider the  matter  in  their  mutual  interests.  A  committee  was  appointed, 
which  proceeded  at  once  to  Albany,  so  as  to  bring  to  bear  at  the  place  of 
danger  the  necessary  influence  to  subvert  the  bill. 

The  danger  seemed  great.  For  on  the  arrival  of  the  Saloon  Committee 
in  Albany  they  found  that  a  Committee  of  the  House  had  gone  to  New 
York  to  obtain  an  interview  with  the  saloon  proprietors  on  the  subject. 

This  suspicious  looking  circumstance  was  at  once  telegraphed  to  New 
York  witli  the  additional  intimation  that  the  law  would  certainly  pass, 
unless  the  matter  was  dealt  with  very  earnestly  and  without  delay.  Upon 
this  one  of  the  richest  of  the  proprietors  sent  $2,500  to  Albany,  so  as  to 
give  the  members  of  the  Saloon  Committee  the  means  to  make  immediate 
preliminaries  for  the  necessary  operations.     What  happened  then  has  not 

25 


386 


THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 


been  made  public.  All  we  do  know  is  that  the  Committee  from  the  Legis- 
lature which  came  to  New  York,  never  offered  a  report  and  that  the  bill 
was  never  again  heard  of  in  the  house  !  It  probably  lies  at  this  moment 
in  some  hidden  corner  of  the  Legislative  building  and  the  concert  saloon 
proprietors  have  good  reason  to  laugh,  when  from  time  to  time  they  see  the 
daily  press  calling  upon  the  Legislature  to  interpose  some  sufficient  law 
against  the  ever  growing  evil  of  the  concert  saloons. 

Such  is  the  state  of  the  matter  at  this  moment.  Nothing  has  been  done, 
and  it  does  not  seem  that  anything  will  be  done ;  unless  it  be,  as  would 
seem  from  the  constantly  increasing  number  of  these  saloons,  the  licensing 
of  more  such  "  hells"  by  the  authorities. 

There  is  no  law  even  to  limit  these  places,  still  less  to  suppress  them ! 
But,  nevertheless,  the  fate  of  the  saloons  rests  entirely  in  the  hands  of  the 
police.  If  these  would  apply  the  law  against  disorderly  houses,  the  excise 
laws,  &c,  with  the  power  that  is  vested  in  them  to  further  the  interests  of 
public  morality,  no  other  legislation  would  be  needed  to  put  down  the 
saloons.  Every  night  there  are  scenes  in  them  which  not  only  justify 
police  interference,  but  even  call  for  it. 

Nothing  more  is  necessary  than  a  strict  supervision.  It  would  then  be 
possible  for  the  police  to  bring  the  proprietors  repeatedly  before  the  courts 
and  so  to  disturb  the  whole  business,  that  it  could  no  longer  be  conducted 
with  profit.  Why  the  very  estimable  police  authorities  omit  to  do  this — 
why  they  show  such  a  tender  consideration  for  the  rascally  proprietors  of 
the  concert  saloons  and  not  the  least  for  the  promotion  of  morality  and 
justice,  is  a  puzzle,  whose  solution  can  only  be  attained  through  the 
medium  of  that  six  hundred  dollar  weekly  tribute  of  which  we  have 
spoken. 

Concert  saloons  are  a  disgrace  and  a  crying  evil  in  our  city.  But  the 
disgrace  and  the  evil  would  long  ago  have  been  swept  away  if  the  police 
had  worked  as  diligently  to  effect  their  removal,  as  the  honest  portion  of 
the  people  hive  been  loud  and  urgent  in  their  demands  to  have  it  removed. 


DANCE  HOUSES. 


In  intimate  relation  with  concert  saloons,  although  if  possible  more 
degraded  than  they,  are  the  dance  houses. 

This  depravity  of  these  shows  itself,  however,  only  in  some  external 
symptoms.     The  places  are  generally  poorly  furnished  ;   and  the  classes 


DANCE    HOUSES.  -3*7 

who  visit  them  are  dressed  in  rough  clothes.  At  the  same  time  it  must 
Km  well  understood  with  reference  to  the  business  that  goes  on  in  the  two 
kinds  of  places,  that  in  the  most  elaborately  got-up  concert  saloon  is  not 
one  whit  better  than  that  in  the  dirtiest  den  among  the  dance  houses. 
While  concert  saloons  come  within  the  cognizance  of  the  public  generally, 
dance  houses  are  chiefly  patronized  by  the  more  unpretentious,  but  equally 
thoughtless  class  of  sea-faring  men,  who  are  taking  a  little  recreation  on 
shore. 

Dance  houses  are  especially  designed  with  reference  to  this  class.  They 
are  principally  to  be  found  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  water-fronts  of  the 
citv,  on  the  banks  of  the  East  River  as  well  as  of  the  Hudson.  It  is  espe- 
cially in  Water  Street  that  they  exist  in  the  most  developed,  that  is  in 
their  worst  form  ;  and  where,  too,  they  are  most  numerous. 

Jack  tars  are  admittedly  a  very  unceremonious  people.  They  love  the 
feeling  of  being  under  no  restraint.  An  elegant  saloon  with  mirrors  and 
sofas  would  have  very  little  attraction  for  them,  though  they  feel  them' 
selves  perfectly  at  home  in  a  rough  drinking  place  with  wooden  benches. 
In  the  matter  of  the  ladies,  too,  the  son  of  Neptune  has  his  own  peculiar 
taste.  He  loves  something  rough  and  substantial,  which  he  can  deal  with 
as  he  would  with  the  yard-arm  of  a  ship.  He  looks  for  the  greatest 
amount  of  pleasure  within  the  shortest  possible  time,  and  as  long  as  he 
gets  this,  he  enquires  very  little  about  the  quality  of  it. 

Dancing  is  the  height  of  his  enjoyment.  His  legs  yearn  instinctively 
after  it,  as  soon  as  they  feel  the  solid  ground  underneath  them.  There  is 
a,  saying  that  suits  him  well  "  who  wants  to  dance  will  soon  find  a  piper," 
and  a  scraping  fidler,  a  squeaking  piper,  or  a  clattering  tambouriue,  will 
work  him  up  to  the  necessary  excitement  as  well  as  the  best  orchestra. 
The  proprietors  of  the  dance  houses  know  all  this  and  they  provide  their 
establishments  accordingly. 

It  is  because  dancing  is  a  standard  amusement  in  these  houses  that  they 
are  called  dance  houses.  Their  name  then  is  in  strict  accordance  with 
their  purpose  and  not  as  in  the  case  of  concert  saloons,  a  lie.  Unfor- 
tunately, however,  dancing  is  not  the  chief  pleasure,  but  generally  only 
one  of  the  means  by  which. the  proprietor  allures  the  simple  sons  of  the 
sea  to  lighten  their  pockets  by  some  means  or  other. 

We  have  described  the  concert  saloon  as  a  combination  of  a  prostitution- 
house  and  a  den  of  thieves.  Apply  it  to  a  dance  place  and  it  is  exactly 
suitable.  But  as  these  dance  houses  are  intended  to  ply  their  infamous 
operations  chiefly  among  sailors,  they  might  briefly  be  termed  "  sailors' 
ruins."  They  affect  a  coquetry  with  sea-faring  names,  and  style  them- 
selves "Neptunes  Home,"  the  "Sailors  Rest,"  the  "Snug  Harbor,"  &c. 
But  it  can  readily  be  seen  that  these  fine  names  are  only  the  alluring  baits 
with  which  the  dangerous  hook  is  made  attractive  to  tlie  unsuspecting  fish. 
Their  affinity  with  the  concert  saloons  is  striking,  and  like  them  they  are 


COO  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK   LIFE. 

generally  to  be  found  in  basement  floors.  But  a  chief  characteristic  about 
them  is,  that  almost  invariably  they  are  situated  in  the  most  ruinous  and 
suspicious  houses  in  the  most  ruinous  and  suspicious  streets.  Their  inter- 
nal adornments  corresponding  with  their  external  appearance,  have  very 
few  attractions  for  ordinary  people.  Over  the  entrance  to  the  descent  is  a 
dust-begrimed  lamp.  If  one  descends  the  dirty  steps  into  the  place  itselfr 
the  first  thing  that  meets  the  eye  is  the  customary  American  bar  with  its 
tiers  of  glasses,  bottles  and  jugs,  and  presiding  over  it  the  generally  bull- 
headed  apparition  of  the  proprietor  or  barkeeper.  In  one  corner  stands  a 
worn-out  piano,  or  a  small  platform  for  some  other  kind  of  music,  which 
at  the  most  is  a  fiddle  and  tambourin  or  some  wind  instrument.  Round 
about  the  room  are  narrow  wooden  benches  thatl  &vi  bt»M  well  cut  about. 
The  rest  of  the  room  is  left  open  for  dancing  it .  ,.\ih  door,  rough  and 
worn  out-,  is  covered  with  sand.  From  the  ceiling  hang,  fantastically  cut,, 
many  colored  paper  decorations,  which  sway  about  as  the  wind  blows 
through.  These,  with  perhaps  a  few  obscene  pictures,  or  models  of  ships, 
constitute  the  only  decorations.  And  the  place  itself  is  rarely  more  than 
seven  feet  high  and  well  stained  with  smoke  and  dirt.  During  the  day 
time  these  rooms  are  very  quiet.  Life  in  them  begins  with  the  lighting 
of  the  gas  upon  the  streets.  Then,  indeed,  everything  inside  of  them 
shows  life  and  light.  Prostitutes  come  in  all  their  finery, — from  four  or 
five  to  a  dozen  together,  out  of  the  neighboring  dens,  where  they  sleep  and 
hide  during  the  day,  so  as  to  be  able  to  go  refreshed  to  their  work  at  night. 
The  music  begins  to  rattle  out  vigorously  to  draw  in  customers  from  the 
street.  If  this  does  not  succeed,  the  women  are  told  to  go  to  the  windows 
or  to  collect  round  the  open  door,  where,  by  their  personal  attraction  or 
the  sweet  invitations  offered,  they  endeavor  to  gather  together  business 
for  the  evening.  If  it  happen  that  one  or  more  sea-faring  men  passing 
along  are  enticed  into  the  den,  a  dance  is  at  once  got  up  ;  iu  which  pro- 
prietor and  barkeeper,  or,  if  they  are  not  sufficient  to  make  it  up,  then 
any  vagabonds  hanging  about  the  place,  join.  Country  dances  are  the 
favorites  in  these  houses.  But  the  fullest  freedom  is  allowed  the  dancers ; 
and  waltzes,  polkas,  and  national  dances  of  every  kind  with  can-can 
embellishments  are  introduced  into  the  figures  of  these  country  dances, 
according  to  the  fancy  of  the  dancers  themselves.  As  soon  as  the  dauce 
is  over,  the  whole  company  adjourns  to  the  bar  to  wet  their  dry  throats 
with  execrable  liquor.  Many  of  the  dancers  will  treat  the  whole  company  ; 
but  after  every  dance  each  one  must  drink  himself  and  treat  his  partner. 
And  these  partners  have  naturally  as  well  as  by  virtue  of  their  office  a 
most  potent  thirst.  Every  glass  costs  ten  cents,  and  the  more  the  girl 
drinks,  the  greater  of  course  are  the  receipts  of  the  proprietor  of  the  dance 
house.  Consequently  a  woman  with  temperance  proclivities  would  not  be 
very  acceptable.  The  process  of  treating  and  being  treated  lasts  a  con- 
siderable time,  ere  the  company  get  away  from  the  bar.     But  as  every 


DANCE    HOUSES. 


389 


dance  costs  every  dancer  twenty  cents,  and  as  dancing  creates  anew  the 
appetite  for  drink,  it  does  not  accord  at  all  with  the  interests  of  the  house 
to  let  the  noble  art  of  dancing  be  neglected.  The  music,  therefore,  tunes 
up  again  with  its  squeekings  and  scrapings,  and  the  entire  company  flies 
off,  or  staggers  off  to  the  dance.  Then  there  is  more  treating — then  there 
is  more  dancing — then  more  treating,  again,  and  so  on  ad  infinitum,  which 
means,  as  long  as  there  remains  a  dancer  capable  of  standing  on  his  legs. 
Everyone  present  is  required  to  take  part  in  both  dancing  and  treating. 

If  anybody  should  try  to  avoid  doing  either  the  one  or  the  other,  he  is 
very  soon  involved  in  a  brawl,  and  brought  into  unpleasant  acquaintance- 
ship with  the  finger  nails  of  the  ladies  and  the  fists  and  boots  of  their  part- 
ners. For  these  every-evening  soirees  the  women  are  dressed  up  in  the 
most  gaudy  apparel.  A  coating  of  lily  white  and  rose  red  paint,  covers 
the  dirty  faded  skin  of  their  bloated  faces,  over  which  tower  perfect  forests 
of  flowers,  interwoven  with  tawdry  ornaments,  in  immense  chignons.  A 
dress  of  multitudinous  colors,  glittering  with  mock  jewelry  and  such  like 
tinsel,  exposes  the  bosoms  and  as  much  as  possible  of  the  legs.  Their  feet 
are  decked  out  in  red  or  yellow  shoes.  Many  of  the  women  have  little 
bells  on  their  shoes,  as  well  as  on  the  corners  of  their  dress,  or  even  in  the 
trimming  ;  which  tingle  and  rattle  as  they  dance  and  make  a  peculiar 
noise.  As  for  the  music  that  is  quite  a  secondary  consideration  in  These 
dance  parties.  The  "  gentlemen"  dancers  wear  very  heavy  solid  boots 
with  large  nails  and  they  put  down  their  feet  with  such  violence,  that  any- 
one listening  from  the  outside  of  the  place  would  be  more  likely  to  take  it 
for  a  stamping  mill  than  a  dancing  saloon.  The  jingling  of  the  little  bells 
and  the  clanging  of  the  tambourin  are  the  only  musical  sounds  that  are 
audible  amid  the  endless  stamping  and  clatter  of  voices. 

The  wild  ardour  which  characterizes  such  a  dance  scene  is,  however, 
confined  to  the  male  dancers.  Their  partners  have  little  to  do  with  it. 
The  men  can  rest  when  they  feel  tired,  but  not  so  with  the  poor  girls.  If 
a  visitor  cannot  dance  for  want  of  a  partner,  even  if  this  happens  but  for 
one  single  dance,  the  proprietor  loses  at  least  twenty  cents.  It  is  of  no  use, 
therefore,  for  any  woman  belonging  to  the  place  to  talk  about  being  tired. 
She  must  dance  even  though  she  die  through  it ;  and  such  things  as  that 
have  happened.  Woe  to  the  woman  who  should  excuse  herself  from 
dancing  on  the  ground  of  being  tired.  The  rough  landlord  would  instantly 
fall  upon  her  with  a  volley  of  oaths  and  curses,  and  either  with  kicks  or 
blows  of  his  fist  he  would  compel  the  poor  worn-out  creature  to  stand  up 
again.  These  dancing  women  are  slaves  in  the  fullest  meaning  of  the 
word.  For  their  dancing  is  genuine  hard  work  which  they  go  through 
like  machines,  when  an  access  of  the  poisonous  liquor  with  which  they  are 
heated  at  the  bar  does  not  reduce  them  to  a  condition  of  wild  intoxication. 
"We  may  define  the  character  of  these  poor  creatures,  when  we  say  that 
they  belong  almost  invariably  to   the   most  deeply  depraved   classes  of 


390  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

prostitutes — those  who  are  too  depraved  not  only  for  houses  of  prostitution,, 
but  for  the  streets.  Sometimes,  possibly,  we  may  find  in  such  a  place  a 
girl  who  has  been  brought  there  either  by  artifice  or  force,  but  if  death  do 
not  speedily  come  to  her  aid,  she,  too,  is  in  very  few  months  hardly  to  be 
recognized  from  the  most  degraded  servants  of  vice.  It  is  very  seldom 
that  the  police  come  to  the  rescue  of  such  victims.  They  are  mostly 
lonely  girls,  probably  immigrants,  who  have  been  allured  from  ships  or 
emigrant  houses  to  these  dance  rooms,  under  the  pretence  of  being  taken 
into  service. 

There  they  remain  so  long  secluded  from  the  rest  of  the  world  that  their 
moral  ruin  is  insured,  and  they  have  neither  the  inclination  nor  the  power 
to  tear  themselves  away  from  the  life  of  shame  that  has  been  forced  upon 
them. 

Many  German  girls  have  fallen  into  this  terrible  destiny,  deceived  by 
heartless  procuresses  in  Germany  under  attractive  representations  of  going 
to  San  Francisco  ;  only  to  see  themselves  sold  beyond  the  power  of  deliver- 
ance into  these  dance  dens.  Many  of  them,  it  is  true,  knew  when  they 
entered  upon  the  contract  that  they  would  be  employed  in  that  city  as 
dancing-girls  in  the  "  saloons"  ;  but  what  was  really  meant  by  the  harm- 
less sounding  word,  "  dancing-girl,"  they  had  no  more  suspicion,  what- 
ever, than  they  had  of  the  character  of  the  dens  which  here  bear,  what  is 
in  Germany  respectable,  the  name  of  "  saloon."  It  is  in  truth  to  the  most 
infamous  dens  of  prostitution  that  they  have  sold  themselves — a  prostitu- 
tion of  the  most  fearful  kind,  where  the  only  ray  of  light  that  can  be  found 
rests  on  the  certainty  that  in  less  than  a  year  death  will  release  the  victim 
from  her  miseries ! 

Not  being  able  to  prolong  their  existence  by  any  means  outside  of  the 
dance  house,  these  dancing-girls  become  the  reckless  but  willing  slaves  of 
the  proprietors  of  those  houses.  He  feeds  them  and  gives  them  the  cheap 
tawdryness  with  which  they  cover  their  bodies.  That  is  all  that  he  does 
for  them.  As  for  drink,  which  with  these  poor  creatures  is  scarcely  less 
a  necessity  of  existence  than  food,  they  are  indebted  for  it  to  their  partners, 
in  the  evening.  Broken  down  by  the  exertions  of  the  night,  and  by  the 
effects  of  the  quantities  of  poisonous  liquors,  they  have  drunk,  they  sleep 
through  the  greater  part  of  the  day,  and  till  returning  night  once  more- 
compels  them  to  get  themselves  up  for  a  new  share  of  the  labors  of  the 
dance. 

At  last  the  time  comes  when  through  constant  vicissitudes  of  this  kind,, 
between  relaxation  and  excitement,  their  powers  are  consumed,  and  they 
are  no  longer  fit  for  the  exertions  of  the  dance.  The  heartless  landlord  of 
the  place  then  strips  her  of  the  tawdry  finery  that  belongs  to  him  and  turns 
her  into  the  street,  with  scarcely  rags  enough  to  cover  her.  Very  often 
now  a  leap  into  the  water  becomes  the  brief  ending  to  a  miserable  life. 
Sometimes  the  unfortune  creature  waits  till  the  police  take  hold  of  her  and 


DANCE    HOUSES.  391 

remove  her  to  the  hospital  at  Ward's  Island,  where  she  very  speedily  finds 
her  last  resting  place  in  the  Potter's  Field. 

The  following  case  will  serve  to  show  how  curiously  fortune  sometimes 
plays  with  a  lost  life  which  has  been  allowed  to  waste  away  in  one  of  these 
dance  hells  : — 

Some  years  ago  there  appeared  in  both  English  and  American  news- 
papers an  announcement  in  reference  to  a  property  worth  something  more 
than  a  hundred  thousand  dollars,  that  was  lying  for  disposal  by  the  next 
heirs  in  some  western  city. 

After  some  careful  enquiries  it  fell  to  the  lot  of  a  pettifogging  lawyer  in 
New  York  to  spy  out  the  nearest  relative  of  the  deceased  person,  and  the 
only  heir  to  the  property,  in  the  person  of  a  woman  in  one  of  the  Water 
Street  dance  houses ! 

Upon  the  question  of  identity  there  could  be  no  doubt.  The  Water 
Street  prostitute  was  none  other  than  the  daughter  of  the  deceased.  She 
belonged  to  a  family  that  had  been  once  well  off,  but  which  had  subse- 
quently suffered  reduced  circumstances  in  Ireland.  With  the  portion  of 
their  property  which  they  had  been  able  to  save  they  migrated  to  America, 
where  they  settled  in  the  West. 

The  girl  herself  as  pretty  as  she  was  clever  remained  in  England,  where 
she  held  a  very  good  position  as  governess  in  a  nobleman's  family.  But 
soon  after  the  departure  of  her  parents  differences  occurred  in  that  family, 
and  in  consequence  her  position  became  uncomfortable  and  she  had  to 
follow  her  parents  to  America.  Upon  the  ship  one  of  the  officers  took  a 
fancy  to  her,  and  he  succeeded  in  winning  the  affections  of  the  girl.  The 
old,  yet  ever  new,  story  repeated  itself.  The  scouudrel  feigned  love  only 
so  long  as  the  opportunity  should  come  for  the  fulfilment  of  his  purpose — 
the  seduction  of  the  girl.  This  he  accomplished  in  New  York,  after  hav- 
ing apparently  made  every  preparation  for  an  honorable  union.  He  then 
deserted  the  poor  girl  without  troubling  himself  any  more  about  her.  She, 
betrayed,  was  ashamed  to  go  to  her  parents,  and  she  sought  to  obtain  a 
living  in  New  York.  But  she  did  not  succeed.  Want  came  upou  her, 
and  every  day  her  difficulties  increased. 

Seduction,  with  sweet  words,  now  tempted  her ;  and  she  saw  placed 
before  her  a  choice  between  the  well  filled  table  of  vice  and  the  scanty  and 
limiteu  board  of  virtue.  Broken  down  by  a  painful  illness,  and  with  a 
certain  antipathy  to  mankind  in  her  heart,  she  at  last  chose  the  former. 

She  fell,  and  the  higher  she  had  stood  before  her  fall,  did  her  degrada- 
tion become  more  rapid  and  more  deep.  Six  short  years  had  passed  away 
and  the  blooming  and  talented  girl  had  gone  through  every  gradation  of 
prostitution  ;  till  at  last,  morally  and  physically  ruined,  the  outcast  of  her 
sex,  she  reached  to  the  depravities  of  a  Water  Street  saloon. 

Fortune  meanwhile  had  smiled  upon  her  parents  and  the  losses  they  had 
sustained  in  Ireland  were  more  than  made  up  for.     They  learned  nothing 


392  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

of  their  daughter,  except  that  she  had  gone  from  England  to  America,  for 
notwithstanding  all  their  enquiries  they  could  not  find  out  anything  more 
about  her ;  she,  to  conceal  her  shame,  having  assumed  another  name. 
The  mother  died  of  sorrow  and  grief  at  the  fate  of  her  child,  whom  she 
had  ceased  to  think  of  except  as  dead. 

After  a  few  years  the  father  followed  his  wife  to  the  grave,  and  as  there 
was  no  will  forthcoming,  official  advertisements  were  published  both  in 
America  and  in  England  for  the  next  heir  to  the  property.  But  when  that 
heir  was  discovered  in  the  person  of  the  daughter,  it  was  too  late  !  Already 
suffering  from  delirium  tremens,  it  was  barely  possible  to  convey  to  her  an 
idea  of  the  meaning  of  the  news  that  was  brought  to  her.  The  only 
advantage  that  she  lived  to  experience  was  a  removal  from  the  terrible 
den  in  which  she  was  found,  and  the  bestowal  of  every  care  which  her 
suddenly  acquired  wealth  placed  within  reach.  But  her  life  had  run  out. 
In  a  few  days  the  poor  creature  died  ;  and  to-day  a  splendid  monument  in 
one  of  the  most  fashionable  church-yards  covers  the  body  of  her,  who 
otherwise  must  have  mouldered  uncared  for  and  unknown  in  a  pauper's 
grave. 

That  is  one  piece  of  romance  from  the  dance  hells  of  Water  Street. 

But  there  is  much  that  is  terribly  prosaic  in  what  goes  on  in  them.  It 
is  not  always  the  cry  of  rough  enjoyment  that  breaks  forth  from  them ! 
Often  they  are  the  scenes  of  the  bloodiest  frays,  where  knives  and  revol- 
vers are  in  free  use.  And  no  wild  beasts  can  rend  each  other  more  fero- 
ciously than  do  those  forms  of  humanity  in  the  dance  houses,  when  hatred 
or  jealousy  arouse  their  enmity.  In  these  occasional  couflicts  the  girls 
take  part  con  amore.  On  such  occasions  they  are  like  the  infuriated 
priestesses  of  Bacchus,  and  they  fight  with  teeth,  hands  and  feet  in  such  a 
furious  manner,  that  only  the  strongest  of  their  antagonists  is  able  to  with- 
stand them  as  is  due  to  the  "  weaker"  sex.  It  is  not  necessary  to  say  that 
in  such  disorderly  scenes  as  these  the  fighting  ladies  and  their  gentlemen 
do  not  use  gloves.  As  soon  as  the  noise  and  crowd  in  such  a  conflict  have 
abated,  many  an  araazon  is  to  be  found  lying  on  the  ground  covered  with 
blood  and  bleeding,  or  limping  away  to  her  room  with  her  teeth  knocked 
out  and  all  form  of  humanity  gone  from  her  physiognomy. 

Besides  the  general  business  of  prostitution  on  the  part  of  these  dance 
house  women,  the  robbery  and  plundering  of  visitors  are  carried  on  by 
them  just  in  the  same  way  as  we  have  already  described  in  our  picture  of 
the  concert  saloons.  Indeed,  many  of  the  dance  house  women  are  nothing 
but  the  "  pretty  waiter-girls"  of  those  saloons,  only  some  degrees  more 
depraved  !  It  would,  therefore,  rather  be  a  source  of  wonder  if  the  dex- 
terity they  used  in  the  former  occupation,  were  not  to  be  introduced  by 
them  in  the  present. 

The  large  majority  of  the  visitors  of  these  dance  houses  are  sailors  and 
various    classes  of  laborers   on  ships   and   docks.     Besides   this  class  of 


DANCE    HOUSES, 

visitors,  B  large  number  of  loafers  of  all  classes,  professional  rowdies,  river 
thieves  and  others  of  the  same  class  assemble  here.  .For  them  the  sailor 
is  the  bird  to  be  plucked.  The  landlord,  the  women  and  the  black!.--, 
all  excel  in  fleecing  the  pockets  of  the  unsuspecting  sailor  who,  after  being 
paid  off,  enters  one  of  these  places  to  pass  a  pleasant  evening  alter  a  long 
voyage.  In  a  short  time  the  woman  has  discovered  how  much  the  new 
arrival  u  is  worth."  She  reports  at  the  bar,  and  if  it  is  considered  worth 
the  while,  the  further  plans  are  laid  there  to  ease  the  victim  of  his  super- 
fluous cash.  In  most  cases  a  powder  is  smuggled  into  his  glass,  which  in 
I  very  short  time  puts  him  to  sleep.  He  is  then  robbed,  and  when  he 
awakens  finds  himself  in  some  distant  locality,  or,  still  worse,  on  some 
outward-bound  ship,  to  which  he  has  been  sold  as  a  sailor.  In  the  latter 
case  he  can  only  resign  himself  to  his  fate,  and  wait  for  his  pleasant  even- 
ing until  he  again  touches  land.  In  the  former  case  he  generally  looks  at 
the  matter  with  a  philosophical  eye,  goes  to  the  next  saloon  and  takes  a 
drink,  if  the  thieves  have  left  him  a  few  cents,  and  if  not,  he  returns  to 
his  ship. 

After  what  has  been  said,  it  is  not  necessary  to  characterize  the  pro- 
prietors of  these  saloons.  The  life  in  their  saloons  describes  their  charac- 
ter sufficiently. 

Generally  they  have  been  sailors  themselves,  sometimes  only  prize- 
fighters or  rowdies  who  took  to  a  dance  house  as  the  profession  which  is 
at  the  same  time  the  best  paying  and  the  most  congenial  to  their  tastes. 
That  it  is  a  paying  business  is  shown  by  the  fact  that  the  large  majority 
of  those  who  follow  it  may  be  justly  styled  rich.  Almost  all  would  be 
able  after  a  few  years,  to  retire  into  private  life  ;  but  they  have  become 
so  accustomed  to  the  atmosphere  of  vice  and  crime  in  which  they  move, 
that  it  very  seldom  happens,  that  one  of  them  voluntarily  retires  from  the 
business.  In  most  cases  the  children  spend  the  money  earned  by  the 
father  as  easily  and  as  quickly  as  it  was  made.  But  families  of  the 
"  Upper  Ten"  may  occasionally  be  met  with  who  gained  entrance  into 
those  circles  by  the  money  which  their  ancestor  made  in  a  dance  house. 
The  almighty  dollar  shows  a  power  also  in  this  respect,  which  does  not 
diminish  a  particle,  even  if  it  is  obtained  from  the  greatest  filth. 

Vie  must  regard  as  a  special  class  of  dance  houses  those  which  distin- 
guish themselves  favorably  from  t'le  other  dance  houses  by  the  neatness 
and  the  elegance  of  their  accommodations.  The  bar  would  be  an  orna- 
ment for  the  most  respectable  saloon,  and  mirrors,  vases,  statin  ttoes  and 
paintings  present  a  picture  which  differs  essentially  from  that  presented 
above.  The  dancing-girls  have  not  yet  descended  to  the  level  of  their 
Water  Street  sisters,  while  the  music  on  the  piano,  violin,  harp  or  other 
instrument  would  give  satisfaction  even  to  the  more  fastidious.  Entirely 
in  keeping  with  the  character  of  the  saloon,  the  class  of  visitors  differs 
entirely  from  those  described  above.     Officers,  mates  and   gencrallv  the 


394  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

better  educated  of  a  ships  company  make  these  salooos  their  meeting  place. 
The  disgusting  orgies  and  the  criminal  actions  of  the  frequenters  of  the 
low  dance  houses  are  not  practiced  here.  But  they  are  not  a  whit  less 
dangerous  to  the  morality  and  the  purse  of  the  visitor. 

The  temptations  presented  there  only  too  easily  succeed  in  killing  good 
germs,  and  to  convert  in  a  short  time  well  meaning  but  weak  characters 
into  fit  visitors  of  a  Water  Street  dance  house. 

We  now  come  to  the  third  and  last  class  of  dance  houses.  Those  treated 
of  above,  are  intended  for  and  almost  exclusively  visited  by  seamen.  But 
there  are  also  dance  houses  intended  for  those  not  following  the  sea,  and 
which,  although  small  in  number,  are  found  in  all  parts  of  the  interior  of 
the  city.  They  are  generally  connected  with  some  ill-renowned  or  suspi- 
cious looking  saloon,  frequented  by  prize-fighters,  rowdies  and  others  of 
this  class,  and  no  one,  not  initiated  in  the  mystery,  would  suspect  the 
dance  hall  in  one  of  the  back  rooms.  Prostitution,  gaming  and  drink  join 
hands  here  also  ;  and  to  a  well-dressed  person  a  visit  to  these  dens  of 
iniquity,  as  the  meeting  place  of  the  most  dangerous  classes  of  the  city,  is 
attended  by  great  danger.  They  differ  from  the  dance  houses  for  sailors 
in  this,  that  no  girls  are  kept  for  the  visitors  to  dance  with.  The  visitor 
is  either  accompanied  by  a  girl,  or  chooses  one  from  those  who  frequent 
or  occasionally  visit  these  saloons.  No  doubt  can  exist  as  to  the  character 
of  these  women.  They  are  common  street  walkers,  who  call  in  here  every 
evening,  either  seeking  for  customers,  or  for  victims  for  the  swindlers  in 
league  with  them. 

Taken  as  a  class  these  dance  houses  are  probably  even  more  dangerous 
than  the  concert  saloons.  Only  one  of  these  dance  houses  may  claim  to 
be  an  exception  to  this  rule  ;  and  as  it  possesses  a  notoriety  reaching  far 
beyond  the  limits  of  the  city  of  New  York,  it  may  be  well  to  give  it  closer 
attention.  We  refer  to  the  notorious  dance  house  of  Harry  Hill,  situated 
in  Houston  Street,  near  Broadway.  An  idea  of  its  custom  may  be  gained 
from  the  fact  that  the  net  gain  amounts  on  an  average  to  $1,000  per  week. 
Harry  Hill,  the  proprietor,  belongs  to  that  class  of  politicians,  who  by  cer- 
tain means,  known  only  to  the  initiated,  can  influence  the  elections  either 
one  way  or  the  other.  This  gained  hitn  some  protection,  which  acted 
favorably  on  the  business  of  hi3  saloon.  Belonging  to  the  lower  class  of 
sporting  men,  and  at  the  same  time  strong  and  active  like  a  prize-fighter, 
he  soon  gained  an  undisputed  authority  among  the  visitors  of  his  saloon. 
This  authority  he  employs  so  decidedly  for  the  preservation  of  order,  that 
disturbances  very  seldom  occur  in  his  place.  This  is  of  all  ths  more 
importance,  as  Harry  Hill's  saloon  is  the  meeting  place  of  the  lowest  class 
of  pickpockets,  gamblers,  bnrglars,  prize-fighters  and  rowdies,  while  the 
female  portion  of  the  visitors  consists  entirely  of  prostitutes. 

In  this  company  we  may  daily  meet  with  prominent  politicians,  lawyers, 
physicians,  members  of  the  Legislature,  aldermen,  and  even  members  ot* 


I )  A  N (  K     HOUSES. 


395 


Congress,  while  the  financial  aud  commercial  part  of  the  community  is 
represented  here  from  the  banker  down  to  the  lowest  clerk  in  the  estab- 
lishment, as  regular  or  occasional  visitors. 

So  great  is  Harry  Hill's  authority  over  his  guests,  that  the  proceedings 
in  this  mixed  company  are  apparently  as  respectable  as  in  any  other  place 
of  amusement  of  a  more  respectable  character,  and  robbery  or  theft  have 
hardly  ever  occurred  here.  Of  this  fact  the  proprietor  prides  himself  con- 
siderably, and  therefor  wishes  his  dance  house  to  be  recognized  as  a. 
respectable  saloon.  This  may  all  be  true,  aud  yet  we  do  not  fear  to  do 
injustice  to  the  character  of  the  saloon,  in  declaring  it  to  be  the  most  dan- 
gerous place  in  the  city  for  the  morality  of  its  inhabitants  and  the  safety 
of  life  and  property.  Here  youthful  levity  takes  the  first  steps  on  the 
slippery  road  of  sin,  and  first  inhales  its  poisonous  atmosphere.  Here, 
indeed,  the  thieves  and  murderers  do  not  steal  or  murder,  but  here  they 
Bingle  out  their  victims  to  entice  them  into  their  snares  at  the  proper  time 
and  place.  Harry  Hill  only  wishes  that  nobody  shall  be  robbed  or  mur- 
dered in  his  house.  What  the  rowdies  do  with  his  guests  in  the  street? 
does  not  concern  him.  The  rowdies  respect  his  will  with  regard  to  the 
first  case,  and  in  return  enjoy  the  privilege  of  makiug  profitable  studies  for 
their  criminal  purposes,  among  the  guests  of  the  saloon.  How  many  who 
have  visited  this  dance  house  only  for  pleasure,  may  here  have  received 
the  first  impulse  on  their  way  to  vice  and  crime.  By  no  means  do  we 
absolve  the  visitors  of  their  share  of  the  fault ;  but  we  do  not  see,  how  he 
who  presented  the  temptation,  can  be  found  entirely  innocent.  The  fol- 
lowing sad  case  in  connection  with  this  dance  house,  created  at  the  time  of 
its  occurrence  a  great  excitement : — 

Mr.  N.,  the  descendant  of  a  wealthy  New  England  family,  was  a  young 
man  endowed  with  brilliant  talents,  aud  had  received  an  excellent  educa- 
tion. He  was  the  representative  of  a  large  New  England  firm  in  New 
York,  and  enjoyed  the  entire  confidence  of  hi«s  employers.  This  confidence 
seemed  to  be  justified  both  by  family  ties  and  the  former  conduct  and  busi- 
ness tact  of  the  young  man.  Unfortunately  the  firm  neglected  to  keep  the 
necessary  control  over  their  New  York  representative,  which  the  interest 
of  their  depositors  required  under  any  circumstance.  For  a  time,  how- 
ever, everything  went  well.  Mr.  N.  was  punctual  and  conscientious  ia 
the  highest  degree.  He  was  the  first  one  in  the  morning,  and  was  the  last 
one  to  leave  the  office  in  the  evening.  But  soou  he  thought  he  felt  the 
necessity  of  amusement,  and  of  such  amusement  as  the  strict  rules  of  ' 
fafhionable  society  did  not  allow. 

He  longed  for  freedom  from  the  conventional  forms  of  society.  Seeking 
this  class  of  amusements,  he  soon  entered  the  "  respectable"  dance  house 
of  Harry  Hill.  Here  he  found  what  he  had  been  looking  and  longing  for. 
At  first  it  amused  him  to  watch  the  free  ways  of  the  male  and  female 
guests  of  this  saloon.     Then  he  talked  with  one  of  the  sirens,  and  in  the 


396  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    KEW    YORK    LIFE. 

course  of  one  of  his  regular  visits  he  tried  a  short  dance.  From  dancing 
he  took  to  drinking,  and  from  drinking  to  dancing  again  and  so  on.  Before 
he  was  aware  of  it  he  was  caught  in  the  net  of  the  women,  who  soon  found 
cut  that  he  was  very  rich,  and  therefor  exerted  all  their  powers  to  fascinate 
him.  They  were  only  too  successful.  He  soon  had  a  horde  of  mistresses, 
whom  he  clothed  in  silk  and  satin,  and  whom  he  perfectly  covered  with 
jewelry.  Elegant  residences,  trips  to  watering  places,  lodges  in  the  thea- 
tres and  other  expensive  luxuries,  often  devoured  the  salary  of  a  whole 
year  in  a  single  month.  He  then  used  the  money  of  the  firm,  hoping  to 
make  good  his  deficiency  by  successful  speculations.  But  this  pla  1  did  not 
work,  and  the  women  on  the  one  hand,  and  unlucky  speculatioas  on  the 
other,  soon  drew  him  down  lower  and  lower.  His  health  began  to  fail, 
and  his  employers  who  in  their  unpardonable  confidence  did  not  pay  any 
attention"  to  the  actions  of  their  N.  Y.  correspondent,  saw  in  his  sickly 
paleness  only  the  result  of  overwork,  and  even  advised  him  not  to  exert 
himself  too  much. 

Whether  he  followed  this  advice  or  not,  is  not  known.  But  it  was, 
indeed,  an  unnecessary  one,  since  the  business  had  become  only  a  secondary 
consideration  with  him.  With  regard  to  his  pleasures,  however,  he  did 
not  restrain  himself  at  all  and  the  money  of  the  firm  went  a6  fast  as  it 
came.  How  long  this  would  have  continued  cannot  be  imagined,  if  the 
sudden  death  of  one  of  the  most  prominent  members  of  the  firm  had  not 
caused  a  thorough  revision  of  the  financial  affairs  of  the  house.  Then  it 
was  found  that  Mr.  N.  had  defrauded  the  house  of  not  less  than  $1,400,000, 
and  that  it  was  completely  bankrupt. — The  fall  of  so  large  a  house  caused 
the  ruin  of  many  smaller  ones.  Hundreds  who  had  been  considered  rich, 
suddenly  found  themselves  over  head  and  ears  in  debt,  and  thousands  of 
widows  and  orphans  lost  their  whole  property,  and  were  beggars. 

But  where  were  these  widows  and  orphans  robbed  of  their  small 
property?  Harry  Hill  will  answer  "  Not  in  my  dance  house!"  and  the 
law  is  on  his  side.  But  the  moral  sense  will  answer  him  :  "  They  were 
robbed  there,  where  the  young  man  became  a  defrauder,  and  on  that  place 
rests  the  responsibility  for  all  the  consequences  arising  from  that  crime !" 

So  much  for  the  only  dance  house  i»  New  York  City,  whose  proprietor 
dares  to  call  it  respectable. 

We  must  here  repeat  the  same  complaints  with  regard  to  the  inactivity 
of  the  police,  which  have  been  brought  forward  under  the  concert  saloons. 
The  police  only  interferes  with  these  saloons  when  a  disturbance  makes  it 
necessary.  Otherwise  it  ignores  them  and  they  may  continue  their  evil 
doings  without  fear  of  interruption.  It  has  been  remarked  lately  that  since 
the  increase  of  these  concert  saloons,  the  business  of  the  Water  Street 
dance  houses  has  considerably  declined,  and  that  it  is  not  half  as  lively 
there  at  present  as  it  was  before  the  rise  of  concert  saloons.  Whether 
something  has  been  gained  by  this,  whether  it  is  a  move  for  the  better,  or 


PIC-NICS.  397 

a  relapse  to  worse,  we  will  not  decide  here.  To  us  the  dance  houses  as 
well  as  the  concert  saloons  of  our  city,  are  nothing  more  than  so  many 
.  through  which  thousands  annually  go  to  ruin.  In  both  the  same 
evil  is  represented,  and  every  true  philanthropist  must  deeply  regret,  that 
up  to  the  present  hardly  a  beginning  has  been  made  in  its  extinction. 


PIC-NICS. 

11  But  how  can  you  class  pic-nics  under  the  '  Dark  Side  of  New  York 
Life?'"  many  of  our  readers  will  exclaim.  "Pic-nics,  these  lcfcg  looked 
for  visitors  of  summer,  with  their  pleasant  scenes  in  woods  and  meadows  I 
Pic-nics,  these  pleasant  recreations  for  the  working  man,  and  man  of  busi- 
ness !  Do  not  they  enable  him  to  leave  the  dusty  city  with  his  family, 
and  spend  a  pleasant  day  in  the  green  wroods,  to  return  to  his  every  day 
drudgery  refreshed  and  with  new  vigor?  A  description  of  them-  belong 
with  much  more  propriety  in  a  book  describing  the  bright  sides  of  our 
great  city." 

In  one  respect  the  reader  is  right.  He  is  right,  if  he  judges  only  by 
those  pleasant  pic-nics  referred  to  above.  But  we  also  consider  ourselves 
right,  and  are  convinced,  that  after  reading  this  short  chapter,  the  reader 
will  agree  with  us  in  giving  the  pic-nics  a  place  among  the  dark  sides  of 
New  York.  Everything  has  its  two  sides,  nor  are  things  that  pass  under 
one  name  always  the  same  thing.     This  truth  is  also  applicable  to  pic-nics. 

No  special  explanation  is  needed  for  what  is  understood  by  a  pic-nic. 
The  object  of  all  pic-nics  is  the  amusement  of  a  circle  of  friends  in  the 
country  or  in  a  public  garden.  If  they  differ  essentially  in  their  character, 
it  is  because  the  opinions,  as  to  the  meaning  of  the  word  "  amusement," 
differ  so  widely.  What  is  amusement  for  one,  causes  the  other  tedious- 
Bess  and  repugnance,  and  what  the  one  avoids  in  this  respect,  the  other 
eagerly  seeks  for. 

Let  us  look,  for  example,  at  two  pic-nics. 

AVe  are  on  the  picturesque  heights  which,  from  the  west  bank  of  the 
Hudson,  overlook  Xew  York.  A  broad  grass  plot  is  spread  out  before 
us.  A  shady  forest  encloses  it,  and  trees  scattered  here  and  there,  shrub- 
bery and  rocks  give  it  a  picturesque  variety.  Here  pleasure  and  happiness 
reign  supreme,  and  seated  in  happy  circles,  we  see  old  and  young,  men 
and  women,  from  the  grandfather  to  the  baby  in  its  mother's  arms.  Hats 
and  coats,  shawls  and  sashes  hang  on  the  trees,  while  the  whole  picture  is 


398  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

that  of  a  happy  family.  A  prominent  feature  among  the  several  groups 
arc  large  and  heavy  baskets,  and  if  we  did  not  guess  their  contents,  a  look 
into  them  would  show  us  that  they  represent  the  portable  pantries  of  the 
excursionists.  The  tender  hands  of  the  ladies  and  girls  have  charge  of 
these  baskets  and  divide  their  tempting  contents  with  pleasant  jests.  But 
fun  and  good  feeling  are  not  the  only  spices  of  this  pastoral  feast.  Bottles 
of  Rhine  wine  protrude  their  heads  temptingly  from  out  the  baskets,  while 
under  a  shady  tree  we  see  a  keg.  Here  a  ministering  angel  in  woman 
form  kindly  dispenses  the  foaming  beer  to  all  who  come.  Further  on  a 
bright  fire  sheds  its  light  preparing  the  water  for  the  coffee. 

Between  these  groups  happy  children  run  about,  plucking  flowers  or 
chasing  the  gay  butterfly.  Loving  couples  wander  in  happy  forgetfulness 
of  the  rest  of  the  world,  arm  in  arm  through  the  bushes.  Here  some  are 
enjoying  one  of  the  numerous  games  that  are  brought  to  light  on  such 
occasions,  while  farther  on  the  sound  of  a  musical  instrument  attracts  our 
ear.  Here  the  lovers  of  dancing  will  find  a  rich  treat,  and  round  and 
square  dances  are  here  enjoyed  with  as  great  a  relish  as  in  the  finest  ball 
room.  The  blue  sky  looks  down  on  this  beautiful  scene,  while  beneath  us 
the  Hudson  rolls  its  blue  waves  along  the  great  Metropolis  until  it  reaches 
the  ocean. 

It  is  a  pic-nic  that  we  see  here,  and  if  our  eyes  did  not  tell  us,  the  par- 
ticipants in  these  pleasures  soon  would,  that  they  are,  indeed,  enjoying 
themselves. 

Let  us  visit  the  same  spot  on  another  day !  Again  we  see  a  large  com- 
pany, of  every  age  and  sex,  assembled  here.  The  well-known  baskets 
Again  greet  our  eye.  But  judging  by  the  large  number  of  bottles  and 
demijohns,  the  company  seems  to  be  unusually  thirsty.  The  contents  of 
the  bottles  smells  decidedly  stronger  than  wine  or  beer.  Judging  by  its 
smell  it  is  nothing  but  whiskey,  of  which  a  large  keg  is  seen  on  a  wagon 
forming  the  center  of  the  prevailing  animation.  If  the  loud  noise  and  the 
shouting  could  be  taken  as  a  standard  of  enjoyment,  this  party  must  enjoy 
itself  considerably  more  than  that  described  above.  But  the  female  por- 
tion of  the  company  also  shows  an  inspiration  by  its  behaviour  which  can 
be  traced  very  easily  to  the  bottles  mentioned  before,  as  its  chief  source. 

The  dancing  here  is  only  wild  jumping  or  staggering.  There  two 
drunken  men  begin  to  fight,  and  their  wives  and  friends,  also  under  the 
influence  of  liquor,  try  to  separate  them.  Old  and  young  assemble  around 
them  and  after  a  good  deal  of  unnecessary  noise  it  is  decided  to  fight  it  out 
*'  squarely."  The  crowd  forms  a  ring,  and  looks  on  with  delight,  as  the 
two  beasts  pummel  each  other,  until  they  are  so  covered  with  blood  and 
bruises  as  to  be  hardly  recognizable.  They  now  declare  their  wounded 
honor  to  be  satisfied,  and  celebrate  their  reconciliation  with  fresh  libations 
of  whiskey.  But  the  whiskey  is  not  of  the  kind  which  cheers  but  not  in- 
toxicates.    On  the  contrary  it  stirs  up  a  disposition  for  quarrels  and  fights, 


pic-nics.  399 

and  the  end  of  this  reconciliation  is  a  general  fight,  from  which  only  those 
keep  aloof  who  lie  under  the  bushes  so  intoxicated  as  to  be  unable  to  move. 
Songs  are  also  occasionally  heard.  But  their  text  as  well  as  their  delivery 
are  of*  such  a  nature,  as  would  exclude  them  from  any  society  laying  claim 
to  the  least  degree  of  respectability. 

But  we  have  seen  and  heard  enough  to  drive  us  full  of  disgust  from  out 
of  this  pandemonium.  If  we  should  ask  the  company  for  the  meaning  of 
their  proceedings,  they  would  tell  us,  that  it  was  their  pic-nic,  and  that 
they  had  enjoyed  themselves  exceedingly  well. 

The  reader  may  be  astonished  at  this  class  of  amusement.  But  he  must 
not  forget  that  a  certaia  class  of  people  measure  their  enjoyment,  by  the 
principle  :  No  fun  without  fighting ;  the  more  fighting,  the  more  fun. 
Tastes  differ,  and  it  is  of  no  earthly  use  to  quarrel  about  them.  But  we 
are  confident  that  no  guest  of  the  second  pic-nic  would  have  enjoyed  him- 
self at  the  first,  while  a  guest  of  pic-nic  No.  1  would  have  left  pic-nic  No. 
2  filled  with  disgust  in  a  very  short  time. 

If  private  parties  wish  to  amuse  themselves  in  a  manner  contrary  to 
common  decency  aud  morals,  there  is  no  great  danger  that  anyone,  whose 
mental  affinities  do  not  draw  him  there,  should  stray  into  this  slippery 
crowd.  It  is  not  therefor  then,  why  we  assign  to  the  pic-uics  a  place 
among  the  dark  sides.  But  there  are  pic-nics,  and  their  number  is  on  the 
increase  every  year,  which  are  only  intended  to  deceive  by  their  name  and 
to  draw  the  unsuspecting  to  them.  To  these  suspicious  pic-nics  everybody 
is  admitted  who  pays  the  price  of  admission.  The  object  of  such  pic-nics 
is  either  to  increase  the  business  at  the  bar  of  the  place  where  it  is  held, 
or  to  make  money  for  those  who  conduct  it,  and  who  are  generally  known 
to  only  a  small  circle  of  friends. 

It  is  not  necessary  to  mention  that  by  such  indiscriminate  admittance  of 
guests,  the  worst  elements  can  enter  such  pic-nics.  And  for  this  reason 
these  pic-nics  are  not  the  place  where  you  can  find  that  undisturbed  pleasure, 
which  may  be  always  found  at  a  respectable  pic-nic. 

But  in  many  cases  the  object  of  these  pic-nics  is  much  worse  and  dan- 
gerous. It  is  a  well-known  fact  to  the  authorities,  that  pic-nics  are  often 
arranged  for  the  sole  benefit  of  pickpockets,  prostitutes  and  rowdies. 

Woe  to  those  who  are  led  into  these  pic-nic3  by  their  unsuspiciousness  ! 
Empty  pockets  would  be  their  least  complaint,  while  stupefying  with  nar- 
cotic drugs,  rape,  robbery  and  even  murder  are  crimes,  well  known  to  the 
authoriiies  in  connection  with  these  pic-nics. 

The  first  impression  of  these  suspicious  pic-nics  is  not  always  forbidding. 
A  show  of  respectability  is  successfully  kept  up  for  a  while.  Upon  enter- 
ing, a  person  will  therefor  notice  nothing  that  would  deter  him,  or  even 
arouse  his  suspicions.  In  general  it  is  not  until  the  break  of  night  that  he 
sees  the  company  in  its  true  light.  But  by  that  time  he  is  in  such  a  condi- 
tion, that    every  thing   appears  to  him  in  a  rosy  light,  and  the  male  and 


400  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

female  sharpers  have  him  entirely  in  their  power.  He  is  either  intoxicated^ 
and  awakens  in  the  morning  to  find  himself  robbed,  or  he  is  enticed  by  one- 
of  the  "  ladies"  into  the  darkness  surrounding  the  platform,  where  she  or 
her  male  accomplices  rob  him.  Should  he  create  a  disturbance,  he  would 
only  make  matters  worse.  He  would  be  half  killed,  before  his  cries  for 
help  would  attract  one  of  the  policemen,  who  are  there  only  for  the  sake 
of  form.  Panel-girls,  swindlers  and  other  wolves  in  sheepskin  practice 
their  quiet,  but  not  the  less  dangerous  vocation  extensively. 

It  is  hardly  necessary  to  mention  that  the  dangers  for  respectable  women 
and  girls,  who  are  enticed  to  these  pic-nics  by  cunning  or  unsuspiciousness, 
are  of  a  much  more  serious  character.  Even  in  the  most  respectable  pic-nics 
many  opportunities  are  presented,  caused  by  the  excitement  of  wine  and 
of  pleasure,  which  end  in  heartless  seduction.  The  history  of  many 
prostitutes  has  begun  with  seduction  at  a  pic-nic. — We  only  mentioned 
this  here,  to  show  the  necessity  of  first  ascertaining  the  character  of  a  pic- 
nic, before  taking  part  in  it,  especially  if  accompanied  by  a  lady. 

It  is  either  necessary  to  know  the  parties  personally  by  whom  the  pic- 
nic is  given,  or  to  have  some  other  security  as  to  its  respectability.  The 
place  alone  is  in  no  case  sufficient  security.  The  place  in  which,  for 
example,  the  most  respectable  pic-nic  was  held  yesterday,  may  be  to-mor- 
row the  scene  of  wild  orgies,  which  would  do  honor  to  the  lowest  class  of 
concert  saloons  or  dance  houses.  The  proprietors  will  let  their  gardens 
to  any  persons  or  corporations  for  pic-nics,  without  being  further  interested 
in  the  matter  than  furnishing  refreshments.  It  is  always  the  company  on 
which  the  character  of  a  pic-nic  depends,  and  the  care  which  is  generally 
employed  in  the  selection  of  one's  company  in  every  day  life,  is  much  more 
applicable  with  regard  to  pic-nics. 

Similar  to  the  pic-nics  are  the  popular  summer  excursions,  for  which 
the  picturesque  surroundings  of  New  York  afford  ample  opportunity.  The 
names  of  Hoboken,  Guttenberg,  Fort  Lee,  Cooney  Island,  Fort  Hamilton, 
etc.,  call  up  memories  of  landscapes,  which  are  fully  able  to  cope  in  point 
of  beauty  with  those  of  any  other  great  city  of  the  world.  But  these 
excursions,  also,  are  not  without  some  of  the  dark  sides  mentioned  under 
the  pic-nics.  In  many  respects  these  dark  sides  stand  out  even  more 
prominently  than  in  the  case  of  pic-nics. — The  pic-nics  have  at  least  that 
advantage,  that  if  it  is  so  desired,  they  can  be  closed  to  the  general  public. 
The  guests  of  a  respectable  picnic  always  know  with  which  class  of  society 
they  will  come  in  contact.  With  the  excursions,  however,  it  is  entirely 
different.  They  take  place  mostly  on  a  Sunday,  when  two-thirds  of  the 
inhabitants  of  the  city  leave  their  homes  to  go  to  one  of  the  popular  excur- 
sion places.  In  this  manner  they  are  like  immense  pic-nics  in  which 
scarcely  anyone  knows  the  person  sitting  next  to  him.  Such  popular 
excursion  places  are  just  on  account  of  these  large  crowds  profitable  points 
of  operation  for  rowdies  and  swindlers  of  all  classes,  who  mingle  with  the 


PIC-NICS.  401 

crowd,  and  there  ply  their  vocation  with  great  zeal.  The  evils  caused  by 
these  classes  of  rowdies  and  swindlers  are  especially  felt  on  the  Sunday 
excursion  boats,  which  are  mostly  filled  to  overflowing.  Rowdies  amuse 
themselves  by  insulting  and  quarreling  with  the  passengers.  This  causes 
noise,  disorder  and  crowding,  during  which  the  light-fingered  craft  of  the 
pickpockets,  empty  the  pockets  of  the  passengers  of  their  contents.  It 
even  happened  once  that  a  band'  of  rowdies  got  the  vessel  under  their  con- 
trol, and  then  proceeded  to  rob  the  passengers,  to  knock  down  the  men, 
insult  the  ladies,  and  even  committed  a  dastardly  outrage  on  one  lady.  To 
avoid  arrest,  the  band  forced  the  pilot  to  steer  towards  a  deserted  landing- 
place  and  to  set  them  on  shore  there. — The  steamers  of  the  Staten  Island 
ferry  have  also  been  the  scene  of  many  dastardly  outrages  committed  by 
ruwdies.  In  the  last  few  years  it  has  become  much  better  in  consequence 
of  stricter  measures  of  the  police,  but  the  rowdy  element  is  to  the  present 
day  an  evil  which  does  much  to  destroy  the  pleasure  of  the  public  on  these 
Sunday  excursions.  Probably  every  one  who  has  often  taken  part  in  such 
excursions  can  speak  of  such  disagreeable  scenes  from  his  own  experience. 

It  is  chiefly  the  popular  sea-bath  Coney  Island,  situated  on  Long  Island, 
which  is  regularly  flooded  by  rowdies  and  swindlers.  All  classes  of  the 
demi-monde,  down  to  the  common  street  walker,  are  found  here  as  well  as 
rakes  and  others  of  the  same  class,  who  behave  themselves  so  shamelessly 
in  and  out  of  the  water,  that  the  use  of  this  fine  sea-bath  is  almost  an  im- 
possibility for  respectable  women. 

A  glance  at  the  crowd  and  their  actions  in  such  a  Sunday  bath,  will 
suffice  to  arouse  the  suspicions  of  even  those  not  endowed  with  the  most 
tender  conscience.  The  average  number  of  visitors  on  a  Sunday  is  about 
three  thousand.  Of  these,  from  fifty  to  three  hundred  are  in  the  water  at 
all  times — young  and  old,  men  and  women,  rakes  and  seducers,  modest 
maidens  and  gay  prostitutes,  all  mixed  together.  Once  in  the  water,  and 
even  the  few  limits  of  decency  observed  on  shore,  are  no  longer  observed. 
Stranger  will  not  hesitate  to  perpetrate  jokes  on  bathing  women,  which 
even  the  greatest  intimacy  should  not  allow.     Occasionally  a  lady  declares 

I  herself  insulted,  and  draws  the  attention  of  all  the  visitors  to  herself.  The 
ODly  result  she  obtains,  is  to  draw  the  obscene  jokes  and  the  laughter  of 
the  large  majority  of  the  rowdies  upon  herself.  Outside  groups  of  rowdies 
are  standing  or  laying  on  the  sand,  who  amuse  themselves  by  making  in- 
decent remarks  about  ladies  passing  into  or  out  of  the  water,  and  to  insult 
them  by  their  looks  and  actions.  Even  in  the  closed  rooms  of  the  bathing 
houses  the  feminine  sense  of  propriety  cannot  divert  itself  of  the  well 
founded  uneasiness.  It  is  well  known  that  walls  sometimes  have  ears  ; 
but  the  walls  of  these  bathing  houses  only  too  often  have  eyes.  And  these 
eyes  are  not  accidental  cracks  or  knot-holes,  but  holes  bored  there  on  pur- 
pose. These  cabins  are  eagerly  sought  for  by  a  certain  class  of  male 
visitors,  who  pay  the  proprietors  large  sums  if  they  engage  to  put  in  the 

2G 
t 


402  TEE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YOKK    LIFE. 

neighboring  cabin  a  pretty  lady.  We  could  here  talk  of  many  other 
public  secrets,  but  we  hope  that  what  has  been  said  will  suffice  for  the 
female  portion  of  the  Sunday  excursionists  to  Coney  Island. 

That  the  dangers  and  conveniences  arc  much  greater  on  the  return 
trip,  whether  it  is  made  by  steamer  or  by  cars,  is  easily  explained,  if  the 
darkness  and  the  effects  of  the  liquor  consumed  are  taken  into  account. 

It  is  hardly  necessary  to  mention,  that  on  all  excursions,  especially  on 
Sundays,  individuals  with  more  money  than  brains,  have  an  excellent 
opportunity  to  rid  themselves  of  it  a  three-card-monte  and  other  games, 
described  in  preceding  chapters. 

What  we  have  here  said  about  pic-nics  and  excursions,  is  not  intended 
to  discourage  our  readers  from  participating  these  popular  pleasures  of 
summer,  or  to  bring  them  into  discredit.  And  we  are  sorry  to  say,  that, 
to  a  certain  degree,  they  have  already  been  brought  into  discredit.  If  we 
have  spoken  of  the  evils  connected  with  them,  it  was  only  done  with  the 
intention  of  having  them  corrected.  We  wished  to  call  the  attention  of 
the  unsuspicious  to  the  dangers  hidden  from  them,  and  to  give  hints  in 
this  repect,  which  would  be  of  use  to  every  one.  In  such  cases,  many 
persons  are  only  to  apt  to  spill  the  child  with  the  water.  Because  many 
things  happen  on  pic-nics  and  Sunday  excursions  which  are  contrary  to 
the  laws  of  morality,  many  persons  are  apt  to  cry  out  against  them  and 
to  demand  their  abolition.  But' they  forget  that,  for  the  larger  part  of  the 
inhabitants  of  New  York,  the  pic-nics  and  Sunday  excursions  are  the  only 
chances  of  enjoying  the  pleasures  of  country  life,  even  for  a  day.  By  no 
means  would  we  say  :  "  Abolish  the  pic-nics,  and  remain  at  home  on  the 
Sabbath"  ;  but  we  do  say  :  "  Avoid  the  disreputable  pic-nics  !  visit  the 
pic-nics  and  make  your  Sunday  excursions  with  that  knowledge  of  possible 
danger,  which  is  the  best  safe-guard.  He  who  knows  that  the  rose  has 
thorns,  can  pluck  it  without  pain.  He  enjoys  its  beauty  and  its  sweet 
scent,  while  a  child  would  pay  for  such  an  attempt  with  a  bloody  finger, 
and  then  holds  the  rose,  instead  of  his  experience,  responsible  for  its  pain. 
We  call  attention  to  the  thorns,  to  warn  our  readers  from  them,  not  from 
the  rose.  In  this  sense  we  undertook  to  treat  of  the  pic-nics  and  excur- 
sions under  the  dark  sides  of  New  York  life.  Our  object  was  to  save 
them  from  further  degeneration,  by  calling  attention  to  certain  evils,  and 
to  preserve  them  as  that,  what  they  ought  to  be  for  the  large  majority  of 
our  inhabitants,  viz. :  Happy  sunbeams  in  the  dull  monotony  of  every  daj 
life. 


rOBGERfl    AND    COUXTERFEITKU5.  403 


FORGERS  AND   COUNTERFEITERS. 

Forgers  and  counterfeiters  must  undoubtedly  be  classed  among  the  most 
•dangerous  criminals.  Their  disgraceful  activity  is  felt  in  far  greater 
circles  than  that  of  any  of  the  other  enemies  of  public  safety. 

The  thief  or  the  burglar  only  injures  a  certain  individual  by  each  one  of 
his  criminal  acts.  The  forger  and  counterfeiter,  however,  by  the  engrav- 
ing of  a  die  or  of  a  plate  creates  a  sort  of  omnipresence  for  himself;  he 
becomes  a  thief  so  many  times  as  he  issues  counterfeit  coins  or  notes  with 
.his  die  or  plate.  lie  menaces  without  difference,  rich  and  poor ;  the 
millionaire  as  well  as  the  merchant,  the  farmer,  the  laborer,  the  poor 
widow  and  the  lone  orphan.  And  especially  the  poor  are  the  greatest 
sufferers,  for  generally  they  do  not  understand  how  to  distinguish  the 
counterfeit  from  good  money,  and  the  loss  of  a  "bad  dollar"  will  affect  a 
poor  man  more,  than  the  loss  of  a  counterfeit  hundred  dollar  bill  which  a 
rich  banker  passed  among  many  good  ones  into  his  money  drawer. 

The  craft  of  this  class  of  counterfeiters  is  very  old.  It  is  as  old  as 
money  itself,  and  will  probably  flourish  as  long  as  this  evil,  made  indis- 
pensable by  civilization. 

No  State  or  commonwealth  exists  whose  money  has  not  been  imitated 
in  worthless  counterfeits  for  the  purpose  of  fraud,  and  this  the  oftener,  the 
more  easily  such  imitations  could  be  made.  No  money  ever  has  been 
made,  or  ever  will  be  made,  that  could  not  be  imitated.  Such  money 
must  be  placed  among  the  same  class  of  enterprises  as  the  squaring  of  the 
circle. 

The  best  that  can  be  done  in  this  respect  is  to  make  the  money  in  such 
a  form,  as  to  increase  the  difficulties  in  imitating  it,  and  by  imposing  heavy 
penalties  for  doing  so,  make  it  a  most  dangerous  and  at  the  same  time 
poorly  payiug  business.  In  this  respect  much  has  already  been  done,  and 
the  present  age  is  one  that  offers  very  little  encouragement  to  the  counter- 
feiter. 

"We  live  at  present  in  the  age  of  paper  money,  which  still  forms  the 
exclusive  currency  in  all  business  transactions.  The  time  that  gold  and 
silver  was  used  is  so  long  past  already,  that  a  generation  has  already 
grown  up,  of  whom  not  all  can  boast  of  having  haudled  a  gold  or  silver 
coin.  Since  gold  and  silver  coins  circulate  at  present  only  iu  the  financial 
world,  we  need  not  wonder  that  the  counterfeiting  of  coins  has  in  our  city, 
at  least,  ceased  almost  entirely.  The  few  counterfeit  five  cent  nickel 
piices,  which  are  easily  recognized  by  their  greater  weight  or  a  suspicious 
color  and  are  generalv  manufactured  of  zinc  or  type-metal,  are  hardly 
worth  mentioning.  The  whole  energv  and  cunning  of  the  counterfeiters 
has  been  directed  to  the  manufacture  of  the  various  iorms  of  paper  money, 


404  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK   LIFE. 

government  bonds,  railroad  bonds  and  shares,  and  it  is  this  subject,  which- 
specially  interests  us. 

It  is  not  to  be  thought,  however,  that  counterfeiters  in  the  days  of  gold 
and  silver,  neglected   paper  money.     On  the  contrary  !     For  even  at  that 
day  the  largest  business  was  done  in  bank  notes.     For  the  manufacture  of 
paper  money,  which  was  issued  at  that  time  in  hundred  different  forms, 
and  the  knowledge  of  which  required  a  special  study,  was  even  in  that 
day  such  a  profitable  business,  that  the  counterfeiters  gave  it  a  decided 
preference.     The  time  in  which  the  bank  note  reporter  was  a  necessary 
book  of  reference  in  every  place  of  business,  will  still  be  remembered  by 
many  of  our  readers.     The  bank  note  reporters  uid  much  to  warn  the 
public  of  the  many  counterfeit  notes,  or  those  of  broken  banks,  but  still  the 
business  of  counterfeiting  bank  notes  prospered.     This  business  received  a 
new  and  strong  impulse,  when  at  the  beginning  of  the  late  war  the  sudden 
disappearance  of  gold  and  silver  coin  necessitated  a  large  increase  of  all 
denominations  of  paper  currency.     In  consequence  of  this,  as  well  as  the 
greater  facility  with  which  the  first  notes  issued  during  the  war  were 
imitated,  and  especially  the  favorable  field  which  the  large  armies  offered 
to  dispose  of  counterfeits,  the  counterfeiting  of  bank  notes  reached  its  high- 
est point  of  glory.     Especialy  the  bills  of  a  smaller  denomination,  and  the 
fractional  currency  notes  were  brought  into  circulation  in  immense  quantities.. 
The  evils  caused  thereby  were  felt  too  much  not  to  have  some  remedy 
devised  for  them.     The  various  denominations  of  this  paper  money  were 
called  in  and  replaced  by  new  and  more  complicated  emissions.     Thus  the 
counterfeit  money  remained  with  those  who  held  it  last,  and  who  bore  the 
loss,  while  the  counterfeiter  had  only  to  see  to  the-  manufacture  of  new 
plates,  if  they  intended  to  continue  their  infamous  business.     But  the  busi- 
ness had  paid  so  well,  that  the  counterfeiters  could  easily  afford  the  neces- 
sary expenses  for  new  plates.      Soon  numerous   imitations  of  the  new 
emissions  were  in  circulation  ;  while  to  the  present  day  even  the  artistic 
execution  of  the  bank  notes  has  only  succeeded  in  increasing  the  difficulties 
of  t'.ieir  imitation,  but  not  to  put  a  stop  to  the  business. 

An  idea  of  the  extent  in  which  the  counterfeiting  of  bank  notes  was  still 
carried  on  in  the  last  few  years,  may  be  gained  from  the  following : — 
From  1868  to  1871  not  less  than  four  hundred  and  ninety-seven  counter- 
feiters were  arrested  by  the  United  States  detective  force.  Among  the 
working  material  of  these  prisoners  also  captured  by  the  authorities  were 
over  seventy  plates  for  United  States  notes  ;  among  these  were  three  $2, 
eight  $5,  five  $10,  four  $20,  one  $100,  two  $50  notes,  one  $1000  legal 
tender  note  not  quite  finished,  and  one  $1000  plate  of  U.  S.  Bonds.  Be- 
sides these,  thirty-four  valuable  banknote  presses  as  well  as  other  material 
for  the  fabrication  of  counterfeits  were  taken  by  the  authorities.  In  these 
three  years  over  $700,000  worth  of  counterfeit  notes  were  also  taken  by 
the  U.  S.  authorities. 


FORGERS  AND  COUNTERFEITERS.  405 

But  nevertheless  the  evil  has  not  been  entirely  exterminated,  although 
reduced  to  comparatively  small  dimensions.  This  is  partly  due  to  the  unceas- 
ing vigilence  of  the  U.  S.  detective  force.  On  the  other  hand  the  Treasury 
department  has  by  means  of  great  art  and  mechanical  skill  employed  in 
the  manufacture  of  the  bonds  and  notes  made  their  imitation  an  exceed- 
ingly difficult  and  expensive  undertaking,  while  the  uniformity  of  the  Na- 
tional bank  notes  which  have  taken  the  place  of  the  variously  formed  notes 
of  the  former  bank  corporations,  enable  the  public  to  readily  recognize 
counterfeits,  if  not  executed  with  the  greatest  degree  of  nicety. 

The  counterfeiters  of  bank  notes,  taken  as  a  class,  delight  to  class  them- 
selves among  the  aristocracy  of  criminals.  They  generally  look  down  with 
contempt  upon  those  who  earn  their  daily  bread  by  means  of  the  crowbar 
or  false  keys.  Their  business  requires  higher  and  more  refined  intellect. 
Their  operations  are  of  a  class,  which  place  them  side  by  side  with  certain 
bankers,  the  only  difference  being  this,  that  in  one  case  the  public  is  swin- 
dled under  observance  of  legal  formalities,  and  in  the  other  case  openly  and 
without  such  formalities.  Undoubtedly  the  counterfeiting  of  paper  money 
requires  a  certain  class  of  genius,  which  if  brought  into  operation  in  pur- 
suit of  an  honorable  vocation,  would  in  all  cases  secure  its  possessor  an 
honorable  position  in  society.  But  the  fatal  desire  to  become  suddenly 
rich,  leads  their  fine  talents  in  another  direction,  which  in  almost  every 
case  ends  with  the  sad  but  deserved  fate  of  a  criminal. 

The  counterfeiting  of  bank  notes,  as  carried  on  wholesale,  is  a  compli- 
cated business,  and  like  every  business  is  divided  into  its  several  branches. 

It  may  be  first  divided  into  the  manufacture  aud  the  disposal  of  the 
goods.  The  manufacture  of  good  counterfeits  requires  besides  skillful 
hands,  expensive  presses,  and  other  equally  expensive  working  material, 
and  is  a  business  that  cannot  be  commenced  without  considerable  capital. 
A  man  of  considerable  means  therefor  is  generally  at  the  head  of  it,  who 
furnishes  the  necessary  capital,  and  therefor  takes  the  larger  part  of  the 
profits.  The  next  person  in  importance  is  the  engraver  of  the  plate.  To 
make  the  business  pay  at  all,  he  must  be  a  first  class  artist.  Poorly  exe- 
cuted counterfeits  will  deceive  very  few  at  the  present  day  ;  that  many  poor 
counterfeits  are  in  circulation  proves  nothing,  for  we  may  be  certain  that 
they  have  hardly  paid  the  manufacturer  the  paper  they  are  printed  on.  No 
manufacturer  of  poor  counterfeits  has  ever  become  rich,  while  many  have 
badly  burned  their  fingers  with  them.  To  manufacture  poor  goods,  does 
not  pay  worse  in  any  business,  than  in  that  of  a  counterfeiter,  where  the, 
manufacturer  not  only  finds  no  buyers,  but  also  has  a  good  chance  to  go  to 
prison.  An  assistant  not  less  important  but  generally  more  easily  found 
by  the  counterfeiter,  is  a  good  printer,  who  can  take  clean  and  clear  im- 
pressions of  the  plate. 

Atter  having  been  engraved  and  printed,  the  next  thing  in  order  is  to 
bring  the  notes  into  circulation.    The  capitalist  keeps  as  much  in  the  dark, 


406  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK   LIFE. 

as  possible,  in  this  matter.  He  has  a  few  trusted  agents  (dealers),  who 
leave  their  orders,  sometimes  amounting  to  tens  of  thousands  of  dollars, 
with  him  alone,  and  who  alone  have  any  connection  with  him.  These 
again  have  persons  on  hand  who,  without  knowing  the  original  manufac- 
turers, obtain  their  supply  from  the  dealers.  They  again  supply  those  per- 
sons whose  business  it  is  to  rapidly  circulate  the  counterfeits  in  the  city 
and  country.  These  are  the  so-called  "Coney-pedlars"  and  "Boodle- 
carriers".  The  latter  take  their  name  from  the  word  "boodle"  which  in 
the  jargon  of  the  counterfeiters  denotes  a  quantity  of  counterfeits.  The 
"Boodle-carrier"  and  "Pedlar"  give  the  bills  to  those  whose  real  business 
ft  is  to  bring  the  counterfeits  into  circulation,  and  who  effect  this  in  various 
disguises.  As  in  their  language  "to  shove"  denotes  to  spend  money,  and 
"queer"  denotes  counterfeit-money,  these  circulators  of  counterfeits  are 
styled  "shovers  of  the  queer".  From  counterfeit,  which  is  abbreviated  to* 
"Coney",  all  persons  connected  with  the  fabrication  and  disposal  of  counter- 
feits are  styled  "Coney-men"  or  "Koniackers",  also  "queersmen". 

Let  us  now  return  to  the  counterfeiter  in  chief,  whom  we  have  denoted 
as  "capitalist".  He  was  not  born  as  a  capitalist,  but  brought  unusual 
talents  to  this  world,  which  employed  in  an  honest  vocation,  would  have 
easily  gained  for  him  a  place  among  the  capitalists  of  society.  That  we 
find  him  to  be  such  a  capitalist,  is  the  fault  of  a  large  dose  of  inborn  un- 
scrupelousness,  which,  upon  being  further  developed,  has  not  failed  to  bear 
its  fruit.  Every  beginning  is  small,  and  our  capitalist  probably  com- 
menced life  as  a  "shover  of  the  queer",  at  which  he  tried  his  luck  with 
a  counterfeit  dollar  bill,  and  found  that  it  is  much  easier  to  make  money 
in  this  way,  than  by  honest  labor.  His  mother-wit  aids  him  in  this,  and 
he  does  a  good  business.  But  his  ambition  drives  him  upward.  He  ad- 
vances from  the  "shover"  to  the  "boodle-carrier",  and  from  this  position 
to  that  of  "dealer".  But,  why  should  he  recoil  from  the  last  step,  and  not 
take  the  manufacture  of  the  "queer"  into  his  own  hands?  His  disgraceful 
business  has  already  made  him  a  rich  man,  and  his  connections  among  the- 
"Koniackers"  are  so  extensive,  that  at  last  he  boldly  goes  to  work.  The- 
higher  he  advances  in  the  ladder  of  crime,  the  less  he  is  in  danger  to  fall 
into  the  hands  of  the  authorities.  He  becomes  rich  and  does  not  fail  to 
surround  himself  with  all  outward  signs  of  respectability.  In  general,  his 
associates  only  know  his  true  character.  In  many  cases  even  the  wife 
of  such  criminal  only  discovers  his  disgraceful  vocation,  at  the  moment  of 
his  arrest. 

The  police  well  know  the  coney-men  and  their  dangerous  trade,  and 
carefully  observe  and  watch  them.  But,  in  general,  it  is  extremely  difficult 
to  produce  much  direct  evidence  of  their  guilt  as  aie  necessary  to  convict 
them.  As  this  is  much  easier  with  those  employed  in  the  lower  grades  of 
the  business,  they  are  often  sentenced  to  prison,  while  the  chief  criminal* 
at  the  head  of  the  business  can  continue  their  business  unmolested.     With. 


rORGBBS    AND    COUNTERFEITERS.  407 

very  few  exceptions,  they  receive  their  reward  earlier  or  later.  In  spite  of 
all  cunning,  they  step  -without  knowing  it  into  one  of  the  many  trap.*, 
which  the  ever  vigilant  detectives  have  set  for  them  at  every  step  they 
take. 

We  will  not  fail  to  cite  interesting  examples  of  this  class  of  criminals. 
We  begin  with  the  sketch  of  one  of  the  most  dangerous  counterfeiters,  who 
is  recognized  as  the  head  and  centre  of  all  "Coney-men"  in  America  ;  a 
man  who  is  equally  remarkable  for  the  boldness  and  large  extent  of  his 
criminal  operations,  as  for  the  good  fortune  which  has  clung  to  him  up  to 
the  present  day.  This  name  is  Joshua  D.  Miner,  well  known  in  New 
York,  and  his  life  will  afford  at  the  same  time  an  interesting  view  into  the 
life  and  doings  of  counterfeiters  generally. 

Joshua  D.  Miner  comes  from  a  family,  in  which  the  manufacture  of 
counterfeit  notes  seem3  to  be  an  hereditary  trait.  His  father  was  well 
known  for  years  as  a  manufacturer  of  counterfeit  notes,  while  his  brother 
served  several  years  in  prison  for  the  same  crime.  He  was  bom  in 
Steuben  Co.,  N.  Y.  When  he  commenced  to  deal  in  the  "queer",  is  un- 
known, but  judging  by  his  family  connections,  it  must  have  been  pretty 
early.  He  combined  in  his  criminal  vocation  boldness  with  extreme  cun- 
ning, and  as  at  the  same  time  he  was  highly  favored  by  fortune,  he  soon 
accumulated  considerable  property,  which  he  used  with  great  sagacity  and 
business  tact  to  enlarge  his  operations.  Thus  he  has  become  during  the 
past  twelve  years  wholesale  dealer  of  counterfeit  notes,  and  only  deals 
with  the  largest  "coney-dealers".  Thus  he  diminished  the  danger  of  his 
discovery,  and  his  business  flourished  in  such  a  manner,  that  his  present 
wealth  is  considered  very  large.  He  had  the  counterfeits  manufactured  on 
a  large  scale  on  his  own  account,  and  spared  no  expense  to  obtain  the  most 
accomplished  engravers  and  the  best  material. 

The  counterfeits  manufactured  by  him  are  among  the  best,  that  ever 
deceived  the  American  public.  He  manufactured  National  Bank  notes 
for  $2,  $10,  $20  and  $50,  in  such  quantities,  that  he  could  furnish  his 
agents  at  any  time  with  amounts  ranging  from  $5000  to  $20,000.  His 
factory  was  situated  for  a  long  time  on  the  corner  of  49th  street  and  6th 
avenue,  and  in  spite  of  its  uninterrupted  activity,  he  never  aroused  the 
suspiciou  of  the  police.  His  business  in  "Coney"  amounted  to  hundreds 
of  thousands  of  dollars  per  year,  and  his  profit  may  be  estimated  if  it  is 
remembered  that  the  manufacture  of  the  bank  notes  only  cost  him  from  10 
to  15  per  cent,  of  their  nominal  value.  Being  thus  able  to  manufacture 
the  best  counterfeits  at  the  lowest  prices  and  in  any  quantity,  he  controlled 
the  counterfeit  market  for  years. 

The  police  knew  for  a  long  time  the  dangerous  activity  of  Miner.  But, 
owing  to  the  extreme  caution  with  which  he  operated,  they  never  succeeded 
in  obtaining  such  evidence  against  him  as  would  warrant  his  arrest.  Being 
also  a  contractor  of  public  works,  he  could  represent  his  wealth  as  having 


408  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

been  acquired  in  this  vocation,  while  by  the  public  at  large  he  was  regarded 
as  a  respectable  and  distinguished  citizen. 

But  even  his  hour  had  come,  not  that  which  brought  him  his  well  mer- 
ited punishment,  but  which  should  forever  tear  from  his  face  the  mask  of 
respectability.  One  of  his  most  intimate  associates,  the  equally  well  known 
counterfeiter  Bill  Gurney,  was  arrested  under  circumstances,  which  made 
the  denial  of  his  guilt  an  impossibility.  To  lessen  his  punishment,  he 
offered  to  assist  the  U.  S.  detectives  in  obtaining  the  plate  of  a  counterfeit 
twenty  dollar  note,  which  it  was  supposed,  was  held  by  Miner.  Gurney 
therefor  went  with  some  detectives  to  Miner's  residence,  where  a  compro- 
mise was  effected,  in  accordance  with  which  Miner  delivered  the  dange- 
rous plate  to  the  chief  of  the  U.  S.  detective  force.  From  this  time  on, 
Miner  was  closely  watched.  Soon  some  other  persons  were  arrested,  and 
confessions  were  at  last  obtained,  which  showed  Miner  to  be  the  chief 
source  of  the  counterfeits.  One  of  the  persons  arrested,  Harry  Cole,  an 
intimate  friend  of  Miner,  stated  that  in  the  course  of  the  last  eight  years 
he  had  received  counterfeits  from  Miner  amounting  to  more  than  $100,000, 
while  the  total  amount  brought  into  circulation  by  Miner  during  the  same 
period  was  at  least  $1,000,000,  and  that  Miner  manufactured  them  all 
himself. 

As  Miner  did  not  know  of  Cole's  arrest,  the  latter  was  gained  by  the 
promise  of  freedom,  to  turn  State's  evidence  against  Miner.  Cole  promised 
to  obtain  not  only  counterfeits,  but  also  plates  from  Miner,  under  such  cir- 
cumstances, as  to  cause  his  immediate  arrest :  In  consequence  of  this  ar- 
rangement, Cole  was  relexsed,  although  kept  under  strict  surveillance.  At 
the  end  of  three  weeks  he  had  arranged  the  matter  in  the  following  man- 
ner. Miner  was  to  meet  Cole  on  the  corner  of  61st  street  and  the  Boule- 
vard, on  October  25th,  1871,  and  deliver  to  him  in  some  remote  locality, 
upon  payment  of  $1500  in  good  money,  one  two  dollar  and  one  ten  dollar 
plate.  In  the  night  of  October  25th,  Cole  went  with  the  $1500  given  to 
him  by  the  U.  S.  detectives  to  the  above  mentioned  house.  He  soon  left 
it  again  in  company  with  Miner,  and  the  two  then  walked  down  the  Bou- 
levard. Only  few  persons  were  to  be  seen  in  the  street,  and  even  these 
few  seemed  to  have  no  other  idea  than  to  reach  their  respective  homes  as 
soon  as  possible.  But  these  belated  travelers  were  detectives,  getting  ready 
for  a  large  haul.  Miner  left  Cole  for  a  minute  and  crossed  the  Boulevard, 
where  he  received  a  package  from  a  man  waiting  there,  and  returning  to 
Cole  handed  it  to  him.  But  before  it  had  left  his  hand,  he  was  seized  by 
two  strong  detectives,  and  was  overpowered  after  a  desperate  resistance. 
At  the  same  time  the  other  man  who  had  handed  Miner  the  package  had 
been  secured.  This  man  was  no  other  than  Thos.  Ballard,  Miner's  en- 
graver. 

Miner  seemed  to  be  lost.  Such  strong  evidence  of  his  guilt  must,  ac- 
cording to  all  calculations,  crush  him.     But  it  came  otherwise.     He  was 


FORGERS    AND    COUNTERFEITER*.  409 

placed  under  $30,000  bail,  aud  used  his  freedom  to  do  everything  iu  his 
power  for  his  own  interest.  Miner,  as  we  have  said,  is  very  rich,  and 
money  as  is  well  known,  will  go  very  far  in  our  courts.  One  day  Ballard, 
the  most  important  witness  against  Miner,  had  disappeared  from  Ludlow 
street  jail.  Nobody  knew  how  it  had  happened.  But  it  is  very  probable 
that  Miner  had  furnished  the  ever  fitting  Golden  Key  for  Ballard.  A  re- 
ward of  $5000,  which  was  offered  ior  his  recapture,  did  Dot  produce  any 
results,  and  Ballard  could  not  be  produced  as  a  witness  on  the  trial  which 
was  begun  in  December,  1871.  Yet  he  was  the  most  important  of  all 
witnesses,  for  in  his  house,  No.  25G  Rivingtou  street,  valuable  presses,  as 
well  as  large  quantities  of  bank-note-paper,  and  finished  bank  notes  had 
been  found.  These  he  had  told  the  chief  of  the  secret  service,  belonged  to 
.Miner,  for  whom  he  had  also  engraved  the  plates. 

Another  circumstance  in  favor  of  the  defence  was  that  Miner  had  thrown 
away  the  plates  as  well  as  the  $1500  given  to  him  by  Cole  on  the  place  of 
his  capture.  These  were  therefor  not  found  upon  his  person,  but  by  detec- 
tives the  next  morning  scattered  around  on  the  place  of  the  affray.  Wit- 
nesses were  produced,  who  took  oath  upon  oath,  that  they  had  seen  Cole 
enter  Miner's  house  with  a  package.  On  the  strength  of  all  these  facts, 
the  defense  attempted  to  demonstrate  to  the  "intelligent  jury,"  that  the 
whole  affair  was  nothing  but  a  "conspiracy"  between  Cole  and  the  detec- 
tives, to  ruin  the  reputation  of  Miner,  the  "man  of  honor".  The  "intelli- 
gent jury"  took  this  view  of  the  matter,  and  pronounced  the  prisoner  "not 
guilty",  who  left  the  court  in  triumph.  A  number  of  other  charges  owing 
to  the  disappearance  of  important  witnesses  and  other  tricks  of  the  same 
kind,  also  resulted  in  acquittal,  while  others  again  were  dropped  as  hope- 
less by  the  prosecution. 

And  thus  it  is,  that  Joshua  D.  Miner,  the  recognized  "  Grand-master" 
of  the  American  "Koniackcrs,''  lives  to  the  present  day  as  a  distinguished 
citizen  in  his  beautiful  residence  iu  G7th  street,  enjoying  the  fruits  of  his 
crimes,  continued  successfully  for  more  than  thirty  years.  And  although 
he  has  not  yet  finished  his  career,  one  might  be  tempted,  in  regarding  the 
life  of  Miner,  to  look  upon  the  allegory  of  the  ancients,  in  representing  jus- 
tice as  blind,  in  a  peculiar  manner. 

As  difficult  as  it  is,  to  bring  this  class  of  criminals  to  justice,  yet  very- 
few  can  boast  of  a  success  like  that  of  Miner.  If  this  class  of  criminals 
pursue  their  pith  slyly  and  cunningly,  with  still  greater  stealth  and  cunning 
the  ever  watchful  secret  service  follows  thein  like  a  shadow.  One  un- 
guarded word  or  action,  and  they  are  caught  in  the  traps  set  for  them. 
Another  prominent  "Coneyman"  of  New  York,  Bill  Gurney,  affords  a  good 
example  of  this. 

If  the  reader  has  not  heard  the  name  of  this  man  before,  he  will  un- 
doubtedly have  become  conscious  of  his  existence  by  some  other  means. 
For  Bill  Gurney  has  manufactured  among  others  that  counterfeit  $20  note 


410 


THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YOKK    LIFE. 


of  the  National  Shoe  and  Leather  Bank  of  New  York,  which  first  appeared 
in  New  York  in  August,  1870,  and  is  one  of  the  best  counterfeits  manu- 
factured, gave  much  trouble  to  our  business  men  and  even  to  some  of  our 
banks.  The  police  exerted  all  their  powers,  to  find  the  source  of  this  dan- 
gerous counterfeit.  The  greatest  difficulty  was  to  secure  some  less  impor- 
tant criminal  of  the  same  class  as  a  willing  or  unwilling  accomplice  to  se- 
cure the  greater  villain.     A  chance  was  soon  found. 

An  old  and  well  known  "Koniacker"  had  been  recently  dismissed  from 
prison,  after  having  served  his  term.  A  detective  disguised  as  a  sporting 
man  succeeded  in  making  his  acquaintance,  and  drank  and  loafed  about 
with  him,  and  played  his  part  so  well,  that  the  ex-convict  was  soon  quite 
delighted  with  his  new  acquaintance.  Thus  the  relation  between  the  two 
had  soon  ripened  into  a  kind  of  friendship.  This  became  all  the  stronger, 
when  "Jake  Buck"  the  disguised  detective  told  his  new  friend  that  he  had 
also  served  his  time  already  for  forging  signatures.  The  intimate  acquaint- 
ance of  the  persons  and  circumstances  in  and  around  the  prison  displayed 
by  Buck  in  his  conversation,  seemed  to  confirm  his  story  in  every  way. 
Quite  accidentally  one  evening  the  conversation  drifts  to  the  above  men- 
tioned counterfeit.  Jake  Buck  remarks  that  owing  to  its  good  workman- 
ship  and  execution,  a  large  business  might  be  done  with  it.  His  friend  is 
of  the  same  opinion,  and  lets  Buck  know  that  he  kaows  more  of  the  mat- 
ter than  he  is  willing  to  tell.  Buck  stirred  up  by  this,  says  that  he  would 
be  willing  to  risk  several  hundred  dollars  on  these  notes  and  asks  the 
"Koniacker"  whether  he  could  let  him  have  some.  The  answer  was  en- 
couraging :  I  will  see  what  can  be  done,  but  can  say  nothing  definite  before 
to-morrow  night. 

This  was  enough  for  Buck,  and  the  two  separate  with  the  intention  of 
meeting  again  the  next  evening.  At  the  appointed  time  both  are  at  the 
same  place  again.  The  "Koniacker"  has  kept  his  promise,  for  he  pro- 
duces an  entirely  new  twenty  dollar  note  of  the  Shoe  and  Leather  Bank, 
which  Buck  quickly  buys  for  $10  in  good  money.  Buck  is  in  ecstasy  over 
the  good  execution  of  the  bank  note,  and  treats  in  his  joy  very  liberally.  A 
new  arrangement  is  made  according  to  which  Buck  is  to  receive  five  of 
these  notes  at  40  cents  on  the  dollar,  the  day  after  to-m%rrow.  These  aUo 
are  procured  by  the  ex-convict,  and  Buck  orders  twenty  five  more,  only  on 
the  condition  however  of  paying  only  30  cents  on  the  dollar.  After  con- 
siderable bargaining,  the  price  is  fixed  upon  and  at  the  next  interview  the 
desired  notes  are  also  forthcoming. 

The  convict  and  the  detective  in  the  meanwhile  had  become  so  intimate, 
that  the  latter  thought  he  could  dare  to  take  another  step.  He  Fuspected 
already  that  he  must  be  near  to  the  principal  source  of  these  counterfeits, 
and  was  desirous  of  becoming  acquainted  with  it.  He  therefor  tells  his 
friend  that  he  could  bring  a  large  number  of  these  counterfeits  into  circu- 
lation.     But  by  the  risk  which  he  incurred  and  the  low  prices  at  which  he 


FORGERS    AND    COUNTERFEITERS.  -1  1  I 

bad  to  supply  his  men,  he  could  only  make  very  little  at  30  cents  on  the 
dollar.  His  friend  the  convict,  however,  declares  that  30  cents  was  the 
lowest  price  at  which  he  could  do  any  business  in  this  kind  of  Coney. 
Buck  is  not  inclined  to  risk  any  more  at  that  price,  says  that  he  can  easily 
get  the  stuff  much  cheaper  if  he  applied  directly  to  the  manufacturer.  In 
consequence  of  this  the  convict  makes  an  appointment  with  Buck  in  a  sa- 
loon in  Bleecker  street,  without  promising  anything  definite  however.  Buck 
goes  there,  and  to  his  great  surprise  he  is  introduced  to  Bill  Gurney,  the 
manufacturer  of  this  masterpiece  in  counterfeiting.  But  Gurney  is  very 
suspicious,  and  only  after  a  long  and  searching  conversation,  in  which 
Buck  shows  himself  well  posted  in  the  field  of  counterfeiting,  and  in  ushov- 
ing  the  queer,"  does  he  lead  the  conversation  to  the  real  object  of  the  meet- 
ing :  After  long  explanations  an  agreement  is  arrived  at.  Buck  buys  at 
once  twenty  five  of  the  bank  notes  at  20  cents  on  the  dollar,  and  Gurney 
engages  to  furnish  Buck  with  twenty  dollar  notes  to  the  amount  of  $3000 
at  $18  per  hundred.  The  delivery  was  to  take  place  on  board  of  a  Tenth 
street  ferry  boat  on  the  East  River  at  a  late  hour  of  a  certain  day.  The- 
bird  then  was  ready  to  be  caught,  and  every  precaution  was  taken  that  he 
should  not  escape.  The  appointed  time  had  arrived  :  Jake  Buck  was- 
promptly  on  board  the  boat,  which  seemed  to  be  almost  empty.  The  "Coney- 
man"  is  also  on  time,  and  comes  on  board,  scrutinizing  the  few  passengers 
who  are  scattered  about  the  boat.  He  recognizes  Buck,  besides  whom  he 
only  sees  a  slightly  intoxicated  workman,  and  a  man,  who  is  easily  recog- 
nized as  a  Methodist  minister  lost  in  holy  reflections.  As  he  does  not  no- 
tice anything  to  arouse  his  suspicions,  he  steps  up  to  Buck,  who  lets  his 
stick  drop  accidentally  (?).  This  signal  suddenly  arouses  the  tipsy  work- 
man, and  seems  to  give  a  strange  direction  to  the  holy  thoughts  of  the 
Methodist  minister.  As  trained  hounds  attack  the  game,  these  two  jump 
on  the  "Coneyman".  He  resists  furiously,  and  thinks  at  first,  that  he  will 
be  assisted  by  Buck.  But  wh<*n  he  sees  that  it  is  Buck  who  puts  on  the 
handcuffs,  he  sees  that  he  has  fallen  into  a  trap.  —  Thus  Bill  Gurney,  one 
of  the  most  dangerous  counterfeiters  of  the  U.  S.,  wras  with  the  statements 
of  the  detective  (Buck)  and  those  of  the  ex-convict,  who  had  been  arrested 
the  same  evening,  a  chain  of  proofs,  which  procured  for  him  ten  years  in 
State's  prison.  The  manner  in  which  the  detectives  secured  the  arrest  of 
Gurney,  must  undoubtedly  be  called  a  genial  one.  But  viewed  from  the 
standpoint  of  right  and  humanity,  it  can  hardly  be  excused. 

In  cases  like  this,  we  can  not  be  very  particular,  nor  should  we  grumble 
if  the  just  cause  is  to  sanctify  the  wrong  means  used  in  producing  this 
causes.  But  if  the  detectives  attempt  to  lead  discharged  criminals  by  all 
kinds  of  temptations  back  to  the  path  of  crime,  this  is  a  method,  which  no 
end,  even  if  infinitely  higher  than  the  capture  of  a  dangerous  counterfeiter, 
could  sanctify  before  the  bar  of  humanity.  A  large  part  of  th^  fault  in. 
this  respect   rests  with  our  laws,  and    the  manner    in   which    they    are. 


412  TEE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

administered.  In  this  respect  the  old  legal  doctrine,  thatait  is  better  that 
ten  guilty  persons  escape,  than  that  one  innocent  person  should  suffer,"  is 
carried  to  extremes.  The  laws  with  regard  to  counterfeiting  arc  so  vague 
and  so  liable  to  be  stretched,  that  as  we  have  seen  in  the  case  of  Miner, 
the  conviction  of  a  criminal  caught  in  the  very  act,  is  often  very  uncertain. 
Thus  dozens  of  the  most  dangerous  criminals  succeed  to  escape,  and  the 
tender  care  paid  to  the  counterfeiters,  becomes  a  criminal  negligence  to  the 
honest  citizen  who  becomes  the  victim  of  the  criminals  encouraged  in  that 
manner. 

The  next  person  in  importance  in  the  manufacture  of  counterfeits,  the 
eDgraver  of  the  plate,  must  be  no  bungler  if  the  business  is  to  pay.  The 
manufacturer  must  try  to  obtain  a  skilled  hand  for  this  branch  of  his  busi- 
ness. This  is  generally  a  very  difficult  thing  to  do.  Skilled  engravers 
are  almost  always  in  demand,  and  their  work  is  paid  so  well,  that  they 
are  not  easily  led  into  temptation,  to  enter  the  dangerous  business  of 
counterfeiting.  But  still  they  are  found.  They  are  mostly  foreigners, 
Germans,  Italians,  Englishmen  and  others,  who  have  perhaps  already  tried 
their  hand  at  counterfeiting  at  home,  and  have  escaped  from  the  hands  of 
the  less  ceremonious  authorities  of  their  native  country  by  going  to 
America.  As  an  example  of  this  class  we  would  mention  the  Irishman 
Peter  McCartney,  who  has  in  the  last  few  years  manufactured  counterfeits 
of  almost  wonderful  perfection.  A  look  at  these  counterfeits  show  alone, 
that  the  manufacturers  of  "Coney"  have  artists  of  no  less  skill  at  their  dis- 
posal, than  the  Treasury  department  in  Washington.  It  is  an  unsolved 
riddle  to  the  present  day,  how  it  was  possible  to  manufacture  some  counter- 
feits which  have  been  brought  into  circulation,  in  such  a  manner  as  to  defy 
detection  by  the  keenest  eyes  in  the  Treasury  department.  An  interesting 
case  which  created  much  excitement  at  the  time,  may  be  recalled  by  some  of 
our  readers.  In  1866  it  was  found  in  the  U.  S.  Treasury  in  assorting 
7 — 30  bonds  (@$1000),  that  two  of  these  papers  bore  the  same  number. 
The  conclusion  was  therefore  easily  arrived  at,  that  one  must  be  a  counter- 
ieit.  But  which  was  the  counterfeit?  This  was  a  question  which  even 
after  a  long  deliberation  the  oldest  officials  of  the  Treasury  department 
were  unable  to  solve. 

It  was  found  on  the  other  hand,  however,  that  bonds  of  this  class 
amounting  to  $90,000,  which  undoubtedly  were  counterfeits,  had  been  re- 
deemed and  were  deposited  in  the  vaults  of  the  Treasury  department.  The 
two  bonds  had  been  sent  to  the  Treasury  by  Jay  Cooke  &  Co.  of  New 
York.  As  the  Treasury  department  refused  to  redeem  the  bonds,  the  ' 
question  was  brought  before  the  courts.  There  it  was  decided  in  favor  of 
the  Treasury,  but  to  the  present  day  no  sign  or  mark  has  been  found  to 
distinguish  the  original  from  the  counterfeit.  The  plaintiffs  tried  to  assume 
the  position  that  the  bonds  were  not  true  counterfeits,  but  were  only  illegal 
impressions  of  the  genuine  plates  of  the  Treasury  department.     But  they 


FORGERS  AND  COUNTERFEITERS.  413 

could  not  bring  forward  any  proofs  in  support  of  this  assertion,  and  in 
consequeuce  of  the  decision  of  the  court,  they  were  compelled  to  bear  the 
loss. 

Another  strange  example  of  the  art  of  the  counterfeiters  is  furnished  by 
the  engraver  Jerry  Cousden.  lie  manufactured,  about  10  years  ago,  so 
perfect  an  imitation  of  the  fifty  cent  notes,  that  no  one  could  distinguish 
them  from  the  genuine.  When  Jerry  was  arrested  and  the  plate  was  con- 
fiscated, over  §5000  worth  of  these  fifty  ecu t  notes  were  already  in  circula- 
tion, and  have  been  probably  redeemed  by  the  Treasury. 

Very  seldom  do  these  skillful  engravers  engage  in  business  on  their  own 
account.  A  prominent  example  of  this  class  is  the  above  mentioned  Peter 
McCartney,  who  at  the  same  time  carried  on  a  large  wholesale  business 
with  his  manufactures.  An  idea  can  be  gained  of  the  extent  of  his  busi- 
ness from  the  fact,  that  when  hard  pressed  at  one  time  by  the  police,  he 
surrendered  counterfeits  of  various  denominations  to  the  amount  of  SG5, 000, 
and  yet  it  can  easily  be  imagined  that  he  had  by  no  means  exhausted  his 
treasury. 

The  manufacturer,  who  is  not  engraver  at  the  same  time,  must  look  out 
for  a  skillful  artist.  If  any  artist  has  ever  allowed  himself  to  be  tempted 
to  employ  his  talent  for  the  manufacturer,  he  is  bound  to  him  for  life.  By 
the  least  act  he  becomes  an  accomplice  of  the  counterfeiters,  and  if  he  does 
Dot  possess  the  stuff  for  a  criminal  already,  he  will  soon  find  out  how  dan- 
gerous it  is,  to  give  the  devil  even  the  little  finger.  He  is  soon  entirely  in 
the  power  of  the  criminal  cligue,  who  are  only  bound  to  him  for  their  own 
advantage.  They  can  avenge  themselves  at  any  time,  if  he  should  refuse 
to  prostitute  his  talents  any  longer  in  their  service.  It  pays  much  better, 
at  least  for  the  present,  to  prostitute  his  talent,  than  honest  labor  does. 
But  very  seldom  does  the  dazzled  artist  escape  the  terrible  fate,  which  ter- 
minates almost  every  career  of  crime. 

As  an  accompaniment  to  the  above  sketches  of  celebrated  counterfeiters, 
we  will  here  give  a  short  notice  of  a  tragic  fate  of  a  talented  artist,  who 
fell  into  the  meshes  of  the  law  a  few  years  ago,  on  a  charge  of  counterfeit- 
ing. His  name  is  Chas.  Weldon.  Endowed  with  extraordinary  talent,  he 
soon  obtained  a  lucrative  employment  in  one  of  the  New  York  Banknote 
Companies.  Besides  his  skill,  he  enjoyed  a  good  reputation  for  honesty 
and  conscientiousness.  He  gaiued  the  affections  of  an  amiable  and  well 
educated  young  lady,  Louisa  M.,  the  daughter  of  a  wealthy  farmer  of  Kings 
Co.,  and  within  a  few  months  they  were  united  in  the  bouds  of  wedlock. 
Happiness  seemed  to  have  established  itself  in  his  household.  Charley  al- 
ways had  plenty  of  work  at  high  prices,  and  did  not  fail  to  supply  his  house 
with  every  comfort  and  all  requirements  of  good  taste,  while  within  Louise 
reigned  supreme  as  happy  wife  and  mother,  in  such  mauner,  which  showed 
that  her  happiness  consisted  only  in  seeing  her  husband  and  children  happy. 
Thus  twelve  years  passed  in  unmarred  happiness.     At  least  unmarred  for 


414  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

Louise,  who  had  Dot  the  least  idea  of  the  serpent  which  had  for  years  al- 
ready settled  in  her  paradise.  One  evening  when  Charley  had  returned 
from  his  work  as  usual,  his  wife  called  his  attention  to  a  notice  in  an  even- 
ing paper,  which  announced  the  arrest  of  some  counterfeiters  and  the  cap- 
ture of  counterfeits  in  their  possession.  At  the  same  time  she  mentioned, 
that  she  had  been  shoping  at  Steward's  the  day  before,  and  that  a  twenty 
dollar  note  which  she  had  given  in  payment  had  been  refused  as  counter- 
feit. She  showed  him  the  note,  and  asked  him  to  return  it  immediately  to 
the  person  from  whom  he  had  received  it.  Charley  seemed  to  be  more 
alarmed  than  the  accidental  possession  of  a  counterfeit  note  would  war- 
rant. The  unsuspicious  wife  however  did  not  surmise  the  true  cause  of 
his  alarm ;  aor  did  she  know  how  deep  the  harsh  words  she  said 
about  the  "rascally  forgers"  entered  her  husband's  heart.  Looking 
around  embarrassed  he  at  last  put  the  note  into  his  pocket,  saying; 
"Pshaw  1  the  bill  is  good !  I  ought  to  know  it,  for  I  worked  on  the 
plate  !  And  what  he  said  was  true.  The  note  was  good,  but  only  as  an 
imitation.  And  he  had  indeed  worked  on  the  plate  ;  but  not  in  the  employ 
of  the  Bank  Note  Company,  as  Louisa  understood  him,  but  in  the  employ 
of  a  celebrated  counterfeiter,  who  had  already  employed  him  for  the  last 
seven  years  at  a  much  higher  salary.  During  the  evening  he  wras  very 
silent  and  excited.  A  fever  seemed  to  rage  through  his  veins  and  after  a 
sleepless  night,  in  spite  of  his  wife's  entreaties,  he  left  the  house  much 
earlier  than  usual.  Nor  did  he  return  in  the  evening  at  the  usual  hour. 
Mother  and  children  were  in  the  greatest  anxiety  about  him.  He  came 
at  last.  But  now!  Chas .  Weldon  had  passed  the  day  in  the  greatest 
anxiety.  The  arrests  which  he  had  first  heard  of  from  his  wife,  wero 
those  of  men,  wTho  were  very  closely  connected  with  the  band  of  counter- 
feiters, for  whom  he  had  worked  for  years.  He  knew  that  his  fate  de- 
pended on  the  conduct  of  these  men.  If  they  spoke  against  him,  he  was 
lost,  and  was  hopelessly  ruined  together  with  his  family.  Possibly  he  was 
betrayed  already.  Every  step  that  resounded  behind  him,  caused  him  to 
shudder.  For  could  they  not  belong  to  detectives,  and  he  be  caught  by 
them  in  the  next  minute. 

But  the  day  passed,  without  anything  happening.  A  feeling  of  safety 
came  over  him  and  he  began  at  last  to  walk  more  quietly  toward  home. 
Then — he  suddenly  feels  himself  caught  up  by  strong  arms,  and  before  he 
knows  how  it  is  done,  he  is  pushed  into  a  carriage  standing  near  the  pave- 
ment. Handcuffs  rattle  on  his  wrists  and  the  carriage  is  driven  to  the 
headquarters  of  the  U.  S.  Secret  Service  in  Bleecker  street.  If  Weldon 
was  able  to  think  of  anything  during  his  ride,  it  was  of  his  poor  family — 
his  wife  and  his  children,  who  awaited  his  return  with  anxious  love,  while 
he,  probably  turned  from  them  forever,  saw  himself  inevitably  doomeq1  to 
prison.  In  the  examination,  which  was  at  once  held,  Weldon  promised  to 
confess  everything  he  knew,  on  the  sole  condition,  that  he  be  allowed  once 


FORGERS    AND    COIN  HKT  TITERS.  415 

more"lo  see  his  wife  and  children.  The  request  was  granted,  when  the 
chief  of  the  detective  force  had  convinced  himself,  that  his  confession  was 
made  in  full  and  without  reserve.  And  thus  we  see  Charles  Weldon  enter 
his  once  happy  home.  A  wagon  stops  in  front  of  his  house,  from  which 
three  men  alight  and  walk  up  the  front  stoop.  The  bell  is  rung,  and  a 
servant  girl  answers  the  summons.  The  three  men,  in  one  of  whom  the 
girl  recognizes  her  master  in  spite  of  his  pale  face  and  troubled  look,  si- 
lently enter  the  sitting  room  o£  the  family.  The  happy  children  recoil  from 
their  manacled  father  in  the  midst  of  two  strange  men.  Pale  and  terror- 
stricken  the  wife  looks  upon  the  group,  already  announced  by  the  rattling 
of  the  Handcuffs.  Folding  his  manacled  hands,  "Weldon  stands  in  the  door, 
and  the  despair  which  fills  his  bosom  is  only  expressed  by  a  silent  look. 

"What  is  it,  Charley?  What  is  the  meaning  of  these  handcuffs?"  the 
poor  wife  cries  out,  while  she  flies  to  her  husband  and  embraces  him,  sobb- 
ing as  if  her  heart  would  break. 

"Misery,  Louise  !  Ruin  and  disgrace  !"  These  are  the  only  words  Wel- 

,  don  is  able  to  utter  as  answer  to  the  question  of  his  despairing  wife. 

"0  say,  what  it  is?  Tell  me  all !  It  can  only  be  a  terrible  mistake  ! 
You  are  no  criminal!  O  Charley,  you  cannot  be  a  criminal !"  and  the  un- 
fortunate woman  sinks  down  beside  him,  looking  up  in  nameless  terror,  as 
if  expecting  a  favorable  answer.  The  children  also  come  up  to  him  weep- 
ing, and  the  scene  is  so  touching  that  even  the  detectives  find  it  impossible 
to  preserve  their  habitual  reserve.  A  gloomy  pause  follows  before  the 
prisoner  has  again  recovered  himself.  Then  looking  at  his  wife  he  says  : 
"I  have  sinned,  Louise,  sinned  heavily,  and  this  hour  is  my  greatest  punish- 
ment.    Do  not  desire  to  know  more  now  !    Forgive  me  and  hope  for  the 

i  best !  Farewell !"  Kissing  his  wife  and  children,  he  quickly  left  the  room, 
to  be  brought  back  to  prison.  The  unfortunate  woman  remained  motion- 
less on  the  spot  where  she  had  sunk  down  beside  him,  and  silently  looked 
after  the  men.  Then  rising  in  eager  haste,  she  passed  her  hand  over  her 
forehead,  and  laughed.  But  it  was  the  terrible  laugh  of  insanity,  and  from 
that  time  on  she  has  not  had  a  clear  moment.  Neither  the  past  nor  the 
future  seemed  to  exist  for  her.  Even  her  children  she  does  not  reco£uize 
any  longer.  Only  now  and  then  a  shadow  passes  over  her  ever  smiling 
features,  and  then  she  cries  out  with  a  deep  moan  :     "Poor  Charly  !    He 

1  has  not  come  home  yet."  At  present  she  is  in  a  lunatic  asylum,  which, 
the  doctors  say,  she  will  never  leave  again. 

And  "Poor  Charly",  the  cause  ot  this  ruined  life,  is  imprisoned  in  a  cell 
of  the  State's  prison  at  Sing  Sing,  whose  doors  will  only  open  to  him  after 
a  number  of  years.  The  day  of  release,  to  wliich  every  other  prisoner 
looks  forward  with  so  much  anxiety,  has  no  charm  for  him.  He  knows 
he  can  serve  out  his  time  in  prison,  as  penalty  for  his  crime  ;  but  for  the 
terrible  consequences  of  his  crime — the  ruined  happiness  of  his  family,  and 
the  incurable  insanity  of  his  wife,  he  feels  there  is  no  atonement  for  him 

i 


416  THE    DARK   SIDE    OF   NEW    YORK   LIFE. 

in  this  world.  For  him,  his  whole  life  will  be  a  terrible  penalty,  which 
will  only  end  with  his  last  breath. 

Very  often,  however,  only  indifferent  talents  produce  imitations  of  frac- 
tional currency,  which  serve  their  purpose  very  well.  Inspired  by  a  large 
compensation,  some  young  engraver  sets  to  work,  and  furnishes  with  great 
expense  of  time  and  labor  a  plate,  the  impressions  of  which  will  pass  the 
easier,  as  fractional  currency  notes  are  not  scrutinized  very  closely  upon 
their  acceptance.  It  requires  an  experienced  printer,  if  even  the  best  plate 
is  not  to  give  to  the  note  an  indistinct,  spotted  and  suspicious  look.  But 
a  good  engraver  and  a  skillful  printer  is  not  all  that  is  required.  The 
proper  paper  for  the  notes  must  also  be  obtained.  This  is  also  a  not  very 
easy  matter.  Bank  note  paper,  as  our  readers  will  probably  know,  is  only 
manufactured  in  certain  factories,  and  in  quantities  so  closely  controlled, 
that  it  seems  almost  impossible  that  it  should  find  its  way  into  wron<r 
hands.  But  it  only  seems  impossible  ;  for  that  it  does  find  its  way  into 
wrong  hands  is  proven  by  the  fact,  that  many  counterfeits  are  really 
printed  on  this  paper.  "Where  the  counterfeiters  obtain  this  paper,  and 
how  they  obtain  it,  can  be  easily  imagined.  The  power  of  the  dollar  even 
makes  itself  felt  within  the  walls  of  the  U.  S.  Treasury.  If  no  real  bank- 
note paper  is  to  be  obtained,  some  other  paper  which  comes  pretty  near  it, 
will  be  used.  But  the  paper  of  the  note  is  always  of  great  importance, 
and  poor  paper  may  even  spoil  the  best  impression  of  the  best  plate.  It  is 
well  understood,  however,  that  no  means  are  refused  in  the  manufacture 
of  counterfeits,  which  may  be  offered  by  the  arts  and  sciences.  One  of 
these  means  is  galvanoplastic — the  art  to  reproduce  impressions  on  wax, 
gypsum  or  lead  in  copper,  by  means  of  galvanism.  Examples  are  not 
wanting,  where  rascals  succeeded  to  take  impressions  of  plates  of  bank- 
notes on  wax  or  lead,  and  to  form  on  this  the  copper  plate,  which  then 
served  just  as  well  to  print  counterfeits  as  the  original  plate  would  have 
done. 

The  most  prominent  case  of  this  kind  occurred  in  New  Haven,  Conn.r 
in  1850.  The  well  known  bank  of  that  place  had  all  its  notes  printed  in 
a  small  printing  office  in  the  city.  Two  directors  brought  the  plates  and 
necessary  paper,  and  remained  to  control  the  press  until  all  the  notes  were- 
finished.  The  boy  who  fed  the  press  understood  galvanoplastic.  He  ex- 
plained to  his  master  how  an  impression  of  the  plate  might  be  taken,  with- 
out being  noticed  by  the  directors.  The  master  fairly  jumped  at  the  idea, 
and  the  matter  was  arranged  immediately.  When  the  directors  came 
again  with  the  plate,  the  printer  involved  them  in  a  conversation,  and  he 
succeded  in  withdrawing  their  attention  for  a  few  moments  entirely  from 
the  plate.  These  few  moments  sufficed  for  the  boy  to  put  a  leaden  plate 
quickly  into  the  press.  In  an  instant  the  original  plate  was  impressed  on 
the  lead,  which  is  quickly  hid  under  the  boys  apron.  The  directors,  how- 
ever, had  no  idea  what  that  inattentive  moment  cost  them,  while  they  paid 

i 


P0BOSB8  and  counter:  kitkrs.  41« 

even   less  Attention  to  the  paper,  enabling  the  printer  to  lay  aside  *  large 
quantity  of  it. 

The  lead  impression  had  succeeded  wonderfully  well,  aud  the  cunning 
apprentice  soon  had  his  galvauoplastic  copper-plate  ready.  The  next  thing 
in  order  was  the  printing  of  the  notes,  at  which  both  master  aud  apprentice 
went  to  work  wiih  such  a  will  that  in  a  short  time  they  had  tweaty  thou- 
tood  of  these  banknotes  ready.  That  the  work  paid  well,  can  bo  easily 
imagined  from  the  fact  that  they  were  for  $5  each.  The  apprentice  who 
was  also  well  versed  in  calligraphy,  made  the  necessary  signatures,  and 
then  they  were  rapidly  put  into  circulation.  As  they  were  not  to  be  dis- 
tinguished from  the  genuine  notes,  they  were  every-where  taken  without 
the  least  suspicion.  And  not  until  almost  all  the  notes  were  in  circulation,  _ 
did  the  bank  begin  to  notice  that  in  a  large  number  of  their  notes  tha  sig- 
natures seemed  to  be  forged.  At  last  it  was  decided  that  the  notes  were 
counterfeits,  although  they  could  not  be  distinguished  from  the  genuine 
with  the  soie  exception  of  the  signatures.  This  was  a  riddle  which  even 
the  directors  could  not  solve.  The  result  was  that  it  was  assumed,  that 
the  printer  had  obtained  a  copy  of  the  plate.  How  and  when  it  had  been 
done,  was  a  question,  the  solution  of  which  had  not  been  attempted.  In 
order  that  its  credit  might  not  be  damaged,  the  bank  resolved  to  redeem 
the  counterfeits  as  well  as  the  genuine  notes.  But  their  notes  were  no- 
longer  printed  outside,  but  in  the  bank  building  itself  and  under  a  mucl* 
stricter  control.  The  apprentice  who  had  proven  himself  in  this  case  a 
master  of  villainy,  was  the  famous  counterfeiter  "Bill  Brockway",  alias 
"Bill  Speucer",  "Long  Bill",  &c.,  &c,  who  carried  on  his  nefarious  trade 
in  Jersey  City,  Newark,  New  York,  and  other  places,  with  the  greatest 
boldness,  as  late  as  two  years  ago.  He  was  also  afterwards  suspected  of 
having  produced  the  above  mentioned  7 — 30  bonds  by  means  of  galvano- 
plastic.      Besides  the  graver    and  galvauoplastic,  the    manufacturers    of  J 

counterfeits  also  often  call  photography  and  lithography  to  their  aid. 

The  places  of  manufacturers  of  counterfeits  are  never  in  the  residence 
of  the  manufacturer.  Generally,  the  engraver  has  his  small  office  some- 
where beyond  the  city  limits,  or  in  the  garret  of  some  inobtrusive  boarding- 
house.  At  the  same  time  he  hides  his  true  vocation  behind  some  harmless 
occupation,  as  for  instance  that  of  an  artist.  When  the  plate  is  finished, 
the  manufacturer  takes  charge  of  it,  and  has  the  necessary  number  printed 
of  which  he  just  happens  to  be  in  need.  But  the  "printing  offices"  also 
are  not  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  manufacturer.  Even  the  engraver  has 
hardly  ever  anything  to  do  with  the  printing  of  the  plates.  The  object  of 
sepcrating  the  several  branches  of  the  business  is  clear.  The  manufacturer, 
as  a  shrewd  business  man,  must  never  lose  sight  of  the  possibility  of  his 
discovery.  He,  therefor,  effects  by  means  of  such  a  separation  that  the 
police  can  at  most  only  seize  one  branch  of  his  business  at  a  time,  and 
thus  gives  him  timely  warning  to  bring  his  other  working  material  to  a 

27 


418 


TEE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LfFE. 


place  of  safety.  The  printing  offices,  however,  are  generally  located  in 
the  city  itself  or  in  the  suburb,  where  under  the  form  of  a  small  job-print- 
ing office,  they  present  an  unsuspicious  exterior. 

That  this  class  of  printing  offices  are  kept  pretty  busy,  is  seen  from  the 
fact  that  only  one  person  is  generally  at  work  in  them,  and  that  the  thou- 
sands of  notes  to  be  printed,  require  great  care. 

As  we  have  remarked  before,  the  manufacturer  only  deals  with  a  fevr 
trusty  agents  (the  "dealers"),  who  apply  to  him  in  person  for  orders. 
They  are  mostly  rascals  of  a  speculative  turn  of  mind  who,  beginning  as 
"pedlars"  and  "shovers",  have  reached  in  the  position  of  "uealer",  the 
highest  step  in  their  career. 

Very  often  they  have  grown  rich,  and  they  only  want  the  proper  energy 
to  asoend  the  highest  step  in  their  business,  and  become  a  "manufacturer". 
Almost  all  the  "manufacturers"  have  obtained  as  "coney-dealers"  the  ne- 
cessary means  for  establishing  a  well  paying  manufacturing  business. 

The  quantities  in  which  the  dealers  order  their  "coney",  depend  entirely 

on  the  quality  of  the  goods.     If  a  new  plate  has  been  well  executed,  the 

dealer  is  overwhelmed  by  orders  from  his  agents,  and  the  manufacturer 

has  to  provide  for  hundreds  of  thousands  of  impressions.     But  if  the  op- 

j>c6ite  is  the  case,  the  orders  come  in  very  slowly. 

As  already  mentioned,  the  different  grades  of  the  business  are  strictly 
separated  from  each  other.  Thus,  for  instance,  the  small  dealers  do  not 
<i  deai  directly  with  the  manufacturer,  but  through  other  mediums,  and  this 
-  reparation  of  the  different  operators,  makes  it  a  difficult  matter  for  the 
authorities  to  break  up  the  business  in  aDy  but  its  lowest  branches.  The 
danger  is  always  greatest  for  the  lowest  class  of  workers,  while  the  real 
managers  of  the  business  are  only  to  be  reached  by  indirect  means  and 
with  great  difficulty  by  the  police.  The  profits  of  these  "dealers"  and 
"shovers"  is  entirely  dependent  on  the  facility  with  which  the  counterfeit 
notes  are  brought  into  circulation.  The  reader  can  make  an  estimate  of 
them,  from  what  has  been  said  above,  and  the  notices  of  several  "coney- 
men"  which  will  be  found  below.  •  As  an  illustration  of  the  career  of  a 
subordinate  member  of  the  business,  we  refer  the  reader  to  page  46,  where 
a  sketch  of  the  rascal  well  known  in  Jersey  City  and  other  places  under 
the  name  of  "Old  lame  Sam",  in  whom  the  dangerous  characters  of  a  ped- 
lar and  shover  are  found  united.  But,  though  the  higher  placed  criminals 
are  the  worst,  as  the  root  of  the  evil,  yet  those  Mho  bring  the  counterfeits 
into  circulation,  are  the  most  dangerous  for  the  public.  As  we  have  already 
seen  in  the  case  of  Old  Sam,  it  would  be  wrong  to  assume  that  every 
"koniacker"  must  have  some  outward  sign  of  his  trade.  It  is  true  that 
rowdies  and  loafers  of  the  lowest  class  do  not  refuse  to  deal  in  "coney" 
occasionally.  But  the  large  majority  of  "shovers",  and  generally  the  most 
dangerous,  are  those  whose  appearance  is  very  respectable,  and  seems  to 
exclude  any  suspicion  as  to  their  character. 


rORGERfl     \M>    COUNTEBFEXTEBS. 

It  is  impossible  to  mention  here  the  various  forms  in  which  the  "shover 
of  the  queer"  pursues  his  nefarious  vocation.  Well  arranged  swindling 
tricks  often  make  their  appearance,  whose  disclosures,  as  laughable  as 
they  are  when  likened  to,  are  still  very  painful  for  the  victim,  on  whom 
they  arc  perpetrated.  Generally  such  a  victim  has  not  even  the  consola- 
tion of  being  pitied,  but  to  the  loss  is  added  the  painful  feeling  of  bein# 
the  butt  of  the  ridicule  and  laughter  of  others.  And  generally  they  deserve 
if.  A  little  more  care  in  trusting  perfect  strangers,  would  have  saved  them 
from  both  loss  and  ridicule.  In  almost  all  case3  it  is  the  desire  for  gain. 
for  which  the  swindlers  throw  out  their  bait.  Only  those  whose  suspicions 
are  not  aroused  by  the  liberality  and  generosity  of  a  perfect  stranger, 
offered  without  any  reasonable  cause,  will  be  tempted  to  bite  at  one  of  the 
many  baits  presented  by  swindlers.  Such  persons  have  no  right  to  com- 
plain then,  if  instead  of  the  tempting  bait,  they  only  have  the  sharp  look, 
and  the  public  instead  of  pitying  them,  laughs  at  the  grimaces  with  which 
they  show  their  pain  and  disappointment. 

Every  swindler  needs  at  least  a  dozen  contiding  fools  to  make  his  busi- 
ness pay.  That  they  always  find  these  dozen  so  easily,  is  iudeed  no 
pleasant  thought.  To  denounce  that  class  of  fraud  which  recurs  most 
often,  and  to  make  it  known  to  the  public  in  general,  are  the  only  effective 
means  for  putting  a  stop  to  these  transactions,  and  keep  the  unsuspecting 
from  loss.  The  following  may  be  regarded  as  a  contribution  to  these 
means. 

Dressed  as  a  well-to-do  farmer,  for  example,  the  counterfeit  swindler 
(•"Magsman")  is  found  at  the  country  depots,  steamboat  landings,  agricul- 
tural exhibitions,  and  like  places,  looking  about  in  the  interest  of  his  busi- 
ness. 

He  plays  the  part  of  a  stranger,  and  now  turns  to  one  then  to  another 
with  questions  appropriate  to  the  occasion.  If  at  last  he  has  found  a  per- 
son whom  he  thinks  he  can  use  for  his  plans,  he  immediately  imposes  nis 
company  upon  him.  Such  persons  are  generally  farmers  of  a  not  very  in- 
telligent appearance,  on  their  way  to  the  city  to  make  purchases.  The 
"Magsman"  whom  we  will  call  Mr.  Wolf  has  such  a  smooth  tongue  and 
at  the  same  time  looks  so  innocent,  that  the  farmer,  ^vhom  we  will  call  Mr. 
Lamb,  soon  takes  an  interest  in  his  acquaintance.  He  gives  his  new  friend, 
who  seems  to  be  a  total  stranger,  every  possible  information  in  the  clearest 
possible  manner.  Wolf  listens  to  him  with  the  greatest  interest.  He 
seems  to  be  very  happy,  to  have  found  so  practical  and  experienced  an  ad- 
viser, and  invites  him  at  last  to  take  a  drink.  The  invitation  is  accepted, 
and  soon  the  two  are  sitting  in  a  saloon  drinking  their  beer.  But  together 
with  them  two  other  persons  have  entered  the  saloon,  and  as  if  they  were 
total  strangers,  have  seated  themselves  in  opposite  corners.  They  are 
both  however  well  acquainted  with  each  other  and  with  Mr.  Wolf  with 
whom  they  are  about  going  to  produce  a  well  practiced  piece  of  swindling 


420  TOE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

Wolf  and  Lamb  soon  become  intimate  over  their  beer.  Wolf  especially 
seems  to  be  a  little  tight,  and  gives  Lamb  an  account  of  his  life.  Lamb 
learns  from  this  that  Wolf  has  been  very  fortunate.  Formerly  a  hard 
working  farmer,  he  has  become  several  months  back,  through  the  death 
of  a  reach  relative,  the  possessor  of  half  a  million.  This  change  of  fortune, 
however,  has  its  disagreeable  side  to  Wolf.  He  is  a  man  who  is  used  to 
a  steady  occupation,  and  must  now  think  of  something  new  to  keep  him 
busy.  His  intention  is  not  to  make  money,  for  he  has  more  of  that  now 
than  he  can  use,  even  if  he  should  throw  it  in  the  street.  He  has  already 
donated  a  large  sum  for  a  new  church  in  his  native  town,  and  interni  s  \  • 
provide  liberally  for  charitable  institutions.  He  has  atao  undt  >*taK  n  e 
large  business  enterprise,  not  on  account  of  the  profit-:-  but  ;o  give  *esj*ct/- 
able  workingmen  a  chance  to  wo/  '  for  good  pay.  The  capital  for  tni& 
•nterprise  is  ready,  and  the  matter  c  n  be  taken  hold  c  any  day.  But  he 
imself  could  not  undertake  the  suj  ^rvision  of  the  business.      For  the- 

echanical  par!  he  has  already  engaged  a  man,  and  what  he  now  waDts 
i  a  man  for  the  general  supervision,  for  which  a  practical  farmer  of 
natural  common  sense  and  a  large  experience  in  all  the  branches  of  agri- 
culture would  be  the  most  fitting  man.  It  would  not  be  necessary  for 
him  to  have  any  money ;  and  the  position  is  so  profitable,  with  almost  no 
work  at  all,  that  the  person  who  would  occupy  it,  must  necessarily  become 
rich  in  a  very  short  time. 

Lamb  listens  with  his  eyes  and  ears  wide  open.  That  would  be  some- 
thing for  himself,  he  thinks,  and  hints  in  the  course  of  conversation,  that 
he  would  not  be  unwilling  to  accept  such  a  position.  Wolf,  apparently 
highly  pleased,  explains  the  matter  further.  At  the  same  time  he  occa- 
sionally looks  for  notices  in  his  diary,  giving  Lamb  a  chance  to  see  large 
packages  of  banknotes  of  high  denominations. 

There  is  no  doubt  about  it,  the  stranger  is  indeed  as  rich  as  he  repre- 
sents himself  to  be.  Lamb  who  has  plainly  noticed  the  good  opinion  the 
high-minded  Mr.  Wolf  has  of  him,  applies  directly  for  the  position,  and  is 
so  fortunate  as  to  be  accepted  immediately.  For  Mr.  Wolf  says  that  he 
recognized  Mr.  Lamb  on  the  spot  as  a  thoroughly  educated  and  experienced 
farmer,  and  that  their  short  acquaintance  had  satisfied  him  that  he  was  the 
right  man  for  the  position. 

One  of  the  other  guests  mentioned  above,  seems  to  have  taken  an 
interest  in  the  conversation,  in  the  course  of  which  the  words  "working- 
men",  "work",  "profitable  employment",  &c,  are  heard.  He  evidently 
listens  with  great  attention.  At  last,  when  there  is  a  short  pause  in  the 
conversation,  he  steps  up  to  Wolf,  and  respectfully  asks,  whether  Mr.  Wolf 
could  assist  him  in  obtaining  a  situation.  He  had  only  arrived  from 
England  a  short  time  ago,  and  was  now  looking  for  a  position,  aided  by 
good  recommendations.  Upon  further  inquiring,  it  becomes  known  that 
the  applicant  had  been  bookkeeper  in  a  large  business  for  over  10  years,  and 


rORGKBS     \M>    COUNTERFEIT]  421 

is  the  son  of  an  old  friend  of  Mr.  Wolf.  Mr.  Fox,  as  we  will  call  the  ap- 
plicant, is  at  once  invited  to  take  a  scat,  Mr.  Wolf  is  overjoyed,  that  he  is 
now  in  a  position  by  means  of  his  riches,  to  repay  to  Fox  jr.,  the  many 
Krrioefl  and  kindnesses  rendered  him  by  Fox  sr.  He  speaks  with  his  new 
■superintendent,  and  as  he  naturally  has  no  objections  to  offer,  Mr.  Fox  U 
instantly  engaged  as  first  bookkeeper  of  the  concern,  at  $1400  a  year. 

"What  is  the  state  of  your  treasury,  my  dear  Fox?"   Wolf  asks. 

"Not  very  good.  Mr.  Wolf,  but  I  will  economize,  until  I  receive  my  first 
salary." 

"It  is  not  at  all  necessary  that  you  should  economize,  my  dear  Fox  ! 
You  will  be  in  need  of  many  things  after  your  long  voyage.  Just  see  Mr. 
Lamb,  what  a  quarter's  salary  would  amount  to  at  $11 00  per  annum  ?" 
And  Wolf  again  produces  his  pocket  book. 

"Three  hundred  and  fifty  dollars,"  superintendent  Lamb  replies,  aston- 
ished at  this  new  sign  of  generosity. 

"Three  hundred  and  fifty  dollars  !  All  right !  We'll  pay  the  young  man 
a  quarter's  salary  in  advance.  I  know  what  it  is  to  stand  on  a  foreign 
shore  without  any  friends  or  any  money.  (Opening  his  diary,  as  if  look- 
ing for  something.)  Five  hundred  ! — Five  hundred  ! — Five  hundred  ! — 
Pshaw  ! — nothing  smaller  than  a  five  hundred  dollar  bill !  Would  you  have 
the  kindness  my  dear  Mr.  Lamb,  to  take  charge  of  this  five  hundred  dollar 
bill,  and  to  help  Mr.  Fox  with  one  hundred  and  fifty  for  the  present.  You 
can  change  the  bill  as  soon  a3  you  have  an  opportunity,  or  better  yet  you 
can  bring  the  balance  into  account  at  some  future  time.'' 

Lamb  without  the  least  suspicion  of  anything  wrong,  pulls  out  his 
pocket  book,  and  takes  out  three  fifty  dollar  bills,  which  he  hands  to  Fox. 

He  takes  the  five  hundred  dollar  bill,  remarking  that  he  would  change 
it  the  next  day,  and  deliver  the  rest  to  Mr.  Wolf  at  their  next  meeting. 
This  meeting  is  to  take  place  at  noon  of  the  next  day  at  a  certain  hotel  in 
the  city,  where  the  contract  should  be  made  at  the  same  time. 

The  happy  Fox  now  takes  his  leave  after  a  profuse  declaration  of  grati- 
tude, while  Wolf  and  Lamb  remain  to  settle  some  points  of  business. 

Suddenly  Mr.  Wolf  remembers,  that  he  is  to  receive  a  committee  from 
his  native  town  in  the  matter  of  the  above  mentioned  donations,  which  he 
had  nearly  forgotten.  He  bids  superintendent  Lamb  a  hasty  farewell, 
jumps  into  a  passing  stage,  and  calls  out  to  Lamb  :  "Don't  forget,  Lamb  ! 
twelve  o'clock  to-morrow  in  N's  hotel." 

Thus  swindlers  No.  1  and  2  have  left  the  scene,  and  No.  3  only  re- 
mains. If  Lamb  in  any  possible  manner  should  discover  the  fraud,  it  is 
his  duty  to  talk  to  Lamb  and  to  delay  the  pursuit  of  the  swindlers,  until 
they  are  at  a  safe  distance.  This  however  is  not  necessary  with  the  un- 
suspicious Lamb.  He  is  happy  to  have  had  such  an  unexpected  good  for- 
tune, and  does  not  dream,  what  terrible  disappointments  await  him. 

lie  also   gladdens  the  hearts  of  his  family  with  fond   hopes  of  a  bright 


422 


TEE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 


future  of  which  the  five  hundred  dollar  bill  is  the  best  security.  The  next 
morning  saw  Lamb  bright  and  early  in  the  city.  He  went  directly  to  the 
bank  and  presented  the  note.  It  was  examined  by  the  bank  officers,  and 
he  was  told  to  wait  a  few  minutes  for  the  cashier.  In  a  very  short  time  a 
detective  is  at  his  side,  who  arrested  him  for  passing  counterfeit  money. 

The  superintendent-to-be  becomes  frightened ;  but  in  the  hope  that 
Messrs.  Wolf  and  Fox  are  at  the  hotel,  he  accompanies  the  detective  with 
the  calmness  inspired  by  a  clear  conscience. 

At  the  examination  Lamb  relates  the  whole  affair,  and  only  asks  to  send 
some  one  to  the  hotel  and  the  two  gentlemen  would  certainly  settle  the 
matter.  The  authorities  saw  from  his  tale,  that  he  was  the  swindled  one 
and  not  the  swindler.  He  was  told  so,  but  to  satisfy  him  a  messenger  was 
sent  to  the  hotel,  where  no  "Wolf  or  Fox  had  been  seen,  although  it  was 
past  one..  Lamb  found  himself  swindled  out  of  $150,  as  well  as  the  super- 
intendency  and  all  his  fine  dreams.  He  found  himself  beaten  and  robbed 
by  swindlers,  and  his  only  wish  was  to  clear  himself  of  the  suspicion  rest- 
ing upon  himself,  and  to  get  out  of  the  hands  of  the  authorities.  In  this 
he  easily  succeeded.  His  whole  story  had  cleared  him  of  all  suspicion, 
and  he  was  immediately  discharged  as  several  citizens  testified  to  his  re- 
spectability. 

But  Lamb  has  neither  entered  upon  his  position  as  superintendent,  nor 
has  he  seen  anything  of  Wolf  or  Fox,  much  less  of  his  §150  up  to  the 
present  day. 

The  trick  exposed  here,  has  not  only  been  practiced  once,  but  it  has 
been  practiced  over  and  over  again  throughout  the  United  States,  with 
more  or  less  variations,  but  always  with  the  same  success.  In  all  probab- 
ility it  will  be  practiced  again  and  again,  and  clumsy  as  it  seems  to  be, 
many  so-called  smart  persons  will  be  taken  in  by  it. 

Another  trick  commonly  practiced  in  cities,  is  essentially  as  follows : 
Mr.  N.  has  made  a  very  interesting  acquaintance  at  a  hotel,  saloon,  or 
olfaer  public  place.  Mr.  N.  is  delighted  with  him.  The  new  friend  is 
exceedingly  witty  and  interesting  in  his  conversation.  What  is  still  better, 
he  shows  by  his  whole  behavior  that  he  considers  Mr.  N.  to  be  intellec- 
tually far  above  him.  He  must  also  be  very  rich,  for  he  treats  Mr.  N. 
very  liberally  to  liquor  and  cigars.  He  does  not  wish  to  bo  treated,  at 
least  not  in  this  saloon.  If  Mr.  N.  desired  it,  they  could  stop  in  some 
other  saloon,  where  he  could  treat.  The  friend  proposes  a  walk,  and  Mr. 
N.  has  no  objections.  On  the  way  they  have  an  iateresting  conversation. 
Suddenly  a  third  person  steps  up  to  them,  presenting  an  unpaid  tailor's 
bill  to  the  new  friend.  It  only  amounts  to  $10,  and  it  is  really  impudent 
to  trouble  a  gentleman  in  the  open  street  with  so  small  a  matter.  N.  is 
no  less  enraged  at  it,  than  his  friend.  He  advises  him  to  take  no  further 
notice  of  the  impudent  fellow  and  to  continue  their  walk.  His  friend, 
however,  thinks  it  is  best  to  get  rid  of  this  "class  of  rascals"  at  once,  and 


FORGERS    AND    COL  NTKUKKITKRS.  42$ 

to  let  him  have  the  few  dollars.  He  pulls  out  his  pocketbook,  hut  finds 
only  several  twenty-dollar  bills.  Oue  of  these  he  bauds  to  the  tailor  in 
payment.  But  he  has  uo  change,  and  the  friend  turus  to  N.  with  an  iu- 
quirv,  it  he  cannot  change  it.  It  N.  can  do  it,  all  right  ;  ii  be  can  not,  lie 
il  asked  to  pay  the  tailor  the  $10,  or  aa  much  as  he  has,  aud  to  keep  the 
£20  bill  lor  the  present.  This  N.  Hgreea  to  do,  especially  as  he  will 
cbai  ge  it  at  the  next  saloon.  The  impudent  tailor  is  satisfied  and  the  two 
friends  turn  to  the  next  saloon.  But  hardly  have  they  gone  a  lew  steps, 
before  the  friend  hears  himself  called  by  name.  A  friend  steps  up  to  him, 
takes  him  a  little  aside  and  whispers  a  few  words  to  him.  Thereupon  the 
friend  turns  to  N.,  and  says  that  he  is  sorry,  but  pressing  business  calls 
him  away  for  an  hour.  He  should  keep  the  twenty  dollars,  however,  for 
they  would  meet  again  during  the  day.  Time  and  place  arc  decided  upon. 
and  the  interesting  friend  goes  upon  his  pressing  business.  This  pressing 
business,  however,  is  nothing  else  than  to  get  away  from  N.  as  quick  as 
possible,  before  he  discovers  that  he  has  received  a  counterfeit  for  his  good 
money,  and  that  he  is  the  victim  of  a  well  executed  swindling  trick.  For 
the  impudent  tailor  and  the  whispering  friend  were  only  swindlers  who 
had  assisted  the  interesting  friend  according  to  a  pre-arranged  plan, 
i  But  the  "shovers  of  the  queer''  know  how  to  introduce  themselves  also 
n  parties,  balls  and  other  public  places,  and  generally  do  a  good  business. 
In  this  case  they  are  also  very  jovial  fellows,  whose  conversational  talents 
open  the  social  circles  to  them  all  the  more  easily,  the  tipsier  their  mem- 
bers are  already.      Of  conrse  treating  i-  then  in  order. 

Soon  the  swindler  knows  who  has  a  well  tilled  pocketbook  in  the  com- 
pany. Thcsi  then  are  the  privileged  ones,  on  whom  they  apply  their 
cordiality  and  friendship.  But  not  without  an  object ;  for  as  soon  as  it  is 
(heir  turn  to  treat,  the  swindlers  find  out  that  they  have  only  twenty-dollar 
bills.  The  happy  possessor  of  a  well  filled  pocketbook,  already  slightly 
intoxicated,  is  then  applied  to,  and  is  generally  only  too  willing  to  change 
the  worthless  piece  of  paper  for  good  money. 

All  these  aud  many  other  similar  tricks  do  not  even  have  the  merit  of 
originality.  They  are  stated  aud  have  been  described  over  and  over  again 
in  the  daily  papers.  It  is  indeed  strange  that  the  attemps  to  swindle  people, 
are  still  crowned  with  success.  Swindling  in  all  its  branches  begins  to  die 
out  only,  when  the  people  will  not  longer  allow  themselves  to  be  swindled 
so  easily. 

A  trick  that  was  formerly  practiced  very  extensively,  is  the  so-called 
"Boodle  game."  This  "Boodle  game"  i3  of  special  interest  as  it  may  be 
regarded  as  the  father  of  the  still  existing  "Saw  dust  game."  As  in  the 
latter,  no  real  counterfeit  money  is  used  i::  the  "Boodle  game,"  and  the 
victim  is  much  more  stupid,  but  not  a  whit  less  wrong  than  the  swindler 
himself.  The  difference  betweeu  the  two  classes  of  frauds  is,  that  in  the 
"Boodle  game,'"   instead  of  receiving  saw  dust  only,  the  victim  receives 


424  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

partly  counterfeits.  For  that  reason  we  have  preferred  to  mention  it  here, 
instead  of  mentioning  it  among  the  "Sawdust  swindle". 

With  regard  to  the  name  of  this  swindle,  it  was  called  "Boodle  game", 
because  "Boodle"',  as  we  have  mentioned  before,  denotes  in  the  jargon  of 
the  criminals  any  quantity  of  counterfeit  money.  The  "Boodle  game"  is 
more  complicated  than  the  "Sawdust  game",  and  at  the  same  time  much 
more  expensive  and  dangerous  for  the  swindlers  themselves,  who  soon 
found  out  that  the  stupidity  of  their  victims  would  bite  at  much  simpler 
baits,  and  therefor  substituted  the  much  less  expensive  and  dangerous 
"Sawdust  game"  in  its  place.  Thus  the  "Boodle  game"  gradually  fell 
into  disuse,  and  is  to-day  hardly  practiced  at  all. 

Its  nature  will  be  best  explained  by  example,  which  will  also  show  the 
character  of  the  victim  in  its  proper  light. 

The  principal  actor  in  this  game  must  be  a  person  gifted  with  the  power 
of  conversation  and  of  gaining  another  person's  confidence.  At  the  same 
time  he  must  possess  a  knowledge  of  human  nature,  to  find  his  man  after 
a  short  survey.  This  man  must  not  only  have  money,  and  desire  to  make 
some  more,  but  he  must  also  not  care  about  the  means  employed  in  making 
money.  He  must  then  be  gradually  and  carefully  prepared  for  the  real 
business.  This  is  done  by  telling  him  about  a  large  enterprise  which  he 
(the  swindler)  has  in  hand,  and  by  which  he  can  easily  make  a  mil  ion  or 
more.  The  swindler  keeps  the  matter  so  secret,  however,  that  the  victim 
becomes  desirous  of  knowing  more. 

His  curiosity,  however,  is  only  excited  to  a  higher  degree.  For  all 
communications  only  tend  to  make  the  victim's  mouth  water  more  and 
more  for  the  mysterious  source  of  gold,  without  disclosing  its  real  nature. 
If  the  questioner  at  last  becomes  pressing,  he  is  informed  that  the  matter 
in  a  certain  way  is  risky,  and  of  a  nature  which  would  not  allow  it  to  be 
much  spoken  of.  The  victim  then  assures  the  swindler  of  his  complete 
silence  in  the  matter,  and  remarks  that  he  knows  full  well  that  no  under- 
taking can  be  without  risk.  At  last,  under  the  promise  of  the  greatest 
secrecy,  he  is  initiated  into  the  mystery.  Somebody,  who  does  not  wish 
to  be  named  of  course,  has  succeeded  in  coming  into  possession  of  some 
plates  of  banknotes  out  of  the  U.  S.  Treasury,  and  now  prints  any  desired 
quantity  for  50  cents  on  the  dollar.  It  is  therefor  by  no  means  a  business 
of  counterfeit  money,  for  they  are  genuine  notes  which  cau  be  passed  any- 
where without  questioning.  Secrecy  is  necessary  only  that  the  police  may 
not  get  wind  of  the  matter,  confiscate  the  notes  and  thus  put  a  stop  for  ever 
to  this  source  of  wealth.  The  victim  now  begins  to  think  that  this  would 
be  all  very  nice.  But  he  iutends  to  be  carelul,  and  plays  the  unbeliever. 
He  asks  the  tempter :  "Have  you  seen  these  notes  yet?"  "Of  course,  I 
have  1  Although  I  do  not  understand  much  about  banknotes,  still  I  can 
see  no  difference  between  these  and  the  genuine.  There  look  for  yourself!" 
And  with  these   words  the  swindler  draws  out  a  bundle  of  new  genuins 


FORGERS    AND    COUNTERFEITERS.  425 

live-dollar  notes  and  hands  them   t<>  his  victim  v\ith  the  words:   "Do  you 

understand  much  about  banknotes?"  ,lI  should  think  so,  at  least  I  have 
had  much  to  do  with  them  already.  '  (lie  looks  closely  at  the  notes.  | 
kkK\actly  like  the  genuine  ;  I  would  accept  them  unhesitatingly  as  such. 
And  they  are  to  be  bought  for  fifty  cents  on  the  dollar?'' 

"Fifty  cents  on  the  dollar!  And  for  this  price  they  have  been  offered 
e,  and  I  can  have  of  them  as  many  thousands  as  I  may  want." 

"But  why  do  you  not  take  them?     I  for  my  part — ' 

"Hold  on  my  dear  fellow  !  Not  quite  so  hasty  !  I  generally  consider  a 
matter  well,  before  embarking  in  such  an  enterprise.  I  also  think  that 
these  notes  are  indeed  very  similar  to  the  genuine,  and  even  you  may  be 
a  good  authority  on  the  subject  of  banknotes,  but  I  should  like  to  know- 
beforehand,  what  a  bank  would  say  to  them.  Do  you  think  that  they 
could  be  presented  in  a  bank  ?" 

The  victim  looks  over  the  bundle  again,  takes  a  five-dollar  bill  out  of 
his  own  pocketbook,  and  confesses  after  an  exhausting  comparison,  that  it 
would  be  imposiblc  to  detect  a  difference  between  the  two.  He  offers  to 
go  to  the  bank  and  change  them  there  into  notes  of  a  higher  denomination. 
The  offer  is  accepted,*  and  the  result  is  easily  guessed,  as  the  notes  are 
really  good.  lie  returns  with  a  joyous  face,  and  reports  the  completely 
satisfactory  result.  The  swindler  also  shows  himself  delighted,  and  de- 
clares that  he  will  let  his  friend  also  have  a  chance  at  the  source  of  gold. 
The  victim  dreams  already  of  millions,  and  resolves  to  make  a  good  use 
of  the  opportunity.  He  asks,  whether  he  could  have  $8000  worth  of  these 
notes  immediately  for  $1,000.  He  would  make  a  beginning  with  this 
amount,  and  then  take  as  much  every  week  as  he  could  receive.  But  the 
swindler  can  promise  nothing  definite.  For  now  that  every  doubt  is  re- 
moved, he  also  intends  to  buy  a  large  amount  of  them.  lie  knows,  too, 
that  large  orders  have  been  made  by  other  parties.  But  he  will  see  what 
can  be  done. 

The  next  morning  the  victim  receives  the  happy  news,  that  he  can  get 
the  required  six  hundred  five-dollar  notes,  and  the  manner  in  which  the 
delivery  and  payment  of  the  notes  are  to  be  accomplished,  are  explained  to 
him,  as  well  as  the  measures  of  precaution  which  are  to  be  observed. 
(The  delivery  invariably  takes  place  by  a  third  party  as  the  representative 
of  the  owner  of  the  plate,  either  in  the  open  air  in  some  remote  street,  or 
in  some  old  house  provided  with  many  entrances.)  Our  speculator  is  found 
punctually  at  the  appointed  place,  wrilh  his  fifteen  hundred  dollars  in  good 
money.  The  person  described  comes  with  a  small  package  in  his  hand. 
Quickly  the  covering  is  torn  off.  Our  happy  victim  sees  the  fives  well 
packed  and  tied  together.  But  this  is  not  an  appropriate  place  for  further 
inspection.  He  sees  the  upper  and  lower  note,  and  sees  the  margin  of 
those  lying  between,  delivers  his  fifteen  hundred  dollars,  and  hurries  home 
with  his  treasure.     Here  he  hides  himself  in  his  private   office  and  opens 


4*K>  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

the  package  with  trembling  hands.  But,  oil  terror!  only  the  upper  and 
lower  notes  are  fives,  all  the  rast  are  only  business  cards  with  a  small 
margin  right  and  left,  which  is  only  a  good  imitatiou  of  the  margin  of  a 
live-dollar  note.  He  has  therefor  paid  for  $10  and  a  number  of  worthless 
business  cards  the  amount  of  $1500.  That  was  indeed  a  bad  speculation. 
He  can  find  no  trace  of  either  the  gentlemen  who  called  his  attention  to 
this  interesting  business,  or  of  the  one  who  brought  him  the  bundle.  To 
call  upon  the  authorities  for  help,  would  be  to  accuse  himself  of  an  attempt 
to  swindle.  It  is  a  bad  affair  in  which  nothing  can  be  done.  Our  specu- 
lator has  learned  the  "Boodle  game,"  and  is  $1500  out  of  pocket,  but  richer 
by  a  dearly  bought  experience. 

A  victim  of  this  class  of  frauds  had  attained  considerable  notoriety  in 
18G9.  He  was  George  Montjoy  of  Philadelphia,  who  in  his  child-like 
simplicity  went  into  the  business  at  once  with  a  capital  of  $10,000,  I  say, 
ten  thousand  dollars.  The  chagrin  of  this  greenest  of  the  green  upon 
examining  his  bundles  of  notes,  may  be  imagined.  He  looked  for  help  in 
the  courts.  But  there  a  new  disappointment  awaited  him.  The  law  could 
afford  him  no  redress,  because  the  object  of  the  plaintiff  was  a  criminal 
one,  and  he  was  nothing  more  or  less  than  an  accomplice  of  those,  against 
whom  he  had  brought  an  action. 

Not  one  cent  of  the  money  was  restored  to  him.  His  nearly  2000 
business  cards  with  the  five-dollar  margins,  he  was  allowed  to  keep.  What 
he  did  with  this  treasure,  the  public  who  had  a  good  laugh  at  the  ad- 
venture, never  knew.  It  is  needless  to  say  that  the  professional  shovers 
of  the  queer  pursue  their  business  systematically.  They  know  the  places 
and  persons  very  well,  where  they  can  put  their  tricks  into  operation. 
Generally,  the  evening  is  the  time,  when  towards  the  close  of  the  business 
they  make  small  purchases  and  present  their  counterfeits  in  payment,  If 
the  bills  are  not  too  poorly  executed,  and  if  the  clerk  who  waits  upon  them, 
is  not  very  careful  (of  which  they  make  sure  beforehand),  they  will  soon 
have  changed  a  considerable  number.  With  them  quickness  is  all  im- 
portant. The  shover  must  try  to  get  rid  of  as  many  counterfeits  in  one 
evening  in  a  certain  neigborhood  as  possible.  The  rumor  of  counterfeits 
would  otherwise  impede  his  work  the  next  day.  His  next  attempt  is  made 
in  a  part  of  the  city  situated  at  a  great  distance  from  the  part  visited  the 
night  before. 

It  is  also  known  that  gamblers  manipulate  with  counterfeit  money. 
Gambling  saloons  are  therefor  in  more  than  one  respect,  dangerous  places 
for  an  occasional  visitor  to  change  bank  notes.  The  excitement  of  play 
often  blinds  the  player,  and  many  happy  persons  who  had  won  the  night 
before,  have  found  to  their  horror  the  next  morning,  that  their  winnings 
consisted  of  counterfeits  only. 

Houses  of  prostitution,  concert  saloons  and  other  p^ces,  where  dissipa- 
tion and  drunkenness  play  a  prominent  part,  as  well  as  pic-nics  and  camp 


FORGtillS    AND    COUNTKIIFKITEIIS.  42T 

meetings,  arc  also  favorable  places  of  operation  for  shovcrs  of  the  queer. 
Out*  of  the  most  celebrated  shovcrs,  &c,  was  a  certain  Dr.  Blake  who  a 
few  years  ago,  travelled  about  New  Jersey  as  the  proprietor  of  a  travelling 
photographic  establishment.  This  old  ra.scal  never  failed  to  be  present  at 
the  prayer  meetings,  and  ever  prayed  and  preached  himself,  gaining  for 
himself  thereby  such  a  reputation  for  piety,  that  no  one  would  have  sus- 
pected in  him  the  person  who  had  flooded  the  neighborhood  with  counter- 
feits during  these  prayer  meetings.  Another  individual,  a  certain  John 
Disbrow,  was  also  unmasked  a  few  years  ago  by  the  police,  after  having 
for  many  years,  as  one  of  the  most  promiuent  members  of  the  Methodist 
church,  used  his  reputation  for  piety  as  a  covering  for  his  real  business, 
that  of  bringing  counterfeits  into  circulation.  In  truth,  the  coney-men 
belong  to  the  most  dangerous  of  the  criminal  classes,  and  they  understand 
it  very  well  to  hide  their  true  occupation  under  some  other  that  is  more 
harmless.  One  of  the  most  dangerous  counterfeiters,  probably  the  best 
banknote  engraver  of  America,  Peter  McCartuey,  travelled  for  a  long  time 
in  many  cities  of  the  Union,  and  delivered  lectures  which  were  largely 
attended,  on  the  art  of  distinguishing  counterfeits  from  genuine  notes. 
This  in  itself  would  have  been  all  right,  for  Mr.  Cartney  was  undoubtedly 
one  of  the  best,  if  not  the  very  best,  authority  on  the  subject.  But,  as  it 
was  afterwards  ascertained,  these  lecture  trips  were  only  intended  to  dis- 
pose of  his  own  counterfeits  in  an  unsuspicious  manner. 

With  the  public  itself,  the  shovers  can  only  dispose  of  notes  of  a  smaller 
denomination.  This  class  of  counterfeits  is  therefor  the  most  dangerous 
for  the  public  at  large.  And  with  some  smartness,  the  shovers  caQ  easily 
dispose  of  poor  counterfeits.  Bank  notes  of  higher  denominations,  which, 
only  come  into  the  hands  of  bankers  and  financiers,  must  however  be 
executed  with  the  more  skill,  the  higher  the  denomination  of  the  note. 
It  does  not  seem  possible  in  this  respect,  that  men  should  be  deceived,  who 
handle  thousands  of  bankuotes  and  valuable  papers  every  day.  But  it  has 
happened,  and  still  happens.  As  the  most  prominent  example,  we  would 
remind  the  reader  of  the  7 — 30  bonds  which  even  passed  upon  the  officers 
in  the  U.  S.  Treasury  a  few  years  ago.  The  well  known  "Walt ham  Watch 
Company"  received  six  legal  tender  notes  at  fifty  dollars  each  in  payment 
of  a  watch  valued  at  §300,  without  suspestiug  that  all  six  were  counter- 
feits. They  passed  them  again  without  having  a  suspicion  as  to  their 
character,  and  the  notes  accepted  everywhere  without  a  question,  soon 
disappeared  so  completely  in  their  circulation,  that  the  authorities  were 
not  able  to  track  them.  Of  this  dangerous  counterfeit  not  less  than  half 
a  million  dollars  were  brought  into  circulation. 

A  counterfeit  of  the  hundred-dollar  bill  of  the  Central  National  Bank 
of  New  York,  engraved  by  a  certain  Charles  Ulrich,  alias  Henderson,  was- 
in  consequence  of  its  wonderful  execution,  accepted  both  by  bauks  and 
government  official?. 


428  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

As  a  business,  the  coney  business  is  arranged  wonderfully  well.  No 
bank  has  its  business  connections  and  agents  spread  more  systematically 
•over  all  parts  of  the  country  than  the  manufacturers  of,  and  dealers  in 
-coney.  New  York,  the  centre  of  the  legitimate  financial  transactions  of 
the  country,  may  also  be  regarded  as  the  centre  of  the  coney  business. 
When  any  one  of  these  rascals  has  obtained  a  good  p-ate,  large  numbers 
of  impressions  are  immediately  sent  to  the  agents  in  the  country.  This  is 
done  either  by  mail,  by  express,  or  by  special  travelling  agents.  The  agents 
again  distribute  their  supply  to  the  shovers,  who  see  to  it  that  the  counter- 
feits are  rapidly  brought  into  circulation.  When  the  notes  after  a  short 
time  are  recognized  as  counterfeits,  the  shovers  have  almost  entirely  dis- 
posed of  their  queer,  and  according  to  the  degree  of  risk  involved,  go  to 
work  very  carefully,  or  do  not  circulate  them  at  all  any  more.  There  are 
also  some  business  men  who  do  not  hesitate  to  soil  their  hands  with  the 
-circulation  of  counterfeits.  Of  these  there  are  two  classes.  The  one  con- 
sists of  those  persons  who,  either  from  a  want  of  knowledge,  or  from  care- 
lessness, occasionally  come  into  possession  of  counterfeit  notes,  which  how- 
ever when  they  find  out  their  true  character,  they  try  to  pass  off  on  other 
persons.  It  was  very  disagreeable  for  them  to  be  cheated,  but  that  they 
may  not  lose  a  few  cents  or  dollars,  they  do  not  hesitate  to  cheat  others  in 
just  the  same  way.  "Do  unto  others  as  you  would  have  others  do  unto 
you,"  should  be  remembered  by  every  body,  when  he  discovers  a  counter- 
feit note  in  his  pocketbook.  He  will  not  think  then  of  cheating  some  un- 
suspecting person  as  he  was  cheated  himself,  but  will  tear  the  note,  or  lay 
it  aside  as  a  warning  in  the  future.  The  only  thing  that  can  be  said  to 
excuse  them  is,  that  they  do  not  think  at  the  time  what  they  are  doing. 
They  do  not  think  that  by  such  actions  they  assist  the  counterfeiters  and, 
for  the  time  being  at  last,  are  only  their  accomplices.  Perhaps  they  do  not 
*«ven  know  that  the  laws  declare  such  a  deliberate  circulation  of  counter- 
feits a  crime,  and  that  the  consequences  of  such  an  attempt  are  often  diffi- 
culties with  the  police  and  even  costs,  against  which  the  loss  of  the  counter- 
feit note  would  have  been  nothing. 

The  second  class  is  a  not  very  large  number  of  bakers,  butchers,  grocers, 
barkeepers,  conductors  on  street  cars,  pedlars,  &c.,  who  buy  especially 
ootes  of  small  denominations  and  fractional  currency  notes  with  the  inten- 
tion of  letting  them  slip  in  occasionally  in  the  change  for  large  bills.  This 
class  of  business  men  place  themselves  directly  among  the  counterfeiters. 
They  deserve  the  contempt  of  their  fellow  citizens  in  the  highest  degree, 
as  well  as  the  sever~  punishment  which  awaits  them  in  ca^e  they  are  de- 
tected. Among  the  coney-men  the  rule  prevails  that  whoever  has  passed 
the  bounds  of  the  law  in  ouly  one  point,  will  not  pay  any  attention  to  them 
in  any  other  respect,  if  he  should  think  it  in  his  interest. 

They  have  either  become  counterfeiters,  because  they  have  tried  the  road 
■of  crime,  or  they  became  criminals  in  other  respects,  because  they  had 


rOBGS88    AND    COl/NTKKFKITERS.  42^ 

(heir  career  of  crime  as  counterfeiters.  Many  example!  ol 
tliiri  can  be  cited.  Bill  Dow,  the  renowned  bank  robber  who  robbed  the 
Concord  Bank  of  $300,000,  commenced  his  career  as  a  sbover  of  the  queer. 
Tom  Hale,  alias  "Cranky  Tom",  was  a  desperate  thief,  and  during  the 
rebellion  was  a  bounty  jumper  not  less  than  titty  times.  Examples  are 
not  wanting  among  th<  -   men,  that  accomplices  who  were  no  longer 

trusted  by  tbeir  accomplices,  were  put  out  i  '  the  way  by  cold-blooded 
murder.  One  -f  the  be  Mown  cases  in  rccen  times  was  that  of  "Young 
Ned",  a  youi  -  man  v  had  stolen  the  plat  for  the  back  of  a  hundred 
dollar  trcasur  note  frc  the  U.  S.  Trcasur.  in  Washington,  for  Dill 
Ourney's  gang  He  di<  -oou  afterwards  in  terrible  pains  from  poison 
which  had  bee     mixed  v  r>    his  food  by  an  unknown  (  !  )  person. 

Jt  is  scarcely  necessary  '•<.>  mention  that  the  female  portion  of  the  com- 
munity, which  has  its  most  prominent  representatives  among  the  best  and 
the  worst,  is  not  entirely  unrepresented  among  the  coney-men.  One  of  the 
best  known  is  Marie  Brown,  a  German  woman  who  married  an  American 
and  whose  criminal  activity  has  caused  considerable  loss  to  our  Germau 
fellow-citizens  who  did  not  think  that  it  was  a  country-woman  of  theirs, 
who  so  cleverly  changed  their  good  money  into  counterfeits.  This  interest- 
ing lady  has  at  present  chosen  the  West  as  her  field  of  operations.  An- 
other woman  of  the  same  class  is  Mrs.  Roberts,  a  forty  years  old  widow, 
highly  respected  as  "Mother  Roberts"  among  the  coney-men.  This  lady 
made  use  of  her  "Grecian  Bend"  as  a  safe  for  her  "coney,"  and  thus  saved 
this  monstrous  affair  from  the  imputation  of  being  utterly  useless.  She 
wa6  so  clever  that  she  was  only  caught  by  the  tender  germs  of  love  which 
had  entered  her  bereaved  heart.  A  respectable  farmer,  after  a  long  court- 
ship, had  succeeded  in  gaining  her  affections,  but  not  until  "Mother 
Roberts'  had  assured  herself  that  he  looked  upon  the  circulation  of  counter- 
feits only  as  a  profitable  business.  Then  she  felt  that  he  was  the  man  who 
was  destined  to  fill  the  place  of  her  deceased  husband  at  her  side.  She 
now  initiated  him  in  the  intricacies  of  the  business,  and  one  day  even 
allowed  him  an  insight  in  the  secrets  of  her  "Grecian  Bend." 

That  was  all  the  farmer,  who  was  nothing  but  a  disguised  detective, 
desired  to  know.  He  pounced  at  once  on  the  amiable  widow  and  em- 
braced her  with  more  force  than  tenderness.  While  he  holds  her,  two 
assistants  waiting  outside  jump  through  the  window,  and  bring  "Mother 
Roberts,"  with  her  bustle,  directly  from  the  arms  of  her  faithless  intended 
to  the  gloomy  halls  of  justice. 

Another  daring  and  successful  attempt  to  break  up  a  band  of  counter- 
feiters, was  that  made  b}-  some  detectives  in  the  spring  of  1871.  In 
No.  217  Centre  street  the  so-called  Centre  st.  gang  had  established  iu 
headquarters  and  had  successfully  carried  on  its  nefarious  trade  for  a  num- 
ber of  years.  In  the  beginning  of  the  year  1871  a  «*^ain  Louis  Myers 
offered  his  services  to  the  U.  S.  secret  service,  to  aid  in  the  detection  and 


430 


THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 


capture  of  counterfeiters.  As  a  recommendation  he  mentioned  that  he  had 
just  served  three  years  in  the  state's  prison  at  Trenton  for  passing  counter- 
feit notes.  His  motive  was  revenge  on  his  former  pals,  and  the  man  could 
therefor  be  of  use.  His  offer  was  immediately  accepted.  The  police  had 
for  some  time  been  on  the  track  of  the  Centre  street  gang,  and  Myers 
should  now  assist  in  breaking  it  up.  Myers  knew  all  the  members  of  tho 
gang  personally,  while  they  knew  that  he  had  been  in  prison,  and  thus  had 
been  a  martyr  to  the  cause.  It  was  also  well  known  to  them  that  Myers 
had  not  squealed,  nor  involved  any  of  his  comrades  in  his  trouble.  Such 
a  man  undoubtedly  deserved  complete  confidence  in  these  circles. 

This  confidence,  however,  would  also  be  enjoyed  by  any  one  who  was 
introduced  into  the  band  by  a  member  like  Myers.  Myers  was  therefor 
instructed  to  introduce  a  detective  into  217  Centre  st.  as  a  comrade  from 
jail,  and  to  give  him  as  such  the  best  recommendations. 

This  was  done,  and  "Schultz,"  the  name  assumed  by  the  detective  for 
this  occasion,  took  hold  of  his  dangerous  and  difficult  work.  Myers' 
recommendation  alone  did  not  suffice  to  remove  all  suspicion  of  the  new 
member.  Schultz  must  first  show  what  he  was  made  of,  before  he  could 
be  admitted  to  a  complete  intimacy.  But  the  detective  waited  patiently 
and  took  good  care  not  to  arouse  suspicions  against  himself  by  intrusion. 

The  most  important  of  these  coney-men  were  James  Quinby,  alias  Geo. 
Edwards  ;  George  Rhode,  alias  Keyser  ;  John  Jackson,  alias  Messenger; 
Ernest  Koff;  Wm.  Rhode,  who  was  the  proprietor  of  the  saloon  ;  George 
Wendlaken,  alias  Dutch  George,  and  McCabe,  also  well  known  as  a 
check  forger,  all  of  these  dangerous  characters  who  were  now  to  be  handed 
over  to  justice  by  Schultz  and  Myers. 

Schultz  played  his  part  so  well,  that  he  soon  gained  the  entire  confidence 
of  the  band.  He  soon  had  an  opportunity  also  of  showing  his  skill.  This 
was  done  in  the  company  of  Koff  in  Jersey  City  and  Hoboken.  Taking 
a  walk  one  day  Koff  gave  Schultz  a  counterfeit  ten  dollar  bill,  and  asked 
him  to  have  it  changed.  Schultz  without  the  least  hesitation  went  into 
the  next  store,  bought  a  few  trifles,  and  returned  with  $9.50  in  change. 
The  assurance  and  calmness  with  which  Schultz  entered  the  store  with  the 
counterfeit  note,  surprised  Koff  beyond  measure*  He  gave  him  at  once  a 
second,  ten  dollar  bill  with  the  desire  to  have  it  changed.  Schultz  goes  at 
once  into  a  cigar  store,  and  returns  after  a  few  minutes  with  a  dollars 
worth  of  cigars  and  nine  dollars  in  change.  The  business  had  therefor 
been  an  excellent  one,  and  Schultz  had  proven  his  ability  to  the  complete 
satisfaction  of  Koff.  Koff  however  did  not  know,  that  the  disguised  detec- 
tive had  made  his  purchases  with  good  notes,  and  had  marked  and  laid 
aside  the  bad  ones  for  further  use.  In  this  way  Schultz  had  accumulated 
a  large  amount  of  evidence  against  tho  "Koniackers",  aud  had  made  valu- 
able studies  for  the  future  action  of  the  secret  service.  On  March  1,  1871, 
it  was  thought  expedient  to  proceed  to  action. 


FORGERS    AND    COrNTF.RFEITERS.  ill 

In  (he  meanwhile  a  little  incident  had  almost  ruined  the  whole  affair. 
Myers,  a'though  he  had  been  a  faithful  assistant  of  Sehultz  against  the 
C-oncymen,  had  still  done  a  little  business  on  his  own  account,  in  "shoving 
:  e  queer".  Thus  it  was,  that  he  was  taken  by  the  New  York  Metropo- 
lian poiice,  and  brought  to  trial  for  circulating  counterfeit  money.  This 
s'Cmed  to  anger  him  considerably,  and  while  in  prison  he  decided  to  reveal 
(o  the  gang  the  secret  of  the  true  character  of  Sehultz.  After  a  conversa- 
tion however  with  U.  S.  detectives,  he  changed  his  mind,  and  was  again 
valoed  down  by  a  promise  of  a  very  light  sentence- 

On  the  above  mentioned  first  of  March,  Jackson  told  Sehultz  that  some 
members  of  the  gang  had  committed  a  large  burglary  in  Long  Island,  and 
that  a  part  of  the  plunder,  a  case  with  fine  porcelain  w^re  had  already  ar- 
rived at  the  depot  of  the  Long  Island  R.  R.  lie  asked  Sehultz  to  accom- 
pany him  to  the  depot  in  the  evening,  and  take  charge  of  the  case.  Sehultz 
of  course  said  yes,  and  immediately  reported  to  the  headquarters  of  the  U. 
S.  secret  service.  As  soon  as  Jackson  had  taken  charge  of  the  case,  he 
and  Sehultz  were  seized  by  detectives.  Upon  arriving  at  headquarters, 
Sehultz  was  of  course  released,  and  immediately  returned  to  the  Centre 
street  saloon.  Nobody  there  knew  anything  about  Jackson's  arrest. 
•Sehultz  now  called  Koff  out  on  some  pretence.  Walking  along  unsuspici- 
ously, Koff  suddenly  found  himself  caught  on  one  arm  by  Sehultz,  on  the 
other  by  another  detective,  and  having  been  handcuffed  he  was  quickly  led 
off  to  headquarters.  No  time  was  to  be  lost  now,  and  Sehultz  immediately 
returned  to  the  saloon,  and  in  quick  succession  McCabe,  Quimby,  Geo. 
Rhode  and  Wm.  Rhode  were  captured  without  any  one  of  them  having  the 
least  suspicion  of  the  fate  of  their  comrades,  until  they  met  them  face  to 
face  and  in  irons,  in  the  office  of  the  chief  of  the  U.  S.  secret  service. 
There  also  the  pleasant  intelligence  awaited  them  that  their  friend 
"Sehultz"  was  only  a  detective  in  disguise.  The  evidence  accumulated 
by  this  *•  Sehultz"  was  so  conclusive,  that  the  rascals  were  all  found  guilty 
of  passing  counterfeit  notes.  Quimby  was  sentenced  to  five  years  impri- 
sonment, George  Rhode  to  ten,  Jackson  and  McCabe  each  to  three,  Koff 
to  two  years  and  four  months  and  Wm.  Rhode  to  seven  years,  Dutch 
George  was  the  only  one  who  gave  bail,  and  then  left  for  unknown  parts. 
Thus  the  last  band  of  counterfeiters  of  any  importance  was  broken  up,  and 
its  members  who  had  for  years  overrun  New  York  and  vicinity  with  coun* 
terfeits,  have  been  put  out  of  harm's  way.  The  former  saloon  which 
formed  the  headquarters  of  the  band,  has  been  changed  into  a  restaurant, 
and  busy  hands  are  now  engaged  in  satisfying  the  demands  of  hunger, 
where  formerly  plans  were  laid  to  empty  the  pockets  of  honest  citizens. 

We  have  already  presented  to  the  reader  a  number  of  sketches,  which 
will  give  him  a  comprehensive  view  of  the  life  of  all  classes  of  counter- 
feiters.    But  we  would  add  to  these  sketches  another,  showing  us  a  dan- 


4o2  TEE    DAUK    SIDE    OP    NEW     YORK    LIFE. 

gerous  criminal  who,  enjoying  the  fruits  of  his  crimes  in  a  palace,  was 
orily  saved  from  his  deserved  punishment  by  death. 

Theodore  D.  was  one  of  the  wealthiest  citizens  of  — th  street,  near 
Union  Square.  His  fine  brown  stone  mansion  stood  out  prominently  even 
among  the  palatial  residences  of  this  aristocratic  quarter.  A  happy  hus- 
band and  father,  he  moved  in  the  best  society,  and  was  a  prominent  mem- 
ber of  his  church.  He  was  everywhere  regarded  as  a  promineni  example 
of  an  honest  and  upright  man,  and  the  only  thing  that  might  have  been 
criticised  by  some,  was  that  he  judged  the  errors  of  his  fellowmen  too 
severely. 

Thus  he  lived  for  many  years,  honored,  respected  and  envied  by  the  out- 
side world,  who  did  not  know,  that  the  riches  and  respectability  of  Mr.  D. 
only  formed  a  glittering  cover,  with  which  he  successfully  hid  his  great 
depravity  from  the  eyes  of  the  world. 

Nothing  deceives  the  world  more  easily  than  great  riches,  very  seldom 
it  asks  how  the  riches  were  obtained.  Thus  in  the  case  of  Mr.  D.  it  was 
assumed  that  he  owed  his  immense  riches  to  successful  speculations.  This 
phrase  "successful  speculations",  has  been  much  misused  in  our  age,  but 
is  certainly  very  convenient.  The  word  "speculation"'  covers  a  wide  field, 
from  which  as  many  ways  lead  to  prison  as  to  a  palace.  Mr.  D.  had 
made  his  way  to  a  palace,  and  there  he  was  at  present.  But  D.  did  not 
suspect  that  this  way  had  already  taken  a  turn  which  led  directly  to 
prison. 

For  several  facts  had  come  to  the  ears  of  the  U.  S.  detectives,  which 
shed  a  very  suspicious  light  on  his  character.  The  authorities  would  not 
have  dared  without  the  most  weighty  reasons,  to  take  a  prominent  citizen 
like  Mr.  D.  under  its  especial  care.  But  the  suspicions  were  so  injust, 
that  it  was  thought  neccessary  to  have  him  closely  watched.  The  result 
of  this  made  the  first  suspicion  a  certainty,  and  within  a  few  months  the 
authorities  were  in  possession  of  evidence,  which  would  warrant  Lis  arrest 
at  any  time.  But  in  the  meanwhile,  a  great  change  had  also  taken  place 
with  D. 

He  "had  been  ailing  for  several  years,  and  lately  his  disease  had  taken  a 
serious  consumptive  turn.  In  a  short  time  he  could  only  drive  out  on  very 
fine  days,  and  at  last  he  was  completely  confined  to  his  bed.  But  even  if 
he  deceived  himself  as  to  his  condition,  his  friends  well  knew,  that  he  could 
not  recover,  and  that  it  was  only  a  question  of  time  how  soon  he  should  be 
taken  off.  His  wife,  who  knew  nothiug  of  his  "fortunate  speculations", 
nursed  him  with  the  most  tender  care,  while  everything  that  could  be  done 
by  his  physicians  to  draw  out  the  thread  of  life  a  little  longer,  was  done 
regardless  of  expense.  But  human  skill  was  of  no  awail  in  his  case,  and 
the  question  that  now  presented  itself  to  the  authorities  was,  whether  the 
ends  of  justice  required  his  arrest  and  thus  forestall  death.  In  considera- 
tion however  of  his  unhappy  wife,  and  his  highly  respectable  family,  the 


FORGERS    and    COUNTERFEITERS. 

ehiefof  the  U.  S.  secret   service   reprieved  hifl   arrest    under  the  circum- 

Btao< 

Bui  ill  spite  of  all  care  and  nursing,  D.  had  passed  restless  days  lately. 
In  the  papers,  which  he  read  daily,  he  read  one  day  of  the  arrest  of  pro- 
minent counterfeiters.  Clark,  Pierce,  Carpenter  and  Riffim,  these  were 
all  names  of  men  with  whom  he  was  closely  connected,  and  who  were  the 

pet  associates  of  his  crimes. 

This  report  almost  took  away  his  last  strength.  Sleepless  and  feverish 
he  passed  his  nights.  What  should  he  do?  He  saw  the  approaching  dan- 
ger, and  felt  at  the  same  time,  that  he  was  too  sick  to  evade  it  by  a  quick 
flight.  Then  he  became  calm  again.  He  still  had  a  powerful  friend. 
Gold  1  gold  !  of  which  he  had  more  than  enough,  he  knew  was  all  powerful 
with  the  police  and  the  judges. 

In  consequence  of  his  increased  sickuess,  the  servants  were  ordered  to 
admit  no  visitors,  and  not  even  to  bring  cards  or  messages  to  the  sickroom. 
One  morning  the  door  bell  is  rung.  A  servant  opens  the  door,  and  sees  a 
gentleman  who  wishes  to  see  Mr.  D.  in  pressing  business. 

"That  is  impossible,''  the  servant  answers,  "Mr.  D.  is  very  sick,  and' 
no  one  besides  his  wife  and  his  physicians  are  allowed  to  speak  to  him." 

"But  my  business  is  of  the  greatest  importance,  and  I  must  see  Mr.  D. 
personally,  under  any  circumstance.     Go  and  announce  me." 

"Your  card,  then,   if  you  please,  sir." 

"That  is  not  neccessary,  just  say  that  a  gentleman  wishes  to  see  him." 

The  servant  went  up  stairs,  not  to  announce  the  gentleman,  but  only  to 
oblige  him,  and  give  more  weight  to  his  refusal.  But  suddenly  before  ho 
could  stop  him,  the  stranger  flitted  past  him,  and  entered  the  sickroom. 
Closing  the  door  upon  the  servant,  he  found  himself  alone  with  the  sick 
man,  who  raised  himself  on  his  bed  and  looked  at  the  stranger  wijh  a?- 

Itonishment. 
"I  did  not  think,  that  you  were  so  far  gone  already,  Mr.  D.,"  said  the 
stranger,  "it  would  be  well  thorefor  for  me,  to  come  quickly  to  the  point." 
"I  do  not  understand  how  you  can  dare  to — " 

"You  will  soon  understand  it,  Mr.  D.  (Looking  sharply  at  the  sick 
man.)  I  knew  that  you  were  too  sick  to  run  away.  If  this  had  been  pos- 
Bible,  you  as  well  as  your  friends  and  accomplices  would  have  been  ar- 
rested." 

I),  trembles  at  these  quietly  spoken  words.  But  he  quickly  collects  him- 
self, and  playing  the  indignant,  lie  says  : 

"Who  are  you,  that  you  dare  to  speak  to  me  in  such  a  manner." 
"Who  I  am,  is  of  no  account  at  present.     But  what  I  want,  is  the  de- 
livery of  that  ten  dollar  plate,  which  is  as  I  know  in  your  possession." 
"What— what— do  you  want?  ' 

"I  want  what  I  said  just  now,  nothing  more,  and  nothing  less.  Will 
you  deliver  the  plate  or  shall  I  have  the  house  searched?" 

28 


434  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

".°ir,  I  do  not  know,  arc  you  crazy,  or — " 

"Mr.  D.,  that  will  do  now,  I  am  not  green,  and  do  not  let  myself  be 
thrown  off  the  track,  by  such  tricks  as  those.  Your  game  is  up,  for  the 
'  Koniackers",  whom  we  have  taken  thus  far,  have  said  enough,  to  show 
that  you  are  at  the  head  of  the  whole  concern.  You  are  discovered.  And 
if  you  are  lying  in  bed  here  yet  and  have  not  already  joined  your  compa- 
nions in  prison,  it  is  only  in  consideration  of  your  innocent  family." 

In  spite  of  his  weakness,  the  rascal  still  attempted  to  clear  himself. 
Raising  his  head  defiantly,  he  said  :  "I  suppose  you  do  not  know,  whom 
you  are  talking  to?  ' 

"Do  I  not  know  it?  Well,  we  will  see,  whether  I  do  or  not.  Are  you 
not  Theodore  D.,  the  proprietor  of  one  of  the  finest  mansions  in  the  city? 
Theodore  D.,  who  is  regarded  by  the  public  as  a  pious  and  respectable 
man,  because — well,  because  the  public  does  not  know  that  this  same 
Theodore  D.  is  one  of  the  largest  dealers  in  counterfeit  banknotes,  and  one 
of  the  greatest  rascals  in  America.  Or  do  you  still  deny  that  it  was  chiefly 
you,  who  has  perfectly  flooded  the  Union  from  Maine  down  to  Texas  with 
counterfeit  banknotes,  coin  and  revenue  stamps.  Is  it  not  you  who  is 
responsible  for  so  many  fallen  young  men,  who  were  n'rst  led  by  you  into 
the  way  of  crime.  You  have  been  able  for  many  years  to  ward  off  the 
suspicions  of  your  crimes  by  means  of  your  riches  and  your  hypocrisy. 
But  now  your  hour  has  come.  You  are  known,  and  justice  has  a  claim 
on  you.  Do  you  understand  me  now?  Do  you  think  that  I  know  you, 
Mr.  Theodore  D.  ? 

"I  am  sick  and  broken  down.  If  I  were  not  half  dead,  I  would  speak 
to  you  in  a  different  manner,  bat  I — ' 

"  Enough  of  this  foolery.     Where  is  the  $10  plate?" 

"  How  do  you  know  that  which  you  have  said  of  me?"  D.  now  asked  in 
a  tone  which  showed  that  he  saw  the  hopelessness  of  continuing  his 
denials. 

"  How  I  know  it,  is  immaterial  at  present.  It  is  enough  that  I  do 
know  it,  and  have  the  proofs  for  it  handy.  Theodore  D.,  you  cannot 
escape  me  by  continued  obstinacy,  but  you  can  force  me  to  let  all  consider- 
ations for  your  family  out  of  the  question." 

"And  the  proofs  that  you  have,  are  they  in  your  hands  alone?" 

"Yes  !  For  the  present  at  least." 

"You  know  that  I  am  rich  ?"' 

"Yes." 

"  How  is  it,  could  I  get  out  of  V.  c  scrape  by  money?  If  I  am  not  mis- 
taken, you  are  the  chief  of  the  U.  S.  secret  service?" 

"  I  am." 

"  How  much  would  you  ask  to  settle  the  matter?  I  have  learnt  enough 
in  my  life  to  know,  that  every  man  can  be  bought.  Lawyers,  judges,  de- 
tectives, every  one  has  his  price.     Ask  what  you  will,  I  am  very  rich.  ' 


FORGERS    AND    COUNTERFEITERS. 

MT  ic  p'al    ie  my  price,  that  is  what  I  want." 

44  O  my  poor  wife  ami  my  poor  daughter  1  This  disgrace  will  kill  them. 
Take  them  into  consideration,  yon  can  see,  that  I  am  dying." 

»•  I  have  i. .ken  all  the  considerations  I  could.  But  the  plate  I  must 
haw,  or  else  all  the  considerations  fall  t?  the  ground.  Give  me  the  plate 
■nnd  the  counterfeit  notes  which  you  have  in  your  possession,  and  I  will 
let  you  die  in  peace,  and  will  not  expose  you.     This  is  my  last  word." 

"Well  then,  yes,  I  will,  but  I  can't  do  this  before  two  days." 

uIu  twj  days  then.  Don't  forget  that  you  are  watched  day  and  night 
until  then,  and  that,  even  if  you  would,  you  could  not  play  me  false." 

At  this  moment  the  wife  of  the  tick  man  entered  the  room,  and  was 
astonished  to  notice  the  cxciicmcnt  of  her  husband,  and  the  presence  of 
a  stsanger. 

Hi-  bowed  politely  to  her  and  left  the  room. 

Two  days  afterwards  he  called  again.  He  was  immediately  conducted 
into  the  sick  room,  and  received  from  the  trembling  hands  of  the  patient 
a  package  with  the  plate  and  nearly  8100,000  in  counterfeit  notes, 
chief  took  his  departure  with  them,  sure  that  death  in  a  few  days  would 
more  effectually  close  the  career  of  this  dangerous  criminal,  than  human 
justice  ever  could.  And  not  qui'.c  four  weeks  after  the  delivery  of  the 
plate,  Theodore  D.  had  breathed  his  last,  and  deep  mourning  prevailed  in 
the  circlos  of  his  friends  and  relations.  His  costly  cofnu  had  been  covered 
with  flowers  by  loving  hands.  Only  good  things  were  related  of  the  dead 
man.  Mournful  dirges  sounded  through  the  large  church,  and  the  mi. 
.*poke  touching  words  on  the  verse  :  "  Blessed  are  those  who  die  in  the 
Lord  !"  What  he  then  said  about  the  departed,  when  he  represented  him 
as  an  example  of  true  piety,  and  praised  his  virtues  as  a  husband,  father 
and  citizen,  all  this  was  only  regarded  by  the  assembled  funeral  guests  as 
a  just  tribute  to  the  departed.  He  closed  his  sermon  with  the  following 
words :  "  He  has  now  gone  to  receive  the  reward,  which  awaits  all  those 
in  Heaven,  who  have  performed  acts  of  kindness  and  charity  during  their 
sojourn  in  this  world,  and  have  earned  the  blessings  of  their  fellowmen, 
He  will  live  in  the  memory  of  his  fellowmen  as  a  worthy  example  for  all." 

The  good  minister,  as  well  as  his  hearers,  did  not  know  what  irony  there 
was  in  his  words,  and  what  the  state  of  affairs  in  this  world  would  be,  if 
Theodore  D.  would  be  taken  as  an  example  by  all.  He  described  the 
scene  in  the  sick  room  as  a  warning,  and  as  proof  that  crime  is  at  home 
just  as  much  in  the  brown  stone  palace  of  our  aristocratic  quarters,  as  in 
the  low  dens  of  Centre  or  Houston  streets. 

It  is  hardly  necesoary  to  say  anything  further  about  the  counterfeit  note3 
themselves.  They  are  total  counterfeits  or  they  are  genuine  notes,  whos3 
face  value  has  been  altered  to  a  higher  figure.  The  latter  counterfeits  are 
ouly  dangerous  for  those,  who  are  entirely  unacquainted  with  our  paper 
•currency,  or  who  take  it  carelessly  without  a  second  look.  The  only  means 


436 


THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    JfORK    LIFE. 


of  recognizing  counterfeit  notes,  are  those  taught  us  by  common  sense.. 
To  know  the  genuine  notes  is  the  best  way  to  recognize  and  avoid  the 
counterfeits.  Whoever  has  gained  this  knowledge,  and  it  is  accessible  to 
all,  and  whoever  is  not  too  indolent  and  too  hasty  to  carefully  look  at  the 
paper  coming  into  his  hands,  he  will  only  very  seldom  be  taken  in  with  a 
counterfeit  note  by  a  swindler  or  by  some  victim. 

This  knowledge  of  the  genuine  paper  money  and  the  care  observed  in 
receiving  notes,  are  the  most  officient  means  to  break  up  counterfeiting. 
For  noboby  will  deny  that  the  business  of  the  counterfeiters  will  prosper 
the  more,  the  less  the  knowledge  of  the  genuine  notes  is  spread  amon^  t!;e 
public,  and  the  more  careless  it  is  in  accepting  paper  money.  The  treasury 
department  in  Washington  has  done  its  utmost  in  the  way  of  artistic 
execution  of  even  the  fractional  currency,  to  make  the  imitation  of  paper 
money  as  difficult  and  expensive  as  possible.  The  U.  S.  detective  force,, 
in  breaking  up  bands  of  counterfeiters  and  arresting  their  leaders,  has  also 
iloue  its  best  to  diminish  the  evil.  If  the  public  now  performs  its  part  in 
not  carelessly  accepting  any  counterfeit  that  i3  offered  to  it,  the  craft  ot 
counterfeiters  will  soon  find  their  business  to  be  poorly  paying. 

Before  closing  this  chapter  we  would  once  more  refer  to  the  saw-dust 
game.  Although  counterfeit  money  is  not  employed  at  all  in  this  swindle 
as  we  have  explained  before,  it  is  nevertheless  one  of  the  chief  agencies 
which  bring  new  recruits  into  the  ranks  of  the  "coney-men".  This  swindle 
calls  the  attention  of  many  for  the  first  time  to  the  fact  that  counterfeit 
notes  can  be  bought  and  that  their  sale  could  be  made  a  profitable  employ- 
ment. The  honesty  of  such  persons  is  of  course  not  very  great,  but  many 
of  them  have  been  led  by  the  saw-dust  swindlers  for  the  first  time  into  a 
speculation  which  is  regarded  as  criminal  by  the  law.  The  speculation  is 
of  course  only  profitable  for  the  swindler.  The  victim  however  does  not 
profit  by  the  lesson  learned.  He  knows  that  counterfeit  notes  are  to  be 
had  somewhere,  and  he  looks  for  their  source  the  more  eagerly,  the  more 
he  desires  to  make  good  what  he  has  lost  at  the  saw-dust  game.  At  last 
our  saw-dust  speculator,  after  a  very  diligent  search,  falls  upon  some 
"shover"  who  furnishes  him  with  the  queer  at  50  cts.  on  the  dollar.  Thus 
he  enters  the  ranks  of  the  "coney-men",  and  by  circulating  counterfeit 
money,  becomes  a  crimiaal  and  an  enemy  to  society.  It  will  be  seen  from 
the  character  of  the  saw-dust  game,  that  a  large  amount  of  stupidity  be- 
sides the  necessary  badness  is  requisite  to  lead  a  man  into  it.  It  is  very 
seldom  indeed  that  a  fool  succeeds  in  the  honest  paths  of  life,  but  nobody 
does  a  poorer  business  than  a  stupid  rascal.  This  sad  experience  is  soon 
made  by  the  victims  of  the  saw-dust  game,  who  have  taken  to  the  profes- 
sion of  a  shover.  They  generally  do  not  advance  beyond  their  apprentice- 
ship, and  in  most  cases  come  in  conflict  with  the  authorities  after  their  . 
second  or  third  attempt.  They  are  ruined  forever,  together  with  their 
innocent  families,  and  in  the  dark  cells  of  their  prison  curse  the  hour  which. 


IERS    AND    COUNTERFEITERS.  437 

brought  them  in  contact  with  the  swindlers  who  first  led  Ihem  on  the  path 
of  crime.  In  this  connection  we  would  relate  an  incident  which  seems  to 
point  to  an  energetic  course  to  be  adopted  by  the  courts  against  the  saw- 
dust swindlers. 

In  March,  1873,  three  persons  were  brought  before  recorder  Ilackett, 
on  the  charge  of  having  served  as  clerks  to  a  well  known  saw-dust  swindler 
on  Broadway  by  the  name  of  Menager.  Menager  had  avoided  arrest  by 
flight,  while  the  clerks  were  arrested  at  the  moment  when  they  were  oc- 
cupied with  addressing  circulars  for  the  mail.  The  court,  in  spite  of  all 
arguments  advanced  by  the  defence,  was  of  the  opinion  that  those  who 
knowingly  took  part  in  a  swindle,  even  as  clerks,  were  as  much  responsible 
for  it  as  the  heads  of  the  business. 

The  accused  were  declared  guilty,  and  recorder  Ilackett  sentenced  them 
each  to  one  year  in  the  state's  prison  and  a  fln2  of  $1000.  At  the  same 
time  he  declared  his  intention,  to  serve  out  in  like  cases  the  highest  penalty 
allowed  by  law,  and  thus  contribute  to  breaking  up  the  saw-dust  gamo 
which  had  been  practiced  long  enough  with  impunity.  The  sentence  is 
severe,  but  just.  It  shows  what  the  chief  swindlers  will  have  to  expect 
when  either  one  or  the  other  is  brought  before  the  bar  of  the  law.  It  will 
not  fail  to  inspire  these  dangerous  rascals  with  a  wholesome  fear,  and  by 
limiting  their  business  it  will  also  contribute  to  limit  the  business  in  real 
counterfeits. 


CHECK  AND  NOTE  FORGERS. 

Closely  related  to  the  counterfeiters  of  bank  notes,  are  the  check  and 
note  forgers.  With  thjm  the  art  of  swindling  is  not  only  greatly  simpli- 
fied, but  as  immense  results  are  generally  obtained  with  small  means,  it  is 
probable  also  more  developed,  than  with  the  counterfeiters. 

The  counterfeiter  requires,  as  we  have  seen,  not  only  costly  machines 
for  his  business,  but  also  the  co-operation  of  a  large  number  of  persons, 
who  all  share  his  profits.  The  Check  and  note  forger,  whom  for  simpli- 
city's sake  we  will  hereafter  simply  designate  a3  forger,  needs  no  other 
capital  than  his  motherwit,  and  no  other  assistant  than  his  pen,  or  at  most 
one  accomplice.  He  depends  in  his  operations  almost  exclusively  upon 
himself,  and  therefor  keeps  the  entire  profit  to  himself.  The  professional 
forger  for  this  reason,  classes  himself  as  a  genius  among  his  companions. 
He  plays  the  part  of  an  aristocrat  among  the  criminal  classes,  who  makes 
the  caehboxes  and  pocketbooks  of  others  subservient  to  himself  not  by  real 


TIIE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 


labor,  but  by  means  of  few  strokes  of  the  pen.  The  number  of  these  pro- 
fessional forgers,  even  in  the  city  of  New  York,  is  not  very  large.  The- 
talent  necessary  for  this  business  is  just  as  seldom  met  with  as  the  talent 
for  legitimate  business. 

The  authorities  do  not  know  more  than  twenty  or  twenty-five  of  these 
professional  forgers  in  the  city  of  New  York.  Bur  the  number  is  much 
larger  who  occasionally  sign  a  strange  name,  or  who  try  to  change  the 
amount  of  a  check  or  draft  lo  a  much  higher  figure.  The  number  of  these 
amateurs  in  crime  is  estimated  at  about  one  hundred  or  one  hundred  and 
fifty. 

The  requisites  for  a  successful  execution  of  forgeries  arc: 

1.  A  skilful  hand,  which  is  able  to  imitate  any  strange  handwritings 
especially  signatures,  as  closely  as  possible. 

2.  Dexterity  in  removing  by  means  of  some  mechanical  or  chemical 
agenl,  written  characters  from  paper  in  such  a  manner,  that  nothing  can: 
be  seen  of  these  manipulations  upon  first  look. 

These  two  requisites  arc  necessary,  either  to  produce  an  entirely  forged 
check  or  draft,  or  to  change  the  face  value  to  some  higher  figure.  To  do> 
this  in  a  satisfactory  manner,  is  very  difficult,  and  requires  a  hand  trained 
by  long  practice. 

But  the  forged  check  or  draft,  even  if  executed  with  the  greatest  6ki!lr 
is  not  worth  the  paper  it  is  written  on,  until  it  has  been  presented  for  pay- 
ment and  accepted.  The  presentation  of  the  check  is  the  most  ticklish 
part  of  the  whole  operation.  To  have  any  expectation  of  success,  the  for- 
ger must  be  bold  in  his  bearing,  and  must  be  able  to  present  the  forgery 
with  a  selfposscssion,  which  he  must  not  lose,  even  under  the  most  dis- 
agreeable turn  which  the  affair  might  take.  If  his  nerves  caunot  stand 
such  a  test,  he  must  look  about  for  a  person  to  do  this  part  of  the  work,, 
and  who  consequently  claims  a  large  part  of  the  booty. 

There  is  a  separate  class  of  these  fellows,  who  arc  wanting  in  the  mecha- 
nical skill  of  the  forger,  but  who  arc  endowed  with  a  large  amount  of  im- 
pudence and  audacity,  and  who  arc  known  to  the  police  as  "Bank-Sneaks".. 
The  old  saying  that  there  is  "honesty  among  thieves",  has  no  application 
to  them.  The  forger  who  makes  use  of  the  sneak  knows  this,  and  must 
therefor  be  extremely  careful,  and  keep  his  eyes  wide  open.  He  follows 
the  sneak  on  his  way  to  the  bank,  and  waits  in  the  neighborhood  until  he: 
returns.  Not  always  does  the  sneak  leave  the  bank  alone.  Sometimes  it 
happens  that  a  uniformed  figure  accompanies  him,  holding  him  by  the  col- 
lar. The  forger  well  knows  the  meaning  of  this,  and  hastens  away  t0  6ome 
other  part  of  ihe  country.  If  however  success  attend  the  affair,  he  follows 
the  sneak,  who  lias  already  noticed  him,  to  the  place  agreed  upon,  where 
the  spoils  are  divided. 

Su-h  a  division  of  business  is  sometimes  also  necessary  with  those  for- 
gers, who  possess  both  mechanical  Skill  and  audacity.     This  is  tho  case. 


CHECK  AND  NOTE  l  uUGERS.  439 

with  th^se  forgers  who  kavc  already  become  so  notorious,  that  any  valu- 
paper  would  seem  Buspicious  in  their  hands.  The  professional  forger 
ever,  is  generally  an  excellent  actor,     lie  knows  how  to  change  his 

93  and   his   features   so  well,  that   even  his  own  brother  would  scarcely 
Luow  him.  At  last  his  resources  are  exhausted,  and  it  becomes  dangerous 

lor  him  to  show  his  lace  to  a  cashier  or  a  detective. 

Checks  and  drafts  arc  generally  entire  forgeries,  so  that  the  contents  as 
well  as  the  signatures  are  made  by  the  (orger,  or  he  uses  some  check  or 
i  rait  which  has  already  been  drawn,  and  changes  the  name  to  his  own,  or 
Lie  value  to  some  higher  figure.  The  first  method  is  the  more  difficult, 
and  at  the  same  time  the  more  dangerous.  For  this  reason  it  has  lately 
came  into  disuse,  while  the  last  two  met.ious  arc  extensively  practiced. 

Every  intended  forgery  requires  extensive  studies  and  preparations  on 
the  part  of  the  maker.  Not  only  the  handwriting  of  the  prcteuded  drawer  of 
ihc  note  must  be  imitated,  but  the  manner  in  which  he  generally  makes  out 
his  checks,  as  well  as  the  ink  lie  makes  use  of,  and  many  other  trivial 
things  must  be  taken  into  account  by  the  forger.  Generally  some  sneak 
thief  assists  him,  in  stealing  blank  checks,  as  well  as  paid  checks,  ink  etc., 
lrora  the  place  of  business.  If  checks  on  bauks  are  to  be  forged,  it  is  also 
absolutely  necessary  for  the  forger  to  ascertain  how  larg2  an  amount  of 
money  his  victim  has  at  the  bank,  so  as  to  make  no  mistake,  which  might 
raise  a  suspicion.  For  only  by  the  greatest  smartness  can  the  forger  make 
his  business  a  paying  one. 

•  The  most  celebrated  case  of  forgery  is  that,  with  which  a  certain  Henry 
Liviugstou  astonisiied  the  whole  commercial  world  about  3  years  ag<>. 
Livingston  one  day  presented  a  check  for  payment  at  the  New  York  City 
Batik,  drawn  for  §75,000,  signed  by  Cornelius  Vanderbilt  and  endorsed  by 
Henry  Keef.  Although  Livingston  had  manufactured  the  whole  check 
himself,  still  it  was  so  well  executed,  that  the  cashier  immediately  paid  the 
money,  in  spite  of  the  largeuess  of  the  amount.  Not  until  some  time  had 
elapsed,  did  the  cashier  discover,  that  he  had  been  cheated  by  a  very  well 
executed  forgery.  But  the  forger  was  not  to  enjoy  the  fruits  of  his  crime. 
He  had  very  marked  features,  which  the  cashier  clearly  remembered. 
Being  a  good  draughtsman,  he  sketched  the  face  of  the  adventurer  so 
plainly,  that  the  detectives  soon  after  arrested  him  in  a  small  town  in  Illi- 
nois. The  money  was  almost  all  found  in  his  possession,  and  to-day 
Heury  Livingston  is  serving  his  time  in  a  cell  in  Sing  Sing,  where  he  can 
comfort  himself  with  the  consciousness,  of  having  at  least  in  one  respect, 
successfully  tried  the  greatest  forgery  of  his  age. 

Such  forgeries  (although  on  a  smaller  scale  than  that  described  above) 
occur  more  ofteu  thau  the  public  ever  knows.  If  a  bank  would  call  atten- 
tion to  the  fact  every  time  it  is  defrauded  out  of  a  few  hundred  or  thousand 
dollars,  this  would  be  a  poor  recommendation  (or  the  smartness  of  its  offi- 
cials.    It  would  lose  the  confidence  of  the  public,   and   therefor  prefers  in 


440  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

most  cases  to  bear  the  loss  and  keep  quiet.  Th%  same  is  the  case  with 
business  houses.  They  would  rather  bear  their  loss  quietly  than  to  be 
laughed  at  for  their  loss.  It  many  cases  they  have  well  deserved  it.  For 
it  would  scarcely  be  thought  possible  that  there  are  business  houses  who 
would  not  hesitate  to.  accept  checks  in  payment  from  perfect  strangers. 
Not  very  long  ago  two  large  houses  on  Broadway  were  swindled  not  only 
out  of  goods,  but  also  out  of  money,  in  the  following  manner : 

A  well  dressed  gentleman,  to  all  appearances  a  stranger  in  the  city, 
enters  a  gentleman's  furnishing  store  on  Broadway,  and  buys  handkerchiefs, 
cravats,  &c,  to  the  amount  of  $65.  He  takes  out  his  pocketbook  and  be- 
gins to  count  out  the  money  from  a  big  roll  of  bills.  Then  he  suddenly 
remembers  that  he  has  some  more  purchases  to  make,  and  as  he  would 
like  to  keep  some  more  money  for  the  evening,  it  would  be  handier  to  him 
10  give  a  check  in  payment.  The  external  appearance  of  the  gentleman 
as  well  as  his  general  bearing  speaks  so  well  for  him  that  his  check  for 
6100  is  taken  without  a  question.  He  thereupon  takes  his  bundle  and 
quietly  walks  out  of  the  store,  with  the  $35  which  he  received  as  change 
in  his  pocket.  He  immediately  proceeds  to  a  large  grocery,  where  just  at 
ihe  close  of  business  hours  he  buys  liquors  and  segars  to  the  amount  of 
$75,  and  again  presents  a  check  for  $100.  He  remarks  that  he  has  speDt 
all  his  cash  in  the  furnishing  store  of  Mr.  N.,  and  as  it  is  not  far  to  Mr. 
N.'s  store,  he  refers  them  to  Mr.  N.  This  and  the  paper  with  the  address 
of  Mr.  N.  around  the  package,  together  with  the  fact  that  he  wished  to 
have  the  goods  sent  to  his  house,  quiets  every  suspicions  which  may  have 
arisen  to  the  grocers,  and  they  take  the  check,  giving  the  swindler  $25  in 
change.  He  gives  one  of  the  errand  boys  some  money  to  hurry  up  with 
ihe  goods,  and  walks  off.  As  the  boy  arrives  at  the  house,  the  stranger 
just  steps  out  of  the  door.  He  seems  angered  that  the  boy  had  kept  him 
waiting  so  long,  and  that  he  is  forced  to  return  to  his  room  again.  He 
tells  the  boy  to  give  him  the  bundle  and  to  leave  as  quickly  as  possible. 
The  next  day  the  grocery  presents  the  check  at  the  bank  upon  which  it  is 
drawn.  The  check  of  course  is  refused  as  it  is  a  fraud  in  every  respect. 
They  now  send  to  the  residence  of  the  "gentleman".  There  nobody  knows 
anything  about  him.  But  the  people  living  in  the  house  remember  to  have 
seen  a  gentleman  answering  the  description  given,  the  night  before  between 
six  and  seven,  who  had  passed  the  time  as  if  waiting  for  somebody,  inside 
and  in  front  of  the  house.  This  seems  suspicious.  But  upon  inquiring 
in  the  furnishing  store,  they  also  know  nothing  further  about  the  stranger. 
But  the  suspicions  of  Mr.  N.  are  raised  in  consequence  of  this  inquiring. 
He  Fends  the  check  to  the  bank,  where  it  is  refused  as  a  forgery.  Neither 
house  have  ever  seen  anything  again  of  their  customer.  But  the  conse- 
quence of  the  transaction  lias  been  that  they  wi  1  receive  checks  only  from 
persons  who  are  well  known  to  them.  Similar  frauds,  although  not 
practiced  on  "smart"  Broadway  houses,  cou'd  be  mentioned  by  the  hundred. 


CHECK     USD    KOT1     FOEOKR8.  141 

M  >re  careful  swindlers^go  to  work  more  safely.  They  buy  the  goo  li 
at  ones?  with  the  condition  thai  they  are  to  be  sent  to  their  residence.  The 
•s  then  generally  take  the  check  the  more  quickly.  The  residence  in 
this  case  is  always  a  pretended  one,  and  the  swindler  contents  himself  with 
the  change  which  he  has  received  on  his  check,  while  the  sellers  are  en- 
lightened as  to  the  nature  of  the  check  the  same  evening,  when  the  buyer 
le  goods  is  not  to  be  found  at  the  residence  given. 

In  most  cases  the  selfpossessed  appearance  of  the  swindler  imposes  upon 
■Hers,  and  lets    suspicion  of  such  a  customer  almost  appear  as  an  in- 
sult to  him.      But  it  is  always  the  best  policy  to  leave  appearances  out  of 
:he  question  in  business  matters,  and  always  be  on   the  safe  side  in  such 

-  -.  especially  as  no  reasonable  man  will  lay  claim  to  such  an  extraor- 
dinary confidence  from  a  perfect  stranger. 

T..e  following  iucident  will  show  that  it  is  even   not  without  danger,  to 
a  die  k  to  a  perfect  stranger. 

In  Deeembcr,  1,^72.  a  stranger  came  into  a  grocery  in  Delaney  6trect, 
bought  a  few  irifie-,  aud  requested  the  grocer  to  give  him  for  §20  in  small 
bills  a  check  on  his  bank.  It  was  more  convenient,  he  said:  to  carry  a 
k,  than  so  many  small  bills.  As  the  bills  were  all  good,  the  grocer 
accepted  them,  and  gave  the  stranger  a  check  on  the  Bowery  National 
B.iuk.  Immediately  after  the  stranger  had  left,  the  request  seemed  very 
strange  to  the  grocer,  and  he  thought  it  would  be  best,  to  notify  the  b  .uk 
of  the  lact.  The  very  next  day  a  man  came  to  the  bank  and  presented 
the  check,  whose  value,  however,  had  been  change!  from  820  to  $1120. 
The  man  was  immediately  arrested.  It  was  now  found  that  the  fears  of 
the  grocer  were  well  founded,  and  that  the  rascal  had  only  procured  the 
check,  to  change  its  value  to  a  much  higher  figure. 

The  forger  belongs  to  that  dangerous  class  of  swindlers,  who  are  the 
best  examples  of  the  old  adage,  that  4,no  one  resembles  an  honest  man 
more,  than  the  worst  scoundrel".  Endowed  with  high  conversational 
talents  and  insinuating  manners,  and  giving  himself  an  air  of  wealth  by  an 

_  int  exterior,  it  is  even  difficult  for  many  endowed  with  an  extended 
knowledge  of  human  nature,  to  penetrate  the  mask  of  such  a  swiudler. 
Before  assuming  a  certain  part,  he  studies  it  thoroughly  in  all  its  di.'ierent 
phases,  and  prepares  answers  for  any  questions  that  might  pos-dbly  be  put 
to  him.  The  knowledge  that  in  presenting  a  fo:-ged  check,  he  is  at  the 
gates  of  prison,  does  not  in  the  least  destroy  his  equanimity.  The  least 
symptom  of  embarassment  or  timidity  would  raise  suspicion,  and  cau-e  a 
car,  tul  examination  of  the  check.  This  the  forger  must  try  and  avoid  bv 
all  means.  In  this  he  is  aide  1  by  his  bold  front,  with  which  he  stan  Is  at 
the  cashiers  desk  with  a  bu-iness-like  manner,  equally  ready  to  take  tho 
monev,  or  if  necessary,  to  reach  the  street  with  a  few  rapid  strides.  ])  : 
generally  he  arranges  it  in  such  a  manner  that  he  need  uot  make  use  of 
hi?  legs.     The  discovery  of  the  swindle  in  most  ca>es  docs  not  occur,  until 


442  TEE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YOUK    LIFE. 

the  swindler  has  put  a  considerable  distance  between  himself  and  the  last 
scene  of  his  operations.  IIu  then  continues  his  swindling  operations  at 
pome  other  place  under  a  dilierent  name.  For  the  authorities  the  arrest 
and  discovery  of  a  professional  forger  is  always  a  very  difficult  matter.  In 
the  mean  lime,  the  forger  mi! i i  he  hills  into  the  hands  of  the  ever  pursuing 
justice,  has  increased  i he  number  of  his  villainies  considerably  We  will 
here  give  as  an  illustration  of  such  a  forger  s  career,  the  sketch  of  one  of 
the  most  dang/rous  rascals,  who  carried  on  las  occupation  in  New  York 
and  other  (ilies,  as  late  as  1871. 

In  th.c  month  of  June  of  that  year,  a  very  intelligent  looking  young  man 
appeared  in  the  banking  house  of  E.  D.  Morgan  &  Co.,  in  Exchange  Place, 
and  introduce  1  himself  with  a  letter  oi  introduction  from  a  prominent  per- 
son, as  B.  8.  Downer.  He  cam:1,  as  he  said,  from  Detroit,  and  pretended 
to  be  a  very  near  relation  of  senator  Chan  1  er.  The  object  of  his  visit 
was  to  buy  bonds  of  the  New  Orleans,  Mobile  and  Texas  11.  R.,  to  the 
amount  of  $5000.  His  was  told  that  the  bonds  could  be  had  to  any  amount 
for  cash  or  a  certified  chec'<.  The  next  morning  Mr.  Downer  again  made 
his  appearance,  and  bought  fiw  of  these  bon  Is,  in  payment  of  which  he 
gave  a  certified  check  for  §">000,  dniA'u  to  his  order.  The  check  was 
taken  without  a  question,  and  D  own  r  received  iu  addition  to  the  bonds, 
$333  as  the  difference  between  their  nominal  vane  and  marked  value. 
The  next  day  however,  it  was  found  that  the  cheek  was  a  forgery.  The 
bank,  thereupon,  took  immediate  steps  to  sop  the  further  sale  of  the  bonds 
as  well  as  oi  the  check  for  $33  j  by  i  lie  forger.  But  this  individual  well 
knew  that  for  him  iu  this  case  time  was  money.  lie  had  immediately 
coiivcited  the  bonds  and  the  check  into  money,  and  hud  left  for  parts  un- 
known. 

The  authorities  now  took  up  the  trail  of  the  forger,  without  having  any- 
thing to  be  guided  by,  except  the,  description  given  by  the  bunk  officers. 
The  next  time  the  swind'er  was  heard  from,  he  had  made  his  appearanco 
in  Toledo,  Ohio,  as  a  dealer  in  wool.  He  ha  I  there  deposited  in  a  bank 
a  certified  check  for  §3000  drawn  by  Bibcock  Bros.,  of  William  street, 
New  York,  and  after  having  drawn  32500  on  this  deposit,  he  disappeared. 
This  he  did  just  in  time,  before  the  bunk  discovered  that  the  check  was  a 
forgery  and  that  they  had  been  swindled  out  of  §2500.  From  Toledo  this* 
genius  took  his  way  to  Canada,  where  he  selected  the  Royal  Canadian 
Bank  in  Montreal  as  a  victim.  There  he  deposited  a  check  for  8 1 0,000, 
also  drawn  by  Babcock  Bros.,  of  New  York.  But  when  he  went  to  draw 
on  the  bank,  lie  found  to  his  sorrow  that  the  Canadians  were  more  up  to 
their  business  than  the  American  banks.  He  was  told  that  the  bank  would 
first  communicate  with  Babcock  Bros.,  before  he  could  draw  on  the  bank. 
Nothing  could  b3  sail  against  this.  But  the  swindler  did  not  consider  it 
in  his  inierest  to  await  the  result  of  this  communieation  to  Babcock  Bros. 
He  left  his  $10,000  check,  which  was  also  a  forgery,  as  a  remembrance 


CHSCX    AND    NOTE    FORGERS.  4  I 'J 

to  tlio  bauk  and  again  crossed  the  boundary  of  the  United  Slates.  Pough- 
keep9ic  wa9  the  next  point,  from  which  news  of  this  untiring  rascal  were 
received.  These  news  consisted  in  three  forced  checks,  whose  values  had 
been  changed  from  $30  to  §000,  Si 000  and  $1500  respectively.  They 
were  all  payable  to  the  order  of  Samuel  E.  Collins.  Inquiries  made  with 
regard  to  this  individual,  left  no  doubt  that  this  name  was  only  one  of  the 
many  aliases  assumed  by  the  swindler  originally  known  hy  the  name  of 
Downer.  But  by  the  time  that  the  detectives  had  found  his  la3t  trail,  he 
was  again  far  away  from  the  scenes  of  his  last  frauds. 

While  the  detectives  were  thus  actively  looking  about  the  West,  the 
New  York  papers  published  on  Sept.  19  a  telegram  from  St.  Louis,  an- 
nouncing the  arrest  of  a  certain. J.  C.  Whittemore  in  that  city.  This  arrest- 
had  been  made  on  the  suspicion  that  Whittemore  was  a  forger  who  had 
defrauded  a  number  of  banks  in  Indiana,  Illinois  and  Missouri.  In  his 
possession  was  found  a  letter  of  recommenda'iou  with  the  signature  of 
E.  D.  Morgan,  and  other  documents  which  made  it  probable  that  Mr.  J. 
C.  Whittemore  was  no  other  person  than  the  much  sought  lor  B.  S. 
Downer.  A  detective  was  immediately  dispatched  to  St.  Louis  to  take 
charge  of  the  prisoner  and  bring  him  to  New  York.  But  upon  his  arrival 
in  St.  Louis,  the  New  York  detective  found  that  the  St.  Louis  authorities 
had  discharged  the  prisoner,  because  the  insufficiency  of  proof  had  not 
warranted  his  further  detention,  and  at  the  same  time  that  the  New  York 
detective  entered  the  city,  the  forger  left  it  by  another  train.  That  was 
good  for  the  rascal,  but  bad  for  the  ends  of  justice.  All  hope  had  been 
relinquished  of  ever  bringing  this  arch-swindler  to  account,  when  an  un- 
expected event  changed  the  whole  state  of  affairs.  While  the  trail  of  the 
fugitive  is  sought  for  in  and  around  St.  Louis,  a  detective  in  New  York 
sees  a  man  in  the  street,  on  a  cold  November  afternoon,  who  seems  to 
answer  the  description  of  Downer  in  every  respect.  lie  follows  the  mau 
and  arrests  him  at  the  moment  when  he  intends  to  enter  a  stage.  He  is 
■  confrouted  with  the  cashier  of  Morgan  &  Co.,  and  is  immediately  identified 
as  the  five  thousand  dollar  swindler.  Brought  into  court,  he  declares  posi- 
tively, that  his  name  is  Arthur  Breed  and  that  he  never  had  anything  to 
do  with  Morgan  &  Co.  On  the  desk  of  the  clerk,  however,  among  other 
documents,  the  $5000  check  could  be  seen.  The  accused  seeing  it,  steps. 
up  to  the  desk,  takes  the  ckeck  and  putting  it  into  his  mouth,  begins  to 
chew  it  with  as  much  composure  as  if  it  were  a  piece  of  candy.  This 
daring  act  seemed  to  stupify  the  surrounding  persons,  and  the  rascal  had 
almost  succeeded  in  swallowing  the  only  evidence  of  his  guilt.  But  two 
deputy  sheriffs  suddenly  caught  him  by  the  throat  and  choked  him  in  suck 
a  manner  that  the  check  could  be  taken  out  of  his  mouth.  Although  badly 
used,  the  check  could  still  be  used  as  a  proof,  and  ensured  his  conviction 
beyond  doubt,  as  the  rascal  by  his  unsuccessful  attempt  to  swallow  it,  put 
his  guilt  out  of  doubt.     Downer  is  a  fair  sample  of  the  large   majority  of. 


44  i  TIIE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

check  and  note  forgers.  And  if  at  the  same  time  we  take  into  considera- 
tion the  criminal  carelessness  of  some  bank  houses  in  their  monitary  trans- 
actions, we  can  only  wonder  that  the  successes  of  some  of  these  swindlers 
are  not  greater  than  they  are  already.  For  this  reason  it  is  also  perfectly 
excusable,  that  the  principle  has  been  formed  in  opposition  to  such  swind- 
ling, to  look  upon  every  one  with  suspicion,  whom  we  do  not  know  to  be 
absolutely  above  suspicion.  That  this  principle,'  in  consequence  of  the 
smooth  tongue  and  pleasant  appearance  of  the  swindlers,  is  often  left  out 
of  sight  in  cases  where  its  strict  application  would  be  of  the  greatest  use, 
is  what  makes  the  work  of  these  swindlers  so  easy,  and  in  most  cases 
makes  their  success  possible.  "We  often  do  not  know  what  to  be  more 
astonished  at,  the  boldness  of  the  swindlers,  or  the  blindness  of  the  victims. 
It  would  be  absurd  to  mention  means,  by  which  the  business  man,  the  banker, 
&c,  could  recognize  forgeries  and  keep  himself  from  damages.  "Omit 
none  of  the  customary  rules  of  safety  and  look  out  for  your  own  interest 
with  your  five  senses  wide  awake."  This  rule  does  everything  that  can 
be  done  at  all  in  this  direction.  For  it  is  an  undeniable  fact  that  out  of 
ten  successful  forgeries,  nine  would  not  have  succeeded,  if  the  proper  care 
had  been  employed  by  the  victims.  The  proper  care  employed  by  the 
business  men  would  much  more  quickly  and  effectively  destroy  the  business 
of  the  forger,  than  the  police  or  the  laws  could  ever  do. 


THE  ADULTERATION  OF  FOOD. 

The  sphere  of  commerce  and  production  have  ever  been  a  fruitful  field 
for  imitation.  In  the  present  age  this  imitation  has  been  developed  iuto  a 
science  and  is  carried  on  with  very  little  attempt  at  concealment,  which 
shows  that  by  custom  and  long  suffrage  it  has,  so  to  say,  made  itself  at 
home  with  us.  The  producer  as  well  as  the  dealer  considers  the  adultera- 
tion of  his  goods  in  most  cases  as  smartness  in  business  ;  he  would  not  get 
along  in  the  rivalry  of  business,  if  he  were  not  initiated  in  the  secrets  of 
adulteration.  It  is  of  course  understood  that  we  do  not  mean  to  say  that 
all  the  adulterations,  which  are  brought  into  the  market  in  New  York,  are 
to  be  placed  to  the  account  of  the  New  York  dealers.  Far  from  it !  These 
goods  are  generally  adulterated  at  their  far  distant  places  of  manufacture. 
But  this  does  not  operate  to  prevent  further  manipulations  to  be  undertaken 
with  them  which,  although  technically  called  by  another  name,  are  nothing 
■else  but  adulterations. 


IHI    ADULTERATION    OF    FOOD.  445 

Some  years  ago  the  New  York  Tribune  bought  up  in  different  stores 
Ughout  the  city  samples  of  the  most  common  articles  of  food,  and 
>hed  a  careful  chemical  analysis  of  each  of  them.  The  most  astound- 
ing disclosures  were  then  brought  to  liurli t.  Although  it  was  well  known 
unadulterated  food  was  not  to  be  met  with  very  often,  still  no  one  had 
had  an  idea  that  the  buMuess  of  adulteration  had  reached  such  a  height  and 
boldness.  The  affair  created  considerable  excitement  at  the  time,  and 
.  verybody  hoped  that  t!  e  bold  disclosures  would  push  the  adulteration 
back  into  narrower  limi  .  For  a  short  time  that  was  actually  the  case. 
But  we  fear  that  similar  tests  made  to-day  would  show  the  same  results 
ben. 

"Blessed  are  the  ignorant !"  might  be  properly  said  in  New  York  with 
regard  to  the  articles  of  iood.  For  who  would  have  appetite  to  cat  and 
drink,  if  the  chemist  should  analyse  each  morsel  of  food  or  every  glass 
of  wine  or  beer,  and  name  the  different  poisons  which  are  swallowed  with 
them,  nud  in  no  very  small  doses  either.  The  bread  even  contains,  accord- 
ing to  chemical  analysis,  many  different  things  than  it  is  supposed  to  con- 
tain. Even  if  we  can  become  accustomed  to  old  bread  and  potatoes  mixed 
with  it,  it  is  much  more  difficult  with  milldewed  flouer,  or  even  alumn, 
gypsum  or  sulphate  of  copper  (blue  vitriol)  with  which  many  bakers  try 
to  improve  the  looks  and  the  weight  of  the  bread. 

Much  could  be  said  about  the  different  things  that  are  sold  under  the 
nam?  of  milk.  Fortunately  the  ingredients  used  in  the  manufacture  of 
adulterated  milk  are  more  of  a  disgusting  than  of  an  injurious  nature.  It 
is  also  well  known,  that  the  Orange  and  "Westchester  county  milk  dealers 
do  wonders  in  their  way.  Unfortunately  these  milk  manufacturers  do  not 
think  of  the  many  thousand  children  for  whom  their  mixture  is  the  only 
lood.  How  many  children  waste  away  in  consequence  of  this  fraud,  and 
instead  of  health  and  strength  have  the  seeds  of  some  fatal  disease  im- 
planted in  their  tender  organisms. 

Not  everybody  knows  what  it  is  that  he  drinks  as  tea  or  coffee.  The 
adulterations  of  tea  are.  generally  committed  by  the  sous  of  the  flower v 
kingdom.  The  coffee  however,  when  adulterated,  is  generally  adulterated 
by  the  man  who  sells  it.  Against  chicory  we  could  only  object  that  it  is 
not  coffee,  but  roasted  carrots,  burnt  acorns,  coffee  grounds  roasted  oyer 
igain,  mahogany  saw  dust,  etc.,  are  ingredients  of  coffee  which  are  dcei- 
ledly  out  of  place.  They  are  however  not  one  half  as  bad  as  the  adult  - 
-ations  of  tea,  of  which  especially  the  green  tea  owes  its  color  to  a  mixture 
)f  three  parts  of  Berlin  Blue  and  one  part  of  gypsum.  For  this  is  the  mix- 
use  with  which  the  speculative  chinaman  while  roasting  the  tea,  changes 
t  from  the  cheap  black  to  the  much  dearer  green  tea.  Still  worse  than 
his  do  the  Chinese  treat  that  article  which  they  sell  to  the  western  barba- 
ians  for  a  high  price,  under  the  name  of  "Gunpowder".  In  this  so-called 
ea,  there  are  sometimes  not  less  than  40  per  cent  of  iron   fillings,  aud  15 


44G  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

per  cent  of  sand,  without  taking  into  consideration  that  the  small  amount 
of  real  tea  that  it  contains  is  colored  in  a  similar  manner  as  the  preen  tea. 

Vinegar  is  often  adulterated  with  sulphuric  acid,  and  the  pickles,  etc., 
preserved  in  it,  owe  their  green  color  to  a  poisonous  copper  salt.  Many 
housewifes  will  declare  this  to  be  wrong,  criminal,  eto.,  without  knowing 
that  they  themselves  have  already  acted  the  part  of  poisoners,  by  throwing 
a  copper  penny  into  the  jars  in  which  they  preserve  their  pickles.  Many 
<jf  the  fruits  preserved  in  sugar,  also  contain  sharp  poisons,  which  are 
added  to  preserve  the  fruits  longer  and  to  give  them  a  fine  color. 

What  our  children  eat  as  candy  is  often  nothing  but  sweetened  poison, 
and  it  is  indeed  a  wonder,  that  the  consequences  of  eating  this  candy  are 
not  seen  more  plainly  and  attended  with  more  terrible  results.  Terra  alba 
which  is  bought  by  barrels  by  our  confectioners,  is  nothing  but  pure  gyp- 
sum. The  more  tempting  the  colors,  the  more  suspicious  are  the  candies. 
This  is  especially  the  case  with  red,  yellow  and  green  colors,  for  which 
not  overscrupulous  confectioners  use  respectively  lead,  chromium  and 
•copper  colors,  and  for  no  other  reason  than  that  they  are  much  brighter 
than  the  corresponding  vegetable  colors. 

If,  is  still  worse  with  those  beverages  sold  under  the  names  of  wine,  beer 
•or  whiskey.  With  them  the  adulteration  knows  no  bounds.  Who  does 
not  know  that  the  speculator,  well  versed  in  the  secrets  of  manufacturing 
liquor,  is  able  to  adulterate  some  cheap  wine  and  make  it  pass  as  some 
dear  brand  of  Hungarian,  French  or  Rhine  wine?  We  may  even  meet 
with  wines,  which  do  not  contain  a  drop  of  the  juice  of  grapes.  Such 
wines  however,  contain  40  per  centum  alcohol  and  a  large  number  of  che- 
micals, to  produce  aroma  and  taste.  One  of  the  most  common  as  well  as 
the  most  daugerous  chemicals  in  use  is  sugar  of  lead.  Imported  wines 
are  not  much  better.  The  english  especially  know  how  to  transform  a 
small  quantity  of  cheap  wine  into  gallons  of  the  best  "port"  or  "sherry". 

It  is  hardly  necessary  to  mention  that  the  art  of  adulteration  has  also 
been  tried  on  beer.  As  the  least  adulterated  we  may  regard  lager  beer, 
although  the  brewers  replace  hops  as  much  as  possible  by  cheaper  sub- 
stances. But  on  the  other  hand,  the  beverage  sold  in  this  country  under 
the  name  of  ale,  is  among  the  more  disgusting  mixtures  which  ever  passed 
the  lips  of  man.  Salt,  tobacco,  salts  of  iron,  sugar,  molasses,  etc.,  are 
among  fie  ingredients  generally  used  in  the  manufacture  of  ale.  And  as 
for  whiskey,  it  is  enough  to  hear  the  names  of  the  various  substances, 
which  are  used  in  its  manufacture,  to  give  a  person  with  not  over  strong 
nerves  the  "delirium  tremens". 

The  old  proverb  that  "ignorance  is  bliss",  is  fully  confirmed  with  regard 
to  our  meat.  It  is  true,  we  have  official  meat  and  cattle  inspectors,  whose 
business  it  is  to  keep  sick  cattle  from  the  slaughter  houses,  and  bad  meat 
from  the  markets.  But  these  inspectors  are  only  human,  and  if  properly 
treated,  very  easily  shut  their  eyes.     Thus  it  is  that  meat  often  passes  the 


TIIE    ADULTERATION    OF    FOOD.  417 

j:or  which   had  much   better  been   burned   to  ashes,  than   be  used  as 

KM). 

Only  a  few  months  ago  a  case  of  this  kind  was  mentioned  by  the  N.  Y. 
World,  where  a  whole  herd  of  diseased  sheep  was  smuggled  by  the  in- 
or».  Only  a  short  time  ago  a  number  of  persons  were  suddenly  taken 
lick  from  eating  rotton  meat,  with  such  violence,  that  a  poisouing  by  arse- 
nic wa3  at  first  suspected.  The  investigation  instituted  by  an  iuspector  of 
Washington  market  of  many  years  standing,  revealed  how  often  the  meat 
of  Bick  animals  is  offered  for  sale.  The  inspector  severely  condemned  the 
practice  that  condemned  meat  was  simply  refused,  and  not  at  once  seized 
and  destroyed  by  the  authorities.  It  is  a  common  practice  to  bring  the 
meat  of  such  animals  for  inspection,  who  have  died  of  some  disease.  Such 
meat  is  known  in  the  trade  by  the  name  of  "case  beef,"  "case  mutton", 
etc.  If  it  is  condemned,  the  owners  never  think  of  destroying  it.  They 
let  it  disappear  through  pedlers,  corner  grocers,  butchers,  etc.,  or  ia  ob- 
scure sausage  manufactures,  boarding  houses  and  like  establishments. 
•  ho  knows  the  dangerous  consequences  of  eating  spoiled  meat,  can 
estimate  the  unscrupulousncss  of  those  who  for  a  few  paltry  dollars,  would 
vi^.i  the  health  aud  lives  of  hundreds.  And  as  it  is  with  meat,  so  it  is 
with  all  other  articles  of  food.  The  adulterator  of  food  is  cither  simply  a 
swindler,  who  does  not  give  the  buyer  that  for  which  he  pays,  or  he  be- 
comes, unintentionally  it  is  true,  a  poisoner  or  murderer,  by  selling  a  more 
or  less  active  poison  as  food, 

How  many  unfortunates  annually  lose  their  life  through  the  want  of 
principle,  with  which  the  most  dangerous  lamp  oi's  are  sold  uuder  the  title 
on-explosive".  And  what  other  name  than  murderer  do  they  deserve, 
who  carry  on  this  traffic  with  the  full  knowledge  of  what  the  consequences 
may  be.  Even  in  the  drug  stores,  the  refuge  of  the  sick,  adulteration  may 
be  detected,  and  mauy  of  the  bottles  will  often  be  found  to  contain  alto- 
er  different  sulstaaces  than  their  labels  indicate. 

But  we  have  said  enough  to  show  the  general  extent  of  the  adulteration 
of  food.  It  is  one  of  the  dark  sides  of  New  York  life,  which  is  more  par- 
ticularly felt  by  the  poorer  classes.  A  more  severe  sanitary  inspection 
would  achieve  much  good  in  this  respect.  But  a  purification  of  the  j  ublic 
opinion  is  also  very  necessary. 

The  business  man,  who  adulterates  his  goods,  should  know  that  by  so 
doing  he  does  not  practice  a  simple  business  trick,  but  a  real  fraud,  and 
for  that  reason  be  despised  by  the  public.  This  would  do  more  good  than 
all  official  inspection.  We  will  then  no  longer  be  astonished  by  the  fact 
that  an  otherwise  strictly  honorable  man,  will  commit  without  the  least 
•conscientious  scruples  a  dangerous  imposition,  because  according  to  cus- 
tom, he  only  looks  upon  it  as  appertaining  to  the  business. 


MS  'HIE    DARK    SIDE    OK    NEW    YOKE    LIFE. 

THE  ABORTIONISTS. 

Any-  one  passing  up  Fifth  avenue  towards  the  Central  Park,  will  have 
noticed  a  five  story  brown  stone  mansion  on  the  corner  of  52d  street.  Its 
style  of  architecture  as  well  as  its  dimensions,  attract  the  attention  even 
of  those  eyes  which  have  become  accustomed  to  fine  buildings.  Its  front 
shows  an  architectural  beauty  which  contrasts  favorably  with  the  style  of 
architecture  predominating  in  the  street.  The  high  windows  are  each 
formed  by  two  large  panes  of  the  finest  glass,  behind  which  French  lace 
curtains  may  be  seen.  The  chief  entrance  leads  into  a  wide  hall,  where 
the  images  of  the  beautiful  walls  inlaid  with  marble  are  reflected  by  large 
mirrors.  Right  and  left,  doors  lead  to  dining  rooms  and  parlors,  elegantly 
fitted  up  with  furniture  imported  from  Paris,  while  the  walls  are  adorned 
by  beautiful  paintings.  In  „  the  hall  of  the  kitchenmaster,  long  rows  of 
silver  ware  reflect  the  last  rays  of  the  departing  sun.  The  spare  room  for 
strangers  is  elegantly  fitted  up  with  bedsteads  of  ebony,  while  numerous 
boudoirs,  reading  rooms,  a  library,  a  billiard  room,  a  splendid  art  galleryT 
and  everything  connected  with  the  house  tends  to  show  the  unlimited 
wealth  of  the  proprietor.  And  this  palace,  with  all  its  wealth  and  treasures,, 
is  a  disgrace  and  a  loud  accusation  against  the  city  of  New  York.  Like 
a  beautiful  but  poisonous  mushroom,  it  is  the  product  of  a  disgusting  moral 
rottenness.  Every  stone  represents  a  crime  against  the  most  holy  instincts 
of  nature.  New  York  possesses  many  a  palace  devoted  to  sin,  but  not  one 
can  reach  the  height  attained  by  this  one,  the  property  of  Madame  Restell, 
the  most  disreputable  abortionist  of  New  York,  and  of  this  continent. 
What  more  is  needed  than  a  look  at  this  palace,  and  the  remark  that  it 
wras  built  by  Madame  Restell  entirely  from  what  she  earned  at  the  busi- 
ness, what  more  is  needed,  we  ask,  to  show  to  what  extent  this  terrible 
crime  is  practiced  in  our  city.  And  in  view  of  the  large  extent  of  the  evil, 
is  the  crying  out  of  those  people  justified  a  hypocritical,  who  fear  to  offend 
decency  by  open  discussion  of  the  matter?  We  answer  decidedly:  No! 
No  disease  was  ever  cured  by  keeping  it  secret,  nor  was  any  evil  ever  im- 
proved by  ignoring  it.  And  this  is  much  less  the  case  with  our  social 
evib  and  diseases.  But  no  one  of  our  social  evils  is  of  so  serious  and 
dangerous  a  nature  as  that  of  abortion.  In  its  consequences  it  reaches 
further  than  even  prostitution,  with  which  in  many  respects  it  is  so  closely 
allied.  As  in  the  case  of  prostitution,  we  will  again  incur  the  risk  of 
offending  hypocritical  prudery,  and  expose  the  evil  robbed  of  all  its  cover- 
ing, in  all  iis  revolting  nakedness. 

A  calm  look  at  it  exposes  a  terrible  view  into  the  prevailing  demoraliza- 
tion of  our  days.  Terrible  as  this  view  is,  it  is  necessary,  if  the  public 
mind  is  to  recognixe  the  danger  threatening  it  from  this  side,  and  shall 
bring  the  right  means  for  its  suppression  into  execution. 


TIIE    ADORI  [ONIS1  ;. 


449 


The  name  heading  this  chapter  is  derived  from  the  Latin  "abortus", 
denoting  a  premature  birth.  Abortionists,  therefor,  arc  persons  who  for 
criminal  purposes  undertake  to  bring  about  such  premature  births  on 
women  by  various  means.  There  are  indeed  certain  cases,  where  in  con- 
sequence of  abnormal  structures  in  the  body,  or  on  account  of  other  causes, 
woman  are  not  able  without  serious  danger  to  themselves,  to  undergo  a 
natural  childbirth.  In  such  cases  it  is  sometimes  necessary,  from  con- 
sideration for  the  life  of  the  mother,  to  bring  about  an  artificial  premature 
birth.  But  the  art  of  midwifery  has  been  so  highly  developed  in  our  age, 
that  this  necessity  occurs  in  very  few  cases  indeed.  The  possible  con- 
sequences of  irregularities  in  the  female  organism,  by  means  of  which  an 
abortion  is  brought  about,  are  mostly  of  such  a  serious  nature  that  even 
the  most  skillful  physicians  do  not  make  use  of  it,  except  in  the  most 
extreme  cases.  But  nobody  would  think  of  calling  a  physician  an  abor- 
tionist, who  would  undertake  an  abortion  in  such  exceptional  cases.  That 
class  of  so-called  "doctors"  who  come  within  the  limits  of  this  chapter, 
make  intentional  abortion  their  exclusive  business. 

They  do  not  uudertake  such  abortions  in  cases  of  necessity  onV,  but 
without  distinction  on  any  woman  who  wishes  rid  herself  of  the  con- 
sequences of  a  misstep,  or  of  her  duties  as  a  mother.  While  the  best 
physicians  only  proceed  with  the  greatest  care  even  in  the  most  necessary 
abortions,  the  regular  abortionists  are  nothing  but  heartless  criminals  who 
are  not  only  in  medical  but  in  every  other  respect  entirely  uneducated 
persons.  Furthermore,  they  do  not  make  use  of  means  employed  by  the 
profession,  for  these  would  not  act  strongly  enough  in  their  hands,  nor 
bring  about  the  quickly  desired  result.  On  the  other  hand,  no  physician 
laying  claim  to  the  least  bit  of  respectability,  would  make  use  of  those 
daDgerous  means  and  manipulations  which  are  brought  into  operation  by 
the  abortionist  upon  every  occasion  and  in  the  most  clumsy  manner.  The 
consequences  may  be  easily  imagined.  The  abortionist,  in  almost  every 
case,  kills  the  child,  and  in  only  too  many  cases,  the  mother  also.  If  she 
survives  the  operation,  she  has  the  seeds  of  dangerous  diseases  implautcd 
in  her  organism,  which  sooner  or  later  bear  their  sad  fruits.  For  no  law 
of  nature  can  be  disturbed  with  impunity,  and  this  principle  holds  good  all 
the  more,  the  more  important  such  a  law  is.  And  no  law  is  more  im- 
portant and  deep-seated  than  that  on  which  nature  has  based  the  perpetua- 
tion of  the  human  race.  So  much  for  the  general  understanding  of  our 
subject  whose  details  will  be  developed  in  every  direction  in  the  course  of 
the  chapter.  . 

In  prostitution,  we  have  met  with  a  social  evil  whose  origin  is  lost  in 
the  darkness  of  the  ancient  world.  It  is  different  with  the  crime  of  abor- 
tion, also  assuming  already  the  proportions  of  a  social  evil.  Only  traces 
are  found  of  it  in  the  past  centuries.  It  is  true,  it  was  practiced  now  and 
then,  but  never  and  under  no  circumstances  did  it  form  a  marked  feature 

29 


450  THE    DAKIi    SIDE    OF    NEW     fORK    LIFE. 

in  the  demoralization  of  the  character  of  a  people.  Abortion,  therefor,  is 
a  very  young  outgrowth  of  the  false  civilization  of  our  days,  and  has  been 
justly  called  the  "sin  of  the  age". 

In  ancient  times  and  with  barbarian  nations,  the  parents  had  full  con- 
trol over  the  life  of  their  children  until  they  were  of  age.  Where  the 
parental  instinct  did  not  protect  the  infant,  there  was  no  law  nor  a  moral 
sense  of  the  masses  to  do  it.  In  overpopulated  China,  for  instance,  there 
is  no  law  to  the  present  day  to  prevent  thousands  of  new  born  and  even 
older  children  being  thrown  into  the  streams,  or  exposed  to  starvation  in 
fields  and  woods.  Our  civilization  is  enraged  at  this  barbarity  in  the 
celestial  empire,  and  thousands  of  missionaries  are  sent  there  to  renew  the 
almost  extinguished  spark  of  maternal  instinct  in  its  daughters.  The 
activity  of  these  missionaries  has  been  crowned  with  snccess.  Through 
their  exertions,  and  our  civilization  which  looks  much  better  at  a  distance 
than  at  home,  the  barbarity  of  child-murder  is  considerably  on  the  decrease 
in  China.  But  while  a  great  hue  and  cry  was  raised  about  these  doings 
in  the  far  East,  and  so-called  christians  found  fault  with  the  mote  in  the 
eye  of  their  Chinese  brethren,  they  would  not  see  the  beam  in  their  own 
eye.  While  the  barbarism  was  condemned  which  kills  the  new  born  child 
in  China,  it  was  overlooked  that  the  same  barbarous  custom,  only  under 
a  different  form,  had  obtained  a  hold  among  us.  True  humanity  knows 
no  difference  between  the  heathen  Chinee  who  throws  her  new  born  child 
into  the  river,  and  the  Anglo-American  christian  of  the  present  day,  who 
does  not  wait  so  long,  but  has  her  child  killed  even  before  its  birth.  If 
a  distinction  is  to  be  made,  it  is  in  this,  that  the  child-murder  by  abortioD, 
iu  vogue  with  us,  is  neither  sanctioned  by  law  nor  religious  belief,  and 
therefor  is  wanting  in  these  qualities,  which  might  possibly  be  brought 
forward  in  excuse  for  the  deed  of  the  Chinese  mother. 

Thus  the  matter  presents  itself  to  an  impartial  observer.  He  who  has 
drawn  for  himself  a  milder  picture  of  this  evil,  either  deceives  himself  or 
belongs  to  those  problematic  natures  who  instead  of  lending  a  helping  hand 
in  reforming  existing  evils,  try  to  deny  their  existence,  and  if  not  success- 
ful in  this  attempt,  do  all  in  their  power  to  let  them  appear  in  as  mild  a 
light  as  possible.  But  excusing  evils  has  always  been  a  hindrance  to  their 
reform,  for  as  it  is  with  single  persons,  so  with  the  community  at  large,  an 
open  acknowledgement  of  a  fault  is  the  best  sign  of  a  resolution  of  reform. 

Looking  at  the  matter  from  the  standpoint  that  we  have  takeD,  it  is 
hardly  necessary  to  consider  it  from  a  moral  point  of  view.  We  translate 
the  word  "abortion"  unhesitatingly  as  child-murder,  and  at  the  same  time 
designate  the  abortionists  as  child-murderers,  and  the  women  who  make 
use  of  their  services  as  their  accomplices.  Not  until  this  view  gains  ground 
among  the  public  and  is  expressed  in  our  laws,  can  we  expect  that  the 
civilization  of  the  present  age  will  rid  itself  of  the  brand  which  has  been 
impressed  upon  it  by  the  "sin  of  the  age",  abortion. 


TIIK    ABOKTIOKI    rS.  151 

a  evil  is  feh  iii  much  more  extended  fields  than  might  seem  probable 
at  first  fight.  The  abortionist  kills  the  child  only  in  the  most  ioriuuate 
eases.  That  however  is  not  all.  If  he  does  not  kill  the  mother  on  the 
spot,  he  ruins  her  constitution  in  such  a  mauner  that  she  is  hardly  qualified 
to  become  a  mother  again.  The  effects  of  his  crime  are  felt  through  three 
generations,  and  characterize  him  as  one  of  the  most  dangerous  enemies 
of  mankind. 

In  former  years  much  has  been  written  about  the  causes  which  have 
effected  a  demoralization  of  the  Anglo-American  race  to  such  a  degree 
that  many  even  prophesied  its  final  extinction.  As  the  chief  causes  were 
principally  named  the  female  education  as  contrary  to  all  laws  of  nature, 
the  clothing  and  mode  of  life,  as  detrimental  to  the  development  of  the 
female  body,  the  food,  &e.  These  causes  probably  contribute  their  full 
share  to  the  evil  named.  But  the  chief  cause  has  been  overlooked,  either 
with  or  without  intent.  It  is  none  other  than  the  terrible  crime  of  abor- 
tion, every  day  assuming  larger  proportions.  The  number  and  the  flourish- 
ing business  of  the  abortionists,  give  the  best  measure  of  its  alarming 
extent. 

If  we  look  at  these  persons  who  represent  the  perpetrators  of  this  ter- 
rible crime  on  the  human  race,  they  may  be  divided  into  several  categories. 
There  are  first  the  "doctors",  or  those  individuals  who  in  their  advertise- 
ments place  a  "Dr."  before,  or  an  "M.  D."  after  their  names.  But 
generally  they  are  no  doctors  at  all.  If  one  or  the  other  actually  has  a 
diploma,  he  is  a  person  completely  wanting  in  all  scientific  interest,  one 
who  would  never  succeed  in  an  honorable  practice,  and  who  has  taken  to 
abortion  only  for  the  sake  of  gain.  But  generally  they  are  persons  who 
have  not  been  able  to  pass  an  examination  for  Doctor,  or  even  such  who 
have  never  studied  medicine  at  all,  and  who  possess  the  impudence  to 
make  a  business  of  playing  with  the  life  aud  health  of  misguided  women. 

Official  investigations  have  brought  to  light  many  interesting  facts  about 
this  class  of  "doctors".  The  names  given  in  the  advertisements  are 
generally  only  assumed,  and  sometimes,  like  their  companions  in  the  other 
fields  of  crime,  they  have  several  names.  The  "Dr.  Franklin"  of  the 
newspapers  has,  in  consequence  of  official  investigations,  become  simple 
"Mr.  Jacoby".  "Dr.  Asher"  is  only  another  name  of  the  Polish  barber 
"Rosenzweig",  who  caused  so  much  excitement  two  years  ago.  "Dr. 
Evans",  "Old  Dr.  Ward",  "Dr.  Eliot",  "Dr.  Thompson"  and  "Dr. 
Powers",  are  all  names  under  which  the  ex-convict,  Thomas  Lookup, 
carried  on  his  murderous  business. 

Those  who  possess  the  least  medical  knowledge,  are,  strange  to  say, 
generally  the  boldest.  Cases  are  known  to  us,  where  a  former  shoemaker, 
a  saloon  keeper,  and  a  doctor's  attendant,  assumed  the  title  of  "Dr."  and 
then  undertook  operations  on  women,  which  spoke  as  loudly  for  their  im- 
pudence as  ior  their  ignorance  and  their  want  of  principle. 


452  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

JSesides  these  "doctors"  there  are  female  abortionists  who  anuounca- 
themselves  simply  as  "Madame",  but  occasionally  place  a  "doctoress"  or 
"professor"  before  their  names.  Their  business,  if  anything,  is  even  more 
extensive  than  that  of  their  male  compel itors.  The  reason  for  this  is  not 
that  they  are  better  educated,  for  in  this  respect  as  well  as  in  moral  de- 
pravity they  about  equal  each  other,  but  many  women,  when  they  are  in 
circumstances  to  make  use  of  an  abortionist,  for  very  conspicuous  reasons, 
would  rather  apply  to  a  female  than  to  a  male  "doctor".  The  number  of 
female  abortionists  is  much  larger  than  would  be  supposed,  as  only  a  com- 
paratively few  have  the  means  or  the  impudence  to  advertise  extensively. 
A  considerable  number  of  female  abortionists  consists  of  women  who  were 
educated  in  Europe  in  schools  of  midwifery.  Not  all  mid  wives  possess 
sufficient  strength  of  mind  to  withstand  the  temptations  which  present 
themselves  occasionally.  To  prevent  a  birth  in  an  unnatural  manner  is 
sometimes  paid  better  than  to  assist  in  a  birth,  and  thus  it  is  that  a  mid- 
wife occasionally  does  the  contrary  of  her  regular  profession,  and  her  good 
pay  destroy  the  life  which  it  is  her  true  mission  to  protect  and  preserve. 

It  would  be  difficult  to  estimate  the  actual  number  of  abortionists  in  our 
city.  One  estimate  gives  their  total  number,  male  and  female,  at  over 
two  hundred.  But  other  parties  represent  this  number  as  by  far  too  great, 
and  attempt  to  show  that  there  are  not  over  twenty  actual  abortionists  in 
the  city.  By  the  latter  parties  attention  is  also  called  to  the  fact  that  the 
majority  of  these  rascals  are  very  rich,  and  must  therefor  count  their 
patieuts  by  the  hundred.  These  twenty,  it  is  furthermore  shown,  can 
accommodate  as  many  women  as  would  in  all  probability  call  for  their 
assistance.  This  seems  to  be  very  true,  and  only  twenty  abortionists  would 
require  thousands  of  women  and  girls  who  make  themselves  their  accom- 
plices. The  number  may  possibly  exceed  twenty  ;  but  the  consequences 
which  might  be  inferred  from  the  existence  of  two  hundred,  arc  so  terrible 
that  this  number  must  be  dismissed  as  exaggerated  beyond  all  measure. 
And  even  of  the  small  number  assumed  by  us,  there  are  only  a  few  who 
dare  to  uudertake  operations  on  women  calling  upon  them.  The  majority 
doctor  their  patients  for  a  time  with  pills,  electricity,  herbs,  &c,  and  after 
having  charged  them  exorbitant  ftcs,  they  send  their  patients  to  their 
bolder  colleagues  for  the  purpose  of  undertaking  an  operation,  and  for  this 
service  receive  from  them  a  commission. 

The  pills  and  other  mixtures  which  they  sell  their  patrons,  are  generally 
very  active  substances.  They  know  very  well  that  these  mixtures  will 
not  bring  about  the  desired  abortion.  They  take  the  victim  under  their 
charge  for  a  while,  in  order  to  pluck  it  before  sending  it  into  the  claws  of 
their  colleagues  who  without  regard  to  life  and  health,  boldly  operate  with 
their  instruments. 

It  is  true,  no  woman  has  ever  died  in  the  hands  of  these  pill  and  tincturo 
doctors,  but  hundreds  and  thousands  have  had  the  seed  of  death  implanted. 


THE    ABOBTIOMIST8.  453 

vitliin  them  by  this  treatment,  and  slowly  sink  down  to  an  early  grave. 
The  practitioners  are  poisoners  of  the  worst  kind  who  carry  on  their 
Dcfarious  trade  all  the  more  boldly,  as  the  earlier  or  later  ensuing  death 
of  iheir  victims  can  in  no  way  be  shown  to  have  been  caused  by  their 
treatment. 

Another  class  of  these  rascals  who  would  be  considered  abortionists 
from  their  advertisements,  are  not  abortionists  in  the  true  sense  of  tho 
i.  They  have  the  depravity  but  not  the  boldness  appertaining  to  the 
real  abortionist.  They  arc  nothing  but  swindlers  and  thieves  of  the  lowest 
-.  If  a  woman  calls  upon  such  a  doctor  for  help,  he  is  perfectly  will- 
ing to  give  it.  Payment  must  of  course  be  made  in  advance  ;  when  this 
is  done,  the  "doctor"  undertakes  with  great  importance  an  examination, 
and  gives  the  woman  a  medicine  with  directions  how  to  take  it.  This 
medicine  is  generally  composed  of  harmless  substances.  The  unfortunate 
woman  punctually  follows  the  directions,  but  the  desired  result  is  not 
obtained.  She  again  calls  upon  the  doctor.  He  declares  that  the  case  is 
nn  cxira-ordinary  oue  which  demands  a  special  treatment  ;  that  it  is  still 
time  enough  to  settle  it,  and  that  for  a  certain  number  of  dollars  he  is 
wiping  to  restore  her  to  her  normal  condition.  In  her  terror  she  pays  tho 
Eum  named,   and  receives  a  new  strongly  acting  medicine  which  however 

i  is  only  an  innocent  variation  of  the  other.  No  result  however  is  obtained. 
Generally  the  women  do  not  come  again.  They  have  either  lost  con- 
fidence  in   the   treatment  of  the  "doctor",   or  their  condition  is  so  far  ad- 

i  vanced  that  they  fear  the  danger  for  themselves  which  might  arise  from 
further  attempts. 

Scenes,  however,  are  often  enacted  in  the  office  of  the  doctor,  upon  a 
third  visit,  in  which  tears  and  accusations  play  a  prominent  part.  Then 
the  doctor  takes  off  his  mask,  and  with  insulting  remarks  turns  his  victim 
out  of  doors.  lie  is  a  respectable  physician,  he  says,  and  not  a  murderer, 
and  if  she  does  not  leave  the  house  instantly,  he  will  call  the  police.  He 
pave  her  the  harmless  mixtures  intentionally,  and  had  not  intended  to 
bring  about  an  abortion.  If  she  does  not  like  it,  she  can  prosecute  him. 
This  generally  settles  the  case.  The  poor  woman  is  glad  to  get  out  of  his 
office,  after  the  threat  of  the  police.  Nor  does  she  entertain  the  least  idea 
of  ever  again  obtaining  a  cent  of  the  money  paid  him  ;  for  there  is  nobody 
to  whom  she  can  apply  without  compromising  herself.  She  must  be  sileut 
aud  6ce  how  she  passes  the  crisis  no  longer  to  be  averted.  The  heartless 
swindler  laughs  at  her,  and  asks  who  could  call  him  an  abortionist, 
although  he  has  the  price  for  an  abortion  in  his  pocket. 

This  kiud  of  swindle  is  exten?ively  carried  on  in  our  city,  and  is  a  large 
source  of  income  for  these  swindlers.  Not  less  than  ten  or  twelve  of  the 
aboitionists  advertised  in  the  papers,  belong  to  this  class.  The  danger  of 
•coming  into  collision  ^ith  justice,  may  be  scarcely  said  to  assist  for  them. 
Morally  they  stand  just  as  low  as  the  real  abortionists,  uuder  whose  name 


454  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

they  carry  on  their  disgraceful  business.  The  real  abortionists,  who  do* 
what  their  name  indicates,  without  regard  to  danger,  prefer  instruments 
as  the  surest  and  quickest  means  of  effecting  an  abortion.  This  method 
however  is  among  the  most  dangerous  surgical  operations,  and  even  the 
most  experienced  physicians  undertake  it  only  with  the  greatest  care. 
How  dangerous  the  instrument  must  be  in  the  hands  of  a  person  who  per- 
forms the  operation  without  having  the  least  idea  of  the  construction  of 
the  human  body  or  anything  connected  with  it,  may  be  easily  imagined. 
A  woman  might  just  as  well  have  an  apple  shot  from  her  head  by  a  poor 
marksman,  and  the  man  who  would  attempt  such  a  shot,  would  be  no 
less  unscrupulous  than  the  abortionist  with  his  operation.  It  would  be  a 
miracle  indeed,  if  she  could  escape  without  any  serious  consequences. 
But  generally  these  consequences  come  afterwards,  and  a  ruined  constitu- 
tion and  an  early  grave  avenge  a  criminal  interference  in  one  of  the  most 
important  processes  of  nature.  How  often  death  is  the  consequence  ot 
operations  intended  to  produce  abortions,  has  been  clearly  shown  by 
numerous  cases  which  have  come  to  light  lately.  The  best  known  among 
these  is  that  of  Miss  Alice  Bowlsby,  which  at  its  time  was  the  sensation 
of  the  day,  and  which  contributed  much  to  excite  the  indignation  of  the 
public  against  the  abortionists  and  their  doings,  to  its  highest  pitch.  For- 
tius reason  it  is  of  such  importance  that  a  recapitulation  of  the  details  will 
be  of  interest  to  the  reader. 

Alice  Bowlsby  was  the  daughter  of  a  respectable  and  wealthy  family  of 
Paterson,  N.  J.  She  was  young,  pretty,  and  well  educated,  and  was 
regarded  as  a  model  of  innocence  and  purity.  For  some  time  she  had 
kept  company  with  a  young  man  who  also  enjoyed  the  best  reputation. 
But  Alice  Bowlsby  had  had  her  weak  moment  and  had  been  seduced  by 
her  lover.  She  was  still  weaker  when  she  followed  the  advice  of  her 
seducer  to  secure  the  help  of  the  abortionist  Rosenzweig,  alias  Dr.  Asherr 
of  New  York,  in  ridding  herself  of  the  consequence  of  her  misstep.  Under 
the  pretence  of  visiting  friends  in  New  York,  the  poor  girl  left  her  family 
on  Aug.  22.,  1871,  and  went  to  the  den  in  No.  3  Amity  place.  What 
happened  there,  can  only  be  supposed,  as  she  was  never  again  seen  alive. 
So  much  is  certain,  that  Roseuzweig  performed  an  operation  on  her,  and 
brought  her  to  his  residence  at  G87  Second  avenue,  where  she  died.  No- 
body would  have  known  anything  further  about  her,  and  she  would  have 
been  simply  added  to  the  long  list  of  "missed  persons",  if  chance  had  not 
accidentally  brought  about  the  discovery  of  the  murder.  The  abortionist 
had  crammed  the  corpse  of  his  victim  into  an  old  trunk,  and  with  a  most 
wonderful  impudence  had  sent  the  trunk  by  a  truck  to  the  Hudson  River 
R.  R.  depot.  The  driver  of  the  truck  did  as  he  was  ordered,  and  left  the 
trunk  in  the  baggage  room  at  the  depot.  A  poorly  dressed  woman  soon 
after  preseuted  herself  as  the  owner  of  the  trunk,  and  upon  showing  a- 
through-ticket  to  Chicago,  asked  for  a  check  for  the  trunk  to  that  city- 


fllE    ABORTIONISTS. 


455 


This  was  given  to  her,  and  she  completely  disappeared,  so  that  to  this  day 
Dot  a  trace  of  her  has  been  found.  As  the  trunk  was  about  to  be  pli 
in  the  baggage  wagon,  a  powerful  stench  coming  from  it,  attracted  the 
attention  of  the  railroad  officials.  This  caused  suspicion,  and  upon  the 
order  of  the  superintendent,  the  trunk  was  taken  aside  and  opened,  when 
a  terrible  sight  greeted  the  eyes  of  the  surrounding  persons.  Covered 
only  by  a  few  rags,  the  naked  body  of  a  beautiful  young  girl  was  seen, 
pressed  into  the  most  unnatural  shape.  The  authorities  were  immediately 
notified,  while  the  body  was  brought  to  the  morgue  for  an  inquest  by  the 
coroner.  All  that  he  could  ascertain  was,  that  the  girl  had  died  in  con- 
sequence of  an  operation  performed  on  her  for  the  purpose  of  abortion. 
But  nothing  could  be  found  that  would  give  a  clue  to  the  identity  of  the 
murdered  girl,  or  the  person  who  had  performed  the  operation.  But  soon 
light  began  to  dawn  in  this  darkuess.  The  truck  driver  who  had  brought 
the  trunk  to  the  depot,  saw  in  the  morning  papci*3  the  details  of  the  ter- 
rible discovery,  and  he  immediately  suspected  the  part  that  he,  without 
his  knowledge,  had  been  playing  in  this  mysterious  tragedy.  He  im- 
mediately called  at  the  police  station  and  stated  that  he  had  received  the 
trunk  at  the  house  of  Rosenzweig  in  Second  Aveuue.  Rosenzweig,  how- 
ever, in  view  of  the  danger  threatening  him,  had  become  invisible  ;  he 
was  soon  found,  however,  and  arrested.  The  rascal  denied  everything. 
As  yet  no  one  knew  who  the  murdered  girl  was,  until  at  last  a  woman 
from  Paterson  recognized  the  body  as  that  of  Alice  Bowlsby,  who  bad  not 
yet  been  missed  by  her  frien  Is.  As  soon  as  this  discovery  had  been  made, 
a  detective  found  at  the  bottom  of  a  washtub  in  Rosenzweig's  house,  a 
handkerchief  which  had  been  left  in  the  water,  and  which  was  plainly 
marked  in  one  corner  with  the  name  "Alice  Bowlsby".  Thus  there  was 
no  doubt  left  that  Miss  Bowlsby  had  been  at  the  house  of  Rosenzweig, 
and  the  chain  of  evidence  became  so  strong  agaiust  the  miserable  criminal, 
that  he  was  convicted  and  sentenced  to  seven  years  imprisonment,  the 
most  severe  punishment  inflicted  by  law.  But  the  counsel  for  the  defense 
appealed  to  a  higher  court  and  brought  forward  the  argument  that  the  law 
under  which  Rosenzweig  had  been  sentenced,  had  not  been  in  operation 
at  that  time,  while  the  new  one  which  was  to  replace  the  other,  had  not 
yet  taken  effect.  The  court  was  of  the  same  opinion,  and  Rosenzweig 
was  released. 

The  number  of  cases  that  become  known,  are  by  no  means  all  that 
occur.  Who  knows  the  number  of  those  unfortunates  who  have  died 
under  the  hands  of  abortionists,  whose  name  and  fate  however  have  never 
become  known?  Who  would  have  known  that  Alice  Bowlsby  had  been 
murdered  by  an  abortionist,  if  the  trunk  with  her  corpse  had  not  acci- 
dentally been  discovered  at  the  depot?  Roseuzweig's  method  is,  probably 
with  a  little  more  care,  a  very  common  one  among  the  who'e  murderous 
lot.     A  well  known  abortionist  let  the  cat  out  of  the  bag  respecting  this 


456  TEE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YOKE    LIKE. 

nutter.  He  was  discussing  with  some  others  of  the  profession  Rosen- 
zweig's  case,  and  attacked  Rosenzwcig  bitterly  for  his  stupidity.  "Why", 
he  cried  out,  "did  not  the  confounded  fool  pack  the  body  in  charcoal,  and 
thus  stop  the  smell  of  putrefaction.  That's  the  way  I  always  do" — but 
suddenly  recollecting  that  others  than  colleagues  were  listening  to  him,  he 
added,  "that  is  when  I  send  parts  of  bodies  away  for  dissection."  But 
there  can  be  no  doubt  that  this  man  said  a  terrible  truth  at  that  time,  and 
that  many  a  female  victim  of  false  sham 2  has  been  packed  away  in  a  box 
and  sent  to  some  accomplice  of  the  abortionist  at  some  distant  place.  The 
murdered  woman  then  becomes  enrolled  on  the  rapidly  increasing  list  of 
"missed  persons",  and  besides  her  murderer  and  a  few  accomplices  no 
one  knows  anything  about  the  tragic  secret  of  her  end.  The  number  of 
female  persons  missing  is  not  small,  and  with  very  few  exceptions  they 
can  be  placed  on  the  account  of  the  abortionists.  If  the  instruments  of 
the  abortionists  are  deadly  weapons,  their  pills  and  mixtures  &c.  are  not 
less  dangerous.  It  is  a  fixed  medical  fact  that  medicines  and  other  agents, 
that  are  strong  enough  to  bring  about  an  abortion  in  a  healthy  woman, 
will  always  be  exceedingly  dangerous  in  their  consequences  for  the  whole 
female  organism.  Incurable  organic  diseases,  nervous  debility  and  an 
early  decay  are  the  more  common  consequences.  Many  warning  examples 
could  be  brought  forward  here,  although  proportionately  very  few  come  to 
the  notice  of  the  public.  Many  women  gradually  sink  down  under  the 
consequences  of  the  crime  known  only  to  themselves  and  their  murderers, 
and  prefer  to  let  the  terrible  secret  of  the  cause  of  their  sickness  be  buried 
with  them,  rather  than  accuse  themselves  by  an  open  confession. 

The  silence  of  their  victims  is  one  of  the  chief  reasons  why  the  abor- 
tionists can  proceed  with  such  terrible  recklessness.  They  have  their 
money,  and  an  accusation  against  them  would  be  a  self-accusation  of  their 
victim.  The  fact  alone  that  a  woman  crosses  the  threshold  of  an  abor- 
tionist, makes  her  his  accomplice,  and  she  thus  places  herself  in  the  power 
of  the  most  heartless  wretches.  For  they  know  that  the  women  calling 
upon  them  are  generally  alone  and  without  protection,  and  this  knowledge 
causes  them  to  set  aside  every  consideration  of  humanity.  Several  cases 
that  have  become  known  in  the  past  few  years,  and  which  will  be  found 
below,  may  serve  as  a  warning. 

A  young  girl  by  the  name  of  Mary  Ryan  went  in  the  fall  of  1871  to 
an  abortionist  well  known  under  the  name  of  "Madame  Anna",  to  consult 
her  as  to  her  condition.  The  girl  had  only  come  for  advice,  and  did  not 
desire  any  treatment  or  operation.  Nevertheless  the  Madame,  together 
with  a  man,  drew  her  into  another  room,  where  in  spite  of  her  resistance 
she  was  stupefied  with  chloroform.  "When  she  awoke  from  her  stupefac- 
tion, she  saw  to  her  horror  that  the  two  had  performed  an  operation  on 
her  to  bring  about  an  abortion.  She  was  told  that  she  was  to  pay  $25 
ior  the  operation.     When  the  girl  refused  to  pay  for  the  crime  committed 


tiil  ABOnnoNiSTS.  457 

on  her,  t ho  Madame  and  lier  companion  searched  her  and  took  from  her 
$10  which  they  found  in  her  pockets.  They  also  (old  the  girl  that  she 
could  not  leave  the  house  before  procuring  the  other  $15  in  some  manner. 
This  threat  was  made  in  earnest,  the  poor  girl  was  treated  like  a  prisoner, 
ami  she  only  succeeded  in  leaving  the  house,  after  having  in  an  attack  of 
nervous  excitement  made  her  way  to  the  door  by  force.  She  was  found 
in  an  insensible  condition  in  the  ladies1  cabin  of  the  Desbrosses  Street 
ferry  and  was  brought  to  the  Park  hospital,  where  her  statements  led  to 
the  arrest  of  Madame  Anna.  The  girl  herself  was  very  ill  for  a  long  time 
in  consequence  of  the  operation,  and  was  saved  from  the  grave  only  by 
the  merest  chance. 

Another  case  occurred  in  the  fall  of  1872,  which  throws  a  strange  light 
on  the  doings  of  the  abortionists.  In  May  of  that  year  a  woman  had  ap- 
plied to  a  certain  "doctor"  to  have  an  abortion  performed  on  herself.  The 
doctor  had  asked  $25,  which  sum  would  have  to  be  paid  cash  before  he 
would  touch  an  instrument.  The  woman  however  had  only  $19  with  her, 
and  as  the  doctor  insisted  upon  the  full  payment  of  the  whole  sum,  she 
left  with  the  promise  to  return  with  the  desired  amount  the  next  day. 
When  she  came  at  the  appointed  hour,  the  doctor  was  not  present.  His 
housekeeper  said  however,  that  he  had  told  her  to  perform  the  operation. 
After  some  resistance  the  woman  gave  her  consent.  The  operation  was 
performed  and  after  a  few  days  the  desired  result  took  place.  But  the 
other  consequences  also  came  in  time.  The  woman  began  to  ail  and 
gradually  wasted  away.  But  not  until  she  saw  that  there  was  no  more 
hope  for  her,  did  she  confess  the  crime  that  had  been  committed  on  her 
and  which  now  bore  so  terrible  fruits.  She  would  probably  not  have  fared 
any  better,  if  the  doctor  had  performed  the  operation  himself.  But  the 
case  clearly  shows  the  terrible  recklessness  with  which  the  abortionists  treat 
those  unfortunates  who  fall  into  their  hands.  Money  is  the  only  thing 
they  care  about  in  the  poor  creatures,  and  to  obtain  this,  they  are  ready 
to  do  anything  from  the  meanest  swindle  to  murder  under  any  medical 
form. 

Many  of  our  readers  will  still  remember  the  sad  case  of  Miss  Emily 
Post  in  the  year  1871.  She  was  brought  into  the  house  of  the  celebrated 
abortionist,  Madame  Van  Bnskirk,  to  await  her  delivery  there.  Thirty 
dollars  were  puid  cash  and  the  rest  ($20)  as  well  as  the  current  expenses 
for  board  were  to  be  paid  afterwards.  But  as  no  one  had  come  during 
the  past  week  to  look  after  her,  and  the  Mademe  was  anxiously  looking 
out  for  her  money,  she  determined  to  rid  herself  of  her  patient.  In  spite 
of  her  protestations  that  her  frieuds  would  not  leave  her,  and  although  her 
delivery  might  take  place  at  any  moment  in  consequence  of  an  operation 
performed  on  her,  she  was  taken  from  her  bed  at  night  by  the  heartless 

(woman,  placed  into  a  carriage  and  taken  to  Brook'.yu,  where  the  frieuds 
of  the  girl  were  said  to  reside.  The  Madame  and  her  accomplice,  a  certain 


458  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

Dp.  Perry,  accompanied  her.  After  riding  about  for  several  hours  in  the 
chilly  night  air,  and  after  the  almost  exhausted  girl  had  left  the  carriage 
several  times,  her  condition  became  so  low  that  the  wretches  thought  best 
to  leave  her  in  the  first  precinct  station  house  in  Brooklyn.  Some  physi- 
cians who  were  quickly  summoned,  immediately  recognized  the  dangerous 
state  of  her  sickness,  and  she  was  taken  to  the  city  hospital,  where  she 
died  the  next  day.  Before  she  died,  she  related  the  inhuman  treatment 
she  had  been  objected  to  and  which  had  been  the  immediate  cause  of  her 
death.  Why  the  girl  had  been  taken  out  of  the  house  in  the  night  time 
in  her  critical  condition,  or  why  the  wretches  had  not  ascertained  the 
whereabouts  of  her  friends,  before  deciding  upon  her  fate  in  so  heartless 
a  manner,  can  be  ouly  explained  by  the  fact,  that  in  choosing  between  the 
possible  loss  of  a  few  dollars  and  that  of  a  human  life,  they  preferred  to 
risk  the  latter.  Possibly,  also  the  Madame  looked  forward  anxiously  to 
the  consequences  of  the  operation,  and  that  she  must  hurry  or  the  un- 
fortunate girl  would  die  in  her  house.  The  Rosenzweig  trunk  mystery 
had  just  been  cleared  up  with  all  its  terrible  details,  and  a  corpse  in  the 
house  of  a  well  known  abortionist  might  have  given  rise  to  troublesome 
investigations. 

But  these  dangers  for  life  and  health  are  not  the  only  ones  that  threaten 
those  women  who  have  even  the  least  intercourse  with  abortionists.  These 
rascals  often  do  not  hesitate  to  make  such  an  intercourse  the  means  of 
the  most  shameless  and  disgraceful  extortions.  This  is  especially  done 
by  that  class  of  abortionists  who  ouly  use  the  name  as  a  covering  for 
swindling  women  in  the  most  disgraceful  manner.  If  such  a  rascal,  for 
instance,  discovers  that  his  victim  is  very  wealthy,  he  continues  to  extort 
money  from  her  for  many  years,  threatening  to  denounce  her,  if  she  does 
not  comply  with  his  demands,  and  even  forces  her  to  sacrifice  her  honor. 
Those  who  do  not  hesitate  to  make  use  of  the  criminal  services  of  these 
persons,  must  expect  the  worst  at  any  time. 

Those  persons,  male  and  female,  who  advertise  their  houses  for  ladies 
"who  are  compelled  to  retire  from  the  world  for  a  short  time'',  and  who 
at  the  same  time  offer  their  services  to  nurse  such  women  and  to  look  out  for 
the  children,  are  also  nothing  bnt  abortionists.  The  lives  of  the  women 
who  are  attracted  by  these  advertisements,  are  no  safer  in  these  house* 
than  they  would  be  in  the  hands  of  any  other  abortionist.  The  poor  babies 
who  are  still  alive  when  born,  are  indeed  well  cared  for.  Very  lew  live 
over  a  few  days  at  most.  We  only  recall  the  sad  fate  of  Emily  Post  who 
had  intended  to  await  her  delivery  in  the  house  of  Madame  Van  Buskirk. 
Almost  at  the  same  time  a  case  occurred  in  the  same  house,  which  clearly 
indicates  the  fate  of  the  children  who  are  brought  to  life  here.  A  girl, 
Mary  F.,  from  Warren  co.,  N.  Y.,  who  had  been  seduced,  was  brought 
to  Madame  Van  Buskirk's  house  by  her  seducer,  where  the  rascal  intended 
to  have  an  abortion  performed  on  her.    Her  condition  however  was  so  far 


THE    ABORTIONISTS.  45!> 

advanced  that  the  "Madame"  hesitated  to  undertake  an  abortion.  As  her 
Beducer  had  only  paid  her  way  to  the  house,  and  had  then  left  her,  she 
only  had  the  choice  to  be  cast  helpless  into  the  streets  of  the  great  city,  or 
to  accept  the  offer  of  the  "Madame"  to  remain  as  servant  in  her  house, 
of  course  without  any  wages.  She  chose  the  latter.  Alter  three  months 
she  was  delivered  of  a  strong  healthy  child.  One  day  the  mother  went  to 
bleep  with  the  child  on  her  lap,  and  when  she  awoke,  the  child  was  dead. 
Her  cries  brought  the  police  to  the  house  and  an  investigation  was  im- 
mediately instituted.  It  was  only  ascertained  that  the  child  had  been 
suffocated,  but  how  this  suffocation  had  been  brought  about,  could  not  be 
satisfactorily  explained.  This  remained  a  secret  which  sheds  a  peculiar 
light  on  the  method  in  which  these  houses  are  conducted,  and  indicates 
one  way  of  caring  for  the  children. 

Among  the  1G0  to  170  new-born  children  who  are  annually  found  in  the 
6trcets  of  New  York  by  the  police,  there  may  be  a  considerable  number 
who  made  their  first  appearance  in  this  w7orld  in  houses  like  that  of  Ma- 
dame Van  Buskirk.  A  certain  "Madame"  Grindle  also  advertises  pleasant 
rooms  "for  nursing  ladies".  This  "Madame"  seems  to  possess  the  aspira- 
tions of  a  Restell,  as  can  be  seen  from  a  conversation  between  her  and  a- 
newspaper  reporter  wdio,  without  making  himself  known,  visited  her  for 
a  lady  "in  distress".  To  him  she  said  in  the  course  of  conversation  : 
"Hundreds  of  ladies  come  to  consult  me,  so  that  we  have  plenty  to  do- 
during  the  whole  year.  The  poor  women  !  How  little  the  world  cares 
for  their  troubles  !  We  have  made  it  our  business  to  save  them  and  aid 
them  !  It  is  indeed  a  noble  aim  !  If  we  were  not  the  true  friends  of  such 
women,  how  many  unhappy  families,  how  much  scandal  in  the  churches 
and  society  would  appear  !  You  have  no  idea,  my  dear  sir,  what  class  of 
persons  apply  to  us.  Prominent  politicians  bring  women  from  the  first 
families  in  the  country.  Many  aristocratic  married  women  occasionally 
take  up  their  abode  with  us,  or  we  attend  upon  them  in  their  residences. 
If  the  case  does  not  take  longer  than  a  week,  we  only  charge  $300.  If 
more  than  a  week,  we  make,  besides  the  charges  for  board,  extra  charges 
for  medical  attendance.  For  babies  which  remain  behind,  we  look  out 
that  they  are  well  cared  for,  and  we  never  charge  for  the  expenses  and 
trouble  arising  therefrom  more  than  Si 00."  Very  human,  indeed  !  Only 
§100  for  the  trouble  of  laying  some  helpless  babe  on  a  street  corner  or  iu 
the  basket  of  the  foundling  asylum. 

Every  one  of  this  class  of  abortionists  is  either  rich  already  or  on  tho 
pure  road  to  it.  Of  course,  not  all  are  able  to  charge  a  la  Restell  or 
Grindle  from  $300  to  $1000  per  case,  and  some  of  the  beginners  even  do 
their  murderous  work  for  $5.00.  The  majority  of  the  operators  havo 
two  different  rooms.  While  they  undertake  the  operation  in  their  real 
office,  they  have  another  place  where  the  patient  awaits  the  result,  if  she 
does  not  prefer  to  await   it  at  home.     Often  the  same  house  serves  as 


460  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    KEW    YORK    LIKE. 

hospital  for  several  abortionists.  Roseuzweig  simplified  the  matter  still 
more,  by  sending  his  patients  to  his  own  residence.  There  it  was  where 
Alice  Bowlsby  died,  and  from  where  he  sent  her  packed  up  in  a  trunk  to 
the  rail  road  depot.  This  fact,  and  the  remark  of  an  old  abortionist 
which  was  quoted  above,  with  regard  to  sending  corpses  in  charcoal, 
clearly  indicate  the  method,  by  which  these  murderers  get  rid  of  their 
adult  victims.  They  take  much  less  trouble  with  the  bodies  of  those 
children,  whom  they  murdered  before  their  birth.  These  are  either  burnt, 
or  they  are  buried  in  cellars,  or  they  are  thrown  into  the  water  or  on  some 
deserted  spot,  clad  only  in  a  few  rags.  It  is  a  terrible  fact  that  hardly  a 
-day  passes,  in  which  at  least  one  body  of  a  dead  child  is  not  found  in  our 
streets.  This  happens  almost  always  under  such  circumstances,  that  the 
discovery  of  the  mother  or  of  the  abortionist  is  an  impossibility.  It  is 
hardly  necessary  to  mention  that  the  bodies  of  children  found  does  not  by 
far  represent  the  whole  numbers  of  child  murders,  and  that  a  large  number 
of  bodies  rot  away,  without  having  been  seen  by  any  human  eye. 

After  having  given  in  the  above  sufficient  facts  to  characterize  the 
abortionists,  we  now  turn  to  those  women  who  are  sufficiently  depraved 
or  blinded,  to  make  themselves  accomplices  of  these  criminals.  Here  wo 
find  girls,  who  have  sought  the  aid  of  an  abortionist,  to  avoid  the  con- 
sequences of  a  misstep,  and  the  disgrace  attendant  thereon.  The  adver- 
tisements of  these  rascals  in  the  daily  papers  have  made  their  business 
well  known,  and  the  fear  of  the  threatening  disgrace  leads  the  poor 
creature  to  take  this  fatal  step.  If  she  should  have  not  courage  enough 
herself,  her  seducer  is  often  enough  only  too  ready  to  arrange  the  preli- 
minary steps  with  the  abortionist  and  then  bring  his  victim  to  his  den. 
We  have  already  cited  an  example  of  this.  Another  case  was  that  of 
Mary  Russel,  who  died  in  consequence  of  an  abortion  performed  on  her 
by  Madame  Burns.  Her  seducer  gave  her  some  money  and  told  her  to 
go  to  Madame  Burns,  who  would  help  her  out  of  her  trouble  ;  and  only 
one  week  after  she  had  first  entered  the  house,  Mary  Russel  was  a  corpse. 

It  is  hardly  to  be  wondered  at  that  heartless  seducers  do  not  hesitate  to 
deliver  their  victims  into  the  hands  of  the  abortionists.  But  who  would 
think  it  possible  that  even  a  parent  would  do  the  same  with  a  daughter? 
This  however  was  the  case  with  Emily  Past,  noticed  above.  The  inhumaa 
parents  sent  their  daughter  to  the  house  of  Madame  Van  Buskirk,  and 
lelt  her  in  this  den,  not  only  without  having  paid  the  full  fee,  but  without 
even  looking  after  her  again.  This  was  the  reason  why  she  was  torn  out 
of  bed  and  brought  to  Brooklyn  in  the  night,  and  finally  left  in  a  police 
station  in  a  dying  condition.  The  conduct  of  these  parents  was  well  cen- 
sured in  the  following  clause  of  the  verdict,  given  by  the  coroner's  jury: 

"We  are  furthermore  of  the  opinion,  that  the  parents  of  the  deceased,' 
Peter  K.  Past  and  Minerva  Past,  in  placing  their  daughter  under  the  care 
of  a  well  known  abortionist,  have  committed  an  unnatural  crime,  which 


TIIK    AIJ0KTI0NI3TS.  4G1 

at  tJio  same  time  ^ive  evidence  of  a   brutal   dispositiou,   as    well   as  of  au 
QDScrupuloua  ommittance  of  every  natural  duty. 

la  many  cases  of  this  kind,  this  fatal  step  is  probably  nothing  else,  than 
the  consequeuce  of  a  terrible  fear  of  disgrace  in  the  eyes  of  the  world. 
The  reduced  girl  takes  this  step  in  about  the  frame  of  mind,  in  which  she 
wonld  have  taken  poison  or  jumped  into  U12  water.  But  there  arc  also 
plenty  of  women,  who  look  upon  abortion  as  an  easy  way  to  get  out  of 
"difficulties,"  and  for  this  reason  do  not  avoid  the  possibility  of  getting  into 
such  "difficulties." 

Prostitutes  also  form  a  large  part  of  the  regular  customers  of  the  abor- 
tionists. Many  of  them  have  had  abortions  practiced  on  them  so  often, 
that  they  have  learnt  the  secret  of  this  trade,  and  now  not  only  practice  it 
on  themselves,  but  also  on  others  who  are  in  need  of  it.  And  if  we  could 
reconcile  ourselves  at  all  to  this  crime,  it  would  be  in  view  of  this  latter 
class.  There  is  no  object  more  pitiful  than  the  child  of  a  prostitute.  Born 
with  the  seed  of  disease  implanted  within  them,  such  unfortunate  creatures 
are  only  brought  up  for  the  lowest  walks  of  life,  and  doomed  from  their 
birth  to  breathe  the  atmosphere  of  vice  and  crime.  In  view  of  this,  we 
almost  hesitate  to  curse  the  hand  that  contributes  to  make  the  number 
of  children  comparatively  so  small  among  prostitutes. 

A  third  class  of  customers  of  the  abortionists  are  married  women  of  all 
classes,  the  richest  as  well  as  the  poorest.  Many  do  this  without  the 
knowledge  or  the  consent  of  their  husbands,  while  often  enough  the  hus- 
band is  the  accomplice  of  the  crime.  In  many  families  the  idea  has 
gained  ground,  that  it  is  a  kind  of  duty,  to  "  regulate"  the  number  of 
children.  No  more  children  arc  wanted,  than  can  be  "decen'ly"  brought 
up.  When  this  number  is  full,  no  new  arrival  is  accepted,  that  is  the 
mother  destroys  with  the  aid  of  an  abortionist  all  further  signs  of  infantile 
life,  as  soon  as  it  begins  to  appear  It  is  a  strange  fact,  that  just  among 
the  rich  and  wealthy  classes  this  kind  of  child  murder,  called  "  family 
regulation",  has  the  most  supporters.  That  just  these  classes  should  so 
anxiously  try  to  avoid  an  increase  in  their  families  appears  strange.  There 
arc  several  causes  for  this.  The  wrong  idea  that  a  good  education  must 
always  be  an  expensive  one,  is  one  of  these  causes.  They  do  not  educate 
the  child  to  enable  it  to  make  its  own  way  in  all  circumstances  of  life. 
On  the  contrary,  they  think  to  benefit  the  child,  by  educating  it  for  a 
higher  station  of  life  than  that  which  it  could  occupy  by  reason  of  its 
wealth.  In  such  a  case  the  most  important  knowledge  is  generally  ne- 
glected, while  the  child  is  made  to  learn  a  great  amount  of  superfluous 
stuff,  at  a  very  high  expense.  The  higher  this  expense  then  is,  the  better 
the  education  bought  with  it,  is  tough t  to  be.  No  wonder  then,  that 
starling  with  such  ideas,  many  despair  of  having  the  children  falling  to 
their  share  "well"  educated. 

But  this  reason  a'one  docs  not  explain  the  strange  fact,  that  the  richest 


402  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

families  generally  have  the  least  children.  The  female  education  in 
wealthy  families  is  generally  of  that  kind,  that  the  girls  are  brought  up  to 
be  pretty  dolls  for  the  parlor  rather  than  for  anything  else.  As  they  have 
been  educated,  they  only  look  for  happiness  of  life  in  the  empty  forms  of 
social  life  and  regard  the  duties  of  a  mother  only  as  obstacles  in  the  chase 
for  pleasure.  No  wonder  then  that  such  women  are  always  ready  to  pre- 
vent the  too  often  recurring  event  of  becoming  a  mother,  with  the  aid  of 
the  abortionist.  The  "fashionable  idea",  also  mentioned  above,  that  it  is 
not  aristocratic  to  have  too  many  children,  is  not  without  its  fatal  influence 
among  the  higher  classes.  The  fear  that  by  dividing  the  wealth  of  a  cer- 
tain family  among  many  children  t  the  future  standing  of  this  family  might 
be  impurilled,  also  causes  many  to  call  the  abortionist  to  their  aid. 

How  much  the  moral  sense  of  that  class  of  people,  who  are  generally 
called  the  educated,  has  degenerated,  is  seen  from  the  fact  that  such  a 
family  regulation  is  not  at  all  looked  upon  as  criminal  by  these  classes. 
Respectable  physicians  say  with  disgust  that  the  demands  made  upon  them 
in  wealthy  families,  and  which  amount  to  nothing  less  than  to  degrade 
themselves  to  the  position  of  abortionists,  are  every  year  becoming  more 
numerous.  In  many  cases  the  refusal  of  the  physician  has  been  followed 
by  his  dismissal  as  family  physician.  How  extended  the  practice  of  abor- 
tion must  be  among  the  wealthy  families  of  our  city,  can  be  seen  from  the 
palace  of  Madame  Restell  in  Fifth  avenue.  They  cannot  be  poor  people 
who  can  pay  from  $500  to  $1000,  not  to  have  a  child  come  to  this  world 
-alive.  And  it  is  a  well  known  fact  that  our  millionaires  have  generally 
small  families. 

It  would  be  unjust  to  represent  abortion  as  a  crime  of  the  aristocratic 
classes  only.  It  is  a  sad  fact  that  the  "middle  classes'*  try  to  keep  up 
with  the  aristocracy  in  this  respect.  Whoever  will  look  about  in  families 
with  whom  he  is  acquainted,  will  not  fail  to  make  far  reaching  observa- 
tions. How  can  it  be  explained  by  any  natural  reason  that  young  and 
healthy  couples  only  have  two  or  at  most  three  children  in  the  course  of 
10  years  married  life?  And  such  cases  are  so  common  that  out  of  ten 
young  couples  there  will  be  at  last  six  who  after  five  years  do  not  have 
more  than  one  child.  The  evil  is  becoming  plainer  every  day,  so  that 
about  two  years  ago  the  bishop  of  the  episcopal  church  of  Western 
New  York  felt  compelled  to  warn  his  people  of  it  in  a  special  pastoral 
letter. 

Even  the  statistical  facts  contain  mauy  riddles  which  can  only  be  solved 
when  the  doings  of  the  abortionists  are  taken  into  account.  The  number 
of  families,  for  example,  in  the  state  of  New  York  was  in  1865,  780,931. 
Of  these  196,802  were  without  children,  148,208  had  only  one  child, 
140,572  had  two,  and  107,342  had  three  children.  This  gives  for  592,921, 
that  is  far  more  than  J  of  all  the  families  in  the  state,  a  little  over  one 
child  per  family.     These  figures  contain  lessons   which  need  no  commeu- 


THE    A.BORTIONISTS,  4G5 

:.i  v.     They  show  more  clearly  than  words  could  do  the  great  daDgcr  of 
the  evil  for  our  existence  as  a  nation. 

Where  shall  this  lead  to,  if  the  evil  contiuues  to  grow  in  like  dimen- 
sions? Are  there  no  means  to  limit  it?  These  are  questions  more  easily 
asked  than  auswered.  With  regard  to  limiting  it,  everybody  will  look 
upon  the  law  as  the  most  effective  means.  The  law  is  expected  to  work 
wonders  in  almost  every  case,  and  why  not  here.  We  forget  too  often 
that  it  is  rather  the  execution  of  a  law,  than  the  law  itself  upon  which  the 
desired  effect  depends.  And  this  execution  of  a  law  depends  again  en- 
tirely upon  the  moral  sense  prevailing  among  the  people.  When  this 
sense  is  weak,  the  best  law  will  lose  its  power.  This  fact  must  also  not 
be  left  out  of  view  with  regard  to  the  abortionists.  We  have  laws,  which 
although  too  mild  for  such  rascals,  yet  if  aided  by  a  strict  sense  of  right 
among  the  people,  aud  if  strictly  executed,  would  diminish  the  evil  con- 
siderably. Let  us  look  at  the  law  having  reference  to  abortion.  It  is 
worded  as  follows  : 

uThe  wilful  killing  of  an  unborn  child,  by  any  injury  to  the  mother  of 
the  child,  which  would  be  murder,  if  it  resulted  in  the  death  of  such  mother 
shall  be  deemed  manslaughter  in  the  first  degree."  The  punishment  for 
this  crime  is  imprisonment  for  not  less  than  seven  years.  Furthermore 
we  find  in  this  law,  "Any  person  who  shall  administer  to  any  woman 
pregnant  with  a  quick  child,  or  prescribe  for  any  such  woman,  or  advice 
<and  procure  for  any  such  woman  any  medicine,  drugs  or  substance  what- 
ever, or  shall  use  or  employ  any  instrument  or  other  means,  with  intent 
thereby  to  destroy  such  child,  unless  the  same  shall  have  been  necessary 
to  preserve  the  life  of  such  mother,  shall  in  case  the  death  of  such  child  or 
such  mother  be  produced,  be  deemed  guilty  of  manslaughter  in  the  second 
degree.7'  The  punishment  for  this  crime  is  an  imprisonment  of  not  more 
than  seven  years." 

It  will  be  seen  from  this,  that  the  law  is  an  extremely  mild  one. 
What  murderer  who  has  received  the  merited  punishment  of  his  misdeeds 
on  the  gallows,  is  from  the  standpoint  of  morality  worse  than  such  a  pro- 
fessional murderer  of  unborn  children,  who  only  too  often  murders  the 
mother  at  the  same  time  ?  As  could  be  seen  from  various  expressions  of 
the  public  opinion  upon  the  occasion  of  Rosenzweig's  trial,  a  law  declaring 
the  crime  of  the  abortionist  as  murder,  if  he  kills  the  mother,  and  punish- 
ing it  as  such,  would  find  general  approbation.  But  mild  as  the  law  is,  it 
is  yet  difficult  to  bring  the  abortionist  within  the  reach  of  it.  Experience 
has  shown,  that  an  abortionist  brought  before  the  court  can  then  be  con- 
victed, only  if  his  victim  herself  testifies  against  him.  This  only  happens 
in  very  few  cases,  and  even  then  they  are  only  incoherent  statements  made 
on  the  deathbed  before  the  coroner,  the  effect  of  which  an  able  defence 
can  very  easily  weaken. 

But  the  punishment  itself  in  which  the  judge  is  restricted  to  6even  years 


4Gi  TEE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

imprisonment,  is  for  such  double  murders  very  light.  This  weak  point  in 
the  law,  the  New  York  legislature  has  improved  by  accepting  an  amend* 
ment  which  gives  the  judge  full  discretion  in  punishing  these  criminals, 
so  that  in  very  aggravated  cases  he  can  even  sentence  the  prisoners  to  im- 
prisonment for  life. 

This  is  already  a  great  improvement.  Unfortunately  however  it  is  only 
an  improvement  in  punishing  the  criminals.  To  prevent  and  limit  the 
crime,  nothing  whatever  has  been  done  as  yet. 

What  sense  is  there,  in  imprisoning  these  rascals,  while  we  permit  them 
to  advertise  their  nefarious  business  in  all  the  papers ;  they  are  willing  to 
murder  unborn  children  for  good  pay,  and  to  stop  their  criminal  actions 
must  we  wait  until  they  have  also  murdered  one  of  the  mothers?  And  it 
is  also  asked  with  perfect  justice,  what  difference  there  is  in  murdering  a 
child  before  or  after  its  birth.  So  the  mother  less  unnatural  who  has  her 
unborn  child  murdered  ?  The  moral  sense  will  answer  decidedly  no  1  But 
why  does  the  law  not  threaten  such  mothers  with  a  penalty  ;  and  further- 
more, would  the  contempt  which  our  hypocritical  society  casts  upon  un- 
married mothers,  not  be  better  applied  with  those  who,  to  cover  the  par- 
donable weakness  of  a  moment,  commit  a  crime  against  themselves  aud 
against  nature?  Let  us  go  a  step  further.  Why  is  the  girl  who  was  se- 
duced, branded  as  dishonored  by  society,  while  her  seducer  who  even 
leaves  his  victim  helplessly  to  herself,  does  not  lose  a  bit  in  the  estimation 
of  the  public  ;  is  it  not  he  who  drives  the  girl  to  that  desperate  step?  In 
most  cases  the  seducers  themselves  bring  their  viciims  to  the  dens  of  the 
abortionist  and  thus  are  not  much  better  than  the  abortionists  themselves. 
We  see  that  the  guilt  which  only  has  its  culminating  point  in  the  abortion- 
ist, is  by  no  means  centred  in  him  alone,  and  that  the  law  to  fulfill  its 
purpose,  should  punish  all  concerned  in  the  crime  in  proportion  to  their 
guilt. 

But  laws  alone  do  not  suffice.  They  must  be  supported  effectually  from 
other  sides.  Illegitimate  births  can  not  be  prevented,  but  the  moral  sense 
which  feels  itself  outraged  by  them,  should  keep  the  unhappy  matters  from 
the  temptation  of  becoming  murderesses.  Aud  the  means  for  this  have 
been  employed  and  their  usefulness  has  been  fully  tested  by  long  use. 

Most  of  the  large  cities  of  Europe  provide  asylums  for  pregnant  women, 
where  secure  from  the  idle  curiosity  of  their  acquaintances  they  can  await 
their  delivery.  Upon  leaving  the  establishment  they  cau  take  their  chil- 
dren with  them,  or  t'ley  can  leave  them  just  as  they  please,  in  which  lat- 
ter case  they  are  taken  care  of  by  the  foundling  asylum.  This  course  has 
there  opened  asylums  to  women  in  such  circumstances,  as  here  lead  them 
from  fear  of  the  threatening  disgrace  to  commit  a  crime.  That  a  city  like 
New  York,  which  is  so  rich  in  charitable  institutions,  does  not  yet  possess 
a  lying-iu  asylum,  is  hardly  to  be  comprehended.  Undoubtedly  the  chief 
reason  for  this  is  also  that  morbid  religious  feeling,  which,  as  in  tho  case 


TIIE    ABORTIONISTS.  405 

of  prostitution,  sees  in  the  alleviation  of  the  consequences  of  sin,  an  en- 
couragement of  it.  But  it  is  time  that  a  change  should  lake  place  iu  this 
respect,  and  that  in  such  important  questions  of  public  welfare  common 
B6096  should  rather  give  the  final  decision  than  such  ideas. 

But  the  evil  is  even  more  deepseated  !  We  have  seen  that  not  only  the 
victims  of  seduction  apply  to  the  abortionists,  but  that  married  women  of 
all  classes  look  upon  these  murderers  only  as  regulators  of  their  fami.i  £, 
In  the  "good  old  times"  children  were  regarded  as  a  "blessing  sent  from 
heaven".  To-day  they  seem  to  be  regarded  as  a  burden,  which  must  be 
tolerated  in  married  life.  A  family  without  children  enjoys  many  privi- 
leges, as  every  father  of  six  or  seven  healthy  children  will  have  found  out, 
while  looking  about  for  lodgings  few  children  are  a  sign  of  aristocracy  !  at 
most  two  or  three,  more  would  not  be  fashionable  !  Many  children  would 
be  a  sign  of  strength  and  health,  while  nervousness  and  continual  ailing 
are  among  the  chief  attributes  of  a  modern  "lady". 

We  have  now  arrived  at  the  misdirected  education  of  our  age,  and  the 
confusion  of  ideas  arising  therefrom.  Madame  de  Stael  once  asked  Na- 
poleon I.,  what  woman  he  thought  most  of.  She  expected  as  an  answer 
of  course  a  compliment  to  herself.  But  she  was  doomed  to  disappointment, 
for  the  emperor  simply  answered  :  "She  who  bears  the  most  children." 
The  answer  was  rude  in  one  respect,  but  it  contained  a  large  amount  of 
truth.  As  the  roman  mother  presented  to  her  childless  friend,  who  boasted 
of  her  jewels,  her  children  as  still  more  valuable  jewels,  so  it  should  be  in 
every  family  circle.  There  is  no  picture  more  charming,  than  that  of  a 
mother  surrounded  by  her  children.  If  children  become  a  burden,  or  turn 
trom  their  parents  in  their  old  age,  it  is  always  the  fault  of  the  education. 
An  expensive  education  is  not  necessarily  a  good  one,  while  a  good  one 
need  not  be  very  expensive.  When  this  truth  is  once  recognized  by  rich 
and  poor,  many  cares  will  disappear,  which  are  now  felt  in  many 
homes. 

Not  all  the  customers  of  the  abortionists  are  women  and  girls  from  the 
city.  Many  come  from  the  country  and  even  from  other  states,  to  be 
treated  by  these  murderers.  The  advertisements  of  these  rascals  circulate 
in  all  the  daily  papers  of  the  country,  and  the  decline  of  morality  is  not 
only  goiug  on  in  the  large  cities.  In  these  advertisements  they  offer  to 
send  their  pills,  medicines,  instruments,  &c,  to  any  part  of  the  country 
upon  receipt  of  the  price.  This  out-of-town  business  pays  well,  while  in 
the  city  very  many  who  have  not  the  courage,  or  have  too  much  shame 
left  to  enter  such  a  den,  also  order  these  medicines  by  mail.  If  the  medi- 
cines do  not  have  the  desired  effect,  the  abortionist  who  sent  them  is 
fortunately  only  a  swindler  who  has  sold  for  a  heavy  price  a  very  harmless 
and  cheap  substance.  But  if  the  medicine  does  have  the  desired  effect, 
it  is  composed  of  active  poisons  which  in  many  cases  destroy  the  life  of 
the  mother  as  well  as  that  of  the  child.     It  is  said  that  these  murderers 

30 


4G6  THE    DARK.    SIDE    OF    NEW     YOUK    LIFE. 

are  cot  forbidden  to  publicly  advertise  their  trade,  since  public  opinion  is 
not  able  to  force  these  papers  to  refuse  such  advertisements. 

We  have  already  remarked  that  the  abortionists  as  a  class  are  generally 
•wealthy.  Dr.  Evans,  for  example,  possessed  besides  a  respectable  fortune 
a  "small  farm"  whose  value  was  estimated  at  $100,000,  while  he  paid  on 
an  average  $1000  per  week  for  advertisements.  "Madame"  Burns  was 
arrested  soon  after  "Dr."  Rosenzweig  on  her  elegant  country  seat  sur- 
rounded by  all  the  luxuries  of  life.  "Dr."  Rosenzweig  has  become  known 
by  his  trial  as  a  rich  man,  and  the  same  is  the  case  with  "Dr."  Perry, 
"Madame"  Van  Buskirk  and  other  abortionists  whose  names  have  gained 
a  special  notoriety  from  having  come  in  couflict  with  the  law.  The  fact 
alone  that  these  rascals  pay  over  $150,000  annually  for  advertisements, 
while  the  number  of  advertisers  is  not  over  20,  shows  plainly  that  their 
business  is  a  paying  one.  At  the  head  of  this  interesting  crowd  is  un- 
doubtedly "Madame"  Restell.  As  we  commenced  this  chapter  with  her, 
a  short  biographical  sketch  of  her  would  be  a  fitting  end. 

"Madame"  Restell  is  about  57  years  old  and  of  a  short  thick  set  figure. 
She  is  said  to  have  been  pretty  in  her  youth,  but  nobody  would  believe  it 
in  looking  upon  her  to-day.  Her  whole  manner  and  behavior  is  that  of 
an  upstart.  If  she  does  not  make  a  very  pleasant  impression,  she  is  never- 
theless not  repulsive.  She  commenced  her  disgraceful  trade  about  twenty- 
two  years  ago.  When  she  had  practiced  about  four  years,  an  event 
occurred  which  placed  her  among  the  notorious  persons  of  New  York,  and 
as  such  she  became  fashionable  for  certain  circles.  A  young  girl  who  had 
been  under  her  treatment,  died,  and  "Madame"  Restell  was  arrested  in 
consequence.  The  trial  brought  forth  disclosures  which  made  it  the  sen- 
sation of  the  day.  Long  biographies  were  published  of  her,  and  much 
was  written  in  the  papers  about  abortion  and  abortionists.  All  this  was 
of  course  eagerly  read  every  morning  by  thousands  of  readers. 

Her  guilt  seemed  to  be  firmly  established  ;  yet  she  was  acquitted.  One 
hundred  thousand  dollars  are  said  to  have  effected  this  acquittal,  which 
money  is  said  to  have  been  furnished  by  rich  friends  of  the  accused.  Who 
these  rich  friends  were,  and  why  they  took  such  unusual  interest  in  Ma- 
dame Restell,  we  will  not  inquire  into  here.  She  was  the  sensation  of  the 
day,  and  the  name  Restell  as  well  as  her  business  was  spoken  of  by  every- 
body. The  trial  had  been  for  her  an  immense  advertisement.  The  result 
of  this  was  that  her  business  assumed  large  proportions.  That  it  paid 
well  was  seen  a  few  years  after,  when  she  bought  some  real  estate  on 
Fifth  avenue,  near  the  park,  and  there  built  a  palace  which  may  be  re- 
garded as  one  of  the  finest  buildings  in  the  street. 

In  spite  of  her  great  wealth,  Madame  Restell  has  not  yet  abandoned 
her  criminal  practice.  She  is  still  to  be  seen  by  customers  in  her  little 
office  in  the  basement  of  her  palace,  where  her  services  are  employed 
almost  incessantly.     The  price  for  her  services  is  the  small  sum  of  $500 


THE    ABOK1  '  467 

J00  per  case.   This  price  clearly  indicates  tne  grade  of  society  which 

patronize  "Madame".     The  families  of  the  brownstone  and  marble 

fronts  of  Filth  avenue  are,  as  is  well  known,  not  blest  very  liberally  with 

children.     This,  in  connection  with  the  "$500  to  $1000  per  case",  clearly 

indicates  the  chief  source  of  the  wealth  of  this  woman. 

Madame  Restell  is,  to  use  a  popular  expression,  a  "self-made  woman'". 
Although  her  early  life  is  enveloped  in  darkness,  there  remains  neverthe- 
less no  doubt  that  she  began  life  poor.  She  is  said  to  have  been  a  servant 
in  a  boardinghouse  and  there  to  have  received  the  first  impulse  to  her 
present  occupation.  One  day,  it  is  said,  while  dusting  a  room,  she  found 
a  certain  prescription  which  she  showed  to  a  friend  who  was  "in  trouble'". 
Her  friend  used  the  description,  and  the  desired  result  took  place.  She 
now  determined  to  make  use  of  it  generally,  and  opened  an  office  under 
the  name  of  "Madame"  Restell. 

According  to  another  version,  she  began  life  as  a  waiter  girl  in  a  tavern 
in  the  suburbs  of  London,  and  emigrated,  when  twenty  years  old,  to 
America.  In  New  York  she  was  for  a  time  the  mistress  of  a  young  phy- 
sician, through  whom  she  gained  some  medical  knowledge.  She  after- 
wards took  to  fortune  telling,  and  then  to  her  present  occupation.  She 
is  married  to  a  Frenchman  who  carries  on  the  same  disgraceful  business 
in  another  part  of  the  city  and  under  a  different  name. 

It  is  a  strange  fact,  that  the  New  York  aristocracy  which  does  not  hesi- 
tate to  make  use  of  the  services  of  Madame  Restell,  excludes  her  most 
inexorably  from  their  circles  in  social  intercourse.  This  is  all  the  more 
strange  as  tin  Fifth  avenue  in  view  of  great  wealth  very  seldom  inquires 
Ms  to  the  means  employed  in  obtaining  it.  Probably  it  is  intended  by 
ins  of  this  ostentatious  contempt  to  exclude  the  idea  that  they  had  any- 
thing at  all  to  do  with  her.  This  apparent  contempt  goes  so  far  that  she 
k  mid  never  have  succeeded  in  buying  real  estate  in  her  own  name.  But 
was  determined,  even  if  only  by  residence,  to  force  herself  among  the 
aristocracy  of  New  York.  She  applied  to  a  real  estate  agefit,  and  he  suc- 
ceeded, without  naming  his  employer,  to  buy  the  lot  for  her  where  she  lives 
at  present.  In  spite  of  the  palace  which  she  built  there,  the  surrounding 
property  decreased  rapidly  in  value,  and  the  lots  adjoining  her  house  have 
not  been  sold  to  the  present  day.  The  attempt  was  made  to  buy  her  out, 
and  a  much  higher  price  was  offered  her  than  what  the  property  is  actuallv 
worth.  She  declared  most  emphatically,  however,  that  she  would  not  sell 
out  at  any  price,  but  would  remain  in  her  house  as  long  as  she  lived. 

In  the  circles  of  Fifth  avenue  she  is  not  admitted.  The  "professional 
services  of  Madame"  are  made  use  of  secretly  in  certain  cases,  but  she  is 
not  recognized  by  anybody  when  she  drives  through  the  park  in  her  ele- 
gant carriage.  This  is  the  morality  of  Fifth  avenue.  This  morality  is 
nothing  else  than  the  old  sayiug  that  "we  like  treachery,  but  dislike 
the  traitor",  applied  to  abortionists.  Thus  the  criminal,  although  too  smart 


468  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

and  too  rich  to  be  caught  in  the  meshes  of  the  law,  in  spite  of  her  riches 
stands  alone  and  excluded  from  those  circles,  in  which  it  is  the  most  ardent 
desiri  of  her  life  to  be  admitted.  This,  too,  is  punishment.  But  when 
will  New  York  cease  to  cover  such  persons  with  riches,  and  to  see  in  their 
palaces  the  monuments  of  its  own  moral  depravity?  Is  is  generally  ad- 
mitted that  in  spite  of  the  large  extent  of  abortion,  it  is  almost  wholly  con- 
fined to  the  native  Ameiican  population,  and  that  the  foreign-born  element 
and  particularly  the  German,  is  decidedly  free  from  it.  The  evil  may 
therefore  be  still  regarded  as  more  or  less  localized,  and  the  hopes  for  its 
effective  eradication  are  justified  all  the  more,  as  the  terrible  disclosures 
made  since  the  Rosenzweig  trial,  have  not  been  without  a  wholesome  re- 
action. 


THE  QUACK  DOCTORS. 

Probably  in  no  field  does  humbug  prosper  more  than  in  that  of  medicine.. 
It  occurs  more  often  and  much  more  glaringly,  than  could  be  supposed 
possible  in  the  present  state  of  civilization.  It  is  also  all  the  more  dan- 
gerous, because  it  is  life  and  health  which  it  has  selected  for  its  prey  and 
for  which  it  lays  its  snares  in  all  possible  forms.  This  humbug  is  em- 
bodied in  the  medical  charlatans  or  quack  doctors,  with  whom  we  are 
supplied  very  liberally  at  present. 

It  is  hardly  necessary  to  explain  what  a  quack  is.  Everybody  knows 
this,  and  knows  the  meaning  of  the  word  full  well.  But  how  is  it  then 
that  the  business  of  the  quacks  flourishes  so  well?  This  is  a  riddle  which 
seems  to  be  as  insoluble  to-day  as  it  was  in  the  ancient  times,  when  the 
ancients  helped  themselves  with  the  saying  that  "the  world  will  be 
cheated".  And  it  almost  seems  as  if  it  were  true.  If  the  world  will  be 
cheated,  why,  let  us  cheat  it,  the  chorus  of  swindlers  cries  out,  and  none 
perform  their  part  with  greater  zeal  and  shamelessness  than  the  quacks. 
In  the  following  we  will  make  the  acquaintance  of  this  class  of  people,  and 
by  laying  bare  their  villainy,  also  contribute  our  share  in  this  direction 
towards  stopping  villainy  in  general. 

Modesty  is  not  among  the  virtues  of  the  quack.  He  boasts  that  he  pos- 
sesses a  sure  and  infallible  cure  for  every  disease,  or  else  one  medicine 
that  will  cure  every  disease,  from  a  corn  to  the  last  stage  of  consumption. 
No  impossibility  exists  for  the  quack  in  the  field  of  medicine.  He  has 
learnt  from  nature  her  most  hidden  secrets,  and  has  distilled  her  wonder- 
ful extracts  in  his  pills  and  medicines.     There  is  in  this  however  a  con- 


-4  1 


THE    QUACK     DOCTORS.  4G9 

Ifadiction  which  the  quacks  themselves  cannot  explain.  IIow  is  it,  if 
quacks  possess  a  sure  remedy  for  every  disease,  that  these  diseases 
continue  to  rage  and  that  men  still  die  more  of  sickness  than  of  old  age. 
Common  sense  has  no  other  answer  to  this  question  than  that  these  bom- 
ic  announcements  of  the  quacks,  are  nothing  but  lies  and  swindles  and 
that  ihe  quacks  themselves  are  liars  and  swindlers.  In  very  exceptional 
cases  only  they  are  fanatics  who  believe  all  the  nonsense  they  practice  to 
be  true.  The  field  of  quackery  is  very  large,  and  it  is  difficult  to  determine 
the  boundary  where  the  respectable  medical  practice  ends  and  quackery 
begins.  There  is  a  medium  class,  whom  we  do  not  know  whether  to  de- 
signate as  belonging  to  the  one  or  to  the  other.  There  have  been  great 
physicians  who  were  not  entirely  free  from  the  accusation  of  open  quackery. 
Theophrastus  Bombastus  Paracelsus,  the  great  grandfather  of  all  quacks, 
and  who  died  only  40  years  old  as  the  happy  possessor  of  the  elixir  of  life, 
played  an  important  part  in  the  history  of  medicine.  But  we  will  only 
deal  with  those  who  are  unmistakeably  quacks.  He  who  knows  the  tricks 
of  open  quackery,  possesses  sufficient  points  to  discover  the  weaker  shades 
of  medical  charlatanism. 

As  a  general  rule,  it  may  be  assumed  that  the  quacks  are  so-called 
self-promoted"  doctors.  Very  few  have  studied  medicine  at  all,  and 
regularly  promoted  physicians  are  rare  exceptions.  The  are  in  the  latter 
case  persons  who  cou'd  not  succeed  in  respectable  practice,  and  for  that 
reason  have  taken  to  quackery.  Not  unfrequently  have  they  bought  a 
diploma  from  some  second-hand  country  college.  Sometimes  they  change 
the  name  on  an  old  diploma  to  their  own,  or  assume  the  name  on  such 
diploma.  If  they  are  wanting  in  medical  knowledge,  th3y  make  use  of 
some  old  prescription  book,  or  some  household  remedy  which  they  gene- 
rally prepare  themselves  and  sell  to  their  patients  for  a  high  price.  The 
office  of  the  quack  if  he  possesses  one  at  all  is  often  very  elegantly  furnished 
According  to  the  latest  style.  Very  often  however  the  visitor  thinks  that 
he  has  fallen  into  some  medical  labaratory,  when  he  enters  the  residence 
of  the  doctor,  filled  with  retorts,  curiosities,  etc.,  the  style  of  the  offiice 
varying  according  to  the  class  of  visitors.  There  are  also  pleuty  of  female 
quacks,  and  with  them  quackery  is  very  often  combined  with  fortune  tel- 
ling. In  that  case  they  do  not  make  any  claim  to  the  tittle  of  doctor,  as 
they  ascribe  their  powers  of  curing  to  a  "higher  source  of  supernatural 
inspiration." 

The  quacks  confine  themselves  almost  exclusively  to  office  practice,  for 
they  are  too  deficient  in  knowledge  as  well  as  in  character  to  establish  a 
good  family  practice.  They  treat  every  disease  they  meet  with,  and  which 
will  bring  them  money.  But  there  are  always  certain  diseases  which  they 
treat  as  a  specialty,  and  in  which  they  boast  of  having  grained  great  suc- 
cess. Among  the  favorite  specialties,  are  the  socalled  "secret  diseases", 
and  the  numerous  diseases  of  the  "lung,  heart,  etc.,"  against    which   true 


470  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

science  has  openly  acknowledged  its  inability  to  contend.  The  only  sensible 
advice  to  all  those  suffering  of  chronic  diseases,  to  avoid  all  quacks,  and 
by  a  natural  mode  of  living  to  arrest  their  disease,  is  only  too  seldom  heed- 
ed. For  they  see  in  newspapers  and  pamphlets,  that  persons,  whose  con- 
dition was  much  worse  than  theirs,  were  relieved  by  a  certain  number  of 
bottles  of  medicine  after  a  few  weeks.  For  there  it  is  in  black  and  white 
that  the  "celebrated"  Dr.  Blower  hat  cured  Mr.  Nobody  in  Nocity  suffer- 
ing for  thirty  years  of  consumption,  by  means  of  his  pills.  That  must  be 
true,  for  the  name  as  well  as  the  address  of  the  cured  man  is  given. 
Hundreds  of  such  sick  persons,  and  thousands  who  believe  they  are  sick, 
reason  in  this  manner.  They  quickly  write  to  the  "celebrated"  Dr.  Blower 
or  call  at  his  office. 

And  thus  it  is  with  all  diseases,  cancers,  sores,  rheumatism,  scrophula, 
etc.,  for  which  the  quacks  as»ert  that  they  have  "never  failing"  remedies. 
"A  cure  warranted !"  "Payment  only  upon  the  complete  restoration  of 
the  patient!"  or  even  "$1000  for  every  case  that  cannot  be  cured"  are 
phrases  in  common  use  with  the  quacks,  which  are  sure  to  impose  upon 
many  persons.  But  each  one  of  these  phrases  has  some  hidden  meaning. 
"A  cure  warranted  V  But  in  what  time?  In  ten  days,  ten  months  or  ten 
years?  This  the  quack  has  wisely  omitted  to  mention.  "Payment  only 
upon  the  complete  restoration  of  the  patient"  also  seems  to  be  very  fair. 
But  before  the  sick  man  loses  his  patience,  the  quack  will  have  drawn 
from  him  so  much  money  for  medicine,  that  he  need  not  care  for  any  fur- 
ther payment.  "$1000  for  every  case  I  can  not  cure  !"  The  quack  even 
sticks  to  this.  For  as  in  the  first  case,  he  has  specified  no  time  in  which 
he  guarantees  the  cure.  But  if  a  patient  should  nevertheless  take  the 
"doctor"  by  his  word,  he  would  fare  worst  by  the  operation.  For  the 
"doctor"  would  begin  such  an  expensive  and  sharp  treatment,  that  the  sick 
man  would  soon  lose  all  patience  to  continue  it  till  its  uncertain  ead. 

"No  mercury  !  No  change  of  diet  or  mode  of  living  !"  is  a  frequent  bait 
for  those  unfortunates  who  are  subject  to  the  so-called  secret  diseases. 
The  "no  mercury"  is  only  a  bold  lie,  for  it  is  just  the  quacks  who  use  this 
dangerous  medicine  with  the  greatest  carelessness.  All  they  wish  to  ac- 
complish is  to  quickly  suppress  certain  signs  of  these  diseases.  This  is 
done  most  easily  by  large  quantities  of  this  poison,  and  they  care  very  little 
for  those  diseases  which  result  from  this  treatment.  "No  change  of  diet 
or  mode  of  living !"  This  phrase  alone  is  the  surest  sign  of  the  unscrupu- 
lousness  of  quacks.  The  regulation  of  the  diet  and  the  mode  of  living  is 
the  necessary  basis  for  the  medical  treatment  of  almost  every  disease,  and 
nowhere  is  it  more  neccessary  than  with  those  diseases  called  secret. 
Every  respectable  physician  will  tell  his  patients  this,  and  will  only  incase 
of  strict  observance  of  this  rule,  promise  his  patient  a  through  and  not 
merely  a  momentary  cure.  The  desire  of  keeping  these  diseases  secret, 
caused  by  a  false   shame,  drives  many  into  the  hands  of  the  quacks,  be- 


QUACK    DOCTORS.  471 

cause  they  not  only  warrant  a  quick  cure,  but  what  is  of  more  importance 
require  no  change  of  diet  or  mode  of  living,  which  change  might  easily 
arouse  the  suspicion  of  one's  friends.  With  respect  to  these  diseases  the 
quacks  boast  of  their  rapid  cures.  But  these  cures  are  only  seemingly  so. 
Certain  exterior  ^ymptons  of  the  disease  have  been  suppressed,  while  the 
disease  continues  to  exist  in  the  body,  and  in  connection  with  the  poisons 
taken  as  medicine,  lays  the  foundation  of  dangerous  chronic  diseases. 

Wiih  most  of  the  chronic  diseases,  especially  cancer,  scrophula,  heart 
disease,  etc.,  the  quacks  take  it  even  more  easily.  They  know  that  the 
patient  does  not  expect  to  be  cured  within  a  few  days,  and  that  he  is  in 
such  a  frame  of  mind,  that  he  is  easily  persuaded,  that  he  does  or  does 
not  possess  a  certain  symptom.  In  such  cases  the  rascals  do  not  intend 
to  perform  a  cure.  They  try  to  keep  such  patients  as  standing  customers 
as  long  as  they  are  able  and  willing  to  pay  for  the  medicines  the  quacks 
give  them.  Sometimes  such  patients  get  better  for  a  time,  and  then  they 
ascribe  it  to  the  "doctor"  and  his  medicines.  If  they  have  a  relapse,  they 
Hgain  apply  with  renewed  confidence,  where  they  were  relieved  once  be- 
fore. 

In  most  cases  the  treatment  of  such  patients  is  nothing  but  a  harmless 
swindle,  but  very  often  much  damage  is  done  by  it.  Their  attempts  of 
curing  cancers  and  old  ulcers,  as  well  as  to  drive  away  sleeplessness, 
coughs  etc.,  only  too  often  terminate  fatally  for  the  patient.  They  also  do 
their  victims  considerable  damage  by  preventing  them  from  placing  them- 
selves under  proper  medical  treatmeut,  and  when  at  last  they  do  apply  to 
respectable  physicians,  the  latter  generally  have  a  hopeless  task  before 
them.  This  is  in  general  the  seeret  of  the  practice  of  quacks.  It  is  some- 
thing altogether  different  from  what  they  promise  in  their  highsounding 
advertisements.  In  fact,  they  promise  more  in  their  advertisements  than 
medical  skill  is  able  to  accomplish,  and  is  least  of  all  to  be  expected  from 
unscrupulous  ignorances.  All  those  advertisements  in  which  certain  doc- 
tors announce  themselves  as  the  ''celebrated  Dr.  N. — ',  "guarantee  a 
complete  cure",  "without  mercury  or  change  in  the  mode  of  living",  in 
"cases  which  have  been  given  up  as  hopeless  by  other  physicians",  who 
especially  warn  the  public  to  beware  ot  "quacks ',  and  apply  to  the  "only 
reliable  and  the  most  successful  physician",  i.  e.,  the  respective  advertiser, 
all  these  advertisements  should  be  regarded  as  so  many  warnings  to  be- 
ware of  quacks.  All  self-praise  of  physicians  in  newspapers,  every  an- 
nouncement of  a  new  medicine,  in  not  strictly  scientific  journals,  is  sus- 
picious, and  that  all  the  more,  the  more  such  announcement  is  couched  in 
extravagant  language. 

With  all  physicians  laying  claim  to  respectability,  it  has  for  a  long  time 
been  the  custom,  to  advertise  their  business  only  by  a  mention  of  their 
names,  their  residences  and  their  office  hours.  That  is  sufficient ;  the  pub- 
lic knows  where  to   find  them,  and   they  leave  it  to  the  success  they  have 


472  THE    DARK    .SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

in  ,their  practice  to  spread  their  reputation.  From  no  mouth  does  self- 
praise  stiuk  worse,  than  from  that  of  a  physician.  No  true  physician  will 
profess  to  be  in  possession  of  a  secret  remedy  for  a  certain  disease.  Every 
new  discovery  in  the  field  of  medicine  becomes  at  once  the  commou  pro- 
perty of  all.  A  "secret  remedy,  the  nature  of  which  can  not  be  discovered 
by  anybody"  is  an  impossibility  at  the  present  day,  when  chemistry  offers 
so  many  means  for  detecting  the  presence  of  any  body  in  any  substance. 
What  is  praised  as  a  secret  remedy,  may  be  regarded  as  a  humbug.  The 
composition  is  well  known,  and  if  science  does  not  give  it  a  place  among 
other  remedies,  it  is  only  from  the  fact  that  it  has  been  replaced  by  much 
better  remedies.  Therefor  we  will  not  do  injustice  to  a  physician  by  class- 
ing him  amoog  the  quacks,  if  he  boasts  of  possessing  a  secret  remedy  for 
a  certain  disease. 

This  is  all  the  more  the  case  with  those  doctors,  who  do  a  business  with 
these  remedies,  and  praise  them  up  in  advertisements  and  circulars.  Gene- 
rally these  advertisements  contain  long  strings  of  references  of  wonderful 
cures.  The  references  themselves  are  very  fine  and  enticing,  only  we 
must  not  enquire  further  as  to  the  personality  of  those  issuing  them.  In 
many  cases  they  do  not  exist  at  all,  or  they  have  been  bought  up.  Only 
very  few  are  issued  by  people  who  have  been  cured  although  they  may 
have  swallowed  the  preparations  given  them  by  the  quack,  and  have  then 
been  easily  persuaded  to  act  as  unconscious  accomplices  in  his  impos- 
ture. 

The  impudence  of  such  quacks  often  goes  so  far  as  to  use  the  names  of 
generally  respected  men.  Horace  Greeley  often  enjoyed  this  "honor",  and 
the  name  of  Rev.  Henry  Ward  Beecher  was  used  in  a  recommendation  of 
one  of  the  vilest  sheets  ever  printed  ;  a  book  which  taught  the  art  of  exor- 
cising the  devil  and  other  spirits,  to  manufacture  love  powders,  &c.  The 
rascally  author,  a  quack  of  the  most  disgraceful  kind,  lets  Mr.  Beecher 
say  that  "This  book  should  be  found  in  every  family".  Another  trick 
with  such  recommendations  is  to  spell  some  well  known  name  with  a  little 
change,  for  example  H.  Greely,  instead  of  H.  Greeley.  Everything  said 
over  such  a  signature,  would  be  regarded  by  the  majority  of  the  readers 
as  having  been  said  by  H.  Greeley,  while  the  quack  could  not  be  called 
to  account  for  misuse  of  the  name.  We  may  also  class  amoug  the  quacks 
those  doctors  who  offer  to  cure  patients  by  letter.  No  physician  possess- 
ing education  and  character  would  ever  make  such  an  offer.  The  sick 
man  always  deceives  himself  as  to  his  condition,  and  for  very  plausible 
reasons  lays  to  much  weight  on  symptoms  that  annoy  him,  while  he  over- 
looks the  more  important  ones  that  do  not  stand  forth  so  prominently. 
Even  at  the  sick  bed  the  statements  of  the  patient  are  of  minor  account, 
while  the  result  of  his  own  investigation  is  the  chief  thing  which  the  phy- 
sician takes  into  account. 

The  self-decetpion  of  the  patient  is  fully  recognized  by  the  physicians, 


THE    Q1  .'v    K     Dot  TORS. 


173 


so  th.it  in  cases  of  sickness  no  physician  thinks  of  curing  himself,  but  al- 
ways calls  a  brother  physician  to  his  aid.  A  sickness  in  which  nothing  is 
risked  by  such  treatment  by  correspondence,  is  always  either  one  that 
only  exists  iu  the  imagination  of  the  patient,  or  one  that  only  requires  a 
regulation  of  the  diet  and  the  mode  of  living.  But  this  supposes  again 
that  the  physician  has  gained,  by  means  of  a  personal  inspection,  a  thorough 
knowledge  of  the  condition  of  the  patient.  But  the  corresponding  doctors 
lake  any  case,  without  being  guided  by  anything  but  the  statements  of 
their  patients.  The  letters  of  these  doctors  should  call  forth  suspicion  by 
their  very  character.  Only  a  charlatan  who  has  no  other  object  than  to 
fleece  other  people  of  their  money,  could  write  a  letter  like  the  following 
which  we  present  as  a  sample  to  our  readers. 

"Your  letter,  containing  a  full  description  of  your  disease,  has  been 
received.  I  have  read  it  through  carefully,  and  from  the  combination  of 
-certain  symptoms,  have  arrived  at  the  conclusion,  that  you  can  be  easily 
and  speedily  cured,  provided  you  trust  yourself  to  my  treatment  before  the 
disease  assumes  a  more  dangerous  character.  The  great  experience  as 
well  as  the  wonderful  success  that  I  have  had  in  similar  cases,  justify  me 
in  arriving  at  this  conclusion,  especially  as  my  new  medicines  act  quickly 
and  surelv.  Your  disease  is  no  hopeless  one  and  will  be  cured  by  using 
my  medicines.  Your  liver  and  your  organs  of  digestion  are  out  of  order. 
Through  this  many  poisonous  secretions  are  retained  in  the  system,  the 
vital  and  chemical  action  of  which  is  weakened,  and  if  nothing  is  done, 
the  disease  will  turn  into  organic  congestion  of  the  liver  or  even  consump- 
tion. If  it  is  possible  to  restore  the  normal  functions  of  the  liver  and  of 
the  stomach,  the  blood  will  be  purified  and  will  again  obtain  its  usual  vi- 
tality. If  you  send  me  $12.50,  I  will  send  you  by  return  of  mail  the  ne- 
cessary medicines  together  with  distinct  directions  for  use.  If  I  take  any 
person  under  my  treatment,  I  give  him  my  whole  attention  and  do  not 
spare  any  means  to  effect  a  cure  as  quickly  as  possible.  The  medicine 
that  I  send,  chiefly  tends  to  prepare  the  way  for  the  real  cure  (  !).  The 
present  season  of  the  year  is  fortunately  the  best  for  curing  a  case  like 
yours,  which  is  all  the  more  to  be  rejoiced  at,  as  in  your  condition,  it  would 
be  dangerous  to  hesitate  any  longer." 

Respectfully  Yours,  etc. 

"The  present  season  is  fortunately  the  best  for  curing  a  case  like  yours'*, 
is  a  consolation,  that  is  given  to  the  applicant  whether  he  applies  in  sum- 
mer or  winter,  spring  or  fall.  The  treatment  only  consists  in  plucking  the 
patient,  and  for  that  any  season  will  do.  But  in  most  cases  no  time  is  to 
be  lost !  this  is  a  fact  which  all  the  quacks  are  sure  to  impress  upon  the 
minds  of  his  customers.  A  genius  of  this  class  who  dated  his  circulars 
and  letters  from  Filth  avenue,  tries  to  get  $100  out  of  his  victims  imme- 
diately as  we  see  from  a  letter  that  we  have  before  us  at  the  moment  of 
writin2. 


474     •  THE    DARK    SIDE    OP    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

'"To  save  time,  it  would  be  best  to  send  $100  at  once,  which  amount,  I 
think,  will  cover  all  expenses  that  will  arise."  But  this  sum  does  not 
cover  the  expenses  at  all,  and  if  the  "doctor"  does  not  disappear  upon  re- 
ceipt of  the  money,  he  will  continue  to  make  demands  upon  his  patient,  as 
long  as  the  latter  is  foolish  enough  to  accede  to  their  demands.  In  most 
cases  these  corresponding  doctors  are  authors  of  so-called  popular  medical 
treatises,  which  they  circulate  free  of  charge,  or  at  very  low  prices  at  most,, 
among  the  public,  and  in  which  they  make  their  numerous  wonderful  cures 
known  to  the  world  by  means  of  testimonies  of  those  cured.  By  these 
means  they  create  a  great  sensation  among  those,  who  believe  that  every- 
thing that  is  printed  must  be  true.  This  class  of  doctors  has  its  eye  es- 
pecially on  those  unfortunates,  afflicted  with  chronic  diseases,  who  are  the 
more  apt  to  apply  to  quacks,  the  louder  the  latter  proclaim  that  they  are 
able  to  cure  any  case.  In  many  cases,  patients  in  the  country  think  that 
they  are  forced  to  undergo  a  medical  treatment  by  letter.  They  have  been 
under  the  treatment  of  the  physicians  in  the  vicinity  for  a  considerable 
time.  But  as  they  have  not  become  any  better,  they  have  lost  confidence 
in  these  physicians,  and  as  they  cannot  go  to  the  city  themselves,  they 
apply  in  writing  to  such  a  doctor,  who  as  they  see  from  the  papers  has 
cured  much  worse  cases  than  theirs. 

But  such  sick  persons  should  remember,  that  what  they  read  in  papers 
and  pamphlets  about  such  doctors,  is  nothing  but  lies,  which  have  either 
been  written  by  the  doctor  himself  or  were  dearly  paid  for.  No  physician, 
who  can  lay  claim  to  education,  undertakes  to  treat  patients  by  writing. 
Whoever  does  that,  shows  that  he  either  possesses  no  medical  knowledge, 
or  that  he  plays  an  unscrupulous  game  with  the  life  and  health  of  his  pa- 
tients, and  therefor  does  not  deserve  confidence  in  either  case. 

Those  quacks  are  no  less  disgusting,  who  try  to  make  their  wisdom  and 
their  wonderful  cures  known  by  means  of  pamphlets.  The  titles  of  these 
books  are  generally  of  such  nature  as  to  let  the  reader  suspect  obscene 
contents,  as :  "Book  on  marriage",  "Marriage  guide",  "Experiences  of  a 
sick  man",  etc.  These  are  either  sent  free  of  charge,  or  can  be  had  for  a 
postage  stamp  to  prepay  them.  They  are  also  sold  for  10  cents  to  $1.00, 
in  which  case  they  have  a  piquant  title,  and  the  buyer  is  led  to  expect  ob- 
scene illustiations.  The  contents  generally  consist  of  the  most  miserable 
stuff,  while  the  illustrations  are  worn  out  wood-cuts  from  some  old  medical 
work.  Sometimes  however,  the  contents  of  these  works  are  quite  accept- 
able. In  such  cases  they  are  not  written  by  the  quack,  who  pretends  to 
be  their  author.  They  are  often  essays  copied  word  for  word  from  some 
standard  medical  work,  and  altered  occasionally  as  it  may  suit  the  quack. 
Thus  it  is  that  we  often  fiud  in  two  or  more  pamphlets  the  same  cure  de- 
scribed, with  the  sole  exceptiou  that  in  oue  case  Dr.  "Quack",  and  in  the 
other  Dr.  "Humbug"  represent  themselves  as  the  authors  of  the  pamphlet, 
and  the  first  one  proves  with   it  to   the  world  the  wonderful  power  of  his 


THE   QUACK    DOCTORS.  A,.j 

pill*,  and  the  other  of  his  plaster.  But  both  have  had  nothing  whatever 
lo  do  with  the  case,  except  that  they  have  both  copied  or  rather  stolen 
from  the  same  medical  authority.  In  many  cases  the  quacks  themselves 
do  not  possess  the  necessary  skill  to  copv,  and  are  therefor  forced  to  let  this 
work  be  done  by  some  bauds  more  skillful  than  their  own.  The  readers 
of  such  works,  who  believe  that  the  long  list  of  references  and  testimonies 
of  persons  cured  is  anything  but  a  most  impudent  pack  of  lies,  well — ihey 
are  capable  of  believing  anything. 

A  number  of  this  class  of  quacks,  has  conceived  the  idea  of  publishing 
separate  almanacs  which  are  spread  over  the  whole  couutry  ia  hundreds 
of  thousands  of  copies.  This  form  secures  to  the  book  more  attentiou, 
than  it  would  have  received  in  any  other  case.  And  that  is  the  object  of 
the  almanac  quack,  who  praises  on  every  page  his  patent  medicine,  and 
counts  numberless  wonderful  cures  performed  by  it.  To  this  is  added  a 
description  of  the  symptoms  of  almost  every  disease,  which  is  done  in  such 
a  manner,  that  a  reader  can  easily  imagine  himself  afflicted  with  some  one 
or  all  of  them. 

Another  variation  of  these  medical  pamphlets  is  adorned  with  an  im- 
posing name  of  some  medical  body,  as  for  example,  the  "Howard  Asso- 
ciation of  Philadelphia",  the  "New  York  Medical  Uuiversity",  or  the 
"Athol  Medical  Bureau  of  Mass."  But  in  spite  of  all  these  highsounding 
names,  these  institutions  ar3  owned  by  men  who  are  among  the  most  con- 
temptible quacks.  The  "Howard  Association  of  Philadelphia",  and  the 
"Athol  Medical  Bureau  of  Mass.,"  are  fully  on  the  same  level  with  the 
"New  York  Medical  University",  which  name  was  only  chosen,  that  it 
might  be  mistaken  for  the  Medical  school  of  the  University  of  New  York. 
A  public  institution  bearing  the  title  of  uMedical  Uuiversity  of  New 
York  '  does  not  exist,  and  a  quack  can  therefor  undisturbedly  ply  his  vo- 
cation under  this  title. 

The  desire  of  the  most  of  the  quacks  to  appear  disinterested,  seems 
rather  strange.  But  they  do  this  because  they  know,  that  they  gain  the 
confidence  of  the  masses  most  quickly  by  this  method,  aud  have  all  the 
more  chance  to  empty  strange  pockets.  '-Consultation  free  !"  is  very  often 
found  at  the  end  of  an  advertisement  of  a  quack.  For  many  patients  this 
is  a  strong  bait.  They  go  to  the  "doctor"  with  the  idea  that,  as  it  does 
not  cost  anything,  they  can  hear  what  he  has  to  say  about  their  couditiou. 
And  the  consultation  does  indeed  cost  nothing.  But  the  patient  is  iuformed' 
that  he  has  within  him  the  seed  of  a  very  dangerous  disease,  and  that  it 
is  the  highest  time  to  proceed  energetically  against  it.  If  the  fears  of  the 
poor  fellow  are  well  excited,  he  is  informed  that  his  case  is  indeed  very 
poor,  but  not  hopeless  by  any  means.  Only  he  must  lose  no  time.  If  he 
would  follow  this  advice,  he  the  doctor,  would  trust  himself  to  cure  him 
very  quickly.  At  the  same  time  the  doctor  gives  a  complete  description 
of  the  disease  and  its  course,  which  is  couched  in  so   learned  terms,  that 


476  TEE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

the  patient  does  not  understand  a  word  of,  it  but  gets  a  very  high  idea  of 
the  wisdom  of  this  "doctor". 

There  is  nothiug  easier  than  to  convince  a  man  that  he  is  suffering  from 
-some  imaginary  disease,   and  nobody  understands  this   better   than   our 
quack.     After  a  conversation  of  half  an  hour,  the  visitor  thinks  himself 
just  as  sick  as  the  doctor  wishes  him  to,  and  is  willing  to  submit  to  any 
treatment  that  may  be  suggested.     The  doctor  now  brings  forward  his 
wonderful  remedies,  his  pills,  powders,  etc.     As  nothing  is   charged  for 
the  consultation,  the  patient  only  finds  it  natural  that  he  shall  pay  for  the 
medicines.     The  price  is  indeed  very  high,  but  the  bottle  or  box  contain- 
ing the  medicines  or  pills  is  very  large,  and  he  pays  the  price,  thinking 
that  this  dose  will  cure  him.     But  as  the  quantity  the  patient  must  take 
every  day  is  very  large,  the  medicine  is  soon  exhausted.     The  medicine, 
if  indeed  it  is  medicine,  has  no  effect  or  perhaps  a  disastrous  effect  on 
the  real  or  imaginary  disease  of  the  patient.     He  then  again  applies  to 
his  "doctor".     If  his  condition  is  worse,  the  latter  tells  him  that  this  is 
only  apparently  so  and  that  the  disease  is  coming  to  a  point.     Now  one 
more   dose,   and   everything  will  be  all  right.     This  dose  of  medicine, 
probably  larger  than  the  first,  costs  in  proportion.     In  the  hope  that  that 
will  settle  the  matter,  the  patient  pays  once  more.    The  result  is  the  same 
as  before,  and  this  game  continues   as  long  as  the  patient  is  willing  or 
able  to  pay  enormous  prices  for  harmless  mixtures  which  he  could  get 
in  any  drug  store  for  a  few  cents.     If  he  is  no  longer  able  or  willing  to 
pay,  he  is  either  told  that  he  is  fully  cured,  or  that  the  sickness  exists  only 
in  his  imagination  ;  or,  if  this  will  not  do,  he  is  told  that  everything  has 
been  done  that  medicines  could  do,  and  the  cure  must  now  be  finished  by 
change  of  air,  change  of  diet,  etc.  The  interest  of  the  doctor  in  his  patient 
is  at  an  end  the  moment  he  sees  that  he  can  make  no  more  money  out  of 
him. 

But  cases  are  also  known  where  quacks  intentionally  gave  medicines 
^o  rich  patients  who  were  willing  to  pay,  which  only  made  their  condition 
worse,  or  at  least  postponed  their  entire  restoration  indefinitely.  This  is 
nothing  but  a  species  of  poisoning,  and  many  an  unfortunate  may  have 
fallen  a  victim  to  these  quack  medicines.  But  in  the  end  the  patient  will 
find  out  that  his  consultation  fees  have  been  charged  him  over  and  over 
again  with  his  medicines,  and  that  his  money  disappears  more  rapidly  in 
the  hands  of  the  quack  than  his  sickness. 

Many  of  these  fellows  carry  on  an  extensive  business  with  their  medi- 
cines, and  then  profess  to  charge  only  the  cost  price,  or  sometimes  nothing 
at  all.  They  then  put  on  the  mask  of  philanthropy,  and  profess  to  be  per- 
sons who  have  been  cure  1,  after  years  of  sufferiug,  by  a  certain  remedy, 
and  now  from  sympathy  with  suffering  mankind  consider  it  a  pleasure 
and  a  duty  to  communicate  their  remedy  to  all  those  afflicted  with  the 
*ame  disease.     They  mostly  operate  through  advertisements  and  litho- 


Tin:  101  A.I  K   io(  i  477 

graphed  circulars.  A  number  of  those  quacks  have  gained  an  unenviable 
notoriety.  Among  the  most  notorious  is  J.  H.  T uttle,  whose  philanthropy 
leads  him  to  offer  through  circulars  all  kinds  of  instruments  and  medicines 

for  almost  any  disease.  We  give  an  extract  of  one  of  these  circular-  as 
host  characterizing  this  man.  "The  above  instrument,"  it  says,  "of  solid 
silver,  will  be  sent  to  those  who  desire  it,  with  the  best  wishes  of  the 
undersigned.  The  undersigned  has  learned  to  sympathize  with  all  those 
who  have  to  suffer  from  "nervous  debility",  "premature  decay",  "im- 
potency",  etc.  The  true  christian  keeps  no  efficient  remedy  secret.  His 
whole  aim  in  life  is  to  promote  science  and  thus  help  suffering  humanity. 
"Do  unto  others,  as  you  would  have  others  do  unto  you."  This  is  his 
motto,  and  he  has  no  right  either  as  christian  or  as  physician,  to  keep  any 
medical  secret  to  himself  and  thus  keep  it  out  of  the  reach  of  everybody. 
Whoever  does  this,  and  creates  a  monopoly  for  himself  to  the  detriment 
of  suffering  humanity,  has  no  claim  to  the  name  and  the  dignity  of  a 
christian  physician." 

"And  now  my  christian  friend  and  fellow-sufferer,  I  would  ask  you  to- 
make  an  impartial  trial  with  my  instrument.  If  you  do  this,  and  closely 
follow  my  direction,  I  will  give  you  my  word  as  a  christian  and  a  man, 
that  you  will  be  satisfied  with  the  result.  I  am  fully  convinced  that  my 
prescription  will,  with  the  gracious  assistance  of  God,  completely  cure  you. 
How  many  other  remedies  you  may  have  already  tried,  mine  will  relieve 
you  surely." 

Of  course  the  good  christian  citizen  cannot  sent  the  solid  silver  instru- 
ment for  nothing.  The  greenhorn  who  bites  at  the  hook  baited  with  so 
mach  piety,  will  receive  a  plated  tin  instrument  which  is  probably  not 
worth  as  many  cents  as  he  paid  dollars  for  it,  and  he  can  count  himself 
lucky,  if  the  instrument  does  not  make  his  suffering  worse.  If  he  again 
applies  to  his  "Christian  friend  and  fellow  sufferer",  he  finds  him  as  ready 
to  serve  him  as  before.  lie  sends  him  without  asking  anything  for  it,  a 
prescription  for  pills,  which  "with  God's  gracious  assistance  will  certainly 
help  him".  The  sick  man  quickly  takes  it  to  the  drug  store.  The  drug- 
gist reads  it  through  and  shakes  his  head.  He  has  never  heard  of  such 
drugs  as  are  mentioned  in  the  prescription,  and  he  confesses  that  he  can- 
not prepare  the  pills.  He  has  similar  luck  with  the  other  druggists  of  his 
native  town,  and  he  finds  that  no  one  can  prepare  the  pills.  He  writes  to 
his  "Christian  friend",  telling  him  of  his  troubles.  He  answers,  that  he 
had  thought  as  much  in  the  beginning.  The  ingredients  are  very  scarce 
and  dear,  but  he  will  help  him  and  send  the  pills  for  85.00.  If  the  impo- 
tency  and  weakness  has  already  reached  the  brain  of  the  sick  man,  he 
sends  the  desired  amount,  and  receives  the  wonderful  pills,  which  every 
druggist  could  have  prepared  for  25  cents.  They  have  no  better  effect  of 
course,  than  the  aforementioned  instrument  of  solid  silver.  In  many  cases 
however,  the   patients  finds   the  price  of  the  pills   too  high,  and  then  the 


178  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

swindler  waits  in  vaiD  for  the  desired  $5.   Then  Mr.  Tuttle  sends  another 
letter  of  which  the  following  will  give  the  reader  an  idea: 

"Dear  fcir,  some  time  ago  I  wrote  to  you,  concerning  your  sickness. 
But  as  I  have  not  had  the  pleasure  to  hear  from  you  since,  I  fear  that  the 
price  of  the  pil's  was  too  high  for  you.  I  have  the  deepest  compassion  for 
you.  I  am  fully  convinced  that  I  can  cure  you,  and  therefor  make  the 
following  proposition  :  If  you  will  send  me  $2,  I  will  send  you  the  pills. 
The  rest  ($3)  you  can  send  me  when  you  are  cured.  But  if  you  do  not 
get  belter  within  six  weeks,  I  will  refund  the  money  to  you.  I  do  not 
think  that  1  could  make  a  fairer  proposition.  You  can  lose  nothing  by  it, 
and  have  everything  to  gain.  Try  it,  and  you  will  surely  be  cured  ;  fail 
to  do  it,  and  every  thing  may  be  lost. 

With  true  sympathy  for  you,  I  remain  Yours  etc. 

J.  H.  Tuttle. 

The  "philanthropist"  as  we  see  is  practical,  and  will  be  satisfied  with 
$2,  if  he  cannot  get  $5.  After  six  weeks  of  course,  no  improvement  takes 
place,  nor  is  the  money  refunded.  The  swindler  could  indeed  make  no 
better  proposition  (i.  e.,  for  himself). 

Another  equally  shameless  form  of  swindle  is  that  when  an  old  minister 
or  physician  who  is  about  to  retire,  offers  to  send  gratis  to  all  those  who 
wish  it,  a  prescription  for  some  disease  for  which  no  remedy  is  known,  as 
cancer  or  consumption.  This,  we  should  think,  is  a  fair  offer,  and  they 
also  must  be  honorable  and  benevolent  men,  as  they  send  their  secret  re- 
medy to  all  those  who  are  interested  in  it,  free  of  charge.  Thus  it  seems 
indeed  at  first  sight.  But  they  are  nevertheless  nothing  but  the  most 
heartless  swindlers  who  prey  upon  the  misfortune  and  suffering  of  their 
fellow  men.  The  best  known  of  this  class  is  the  "Rev.  Edward  A.  "Wil- 
son", of  Williamsburgh,  Long  Island,  who  for  the  past  12  years  has  sent 
to  all  who  applied,  a  prescription  to  cure  even  the  most  advanced  stages 
of  consumption.  His  offer  is  found  in  hundreds  of  papers  throughout  the 
U.  S.  This  costs  the  "noble  philanthropist"  thousands  of  dollars  annually, 
and  his  time  is  so  completely  occupied  by  it,  that  he  has  to  answer  from 
fifty  to  three  hundred  letters  daily.  Why,  some  of  our  readers  will  ask, 
does  this  reverend  gentleman  go  to  so  much  pains  and  expense,  when  he 
could  simplify  the  matter  considerably,  by  describing  his  secret  remedy  in 
the  papers.  If  the  patients  had  all  asked  themselves  this  question,  before 
applying  to  the  "reverend",  they  would  certainly  have  saved  their  money, 
and  the  advertisements  of  this  swindler  would  have  long  ago  disappeared 
from  the  papers.  But  thus  it  is  that  the  "Rev."  Wilson,  in  spite  of  his 
large  expenses,  does  an  excellent  business.  The  remedy  of  which  he  sends 
the  prescription,  has  for  its  chief  ingredient  3  ounces  of  "Extractum 
Blodjetti".  Unfortunately  however,  no  druggist  in  the  world  has  ever 
heard  of  this  extract,  and  the  patients  find  that  no  one  is  able  to  make  the 
medicine. 

I 


the   QV  LC  k    DOCTORS.  470 

That  is  the  secret  of  the  whole  affair.  The  patients  apply  in  their 
troubles  again  to  the  "reverend."  lie  answers  that  he  will  send  the  me- 
dicine for  the  cost  price  of  $3.50. 

As  the  drowniug  man  catches  at  a  straw,  so  persons  afflicted  with 
chronic  diseases  are  apt  to  catch  at  anything  that  promises  them  relief. 
In  this  c.'ise  the  appearance  of  disinterestedness  with  which  the  medicine 
is  offered,  gives  confidence.  Is  it  a  wonder  then  that  the  6ick  persons  or 
their  families  send  the  money  for  entirely  useless  mixtures,  which  they 
perhaps  greatly  need  in  some  other  direction.  Thus  it  is,  that  the  "gratis" 
communication  of  his  prescription,  often  brings  the  quack  doctors  from  40 
to  50  "registered"  letters  a  day.  As  each  one  of  them  in  all  probability 
contains  S3. 50,  the  profitableness  of  this  business  is  easily  seen.  It  is 
strange  indeed  that  this  "Rev."  "Wilson  is  never  to  be  personally  seen  by 
sick  persons.  He  is  never  found  at  home  by  those  who  call  at  his  resi- 
dence in  Williamsburgh,  and  confines  himself  in  his  quack  business  en- 
tirely to  transactions  by  letter  and  by  advertisements. 

If  the  quacks  do  not  always  carry  on  their  business  as  openly  as  in  the 
case  mentioned,  the  fleesing  of  the  patients  is  nevertheless  their  chief  aim. 
The  patients  are  for  them  only  the  means  to  obtaiu  money.  They  try  to 
get  in  every  case  as  much  as  possible,  but  are  also  satisfied  with  small 
amounts.  But  their  original  price  is  always  a  very  high  one.  They  try 
to  impose  upon  their  patients  by  high  prices,  and  to  give  them  an  idea  of 
their  celebrity.  The  assurance  with  which  they  guarantee  the  success  of 
their  cure,  leads  many  to  pay  the  high  price,  even  if  they  have  trouble  in 
getting  together  the  money.  If  this  is  not  the  case,  the  quack,  under  some 
pretent,  puts  the  price  down. 

An  interesting  instance  of  the  manner  in  which  the  prices  of  doctors  are 
made  according  to  the  circumstances,  came  to  light  last  year.  The  quack 
was  one  of  those  travelling  eye  and  ear  doctors,  who  advertise  their  won- 
derful cures  in  all  the  papers.  One  day  a  Mr.  C.  a  disguised  reporter 
called  upon  him  to  consult  him  about  the  weakness  of  his  father's  eyes. 
The  result  was  that  the  quack  offered  to  cure  C's.  father  and  warrant  a  cure 
lor  $300. 

"$300  !  that  is  more  than  I  expected  to  pay",  Mr.  C.  answered  with 
well  feigned  astonishment ;  "I  would  rather  prefer — " 

"But  my  dear  sir,  you  should  remember  that  this  is  the  lowest  price  I 
generally  take  for  my  cures.  But  I  will  not  fight  about  $50.  Say  $250 
and  I'll  do  it." 

"Fifty  dollars  less  does  not  make  much  difference  to  me,  Doctor.  The 
sum  is  still  60  high  that  I  cannot  pay  it  for  my  father." 

"Ah  !  you  intend  to  p  ,y  for  the  cure  of  your  father.  You  are  indeed  a 
loving  son.     This  alone  induces  me  to  reduce  the  price  to  $200. 

"Well,  I  will  not  detain  you  any  longer,  as  I  had  not  expected  so  high 
a  price  in  the  beginniug." 


480 


HIE    DAHK    SIDE    OF    NEW    TOIIK    LIFE* 


"I  pity  your  poor  old  father.  Yesterday  I  received  8500  for  a  similar 
case,  but  to-day  I  will  take  $150,  one  half  of  my  usual  price." 

"I  think  I  shall  wait,  he  will  probably  not  get  any  worse,  and  I'll  save 
the  money." 

"I  declare,  your  father's  case  has  a  peculiar  scientific  interest  for  me, 
and  as  I  am  in  the  city,  I  will  undertake  the  cure  for  $100. 

But  Mr.  C.  could  not  be  induced  even  by  this  low  figure,  to  have  his 
father's  eyesight  restored,  and  he  turned  to  the  door,  with  the  words : 

"Perhaps  another  time,  Doctor,  the  matter  is  not  so  pressing." 

"But  it  may  become  worse,  my  dear  sir,"  the  quack  said  trying  to  keep 
Mr.  C.  back.  If  you  promise  me  to  tell  nobody  about  it,  I'll  say  $50. 
But  that  is  my  last  word." 

In  spite  of  this  last  word,  Mr.  C.  takes  his  leave,  and  hurries  down 
stairs.  He  only  reaches  the  middle  of  the  stairs  when  he  hears  the  doc- 
tor calling  after  him : 

"Will  you  do  it  for  $25. 

Of  course  Mr.  C.  would  not  even  say  $25,  and  he  left  the  house  ;  thus 
robbing  Brother  Quack  of  the  opportunity  to  reduce  his  price  any  further. 

There  are  also  well  known  cases  where  quacks  plundered  their  patients 
most  unmercyfully,  and  robbed  under  various  pretences  of  their  last  dollar. 
We  know  of  a  case,  where  a  woman  suffering  from  amaurosis  fell  into  the 
meshes  of  a  travelling  quack.  She  came  from  a  great  distance,  and  paid 
the  "doctor"  $200  in  advance,  after  he  had  promised  to  restore  her  eye- 
sight. After  some  time  he  asked  her  for  $100  more,  then  again  for  $50, 
and  again  for  $50,  and  when  she  at  last  declared  herself  at  the  end  of  her 
resources,  the  quack  declared  that  her  case  was  incurable,  and  that  all 
further  treatment  would  be  in  vain.  The  rascal  had  not  restored  her  eye- 
sight as  he  had  promised,  but  had  robbed  her  of  her  last  dollar. 

It  can  be  plainly  seen  from  their  careers  that  the  quacks  are  nothing 
but  regular  swindlers.  The  above  mentioned  "Christian  friend  and  fellow 
sufferer"  J.  H.  Tuttle,  first  became  known  by  frauds  which  he  committed 
on  his  employer  in  New  Jersey.  This  J.  H.  Tuttle  is  also  the  originator 
of  the  so-called  Express-swindle,  which  we  described  in  the  chapter  on 
swindlers.  He  is  also  connected  with  various  other  forms  of  swindling, 
as  the  love  powder  swindle  etc.,  so  that  quackery  is  for  him  nothing  but  a 
new  variation  of  bis  many  swindles. 

A  certain  "Professor"  Silas  Rogers  &  Co.  also  carries  on  a  very  inter- 
esting business  under  the  mask  of  a  quack.  He  offers  in  lithographed 
circulars,  to  sent  first  class  imitations  of  tapeworms,  in  all  sizes  to  60  feet 
long,  for  $10.  The  object  of  these  imitations  is  of  course  none  other,  than 
to  enable  other  quacks,  to  gain  a  reputation  by  apparently  expelling  a 
tapeworm.  Further  more  this  individual  offers  in  his  circulars  a  certain 
stuff  "to  easily  cause  the  spread  of  certain  diseases."  This  worthy  says 
in  his  circular:   "This  stuff  brings  good  times  for  the  doctor,  as  the  people 


THE    QUACK    DOCTORS.  481 

become  sick,  and  he  lias  plenty  to  do.  It  works  surely.  A  doctor  iu 
Alliance,  Ohio,  made  several  thousand  dollars  by  it  in  the  course  of  a  few 
months."  The  price  of  this  wonderful  stuff  is  only  $5.  The  best  part  of 
this  disgusting  affair  is,  that  the  "professor"  only  sends  these  articles  as 
well  as  the  "Arabian  love  perfume",  "Love  rings",  "Love  candy",  etc., 
which  he  also  oilers  for  sale,  exceptionally,  and  pockets  the  money  arriving 
by  letter.  He  well  knows  that  the  fools  and  rascals,  who  buy  such  stuff 
from  him,   dare  not  take  legal  steps  against  him. 

The  quacks  as  well  as  other  swiudlers  have  a  variety  of  names,  under 
which  they  carry  on  their  business  now  in  one  place,  then  in  another.  We 
give  below  some  of  the  better  kuown  of  these  aliases,  which  are  often  found 
in  the  newspapers. 

The  above  mentioned  J.  II.  Tuttle  is  also  known  as  J.  H.  Reeves, 
Reeves  &  Co.,  Tuttle  &  Co.,  Tuttle  &  Reeves,  and  Reeves  &  Tuttle. 

A  "Doctor"  Warner  also  carries  on  his  business  as  Dr.  II.  Morell  &  Co. 
Dr.  Wallace  Mortour,  Dr.  Fracy  de  Lorme  (the  celebrated  consumption 
doctor),  and  Lehbur  &  Drayton,  New  York. 

Dr.  Sam.  Henderson  performs  his  wonderful  cures  under  the  name  of 
Dr.  Blaud,  or  Ilawkinson,  and  Dr.  Hawkinson  &  Co.,  New  York. 

Dr.  Lockraw  is  the  same  person  as  Dr.  La  Croix,  Dr.  Hen  slow  and 
Dr.  Hindon,  Albany. 

The  various  names  of  Dr.  Evans,  the  well  known  abortionist  who  has 
also  gained  some  notoriety  as  a  quack  have  been  given  in  the  preceeding 
chapter.  We  could  considerably  enlarge  this  list,  but  we  think  that  what 
we  have  given,  will  be  sufficient. 

But  what  is  the  object  of  so  many  names,  some  of  our  readers  will  ask. 
The  explanation  is  very  simple.  Every  swindle  becomes  stale  in  time, 
and  the  large  majority  of  the  victims  are  only  swindled  once  by  the  same 
man.  If  such  a  "doctor"  finds,  that  his  business  is  getting  dull,  he  quickly 
assumes  a  new  name,  and  ccntinues  his  old  game,  changed  very  little  or 
even  not  at  all.  Thus  Mr.  J.  II.  Reeves  has  the  pleasure  of  seeing  those 
apply  to  him  again  who  curse  Mr,  Tuttle  as  a  swindler  and  a  rascal.  Or 
the  poor  fellow  suffering  with  consumption,  who  has  come  to  the  conclu- 
sion that  Dr.  Wallace  Mortour  had  only  swindled  him  out  of  his  money, 
hopes  to  find  a  deliverer  in  Dr.  Fracy  de  Lorme  whom  he  has  seen  an- 
nounced in  the  papers  as  the  "celebrated  consumption  doctor". 

But  there  are  also  other  considerations  which  induce  the  quack  to  occa- 
sionally change  their  names.  If  their  swindle  becomes  too  open,  the  post- 
office  returns  the  money  letters  addressed  to  them,  to  those  who  sent  them, 
and  the  quacks  presenting  money  orders,  are  simply  turned  off.  This 
wounds  the  quack  in  his  most  tender  spot.  The  former  Dr.  Warner,  for 
example,  suddenly  becomes  Dr.  H.  Morrell,  and  keeps  this  name  until  the 
post-office  discovers  this  transformation  scene,  and  the  money  arriving  for 
him,  instead  of  going  into  the  quack's  pocket,  again  finds  its  way  to  the  writer. 

31 


482  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

The  following  case  we  have  already  mentioned  in  the  chapter  on  swind- 
lers. The  patient  receives  a  letter  from  the  "doctor"  containing  the  post 
money  order  sent  for  medicine  etc.,  in  which  the  former  is  requested  to 
send  the  money  by  express.  As  an  explanation  for  this  request,  the  doctor 
states  that  he  had  neglected  to  collect  the  money  at  the  proper  time,  and 
that  it  would  cause  him  an  immense  amount  of  trouble  to  collect  it  now. 
As  it  makes  no  difference  when  a  post  money  order  is  presented,  i^s  return 
is  a  sure  sign  that  the  person  presenting  it,  is  well  known  as  a  swindler, 
and  as  such  payment  was  refused  him.  Another  quack  distributes  circu- 
lars under  various  names  at  the  same  time,  and  advertises  in  the  papers 
as  so  many  different  doctors.  He  enlarges  his  custom  considerably  in  this 
way,  and  also  has  the  advantage  that  patients  who  do  not  trust  him  as 
Dr.  A.,  apply  to  him  as  Dr.  B.,  or  the  reverse.  This  is  one  of  the  ad- 
vantages of  the  circular  and  correspondence  practice.  Another  plausible 
reason  for  the  many  names  is  the  desire  very  easily  explained,  to  keep  out 
of  the  reach  of  the  authorities. 

The  fact  that  the  quacks  assume  several  other  names  besides  their  own, 
lets  their  number  appear  much  larger  than  it  really  is.  Even  if  we  allow 
each  one  of  them  six  different  names  on  an  average,  the  number  of  quacks 
is  still  very  large.  A  small  book  could  easily  be  filled  with  the  different 
names  of  the  quacks,  male  and  female,  who  have  made  their  appearance 
in  the  course  of  a  few  years  in  New  York,  and  have  announced  and 
praised  their  infallible  cures,  wonderful  remedies,  patent  medicines,  etc., 
in  circulars,  pamphlets  and  the  newspapers.  In  most  of  the  large  dailies 
a  separate  department  is  found  among  the  advertisements  writh  the  head- 
ing "Medical".  This  "medical"  department,  any  one  not  initiated  in  the 
secrets  of  the  trade,  would  suppose  to  contain  all  the  medical  advertise- 
ments brought  together  in  one  column.  But  he  would  be  disappointed,  if 
he  were  to  look  here  for  the  address  of  any  respectable  physician.  But  if 
he  should  read  the  advertisements  during  his  search,  he  would  get  very 
peculiar  ideas  about  the  physicians  of  our  city.  But  the  initiated  know 
that  they  need  not  look  for  a  respectable  physician  among  these  advertise- 
ments. A  physician  laying  claim  to  the  least  respectability,  would  sue  a 
publisher  for  heavy  damages,  if  lie  should  put  his  advertisement  in  this 
infamous  list.  It  would  be  a  poor  recommendation  for  him  to  have  his 
name  appear  in  this  company,  composed  of  abortionists,  quacks  and  char- 
latans of  all  classes.  The  strongest  part  of  the  whole  thing  is,  that  this 
class  of  advertisements,  bearing  so  plainly  the  stamp  of  obscenity  and 
boasting  ignorance  upon  their  face,  do  not  hurt  the  advertisers  rather  than 
benefit  them.  And  yet  they  pay  very  well,  as  can  easily  be  seen  from  the 
fact  that  they  appear  day  for  day  and  year  for  year.  Below  we  give  as 
samples  a  few  of  these  "medical"  advertisements. 

" Special  notice  for  ladies.  Ladies  who  have  had  misfortune  and  are  in 
need- of  good  medical  treatment,  should  be  extremely  careful  in  the  choice 


THE    Ql  Ai  K    DOCTORS. 

of  a  physician.  Many  physicians  promise  help  but  do  not  give  it.  The 
tie  organism  is  so  complicated  that  only  physicians  fully  acquainted 
with  it,  should  undertake  to  treat  it.  A  thorough  knowledge  of  anatomy 
and  physiology  is  absolutely  necessary  for  the  successful  treatment  of  fe- 
male diseases.  Dr.  Humbug  No.  1  has  for  the  past  25  years  exclusively 
treated  female  diseases,  with  and  without  medicine.  His  age  and  his  6UC, 
•uring  this  long  practice  ai  e  the  best  guarantees.  Our  mode  of  treat- 
ment has  been  endorsed  by  the  highest  authorities  and  is  our  exclusive  se- 
cret. Let  all  those  come  to  as,  who  have  been  cheated  by  quacks,  or  have 
undergone  false,  treatment.  You  will  quickly  see  the  difference  between 
good  treatment  and  mere  quackery.  Strictest  secrecy  of  the  consultations 
is  understood,  and  patients  will  feel  with  us  as  if  at  home.  They  are  seen 
by  nobodv  but  the  doctor.  Ladies  who  need  careful  nursing  before  and 
after  their  confinement,  will  always  find  elegant  rooms  in  readiness.  No. 
—  X.  street. 

"Ladies  physician  and  friend  of  the  unfortunate.  Dr.  Humbug  No.  2 
guarantees  to  ladies  a  painless  cure.  Board,  servants,  and  if  necessary 
medical  advice.  Rooms  private,  fees  moderate.  The  oath  taken  by  Dr. 
Humbug  No.  2  upon  his  graduation  is  as  follows  :  To  preserve  and  defend 
the  honor  of  women  and  families,  to  preserve  the  life  of  the  patient,  and 
to  keep  secret  for  ever  the  communications  made  to  him  in  his  capacity  of 
physician." 

"Special  notice  for  married  and  single  ladies.  The  most  wonderful, 
trustworthy  and  at  the  same  time  the   healthiest  remedy  for  married  and 

single  ladies   are  the pills.      Thousands  of  ladies  have  used  them 

suceessfullv.  They  cure  surelv  and  are  at  the  same  time  not  unhealthy. 
Price  $5.00.  Dr.  Humbug  No.  3,  profes-or  of  female  diseases,  has  been 
for  twenty  years  the  sole  agent  and  proprietor." 

k>  Ye  unfortunate  be  wise,  and  learn  to  know  your  diseases.  Consult  the 
experienced  physician,  Dr.  Humbug  No.  4.  who  cures  all  secret  diseases, 
wiihout  regard  to  the  length  of  their  standing,  as  well  as  nervous  debility, 
impotency,  rheumatism,  and  all  skin  diseases,  and  will  restore  your 
health." 

"S1000  retcard  for  any  case  of  secret  diseases,  nervous  debility,  rheu- 
matism, scrophula  etc.,  which  I  fail  to  cure.  No  mercury  or  change  of 
diet.     Address  Dr.  Humbug  No.  5. 

"Dr.  Humbug  No.  C,  No.  —  X  St.,  where  everybody  will  be  cured  free 
of  charge." 

These  are  a  few  specimens  of  the  advertisements  of  quacks  to  be  found 
in  almost  all  daily  papers.  They  are  however  not  by  any  means  the  worst 
yet,  as  we  could  bring  ours  -Ives  to  publish,  specimen  of  the  most  obscene 
kind.  In  general  the  column  headed  by  "Medical"  in  the  advertising 
columns  of  the  dailies,  is  a  disgrace  to  American  journalism.  As  it  has 
been  clearly  proven  that  the  public  opinion  cannot  force  the  papers  to  reject 


484  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

these  advertisements,  it  would  be  eminently  fitting  for  the  legislature  to 
prevent  their  publication  by  law.  But  we  will  treat  of  this  advertising 
nuisance  more  fully  in  another  chapter.  Legal  penalties  are  wanted  almost 
as  much  for  the  circulars  and  pamphlets  of  the  quacks.  The  newspaper 
reader  can  discontinue  a  newspaper  if  it  contains  obscene  advertisements.. 
But  how  can  he  keep  away  from  the  circulars  of  still  more  obscene  con- 
tents brought  to  him  by  mail  or  smuggled  into  his  house  by  carriers,  who 
push  them  under  the  door  or  throw  them  into  the  open  window.  There 
the  one  Mho  finds  them  first  can  read  them,  and  very  often  these  finders 
are  innocent  children,  whom  their  parents  had  carefully  kept  from  obscene 
literature. 

Many  will  wonder,  how  the  quacks  ever  get  hold  of  their  names  and 
addresses.  They  do  it  in  a  very  simple  manner.  They  buy  up  city  di- 
rectories, hotel  registers,  lists  of  subscribers  of  newspapers,  and  make  use 
of  the  names  thus  obtained  in  flooding  the  persons  with  circulars  by  maiL 
They  choose  a  number  of  names  from  these  lists,  without  knowing  their 
intended  victims  personally,  or  ever  having  had  any  business  connection 
with  them  at  all. 

A  new  quack-firm  goes  to  work  in  a  different  and  more  successful  man- 
ner than  that  employed  by  any  of  their  predecessors. 

It  takes  from  the  sources  already  indicated  the  names  of  men,  women, 
and  even  young  girls.  These  are  one  day  surprised  by  a  letter  from  this 
firm,  couched  in  respectable  terms,  in  which  they  are  made  the  following 
offer :  They  are  to  send  the  firm  a  list  of  at  least  fifty  persons  living  in 
their  neighborhood,  together  with  their  full  addresses.  Sick  persons,  espe- 
cially those  afflicted  with  chronic  diseases,  are  to  be  noticed  particularly 
in  this  list,  and  notices  of  the  diseases  and  the  circumstances  in  connection 
with  them,  are  especially  desired  by  the  firm.  As  a  recompense  for  the 
trouble  taken  in  making  out  this  last,  the  firm  promises  to  send  a  beauti- 
ful chromo.  The  letter  also  abounds  in  sentimental  phrases  about  the  sa- 
tisfaction which  the  getter-up  of  such  a  list  must  feel  in  having  rendered 
his  fellow  citizens  a  valuable  service. 

Many  are  led  by  the  highsounding  title  of  the  quack-firm  to  accede  to 
their  wishes.  They  do  not  know  that  in  so  doing  they  are  allowing  them- 
selves to  be  misused  for  dirty  plans.  It  would  be  indeed  a  poor  service 
they  would  thus  render  a  sick  person  in  their  neighborhood.  The  quacks 
would  in  the  true  sense  of  the  word  bombard  the  sick  man  with  their  cir- 
culars and  pamphlets  on  his  disease,  and  would  do  everything  they  could 
to  get  him  into  their  power.  Let  every  one  beware  of  opening  the  doors 
of  a  sick  room  in  such  a  manner  to  these  people.  The  "elegant  chromo" 
moreover  is  nothing  but  a  promise  as  easily  broken  as  made,  and  only  in- 
tended as  a  bait  for  childlike  simplicity. 

Whatever  has  been  said  in  the  foregoing  pages  about  the  quacks,  can 
be  equally  well  applied  to  the  quack  medicines.   If  we  can  expect  a  quack 


THE    QUACK    DOCTORS.  4*5 

behind  every  boastful  self-praise  of  some  "doctor"  who  announces  his 
wonderful  cures  in  the  papers  and  offers  to  heal  any  and  every  disease,  the 
same  is  the  case  with  those  medicines  whose  praise  stares  the  public  in  the 
face  in  all  the  papers.  A  medicine  may  bear  any  name  whatever,  the  fact 
that  it  is  recommended  as  a  remedy  for  all  or  even  a  few  dozen  different 
diseases,  characterizes  it  as  a  quack  medicine.  This  is  the  case  with  a 
majority  of  the  so-called  patent  medicines,  as  syrups,  drops,  extracts, 
elixirs,  balsams,  waters,  pills,  plasters,  salves,  etc.  They  are  all  the  more 
dangerous,  the  more  serious  the  diseases  are,  for  which  they  are  recom- 
mended. If  we  read  the  advertisements  and  the  pamphlets  with  the  praises 
of  the  wonderful  powers  of  these  remedies,  we  should  almost  be  inclined 
to  think  that  each  one  of  them  would  be  able  to  heal  all  sicknesses.  That 
alone  is  sufficient  for  common  sense  to  condemn  them, 

In  their  effects  they  are  either  directly  dangerous  or  in  the  most  fortunate 
case  entirely  harmless,  and  therefor  in  neither  case  a  medicine.  Their 
effect  is  chiefly  felt  in  two  directions.  They  either  stimulate,  by  means  of 
very  active  agents,  the  organs  weakened  by  disease  to  renewed  activity, 
or  by  means  of  narcotics  reduce  morbidly  excited  organs  to  insensibility. 
This  stimulating  effect  however  is  no  more  a  strengthening  of  the  weakened 
organs,  than  the  exhausted  horse  is  strengthened  by  a  severe  application 
of  the  spur  and  whip.  The  last  remnant  of  strength  is  only  brought  into 
play,  and  complete  exhaustation  is  the  natural  result  of  the  unnatural 
efforts.  No  benefit  is  derived  from  it.  In  the  less  dangerous  cases  of 
illness,  the  convalescence  which  would  take  place  without  any  medicines 
at  all,  is  only  retarded ;  in  more  serious  cases  of  illness,  and  with  the  con- 
tinued use  of  these  stimulants,  they  soon  become  dangerous  to  the  consti- 
tution. 

Not  less  dangerous  are  those  agents,  in  which  the  narcotic  is  the  chief 
ingredient.  In  making  the  organs  insensible  to  pain,  in  allaying  cough  or 
in  producing  sleep,  they  by  no  means  remove  the  causes  of  the  pain,  the 
cough  or  the  sleeplessness.  These  causes  not  only  continue  to  exist,  but 
make  all  the  more  rapid  progress,  as  the  whole  organism  is  simultaneously 
weakened  in  all  its  important  functions.  The  experienced  physician  is 
always  very  careful  in  the  application  of  narcotics  or  stimulants,  aud  uses 
them  only  when  he  considers  it  imperatively  necessary.  The  highly 
praised  medicines  are  brought  among  the  public  and  are  used  indiscrimi- 
nately by  persons  of  every  age  and  sex,  only  upon  their  own  esiimate  of 
their  real  or  imaginary  complaints. 

Many  of  our  readers  will  hardly  believe  all  that  we  have  said.  For 
does  oue  not  know  from  his  own  experience  of  the  "excellent"  effects  pro- 
duced by  some  pateut  medicines?  Vie  believe  him  !  We  are  even  con- 
vinced that  many  thousands  have  had  the  same  experience.  But  still  that 
proves  nothing  for  the  quack  mediciues.  As  many  thousands  can  un- 
doubtedly be  found  whom  these  medicines  either   did  not   benefit  at  all  or 


486  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

even  hurt,  and  as  many  thousands  more  who  in  similar  cases  have  taken 
some  other  medicine  or  none  at  all  and  became  well  again.  The  explana- 
tion for  this  is  found  in  the  fact,  that  man  if  he  is  sick  does  not  necessa- 
rily die,  and  often  g^ts  well  in  spite  of  the  wrong  medicines  which  he  takes. 
In  many  cases  it  is  indeed  a  wonder  how  the  patient's  constitution  has 
been  able  to  get  over  the  sickness,  and  the  medicines  which  are  sometimes 
much  worse.  "What  in  reality  is  due  to  the  constitution  is  then  accredited 
to  the  medicine  which  was  last  used.  This  medicine  is  again  used  in  the 
next  case  of  illness  and  as  the  patient  does  not  die  in  this  case  either,  it  is 
proclaimed  infallible.  This  fame  is  all  the  more  easily  obtained,  as  the 
patent  medicines  are  only  used  in  cases  of  a  light  illness  or  of  chronic  dis- 
eases, running  through  many  years.  In  the  first  case  they  are  also  credited 
with  having  prevented  some  dangerous  sickness  as  cholera,  typhoid  fever, 
etc.  But  if  some  afflicted  with  a  chronic  disease  should  die,  after  having 
swallowed  a  bushel  of  patent  pills  or  a  gallon  of  patent  medicine,  his  nu- 
merous friends  cannot  find  words  enough  to  praise  this  wonderful  medicine,, 
without  which  the  sick  man  would  undoubtedly  have  died  long  ago. 

But  these  patent  quack  medicines  not  only  aggravate  those  diseases 
which  they  pretend  to  cure,  but  they  are  also  dangerous,  in  that  they  often 
make  well  persons  sick.  This  is  especially  the  case  with  those  nostrums, 
which  taken  for  the  stomach  or  as  a  cordial,  have  become  a  necessary 
medicine.  If  any  one  accustomed  to  take  his  cordial  regularly  in  the 
morning  and  evening,  should  stop  its  use,  he  would  feel  ill.  He  begins  to 
suffer  from  that  disease,  which  he  wished  to  alleviate  by  means  of  the 
patent  medicine.  This  seems  to  him  to  be  a  proof  of  its  effectiveness,  and 
he  again  uses  it.  It  was  indeed  a  proof  of  its  effectiveness,  but  not  of  its 
good  but  of  its  bad  effectiveness.  ^The  medicine  has  so  much  weakened 
his  stomach,  that  this  organ  is  no  longer  able  to  perform  its  usual  func- 
tions, without  the  stimulant.  This  weakness  increases  with  the  continued 
use  of  the  cordial.  The  doses  become  more  frequent  and  larger,  until  at 
last  that  terrible  monster,  dyspepsia  is  brought  forth  and  has  assumed  such 
dimensions,  that  it  even  laughs  at  the  efforts  of  the  best  physicians.  Very 
often  these  alcoholic  cordials  breed  a  desire  for  strong  liquors,  which  not 
unfrequently  finds  its  terrible  end  in  the  "delirium  tremens".  Occasion- 
ally much  ado  is  made  in  the  daily  papers  about  some  new  infallible  me- 
dicine for  some  dangerous  sickness.  Testimonials  are  printed  of  patients 
who  have  been  cured  by  this  medicine,  and  physicians,  who  have  effec- 
tively used  them  in  their  practice.  All  those  unfortunates  who  suffer  of 
this  same  disease,  now  procure  this  medicine  as  quickly  as  possible.  They 
gladly  pay  the  very  high  price,  which  is  demanded  of  them,  but  when  it 
arrives,  the  desired  effect  by  no  means  takes  place.  It  then  appears  in  its 
true  character  of  worthless  quackery,  which  either  has  its  origin  in  inten- 
tional swindle,  or  less  frequency  in  unintentional  deception.  We  recall 
here  the  swindle  with  so-called  wild  tea,  which  as  a  sure  remedy  for  can- 


TIIK    QUAi  B     !•"   rOBS. 

(  -  appearance  about  H  y  It  soon  appeared  however, 

that  it  was  nothing  but  the  -  ■■  Inch  hud  been   brought   into 

opera ti  m  by  a  Philadelphia  speculator,  to  sell  a  comparatively  worthless 
herb  (winter  green)  for  a  high  price.  In  Bpite  of  the  disclosure  of  the 
iwindle,  the  puffing  of  the  tea  through  the  papers,  had  had  good  e€ 
The  speculator  did  a  first  rate  business.  Orders  came  in  from  all  parts  of 
the  United  .States  and  Canada  for  this  wonderful  tea,  which  he  sold  at  $12 
per  quart,  while  the  same  herb  can  be  had  at  56  cents  a  pound  in  any 
drug  store,  or  can  be  gathered  by  the  cart  load  in  auy  forest.  So  strange 
is  the  power  of  humbug. 

The  "wild  tea"  enthusiasm  had  hardly  subscribed  when  the  poor  unfor- 
tunates suffering  with  cancer  were  again  raised  to  the  highest  pitch  of  ex- 
citement and  hope  by  a  new  "infallible  remedy"  coming  from  South  Ame- 
rica, called  "Cuudurango'.  For  this  remedy  also,  patients  and  physicians 
were  immediately  produced,  who  testified  to  its  efficiency.  And  yet  this 
"Cuudurauga  root"  has  been  proven  by  fair  and  impartial  tests  to  be  en- 
tirely ineffective  in  cases  of  cancer. 

The  same  is  the  case  with  the  many  thousand  "secret  remedies',  which 
are  praised  up  in  newspapers  and  pamphlets,  as  infallible  remedies,  by 
persons  with  and  without  the  M.  D.  after  their  names.  They  are  gene- 
rally nothing  but  miserable  stuff,  which  does  no  one  any  good  but  the 
quack  himself,  while  those  who  buy  them  can  be  happy  if  they  escape 
without  any  serious  damage  to  their  health. 

The  damage  that  is  done  by  the  quacks  can  not  be  estimated  too  highly. 
How  many  deaths  are  caused  by  them  every  year,  it  is  impossible  to  tell, 
although  their  number  is  certainly  not  small.  In  very  few  cases  can  the 
death  of  a  victim  be  brought  home  to  the  "doctor",  and  he  be  punished  for 
malpractice.  The  injury  they  do  is  furthermore  increased  by  the  fact  that 
the  patients  lose  valuable  time  with  them,  and  only  apply  to  a  respectable 
physician  when  their  disease  has  considerably  iucreased.  Thousands  who 
6uffer  from  so-called  "chronic"  diseases,  increase  their  sickuess  by  swal- 
lowing thi  so-called  medicines  which  are  praised  by  quacks  or  their  agents 
as  infallible  remedies.  Nothing  is  furthermore  so  apt  to  ruin  a  strong 
constitu  ion  and  to  make  it  susceptible  to  disease  as  the  variously  named 
patent  medicines.  Even  in  the  most  fortunate  cases  they  are  nothing  but 
means  to  draw  money  out  of  the  people's  pockets  under  false  pretences. 

The  different  pamphlets,  circulars  etc.,  distributed  by  quacks,  are  also 
of  a  very  dangerous  character.  They  are  written  in  such  a  manner  that 
timid  and  nervous  people  easily  imagine  themselves  to  be  afflicted  witlh 
some  disease.  Such  imagination  is  often  more  perilous  than  the  most  dan- 
gerous disease.  For  the  power  of  imagination  is  very  great.  At  the  time 
of  Louis  XIV  a  prominent  uoble  man  was  condemned  to  death,  but  the 
kinur  resolved  to  let  the  mortal  terror  which  ha  must  endure  suffice.  He 
wa=  told  that  lie  would  not  be  executed  publicly,  but  that   he  would  suffer 


488  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK   LIFE. 

punishment  by  gradually  bleeding  to  death.  He  was  then  laid  on  a  nar- 
row bed  in  his  cell  and  the  veins  opened  ou  both  his  arms.  But  this  was 
only  done  apparently.  The  physicians  only  slightly  scratched  the  skin,  so 
that  some  blood  began  to  flow,  while  by  an  arrangement  fixed  to  the  bed, 
water  began  to  drip  into  two  tanks  on  either  side  of  ths  bed,  and  thus  pro- 
duced the  impression  on  the  prisoner's  mind  that  it  was  blood  flowing  out 
of  his  veins.  From  time  to  time  the  physicians  felt  of  his  pulse  and  found 
it  to  be  just  as  weak  as  if  he  had  actually  lost  a  large  amount  of  blood. 
As  the  poor  fellow  gradually  began  to  become  insensible,  it  was  decided 
to  stop  the  cruel  experiment.  But  it  was  too  late  then.  The  unfortunate 
fellow  who  had  only  lost  \  oz.  of  blood,  died,  in  spite  of  all  efforts,  of  the 
weakness  produced  in  his  imagination  by  the  bleeding. 

In  a  similar  manner  the  quack's  description  of  the  symptoms  of  different 
diseases  works  upon  nervous  characters.  This  is  done  all  the  more  easily, 
as  these  treatises  are  written  for  the  express  purpose  of  producing  and 
nourishing  hypochondrical  fears.  There  are  people  who  cannot  read  a 
novel  describing  a  sick  room,  without  thinking  themselves  afflicted  with 
the  disease.  Even  in  medical  colleges  the  same  thing  happens  occasionally. 
There  are  often  students  who  think  they  discover  all  the  diseases  on  which 
their  professor  is  lecturing. 

The  unhappy  propensity  to  discover  diseases  on  one's  person,  is  un- 
fortunately very  wide  spread.  It  is  a  rich  source  of  real  and  imaginary 
diseases  and  is  the  most  powerful  ally  of  the  quacks  in  their  operations 
against  other  people's  money.  Nothing  spreads  more  difficult  among  the 
people  at  large  than  a  sound  opinion  on  the  advances  made  in  medicine. 
The  large  majority  are  very  far  behind  yet  in  that  respect  and  look  up  to 
the  parchment  etc.  of  the  last  century  as  their  authority.  If  persons  who 
have  suffered  for  years  and  have  tried  in  vain  everything  that  medical 
science  could  do,  apply  to  a  quack,  they  are  certainly  not  to  blame.  But 
there  is  another  class  of  people,  and  it  is  not  small,  who  believe  that  their 
bodies,  like  a  lame  horse,  need  some  spur  or  incentive  to  do  its  duty.  For 
this  purpose  they  constantly  keep  on  hand  a  quack  drug  store  with  drops, 
tinctures,  pills,  salves,  etc.,  to  keep  in  order,  or  as  they  say,  "to  regulate" 
their  stomach,  liver,  kidneys,  blood,  etc.  This  is  a  relic  of  the  super- 
stitious middle  ages,  that  medicines  were  not  only  necessary  to  cure  sick 
persons,  but  also  to  prevent  healthy  persons  from  getting  sick.  Beginning 
with  this  foolish  idea,  thousands  continually  weaken  their  organism  and 
accustom  it  to  perform  its  functions  only  upon  the  application  of  some 
stimulant.  In  thus  taking  medicines,  we  might  say  as  food,  they  overload 
the  orgauism  with  things  that  are  foreign  to  it  and  which  lay  the  founda- 
tion for  those  diseases  which  they  are  intended  to  prevent. 

The  conscientious  physician  will  always  oppose  such  doings.  He  knows 
nothing  besides  a  natural  mode  of  life  to  preserve  health  and  to  prevent 
disease.     If  the  health  is  lost,  he  tries  to  restore  it  not  so  much  by  medi- 


THK    QUACK     DOCTORS.  48!) 

cines,  as  by  trying  to  discover  the  causes  of  the  diseases  and  to  remove 
them.  That  is  his  most  important  duty,  which  he  fulfills'  with  the  aid  of 
medicines.  lie  knows  that  it  is  not  his  duty  to  cure  the  disease,  but  only 
to  remove  the  obstructions  which  prevent  nature  from  performing  her  nor- 
mal functions. 

These  are  views  with  which  very  many  people  cannot  yet  acquaint 
themselves.  The  balance  of  power  of  confidence  still  rests  with  the  medi- 
cines, and  the  confidence  in  the  doctor  is  bared  on  the  supposition,  that  he 
knows  all  those  medicines,  which  are  able  to  cure  this  or  that  disease.  A 
passive  cure  by  simply  regulating  the  diet,  mode  of  living  etc.,  is  simply 
looked  upon  as  inactivity  on  the  part  of  the  physician,  by  which  the  dis- 
ease is  given  time  to  settle  down  Often  enough  the  physician  is  forced  to 
prescribe  some  harmless  medicine,  to  give  the  patient  and  his  relations 
some  visible  proof,  that  something  is  done  against  the  sickness.  Besides 
the  majority  of  the  patients  are  much  more  inclined  to  swallow  the  most 
disgusting  medicines,  than  to  give  up  old  and  bad  habits,  or  to  return  to 
them  upon  the  least  sign  of  recovery. 

The  quacks  chiefly  speculate  upon  and  pamper  to  these  prejudices  and 
peculiarities  of  the  public.  They  see  that  the  world  will  be  cheated  in 
this  respect,  and  they  oblige  it  as  much  as  possible.  No  superstition  is 
more  wider  spread  than  the  medical.  It  not  only  keeps  captive  the  unen- 
lightened masses,  but  a  large  number  of  those,  who  stand  on  the  steps  of 
the  ladder  of  science.  Thus  we  have  the  strange  contradiction,  of  having 
a  schism  in  the  church  produced  by  the  dogma  of  the  infallibility  of  the 
pope,  while  thousands  consult  one  of  the  daily  appearing  quacks  in  blind 
faith.     It  does  seem  indeed  as  if  the  world  will  be  cheated. 

It  would  hardly  be  of  any  use  to  mention  the  names  of  all  those  quacks 
who  have  gained  an  unenviable  notoriety  in  the  last  few  years.  The  name 
as  we  have  seen  is  only  of  secondary  importance,  as  the  quack  imme 
diately  begins  business  under  a  new  name,  when  the  old  one  becomes  too 
well  known.  It  is  quackery  which  is  to  be  avoided,  whether  it  is  carried 
on  by  A,  B,  C,  or  D.  We  have  furnished  enough  particulars  to  recognize 
quacks  or  quackery  under  any  disguise.  The  evil  of  quackery  is  at  present 
scarcely  any  worse,  than  a  pestilential  epidemic.  It  ruins  the  health  of 
thousands  annually,  and  leads  other  thousands  to  an  early  grave.  The 
quacks  not  only  rob  their  victims  of  life  and  health,  but  also  of  millions  of 
dollars,  and  we  can  well  say  that  quackery  is  dearer  iu  the  end  than  the 
treatment  by  a  regular  physician. 

Laws,  however  much  they  may  contribute  to  limit  quackery  will  never 
be  fully  able  to  suppress  it.  The  best  guard  against  it,  is  iu  the  hands  of 
the  public  itself.  The  patient  is  at  liberty  to  employ  the  services  of  auy 
physician  whatever,  and  no  law  in  the  world  can  prevent  him  from  con- 
sulting some  old  women  in  reference  to  a  regular  physician  if  he  so  chooses. 
When  this  state  of  affairs  will  be  changed,  WLen  people   will  cease  to  ex- 


490  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

pect  wonders  from  doctors  aud  medicines,  then  and  not  before  will  the 
time  arrive,  when  swindlers  will  cease  to  do  a  profitable  business  under 
the  physician's  mask.  As  the  belief  in  witches  and  exercisers  of  the  devil 
was  only  swept  by  laws  of  progress,  so  will  it  also  be  with  that  supersti- 
tion, which  enables  quacks,  and  their  wonderful  remedies  to  flourish  to 
the  present  day.  But  the  day  that  will  see  this  reformation  is  still  far 
away,  and  what  has  been  said  in  the  preceding  chapter  about  the  family 
of  quacks,  may  be  considered  as  a  small  contribution  to  hasten  its  approach. 


LOTTERIES  AND  POLICY. 

The  desire  for  fortune  is  born  in  man,  and  this  so  evidently,  that  it 
eeems  quite  natural  that  people  should  hunt  and  struggle  for  it.  The  ideas 
of  luck  are  indeed  quite  different,  but  they  all  agree  in  this,  that  they  re- 
cognize in  wealth  either  fortune  itself  or  one  of  the  means  of  obtaining  it. 
The  almighty  dollar  is  the  chief  idol  and  the  tyrant  of  our  times,  and  any 
one,  who  will  exist  at  all,  must  condescend  to  worship  it,  at  least  to  a  cer- 
tain degree.  The  poor  laborer,  the  rich  banker,  the  man  of  business  as 
well  as  the  scholar,  they  all  do  it,  although  each  in  a  different  manner- 
Thousand  diflerent  gates  lead  according  to  popu'ar  idea  to  fortune,  and  every 
one  chooses  which  seems  nearest  to  him,  or  through  which  he  thinks  he  can 
reach  his  goal  quickest  and  easiest.  The  "gate  of  chance"  is  unfortunately 
a  very  popular  one  and  is  sought  every  day  by  a  blinded  mass  of  senseless 
people.  Steady  labor  seems  to  many  too  hard  or  too  slow.  They  prefer 
to  trust  to  chance  for  their  fortune,  which  shall  throw  it  into  their  lap 
without  any  effort  of  their  own.  Without  doubt  chance  is  a  powerful  fac- 
tor in  every  struggle  in  life,  and  it  is  in  human  nature  to  bring  this  chance 
into  account  in  every  undertaking.  JFor  hope,  that  powerful  incentive  in 
human  life,  is  chiefly  built  on  it.  But  this  dependence  on  chance  should 
never  exceed  a  certain  point.  It  always  becomes  dangerous  and  fatal,  if 
success  is  more  dependent  on  chance,  then  on  one's  own  exertion?. 

In  this  respect  is  it  that  lotteries  come  here  into  account  with  us.  For 
in  them  the  thoughtless  masses  blindly  worship  chauce,  and  lazily  await 
their  fortune  from  chance's  will,  rather  than  gain  it  by  their  own  energy. 
They  annually  cheat  thousands  out  of  the  real  fortune,  by  fraudu'ent  re- 
presentations of  a  possible  one,  and  thus  by  smothering  the  desire  for  en- 
ergetic action,  continually  swell  the  ranks  of  the  paupers  of  our  city.  They 
act  perniciously  on  single  persons  and  on  the  public  in  general  and  form  a 
worthy  companion  piece  to  the  gambling  houses  treated  of  before. 


LO'Ii  ERISA    and    POLICY.  I  ) . 

Many  will  wonder  how  lotteries  can  be  classed  among  the  "Dark  - 
of  New  York",  as  they  are  prohibited  by  law,  and  are  even  less  favored 
than  dance-houses,  concert-saloons  etc..  The  prohibition  by  law  does  exist, 
and  includes  not  only  the  lotteries  themselves,  but  the  sale  of  lottery  ticket*., 
and  the  publishing  of  lottery  advertisements  are  forbidden  by  laws  which 
punish  an  offence  of  this  kind  with  61000  fine  or  a  corresponding  imprison- 
ment. 

But  in  spite  of  this  law  from  500  to  600  ollices  exist  in  this  city,  in 
which  lottery  tickets  are  sold,  and  by  this  act  are  classed  among  lotteries, 
while  their  business  pays  so  well  that  their  proprietors  are  all  millionaire*. 
According  to  all  calculations  the  receipts  of  these  offices  cannot  be  taken  at 
less  than  $20,0  JO  per  day,  or  $120,000  per  week,  or  $6,240,000  per  year. 
These  are  facts  and  figures  which  speak  for  themselves.  A  large  part  of  this 
money,  it  is  true,  does  not  come  from  New  York.  But  New  York  City 
alone  is  certainly  interested  in  this  glittering  swindle  to  the  sum  of 
$1,000,000  per  annum.  These  offises  of  course  do  not  bear  the  disreput- 
able name  of  lotteries  or  policy  shops.  In  most  cases  the  words  "Exchange" 
or  "Exchange  oflice''  cover  their  doings.  If  any  one  sees  these  words  over 
an  office,  he  can  very  easily  guess  their  true  meaning.  In  many  cases  a 
look  into  the  show  window  will  show  us  coins  and  valuable  papers  exposed 
in  the  manner,  usually  adopted  by  brokers.  This  is  done  not  to  deceive 
the  police,  but  to  attract  customers,  who  would  not  like  to  enter  an  open 
lottery  or  policy  shop. 

The  policy  shops  vary  considerably  according  to  the  locality  in  which 
they  are  situated,  from  the  miserable  den  in  Cherry  or  Thompson  6ts.  to 
the  elegant  office  on  Broadway.  Inside  however  they  all  have  a  suspi- 
cious look,  from  the  endeavor  appearing  everywhere  to  hide  their  real 
business.  A  look  into  the  largest  policy  shop  in  the  city,  situated  o;; 
Broadway  near  St.  Paul's  church,  suffices  to  show  us  this  characteristic 
feature.  From  without  the  uninitiated  would  suppose  the  office  to  be  that 
of  a  money  broker,  from  seeing  coins,  banknotes,  valuable  papers,  etc. 
lying  in  the  window.  Upon  entering  nothing  is  seen,  which  would  destroy 
this  illusion,  only  it  seems  strange,  that  the  office  is  so  small  and  is  di- 
vided into  two  compartments  by  a  wooden  partition.  The  initiated  knows 
the  meaning  of  this  partition  and  the  door  in  it  very  well.  He  therefor 
walks  boldly  through  the  door  and  finds  himself  in  the  hall  devoted  to  the 
goddess  of  fortune.  It  is  not  very  inviting,  long  and  extremily  narrow 
room,  which  is  so  poorly  illuminated,  that  gas  must  be  burned  throughout 
the  day.  A  long  counter  extends  on  both  sides  of  the  room,  behind  which 
a  number  of  clerks  wait  upon  the  customers.  The  walls  are  covered  by 
plans  of  the  drawings  of  the  various  lotteries.  In  the  back  of  the  room 
are  two  blackboards,  on  which  ihe  numbers  drawn  are  placed,  upon  the 
telegraphic  announcement  of  their  drawing.  They  are  the  chief  centre  of 
attraction  for  a  number  of  professional  players,  who  pass  most  of  their  time 


492  TEE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

here  and  await  with  much  anxiety  the  moment  when  the  clerk  will  bepin 
to  put  the  numbers  fatal  for  them  upon  the  board.  This  space  situated 
behind  the  partition  is  the  real  lottery  office,  while  the  front  part,  purport- 
ing to  be  a  broker's  office,  is  only  a  mask  to  cover  the  true  business.  la 
.streets,  in  which  the  population  considers  policy  and  lottery  respectable 
amusements,  these  masks  are  more  or  less  wanting,  and  the  visitor  upon 
opening  the  door  immediately  sees  the  true  character  of  the  place.  Id  the 
majority  of  places  however  the  person  entering  sees  four  or  five  feet  from 
the  door  the  above  mentioued  partition  with  a  door,  whose  windows,  if  it 
has  any,  are  always  made  of  dim  glass.  If  any  one  should  be  deceived 
by  the  superscription  "Exchange  Office",  and  remain  in  the  front  office 
after  waiting  a  little  while,  a  clerk  would  appear  from  behind  the  partition 
-and  ask  his  business.  If  the  unsophisticated  had  any  broker  business  to 
transact,  the  clerk  would  declare  with  a  hardly  concealed  smile,  that  he 
could  not  do  anything  for  him,  and  would  disappear  again  behind  the  par- 
tition. ^ 

But  such  mistakes  occur  very  seldom  indeed.  For,  in  the  first  place, 
the  meaning  of  "Exchange  Office"  is  almost  universally  known,  and 
secondly,  the  appearance  of  these  places  is  sufficient  to  prevent  a  person 
of  even  a  higher  degree  of  "greenness"  to  transact  any  money  business  here. 

In  these  offices  the  tickets  of  almost  all  our  inland  as  well  as  of  some 
foreign  lotteries  are  sold,  and  sometimes  of  lotteries  which  have  never 
existed.  The  best  known  among  the  inland  lotteries  are  the  Alabama, 
Kentucky,  Missouri  and  Louisiana  state  lotteries.  Besides  these  states 
Delaware  also  has  its  lotteries,  and  a  large  number  of  so-called  "special 
lotteries"  appear  and  disappear  sporadically  in  different  states.  Among 
the  foreign  lotteries,  the  Royal  Havana  enjoys  the  greatest  popularity. 
The  tickets  of  the  different  lotteries  vary  considerably  in  price.  The 
dearest  are  those  of  the  Havana  lottery,  in  which  a  whole  ticket  costs  $32. 
But  they  are  also  made  accessible  to  persons  less  favored  with  this  world's 
fortunes,  as  tenth  and  twentieth  tickets  are  sold  at  considerably  reduced 
prices.  The  various  state  lotteries  however  are  considerably  cheaper;  the 
clearest  do  not  cost  over  $10.  Halves  and  quarters  are  also  to  be  had  of 
them.  The  majority  only  charge  $5  for  a  full  ticket,  and  drawings  take 
place  once  a  week  in  which  the  price  is  only  $2.50,  and  one  drawing  in 
which  $1  is  the  price  for  a  full  ticket ;  so  that  even  a  poor  fellow  can  buy 
the  privilege  of  building  air  castles  until  the  day  of  drawing  with  25  cents 
for  a  quarter  ticket.  Besides  these  named  above,  tickets  can  be  had  of 
almost  all  the  large  European  state  lotteries  in  the  agencies  here. 

The  Havana  lottery  is  conducted  on  a  single  number  plan.  This  is  as 
follows :  The  numbers  are  in  one  wheel,  from  which  they  are  drawn  with 
certain  formalities.  Together  with  each  number  a  piece  of  paper  is  drawn 
from  a  second  wheel,  on  which  is  stated  the  prize  which  the  ticket  draws. 
The  highest  prize  in  this  lottery  is  $200,000  gold.     The  drawings  take 


LOTTERIKS    AND     POLICY.  498 

place  at  regular  periods  of  seventeen  days  each.     Every  ticket  represent* 
a  certain  number. 

This  plan  differs,  however,  considerably  from  that  adopted  by  the  lot- 
teries licensed  in  different  states  of  the  Union.  They  are  conducted  ou 
tin'  throe  number  combination,  and  every  ticket  bears  three  different  num- 
Iprs.  As  an  example  we  will  take  the  Kentucky  lottery  which  has  two 
drawings  a  day  at  Covii  gton.  One  of  the  three  commissioners  present 
picks  up  the  s<  venty-eighl  numbers  on  the  table,  one  after  the  other,  shows 
them  to  the  public  and  places  them  in  a  metal  tube  open  at  bo:h  ends,  and 
puts  these  tube.-  into  a  glass  wheel,  the  so-called  "wheel  of  fortune".  When 
all  the  78  numbers  are  in  the  wheel,  it  is  closed  and  is  rapidly  turned  in 
several  directions.  A  blind  boy  whose  arms  are  bare  to  the  shoulder,  is 
then  led  to  the  wheel.  He  draws  from  this  a  metal  tube  which  he  hand* 
to  the  commissioner,  who  takes  from  it  the  number,  shows  it  to  those 
present  and  calls  it  out  to  the  clerk  who  writes  it  down  and  again  in  his 
turn  calls  it  out  in  a  loud  voice  to  a  telegraph  operator.  The  wheel  is 
then  closed,  turned  again,  and  the  drawing  continued  until  all  the  prizes 
have  been  drawn,  generally  thirteen  or  fourteen  in  number.  The  closing 
scene  is  the  act  of  executing  the  drawing  certificate  by  the  commissioners, 
which  certificate  is  then  telegraphed  to  all  the  principal  lottery  agencies 
in  t':e  country.  The  drawings  of  the  Alabama,  Missouri,  Louisiana  and 
other  lotteries  are  conducted  in  a  similar  manner,  and  their  prizes  are 
arranged  as  in  the  Kentucky  lottery.  These  prizes  are  much  less  than  in 
.  the  Havana  lottery.  They  also  vary  on  the  different  days  of  the  week, 
1  according  to  the  prices  of  the  tickets.  These  tickets  may  win,  if  all  three 
Dumbers  are  drawn,  from  $50,000  to  $300,  while  if  two  numbers  are 
drawn,  double  the  price  of  the  ticket,  and  if  one  number,  the  original  price 
of  the  ticket  is  paid.  In  all  cases  however  a  deduction  of  15  per  cent,  is 
made  from  all  prizes.  After  each  drawing,  the  lucky  numbers  are  tele- 
graphed to  all  the  principal  agencies,  and  from  these  to  all  the  minor  offices 
in  the  country,  so  that  within  an  hour  they  are  known  to  thousands  of  ex- 
pectant players.  The  agents  receive  a  commission  of  12  per  cent,  on  all 
tickets  sold  in  their  ollices,  and  the  large  income  they  derive  therefrom, 
shows  plainly  the  extent  to  which  lottery  is  played  in  our  city. 

The  sale  of  these  tickets  is  only  one,  and  by  no  means  the  worst  feature, 
of  lottery.  Until  now  we  have  only  seen  the  different  lottery  dens  operate 
as  agencies  for  the  different  state  lotteries.  They  also  practice  a  similar 
game  on  their  own  account,  which  is  called  '"Policy".  It  consists  in  betting 
on  certain  combinations  in  a  particular  drawing  of  the  Kentucky  or  other 
lottery.  The  player  may  bet  on  one,  two,  three,  or  even  four  numbers, 
a.-  well  as  on  the  order  in  which  the  numbers  are  drawn.  If  two  of  the 
numbers  on  which  the  player  has  bet,  are  drawn,  it  is  called  a  '-Saddle"  ; 
if  three,  a  '"Gig"  ;  and  if  it  should  happen  that  all  four  are  drawn,  it  is 
called  a  "Horse  '.     A  "Flat  gig"  is.  when  a  player  has  bet  on  only  three 


4W4  THE    DAKK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LTFE. 

numbers,  and  all  three  have  been  drawn.  The  player  may  also  combine 
•all  these  different  bets.  Thus  he  may  bet  on  four  numbers  in  such  a  man- 
^r,  that  he  is  betting  at  the  same  time  on  a  "Horse",  "Gig",  "Saddle", 
and  each  number  separately. 

The  chances  of  winning  are  so  exceedingly  slim  for  the  player,  that  we 
may  justly  wonder  how  people  can  be  found  outside  of  a  lunatic  asylum, 
who  will  bet  on  a  "Flat  gig"  or  even  on  a  "Horse''.  The  lottery  agents 
well  know  their  advantage  in  policy,  for  they  apparently  give  the  players 
most  dazzling  chances.  They  pay  on  single  numbers  four  times,  on 
"Saddles"  40  times,  on  "Gigs"  300  times  and  on  "Horses"  500  times  the 
original  bet.  If  a  number  is  drawn  in  a  certain  order  denoted  by  a  player, 
as  the  first,  or  fifth  or  any  other,  they  will  even  repay  the  original  bet  a 
thousand  fold.  This  policy  game  is  spread  much  more  in  the  city  than 
even  the  true  lottery,  and  is  especially  played  with  great  passion  by  the 
lower  classes  of  the  population. 

These  then  are  the  forms  under  which,  in  spite  of  all  legal  enactments, 
lottery  is  carried  on  in  almost  every  street  of  New  York,  in  Wall  street 
and  Broadway  as  well  as  in  the  regions  of  the  Arch  Block  and  the  Five 
Points.  It  is  a  noticeable  fact  that  the  Alabama,  Kentucky,  Missouri  and 
Louisiana  lotteries  are  controlled  by  Simmons  &  Co.  in  New  York,  who 
are  justly  regarded  as  the  heads  of  the  American  lottery  business.  If 
these  gentlemen  do  not  openly  announce  themselves  as  the  proprietors  of 
these  establishments,  it  is  from  the  fact  that  it  has  a  better  appearance  to 
have  the  proprietors  at  the  place  of  drawing.  Thus,  Murray,  Miller  & 
Co.  in  St.  Louis,  and  Howard,  Simmons  &  Co.  in  New  Orleans,  are  the 
nominal  heads  of  the  Missouri  and  Louisiana  state  lotteries,  although 
Simmons  &  Co.  are  just  as  mueh  the  directing  powers  in  these  concerns 
as  in  the  Alabama  and  Kentucky  lotteries  which  are  openly  conducted  in 
their  name.  Formerly  the  name  of  the  "Hon."  Ben  Wood  was  identified 
with  the  lottery  system  in  our  city.  He  was  one  of  the  original  proprietors 
of  said  lotteries,  and  in  1866  sold  his  share  to  Z.  E.  Simmons  in  New- 
York.  As  some  slight  mistake  had  occurred  in  the  bill  of  sale,  the 
"Honorable"  Ben  Wood  tried  to  make  use  of  this  to  get  the  concern  into 
his  hands  again.  But  this  "smart"  plan  was  doomed  to  failure,  for  the 
courts  in  Washington  as  well  as  in  Louisiana  decided  against  him.  Since 
then  these  lotteries  are  under  the  control  of  Simmons  &  Co.  What  names 
are  concealed  behind  this  firm  is  only  known  to  a  small  number  of  ini- 
tiated. They  are  certainly  "prominent  and  highly  respectable"  men  of 
great  political  influence,  who  like  to  make  money,  but  do  not  care  to  let 
the  world  know  the  means  they  employ  to  accomplish  this  end. 

These  unknown  "Honorables"  hide  themselves  therefor  behind  the  known 
"Honorables",  the  brothers  Simons,  who  were  the  confidential  clerks  of 
Ben  Wood.  When  Zacharias  E.  Simmons  bought  the  share  of  Wood,  he 
gave  to  his  brothers,  William  L.  and  Chester  E.  Simmons,  a  large  number 


LOTTERIES    AND    POLICY.  405 

Of  shares.  He  retained  for  himself  the  chief  contract  of  the  business, 
while  lie  intrusted  his  brother  William  with  the  superintendency.  The 
business  flourishes  under  him  as  well  as  uuder  his  predecessors,  so  that  in 
the  short  space  of  seven  years  he  has  made  hundreds  of  thousands  of 
dollars. 

The  city  trade  rests  almost  exclusively  in  the  hands  of  William  L.  Sim- 
mons, the  superintendent.  It  is  a  noticeable  characteristic  of  this  man, 
ihat  he  never  dares  to  go  out  in  the  streets  alone.  He  is  always  accom- 
panied by  a  number  of  "Heelers",  who  are  loafers  in  his  employ,  always 
ready  to  use  their  fists  for  him  when  it  becomes  necessary.  This  is  most 
certainly  a  sign  of  an  impure  conscience,  and  is  an  imitation  of  the  Italian 
bandits  etc.  Like  brother  Zach.,  "William  is  worth  several  hundred  thou- 
sands. The  third  in  this  union,  Chester  E.  Simmons,  was  formerly  super- 
intendent of  the  headquarters,  No.  372  Bowery.  Very  little  is  known  of 
him,  except  that  he  unceasingly  watches  over  the  details  of  the  business. 
The  names  of  Chas.  II.  Murray,  John  A.  Morris,  Wm.  Cook,  John  Mor- 
rissey  and  Andrew  Sheehan  are  also  mentioned  among  the  most  prominent 
of  American  lottery  men. 

These  then  are  the  men,  in  whose  hands  the  lottery  business  in  New 
York  rests.  Let  us  now  look  at  the  business  itself  a  little  closer,  and  first 
of  all  its  results  for  the  player.  It  is  an  undisputable  fact  that  the  lottery 
players  as  a  class  are  poor,  and  that  for  every  one  who  has  grown  rich  by 
it,  tens  of  thousands  can  be  mentioned  whom  lottery  has  forever  ruined. 
But  these  thousands  are  not  mentioned,  while  the  few  exceptional  cases 
are  put  up  for  years  as  tempting  bait.  They  are  much  more  properly 
proofs  of  the  infrequency  of  such  a  stroke  of  fortune.  For  we  speak  of  an 
event  the  longer  and  all  the  more  often,  the  more  seldom  it  lakes  place. 
And  riches  gained  by  winning  in  a  lottery,  may  be  properly  included 
among  the  rarest  events.  We  need  only  look  at  the  crowds  of  those  who 
are  regular  customers  of  the  lottery  shop.  They  have  all  played  for  years 
and  all  boast  of  knowing  all  the  secrets  of  the  game.  But  their  appearances 
do  not  in  the  least  indicate  wealth.  They  all  bear  more  or  less  ihe  stamp 
of  decay,  which  is  more  clearly  expressed  every  }Tear  and  which  plainly 
shows,  that  lottery  not  only  does  not  help  one,  but  that  it  lets  him  sink 
deeper  every  year. 

In  contrast  to  the  undeniable  poverty  of  the  players,  we  cannot  overlook 
the  rapidly  accumulating  wealth  of  the  proprietors.  The  fact  that  the 
"Woods",  the  "Simmons'  "  and  the  "Murrays"  became  millionaires,  can 
only  be  explained  by  the  fact  that  their  lotteries  made  thousands  of  rich 
men  poor,  and  reduced  poor  men  to  beggary.  That  rich  people  participate 
in  lottery  in  its  various  forms,  by  no  means  proves  anything  in  its  favor. 
They  most  certainly  do  not  owe  their  riches  to  their  luck  in  lottery.  They 
are  not  impoverished  by  lottery,  because  their  means  are  such  as  to  allow 
them  to  cover  their  loss.     But  even  riches  do  not  always  guard  from  the 


496  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

sad  consequences  of  playing  lottery  when  it  has  become  an  incurable  pas- 
sion.   A  sad  case  of  this  kind  became  known  a  few  years  ago.    A  cashier 
in  one  of  the  most  prominent  houses  in  New  York  had  become  violently 
addicted  to  playing  lottery.  He  also  seemed  to  have  good  luck,  for  he  won 
in  the  course  of  several  years  about  $60,000.     But  it  was  a  very  singular 
fortune,  whose  nature  very  soon  became  apparent.  One  day  he  disappeared 
and  his  body  was  soon  after  found  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  city,  where 
he  had  committed  suicide  by  a  shot  in  the  head.     A  letter  to  his  family 
explained  the  motive  for  this  terrible  deed.    He  had  not  only  lost  his  own 
not  inconsiderable  fortune,  but  also  $100,000  which  he  had  taken  from 
his  employer,  in  playing  lottery,  out  of  which  sum  he  had  defrauded  his 
employer  in  the  vain  hope  of  "forcing  his  luck".     And  that  was  a  player 
who  had  had  uluck"  and  had  won  about  $60,000.     The  downward  course 
is  of  course  much  quicker,  where  no  property  is  at  the  player's  disposal  as 
a  reserve.     People  of  this  class  may  be  considered  from  the  moment  that 
lottery  becomes  a  passion  with  them,  as  irretrivably  lost.  And  it  becomes 
a  passion  only  too  easily  and  holds  its  victims  with  a  power,  against  which 
the  warning  voice  of  common  sense,  of  duty  and  of  nature  are  ineffectual. 
The  following  may  be  considered  as  an  example  of  what  has  been  said 
above. 

Herbert  Lawrence  was  a  clerk  in  a  well  known  broker's  office,  and  the 
only  support  of  his  widowed  mother  and  sister.  He  was  in  every  respect 
an  examplary  young  man  as  a  son  and  brother  and  in  his  business.  Al 
though  still  quite  young,  his  salary  was  a  very  good  one,  and  he  seemed 
to  be  at  the  starting  point  of  a  very  promising  future.  But  one  day  he 
allowed  himself  to  be  persuaded  by  a  friend  to  buy  a  ticket  in  the  Dela- 
ware lottery.  He  did  it  more  for  a  joke  than  with  any  idea  of  winning 
anything.  He  had  in  fact  entirely  forgotten  the  ticket,  when  he  met  his 
friend  who  congratulated  him  on  his  good  fortune.  Lawrence  did  not 
know  for  the  instant  what  luck  he  meant,  whereupon  his  friend  told  him 
that  his  (Lawrence's)  ticket  had  won  $1000. 

The  stroke  of  luck  was  perhaps  a  not  very  large  one,  but  nevertheless 
one  which  could  make  a  man  in  Lawrence's  circumstances  feel  happy. 
Unfortunately  Lawrence  was  not  satisfied  with  the  passing  happiness. 
Luck  had  brought  him  on  a  stake  of  $5  a  sum  which  he  would  hardly 
have  been  able  to  earn  with  half  a  year's  hard  labor.  Just  as  he  had  won 
$1000,  he  might  win  $50,000  or  more.  Luck  had  come  to  him  unsought, 
why  should  he  not  take  the  hint  and  in  turn  seek  for  fortune  ?  Such  were 
the  reflections  that  had  been  aroused  in  the  young  man  by  his  prize,  and 
he  resolved  to  invest  the  whole  $1000  in  the  lottery  again,  with  the  hope 
of  having  the  money  thus  risked  returned  to  him  ten  and  hundredfold. 

Of  his  prize  Lawrence  only  received  two  thirds,  as  the  other  third  went 
for  commissionage  etc.  ;  but  soon  he  began  to  execute  his  design,  and  be- 
came a  regular  customer  in  the  different  lotteries.  Now  and  then  he  would 


LOTTERIES    AND    POLICY.  497 

win  a  small  prize,  but  his  capital  rapidly  declined.  At  the  same  time  he 
neglected  his  duties,  as  all  his  thoughts  were  concentrated  on  the  result  of 
each  drawing.  The  more  eagerly  he  sought  to  grasp  the  mirage  of  fortune, 
the  more  quickly  would  it  flee  from  him.  The  original  prize  had  long  ago 
been  returned  to  the  lottery,  and  Lawrence  now  broke  upon  his  savings. 
But  these  also  dwindled  away,  and  he  used  part  of  his  current  salary  for 
buying  lottery  tickets.  For,  he  thought,  as  he  had  had  so  much  continued 
misfortune,  a  change  for  the  better  must  soon  come.  But  this  change  did 
not  come.  He  tried  to  force  the  luck,  suffered  his  mother  and  sister  to 
want,  and  even  contracted  debts,  only  to  be  able  to  buy  tickets.  But  all 
in  vain  !  The  luck  would  not  come.  lie  became  absent-minded  and  for- 
getful and  committed  so  many  blunders  that  he  was  threatened  dismissal. 
He  then  conceived  the  unfortunate  idea  of  making  a  last  desperate  venture 
and  then  let  it  end  as  it  would,  never  to  play  again.  He  would  take  so 
many  tickets  that  it  would  be  a  wonder,  if  he  did  not  win.  He  did,  and 
for  this  purpose  used  money  belonging  to  the  firm,  which  he  took  with  the 
intention  of  repaying  it  with  his  expected  prizes,  or  if  he  should  have  mis- 
fortune, by  the  strictest  economy.  One  drawing  after  another  came,  but  his 
numbers  were  on  none  of  the  lists.  Lawrence  felt  completely  broken  down. 
Whether  he  would  have  held  to  his  resolution,  never  to  play  again,  cannot 
be  said,  for  in  the  meanwhile  his  defalcations  were  discovered,  and  the 
head  of  the  firm  had  all  the  less  regard  for  him,  as  he  had  changed  very 
much  for  some  time.  The  end  of  this  sad  story  is  easily  told.  Lawrence 
is  in  jail.  The  mother  is  in  her  grave,  to  which  grief  has  brought  her, 
and  the  sister  is  cast  frieudless  upon  the  world.  Heaven  alone  knows 
what  her  fate  may  be  !  And  all  this  was  written  on  that  lucky  ticket 
which  Lawrence  had  bought  "for  a  joke". 

Hundreds  of  similar  examples  could  be  mentioned  here.  The  policy 
game  especially  makes  itself  severely  felt  among  the  middle  and  poorer 
classes.  Experience  seems  to  be  of  no  effect  with  this  kind  of  gambling. 
The  passionate  policy  player  in  his  senseless  chase  for  luck  may  be  re- 
duced from  affluence  to  poverty  and  ruin  ;  but  he  will  not  give  up  the  idea 
that  one  day  his  luck  will  change  and  he  will  at  last  become  rich  and 
wealthy  by  some  fortunate  combination  of  numbers. 

In  every  large  lottery  office  these  characters  will  be  found  as  daily 
visitors.  This  man,  for  instance,  with  the  gray  beard  and  hair,  with  fixed 
look,  and  the  fleshless  body  hardly  covered  by  some  torn  rags,  belongs  to 
this  class.  Ten  years  ago,  although  not  rich,  he  was  still  comfortably 
situated.  What  he  is  now,  policy  has  made  him.  Hoping  from  year  to 
year,  and  from  day  to  day,  that  the  magic  of  dreams  and  of  numbers 
would  make  him  rich,  he  gradually  lost  his  money  and  at  last  his  reason. 
But  to  the  present  day  he  kuows  no  greater  happiness  than  to  sit  in  the 
lottery  office,  studying  the  numbers  drawn  and  ciphering  out  what  numbers 
must  follow.  He  still  lives  in  the  hope  that  he  will  sometime  become  rich. 

32 


498  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

In  another  lottery  office  an  equally  sad  speetacle  can  be  observed  :  A 
pale  young  man  in  torn  clothes,  keeping  the  office  clean  and  performing 
similar  services.  He  is  the  well  educated  son  of  a  farmer,  talented  and 
"well  stocked  with  knowledge.  He  has  been  caught  in  the  meshes  of  policy 
and  soon  changed  from  au  active,  happy  youth  into  an  idle  dreamer.  The 
hope  of  sudden  riches  by  lucky  numbers  has  crushed  out  all  energy  within 
him.  He  feels  satisfied  in  his  low  position  which,  besides  furnishing  him 
board  and  lodging,  also  secures  him  the  privilege  of  playing  on  three  num- 
bers daily.  The  lunatic  asylum  and  the  pottersfield  will  in  all  probability 
also  be  the  end  of  his  career. 

The  passion  for  playing  lottery  in  all  its  different  forms  is  spread  far 
and  wide.  No  age,  no  sex,  and  no  standing  in  society  is  free  lrom  it. 
Even  school  children  can  be  found  saving  their  pennies  to  buy  a  lottery 
ticket  or  to  play  on  some  number.  Parents  often  let  their  children  want 
the  most  necessary  things,  that  they  may  not  by  any  means  lose  a  draw- 
ing, from  which  they  expect  the  realization  of  some  long  nourished  dream. 
The  high  opinion  that  some  persons  have  of  the  lottery  agent,  is  sometimes 
really  ludicrous.  They  look  upon  him  as  a  kind  of  deity,  in  whose  power 
it  lies  to  put  an  end  to  all  their  troubles  and  to  realize  all  their  hopes  for 
riches.  Not  seldom  do  letters  come  to  the  agent  from  widows  and  fathers 
of  large  families,  which,  besides  money  tor  a  ticket,  also  contain  touching 
sketches  of  the  poverty  and  misery  of  the  writers.  Many  declare  the 
money  sent  to  be  the  last  they  have,  and  beg  the  agent  to  take  pity  on 
their  misery  and  to  let  them  win  for  once.  The  cool  attempt  to  gain  the 
agent's  good  will  by  a  promise  of  "halves",  is  also  of  not  infrequent  occur- 
rence. These  people  probably  know  nothing  of  the  immense  swindle  that 
goes  hand  in  hand  with  all  lotteries,  and  that  lotteries  do  not  exist  to  let 
the  players  win,  but  to  drawr  the  last  cent  out  of  their  pockets.  This  is 
the  case  with  even  the  most  respectable  lottery,  if  there  can  be  any  idea 
at  all  of  respectability  in  connection  with  lotteries  whose  first  principle 
already  has  the  seed  of  swindle  imbedded  within  it. 

In  regard  to  management,  the  Havana  lottery  still  enjoys  the  best  repu- 
tation. But  the  different  lotteries  licensed  in  Louisiana,  Alabama,  Ken- 
tucky, Missouri  and  other  states,  perhaps  not  injustly,  do  not  enjoy  much 
confidence.  Of  the  Alabama  lottery  it  has  been  said  often  and  publicly 
hi  the  daily  papers,  that  if  it  would  have  to  pay  large  amounts  for  the 
numbers  drawn,  they  would  be  changed  for  others.  The  other  lotteries 
are  not  entirely  free  from  the  suspicion  of  dishonesty.  We  therefor  do 
them  no  injustice  by  saying  that  the  player  must  expect  to  be  swindled 
just  as  much  as  the  "greenhorn"  who  tries  his  luck  in  "Three  card  monte" 
or  in  "Thimblerigging". 

But  the  fact  that  licensed  lotteries  in  various  states  and  the  policy  game 
are  nothing  but  a  hidden  swindle,  by  no  means  ends  the  matter.  There 
are  a  number  of  agencies  whose  lotteries  are  the  most  shameless  swindles 


LOTTERIES    ANI>    POLICY.  4'.)9 

practiced  in  New  York.  They  either  deal  in  forged  tickets,  or  in  tickets 
of  lotteries  that  never  had  any  existence.  In  both  cases  they  simply  re- 
ceive the  money  without  giving  the  buyer  of  the  tickets  any  chance  what- 
ever to  win.  We  have  already  mentioned  this  class  of  lotteries  in  the 
chapter  on  swindle  and  have  especially  spoken  of  the  so-called  "Spanish 
lottery'*  as  an  example.  In  order  to  fully  illustrate  the  doings  of  the  lot- 
teries in  general,  it  will  be  necessary  to  recur  to  this  subject  and  to  ac- 
quaint the  reader  with  the  history  of  one  of  the  most  impudent  and  best 
known  lottery  swindles. 

The  firm  under  which  this  swindle  still  flourished  about  10  or  11  years 
a^o,  has  left  behind  as  G.  W.  Huntington  &  Co.  a  poor  reputation  in 
New  York  as  well  as  in  the  rest  of  the  U.  S.  The  name  of  the  firm  was 
of  course  an  assumed  one,  as  the  partners  belonged  to  the  "most  respect- 
able" families  in  the  city.  Besides  advertisements  in  almost  all  the  papers, 
the  company  published  a  monthly  paper  containing  plans  of  their  lottery, 
together  with  sensational  reading  matter.  Of  this  publication  over  two 
hundred  thousand  copies  were  distributed  gratis  every  month.  At  the 
same  time  the  firm  represented  itself  as  the  agents  of  a  large  number  of 
other  lotteries,  many  of  which  did  not  exist  at  all.  Thus  Huntington  & 
Co.  came  into  possession  of  a  correspondence  extending  over  all  the  states 
of  the  Union,  as  people  applied  to  them  from  all  parts  for  tickets  for  this 
or  that  drawing.  Thousands  of  letters  received  by  them  contained  money 
in  amounts  from  50  cents  up  to  $10.  How  wrell  their  business  must  have 
flourished,  will  be  seen  from  their  mariner  of  conducting  the  drawings. 
Real  drawings  did  not  take  place  in  the  lotteries  arranged  by  the  firm. 
They  simply  determined  beforehand  upon  nine  numbers  which  should  be 
considered  as  "drawn".  Let  us  suppose  these  numbers  were  1,  7,  14,  35, 
11,  8,  55,  91  and  240.  According  to  their  announcements,  the  ticket 
which  contained  three  of  the  above  numbers  in  the  same  order,  was  en- 
titled to  prizes  ranging  from  $50,000  to  $250,000.  Smaller  prizes  were 
also  offered  for  two  of  the  drawn  numbers  in  the  same  order  as  above.  As 
the  swindlers  knew  the  numbers  "drawn"  beforehand,  it  was  an  easy 
thing  for  them  to  arrange  them  as  they  pleased.  Thus  it  was  that  no  one 
was  ever  known  to  have  drawn  a  grand  prize  in  their  lottery.  It  did 
happen  indeed  that  buyers  sometimes  received  tickets  with  1,  7,  80,  or 
14,  35,  9  etc.,  and  thus  obtained  small  prizes.  The  possessors  of  such 
tickets  always  received  the  list  of  drawing  with  the  following  letter: 

"We  are  sorry  that  your  ticket  with  14,  35,  9  did  not  win  anything,  but 
you  have  the  satisfaction  of  knowing  how  near  the  grand  prize  you  came. 
If  instead  of  9  you  had  11,  you  would  be  a  rich  man  to-day.  But  perhaps 
you  will  be  more  fortunate  the  next  time.  Perseverance  is  a  virtue  which 
is  always  sure  to  gain  its  end.  Hoping  that  you  will  honor  us  with  further 
orders,   we  remain  Yours  truly 

G.  TV.  Huntinnrton  &  Co." 


500  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

Maqy  were  flattered  by  the  attention  which  the  great  banking  house 
G.  W.  Huntington  &  Co.  seemed  to  show  them  by  this  letter.  The  fact 
also  that  they  had  nearly  drawn  the  grand  prize,  stimulated  their  passion 
for  playing  further.  But  not  one  of  the  swindlers'  victims,  and  they  could 
be  counted  by  hundred  thousands,  ever  received  a  grand  prize.  If  a  new 
customer  sent  a  larger  amount  as  $10  or  $20,  tickets  were  sent  which 
according  to  program  would  draw  prizes  amounting  to  about  $2  or  $3» 
Thus  confidence  of  winning  was  excited  in  the  new  customer  and  he  was 
stimulated  to  play  further.  The  company  never  failed  to  let  regular 
customers  occasionally  win  so  as  to  encourage  them. 

The  company  had  over  one  thousand  agents  in  postmasters  and  other 
persons  scattered  through  all  the  states.  These  of  course  received  a  cer- 
tain commission  for  the  tickets  sold  by  them.  Huntington  &  Co.  therefor 
considered  it  no  more  than  fair  that  these  gentlemen  should  be  plucked  in 
their  turn.     This  was  done  in  the  following  genial  manner. 

They  instituted  a  "Great  Consolidated  Union  Lottery",  the  advantages 
of  which  were  set  forth  in  extravagant  terms  in  circulars  which  were 
distributed  everywhere.  The  tickets  were  printed  on  fine  paper  in  colored 
ink,  and  the  cheapest  of  them  cost  $10.  It  was  of  course  to  be  expected 
with  such  high  prices  that  very  few  tickets  would  be  sold.  Every  agent 
was  furnished  with  a  small  number  of  these  tickets,  at  the  highest  three  or 
five.  In  a  "confidential"  circular  accompanying  them,  it  was  stated  that 
this  drawing  was  regarded  as  a  benefit  for  the  old  customers  and  that  more 
prizes  had  been  put  in  than  ever  before. 

The  day  of  the  drawing  came,  and  as  the  company  had  expected,  nine 
tenths  of  the  tickes  remained  unsold.     This  event  however  had  been  fore- 
seen.    Printed  circulars  had  already  been  in  readiness  for  some  time, 
which  were  now  sent  to  all  the  agents.     These  circulars  were  as  follows : 
"Dear  Sir, 

The  drawing  of  "Grand  C.  U.  Lottery"  took  place 
yesterday  at  12  M.  You  will  please  return  the  tickets  remaining  unsold 
in  your  hands,  immediately.  You  will  also  endeavor,  where  it  can  be 
done,  to  buy  back  the  tickets  sold  by  you,  and  debit  us  for  the  amount  thus 
paid  out.  Do  not  ask  for  our  reasons  in  doing  this,  but  send  the  tickets, 
upon  receipt  of  which  we  will  send  you  a  certified  list  of  the  drawing. 
Yours  etc.  G.  TV".  Huntington  &  Co." 

Each  one  of  the  agents  now  thought  that  one  or  more  of  the  tickets  sent 
them  had  drawn  large  prizes  and  that  the  company  was  trying  to  get  them 
into  their  possession.  This  seemed  undoubtedly.  But  which  tickets  bore 
the  luck  numbers?  A  little  risk  in  this  case  might  bring  unbounded  riches. 
The  bait  was  so  tempting  that  all  the  agents  without  exception  kept  back 
as  many  tickets  as  possible,  and  hundreds  sent,  instead  of  the  tickets,  from 
$30  to  $50  with  many  excuses  that  it  was  not  possible  for  them  to  buy 
back   the  tickets.     There  had  never  been   so  many  tickets  sold  before  in 


I. oil  I.  KIT  IS     AND     POLK    ^  •  501 

any  lottery,  and  what  seemed  still  stranger,  was  that  four  fifths  of  all  the 
tickets  were  held  by  the  agents.  These  agents  awaited  with  great  anxiety 
the  lists  of  drawing,  from  which  they  hoped  to  read  their  luck.  Bat  to 
their  astonishment  and  horror  it  came  otherwise  Even  those  who  had  kept 
all  the  tickets,  so  as  not  to  let  the  grand  prize  escape  them,  found  that 
they  had  not  won  a  cent.  For  the  company,  however,  the  swindle  had  paid 
exceedingly  well,  while  at  the  same  time  they  had  cheated  the  agents  out 
of  a  part  of  their  commission. 

This  will  give  a  fair  idea  of  the  mode  of  doing  business  employed  by 
this  firm.  It  is  therefor  not  to  be  wondered  at,  that  the  mayor  as  well 
as  the  police  authorities  were  constantly  receiving  complaints  against  the 
company  lrom  all  parts  of  the  country.  Many  complained  that  they  had 
played  so  many  years  in  Huntington  &  Co.'s  lotteries  without  ever  winning, 
and  as  there  seemed  to  them  to  be  something  out  of  order,  they  asked  for 
information  about  the  company.  Others  again  were  convinced  that  their 
tickets  had  won,  and  asked  the  authorities  to  help  them  to  obtaiu  justice. 
The  worst  of  it  was  however,  neither  the  police  nor  the  mayor  knew  who 
the  firm  Huntington  &  Co.  were,  or  where  it  existed.  It  could  only  be 
reached  by  mail,  and  so  slyly  had  the  arrangements  been  made  that  the 
police  could  not  come  upon  their  track,  even  by  watching  the  mails.  De- 
tectives were  placed  near  the  post  box  to  follow  the  person  receiving  the 
letters.  But  he  did  not  seem  to  have  any  particular  way  to  go,  as  he 
crossed  and  re-crossed  the  most  lively  streets  and  at  last  disappeared  in 
some  crowd  or  overcrowded  eating-house.  Once  the  rascal,  after  having 
led  the  detective  a  great  distance,  was  arrested  by  the  latter,  when  it  ap- 
peared that  he  had  already  delivered  the  letters,  and  had  probably  given 
them  to  some  member  of  the  firm  while  passing  him  in  a  crowd.  He  stuck 
to  it  however  that  he  did  not  know  anything  of  the  firm,  but  had  been 
requested  by  some  unknown  gentleman  to  get  the  letters  for  him.  The 
attempt  to  force  a  confession  from  him  by  continued  arrest,  was  also  a 
failure.  The  company  soon  discovered  his  arrest  and  had  him  released 
through  a  lawyer  in  a  very  short  time.  Thus  the  matters  stood,  when  a 
new  complaint  was  received  against  the  company,  which  iuduced  the 
mayor  to  entrust  the  celebrated  detective  Geo.  S.  McWatters  with  the 
breakiug  up  of  this  swindle  concern  at  any  price. 

A  farmer  from  the  neighborhood  of  Bangor,  Maine,  was  the  happy  pos- 
sessor of  a  Huntington  ticket  which  had  "almost  drawn  a  graud  prize". 
Immediately  after  the  drawing  he  received  from  the  firm  the  list  of  the 
numbers  drawn,  together  with  the  letter  containing:  "We  are  very  sorry, 
etc."  The  farmer  was  not  satisfied  with  this.  He  saw  that  he  had  lost 
the  grand  prize.  But  after  a  careful  study  of  the  plan  of  drawing,  he  dis- 
coveres  that  he  is  entitled  by  the  two  numbers  drawn,  to  a  smaller  prize. 
lie  immediately  informs  the  company  of  his  opinion,  and  requests  them 
to  sent  him  his  prize  by  return  of  mail.     But  instead  of  this  he  receives 


502 


THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 


a  letter  from  the  company  stating  that  he  is  entirely  mistaken.  But  all  in 
vain  !  •  The  farmer  knows  his  right,  and  will  have  his  prize  or  he  will  go 
to  law  about  it.  The  company  thereupon  answers  that  he  may  do  about 
it  as  he  pleases.  The  farmer  now  gives  the  case  into  the  hands  of  a  law- 
yer, between  whom  and  the  lawyer  of  the  company  a  bitter  war  breaks 
out,  the  end  of  which  seems  to  be  more  distant  every  day. 

The  farmer  at  last  loses  his  patience.  He  starts  for  New  York  to  go 
at  the  swindlers  himself.  One  fine  morning  we  find  him  in  the  city  wan- 
dering down  William  street  with  a  firm  step.  Here  in  No.  23  the  rascals 
have  their  office,  as  he  sees  from  the  circular  of  the  company  which  bears 
the  picture  of  the  house  with  a  large  sign  of  "G.  W.  Huntington  &  Co., 
Bankers/'  as  a  heading.  He  quickly  finds  No.  23.  The  house  on  the 
circular  is  exactly  like  No.  23,  only  the  large  sign  wanting.  But  that 
makes  no  difference,  he  thinks.  He  enters  at  the  first  door  and  asks  for 
puntington  &  Co.,  but  nobody  knows  anything  about  them.  There  are 
plenty  of  offices  in  the  building,  mostly  of  lawyers,  but  no  banking  establish- 
ment has  ever  been  known  to  have  been  in  the  building.  This  is  bad,  and 
our  friend  the  farmer  tells  his  sad  tale  to  Mr.  Wheaton,  an  able  and  learned 
lawyer  having  his  office  in  the  building.  He  declares,  after  listening  to 
the  story,  that  the  firm  Huntington  &  Co.  was  in  all  probability  a  swindle 
concern,  and  that  it  would  be  very  difficult  to  do  anything  in  the  matter. 
He  directs  a  note  to  the  address  of  the  firm,  informing  them  of  the  arrival 
of  the  farmer  as  well  as  of  his  intention  to  force  his  claims  in  a  court  of 
law.  The  mxt  day  a  lawyer  appeared  in  Mr.  Wheaton's  office  and  pre- 
sented himself  as  the  representative  of  Huntington  &  Co.  who,  he  declared, 
would  not  pay  a  cent  in  this  case.  As  for  further  details,  he  was  authorized 
to  treat  for  the  company  with  Mr.  Wheaton.  The  attempt  however  to 
discover  the  office  of  the  company  failed  completely.  The  smart  lawyer 
declared  cooly  that  he  had  been  engaged  as  the  representative  of  the  com- 
pany by  a  third  person,  and  that  he  did  not  know  nor  care  to  know  the 
office  of  these  gentlemeu. 

The  case  of  the  poor  farmer  now  was  hopeless.  Mr.  Wheaton  therefor 
advised  him  to  be  satisfied  with  some  small  sum,  rather  than  to  lose  any 
more  time  or  money  by  further  steps  against  the  swindlers.  He  saw  the 
good  sense  of  this  advise  and  was  happy,  when  a  few  days  afterwards  the 
lawyer  of  the  company  declared  himself  authorized  to  refund  to  the  farmer 
the  travelling  expense  to  and  from  Maine.  But  the  impudence  with  which 
the  swindlers  mocked  the  law  in  this  case,  was  the  cause  that  upon  Mr. 
Wheaton's  representations,  the  mayor  took  energetic  steps  against  the 
rascals.  But  only  after  many  fruitless  attemps  did  the  detective  McWat- 
ters  succeed  in  breaking  up  this  band.  Their  circulars  afforded  the  first 
clue,  as  the  detective,  after  all  other  means  had  failed,  tried  to  discover  the 
printing  office  where  they  had  been  printed.  But  he  soon  found  that  they 
had  not  been  printed  in  the   city.     That  was  not  very  much,  but  upon 


LOffTEtilBfl    AM»    POLICY. 

further  inquiry  he  gained  some  more  information.  A  compositor  en 
on  the  Tribune,,  thought  he  recognized  peculiarities  in  the  circulars  which 
Reminded  him  of  a  printing  office  in  Norwich,  Conn.,  where  he  had  for- 
.  worked  for  BOme  time.  The  detective  immediately  sets  out  for  Nor- 
wich. He  goes  to  the  printing  ofiice  and  sees  that  the  proprietors  arc; 
.-table  business  men  who  would  never  allow  themselves  to  be  used 
knowing!  v  tor  purposes  of  a  swindle,  and  has  the  satisfaction  of  finding 
that  tliev  indeed  printed  the  circulars.  From  these  gentlemen  he  received 
further  information  which  enabled  him  to  discover  the  office  of  these  rascals 
in  Xo.  b  Tryon  Bow.  But  it  was  no  lottery  office,  but  over  the  door  was 
a  sigu  with  uReal  Estate  Office'  .  This  office  however  was  in  connection 
with  another  office,  the  door  to  which  showed  a  sign  with  "Private  Con- 
sulting Room".  The  detective  now  knows  that  hi  must  seek  the  solution 
of  the  secret  in  that  room,  and  immediately  makes  every  preparation  to 
that  effect.  By  watching  the  office,  it  was  an  easy  matter  to  discover  the 
other  partners  and  to  arrange  everything  for  the  final  blow.  After  having 
taken  every  precaution,  he  arrested  the  swindlers,  of  whom  he  found  the 
chief  in  the  consulting  room  in  the  midst  of  circulars,  tickets  and  letters. 
At  the  same  time  all  the  clerks,  as  well  as  all  the  books  and  the  corres- 
pondence of  the  firm,  consisting  of  over  2000  letters,  were  secured.  Ther2 
was  therefor  no  want  of  proof  against  the  swindlers.  The  members  of 
the  firm  as  well  as  all  the  clerks  belonged  to  the  richest  and  most  pro- 
minent families  of  the  city,  and  were  eager  to  save  themselves  the  disgrace 
of  a  public  disclosure  by  a  full  confession.  From  regard  to  their  families 
as  well  as  their  confession  and  the  promise  never  again  to  undertake  the 
swindle,  the  mayor  resolved  to  content  himself  with  the  breaking  up  of 
the  firm  and  to  abstain  from  further  legal  measures.  The  money  letters 
received  by  the  last  mail  were  returned  to  the  writers,  and  a  circular  was 
sent  to  each  one  of  their  customers,  18,000  in  number,  stating  that  the 
firm  Huntiugton  &  Co.,  as  a  great  swindle,  had  been  broken  up  by  the 
police.  The  firm  paid  all  the  expenses  for  postage,  clerks,  office  hire  etc., 
arising  from  this  work.  This  was  the  end  of  one  of  the  most  notorious 
lottery  firms,  a  swindling  concern,  the  impudence  of  which  was  perhaps 
never  equalled  in  cur  city.  But  its  spirit  continues  to  exist,  although 
more  or  less  hidden  iu  all  the  lotteries  of  the  present  day.  We  gave  this 
detailed  sketch,  which  we  have  taken  from  the  notes  of  detective  Geo.  S. 
McWatters,  a  man  most  eminent  in  his  profession,  as  a  warning  insight 
into  the  doings  of  lotteries  in  jreneral. 

Unfortunately  it  is  a  warning  only  to  the  victims  of  the  lottery  swindle, 
but  not  to  the  swindlers  themselves.  For  the  treatment  of  these  prominent 
swindlers  can  hardly  be  regarded  as  a  punishment  at  all,  much  less  as  a 
punishment  for  those  gigantic  swindles  practiced  through  a  number  of 
years.  Even  the  names  of  these  rascals  were  kept  from  the  public  from 
considerations  for  their  families.     The  more  important  considerations  of 


504  TEE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

right  and  justice  have  been  overloked  most  inexcusably  in  this  case.  The 
lottery  swindle,  we  are  sorry  to  say,  still  continues  to  exist  in  New  York, 
and  dozens  of  agencies,  with  known  or  unknown  offices,  carry  on  a  most 
profitable  business.  A  kind  of  lottery  swindle  which  is  carried  on  under 
the  mask  of  charity,  we  have  spoken  of  in  another  chapter,  as  the  charity 
swindles.  Another  swindle  which  is  nothing  but  a  variation  of  the  "Gift 
enterprises",  already  described,  is  attempted  so  often  that  we  cannot  leave 
it  unmentioned  here.  Besides  speculating  on  pious  simplicity,  the  swind- 
lers also  speculate  on  a  loose  conscience.  It  is  much  oftener  successful 
than  we  would  suppose.  It  is  conducted  in  the  following  manner.  The 
victim  selected  by  the  swindler  one  fine  day  receives  the  following  letter : 

"Dear  Sir :  As  we  write  this  letter  in  your  own  interest,  there  is  no 
necessity  of  excusing  our  liberty.  We  know  very  well  that  it  would  have 
a  good  effect  for  us,  if  somebody  in  your  vicinity  would  win  some  large 
prize  and  would  show  the  money  about  stating  at  the  same  time,  in  which 
lottery  he  had  won  it.  We  therefor  take  the  liberty  of  sending  you  a  well 
arranged  package  of  tickets  wrhich  we  have  expressly  selected  for  you. 
This  however  is  only  done  on  the  condition  that  you  try  to  work  among 
your  acquaintances  in  our  interest.  You  must  not  forget  that  the  chief 
object  in  this  arrangement  is  a  recommendation  of  our  firm,  and  that  we 
therefor  expect  that  you  show  the  money  about  stating  at  the  same  time 
that  you  have  received  the  lucky  number  from  our  office." 

"Should  you  have  any  objections  to  lotteries  and  should  have  conscien- 
tious scruples  against  accepting  the  money,  you  will  of  course  not  answer 
this  letter.  But  this  is  our  offer,  and  we  are  so  sure  in  selecting  a  lucky 
number  that  in  case  this  package  of  tickets  does  not  win  at  least  $5000, 
we  will  send  you  another  bundle  of  tickets  for  our  extra  drawing,  free." 

The  attentive  reader  of  this  letter  cannot  overlook  the  swindle  hidden 
therein.  For  the  writer  promises  to  put  a  winning  ticket  into  the  package. 
But  whether  he  does  so  or  not,  he  is  a  swindler  in  either  case.  It  is  a  sad 
fact,  but  most  persons  only  see  the  tempting  promise  of  a  sure  prize  of 
$5000.  For  that  money  they  think  they  can  oblige  the  company  and  puff 
them  up  a  little.  They  send  the  money  for  the  tickets,  and  that  is  the 
last  that  they  hear  of  the  swindlers.  If  they  can  show  their  neighbors 
anything,  it  will  not  be  a  prize  to  iuduce  them  to  play  in  a  lottery,  but 
their  package  of  tickets  as  a  proof  of  their  own  verdancy  and  a  warning 
of  the  lottery  swindle. 

Very  often  conductors  of  lotteries  write  to  persons  in  the  country,  en- 
closing tickets.  In  such  cases  it  is  of  no  infrequent  occurrence  that  people 
are  foolish  enough  to  send  the  money  for  the  ticket.  The  lottery  swindler 
then  thankfully  pockets  the  money  and  after  some  delay  informs  his 
customers  that  their  tickets  have  not  won  anything  and  tnat  he  wishes  them 
better  luck  next  time.  Others  are  smarter  and  completely  ignore  such  tickets 
sent  to  them.  In  that  case  they  receive  the  following  letter  in  a  short  tirao  : 


LOTTERIES    AND    POLICY.  505 

0  "No.  10  Mechanics  Exchange,  Newport,  Kv..  March  8,  1873. 

"Dear  Sir:      Your  ticket   lias  won   a  prize  of  $250.     But  as  you  have 

yet  paid  tor  your  ticket,  you  can  only  draw  the  prize  iu  the  following 

manner.     AVrite  a  letter  to  me,  dating   it    from   the  day  of  drawing,   and 

enclosing   the  price   of  the  ticket.     As  soon  as  I  receive  the  letter,  I  will 

I  it  unopened  to  the  directors  of  the  lottery  with  the  remark  that  it  had 

mislaid  iu  the  post  office,  but   that  it   is  all  right.      These  gentlemen 

do  not  know  that  you  are  the  possessor  of  this  ticket.     They  will  therefor 

receive   tiie  money  and  send  you  a  certificate  for  it.     But  do  not  mention 

by  any  means  that   I  wrote   to  you   about  it.     Just  put  the  money  in  the 

letter  and  leave  it  in  your  post  office.      I  can  easily  alter  the   date   of  the 

cancellation  here.     After  receiving  the  money,  you  will  greatly  oblige  me 

.owing  the  money  to  your  friends  and  get  them  to  buy  tickets  from 

my  office.  Yours  etc. 

J.  M.  Percival." 

The  beginning  of  the  letter,  "your  ticket  has  won  a  prize",  is  intended 
to  tickle  the  possessor  of  the  ticket.  In  most  cases  the  trick  is  indeed  suc- 
cessful. The  majority  hasten  to  follow  the  directions  of  the  swindler. 
They  send  the  money  and  letter  in  the  desired  manner  and  impatiently 
wait  for  the  certificate  necessary  to  obtain  the  money.  But  this  does  not 
come,  and  after  waiting  for  some  time,  during  which  no  answer  arrives 
to  several  letters  dispatched  to  "J.  M.  Percival",  our  friend  begins  to  see 
that  he  has  been  more  easily  cheated  than  his  friends  who  sent  the  money 
in  the  first  instance.  The  swindler  has  nothing  to  fear  in  the  matter,  as 
!ii>  victims  make  themselves  accomplices  to  a  fraud,  although  only  a 
stimulated  one.  That  part  of  the  above  letter,  in  which  Percival  speaks 
of  altering  (that  is,  forging)  the  date  of  the  cancellation,  is  not  put  in  there 
without  a  special  object. 

But  enough  of  the  swindle,  as  the  "honest"  lotteries  are  even  bad  enough. 
What  would  we  say  to  a  game  in  which  the  player  must  always  lose,  and 
the  banker  always  win.  This  is  actually  the  case  with  the  lottery.  If  we 
take  all  those  holding  tickets  as  one,  and  the  lottery  as  the  other  of  two 
parties  playing,  the  lottery  always  wins.  Thus  the  undertakers  of  these 
lotteries  are  enabled  to  build  palaces,  while  their  regular  customers  with 
whose  money  they  do  it,  sink  lower  every  year,  until  after  a  mi-speut  life 
they  go  to  the  poor  house,  or  the  potter's  field.  If  the  blinded  slave  of 
lottery  would  devote  the  energy  to  an  honest  industry,  which  he  devotes  to 
lottery,  he  would  be  sure  to  make  his  mark  in  this  world.  But  he  sinks 
slowly,  but  surely  down  to  ruin.  He  only  sees  the  possibility  of  winning, 
and  this  has  the  same  power  over  him,  as  the  certainty  would  have.  If  all 
tickets  are  sold,  somebody  must  win,  always  supposing  houesty  to  prevail. 
But  this  is  always  only  one  in  a  thousand.  It  just  as  many  thousands 
should  one  after  another  jump  down  from  trinity  steeple,  there  is  just  as 
much  probability  that  some  of  these  fools  would  get  off  unhurt.  This  would 


506  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

be  regarded  as  a  wonder,  and  the  unfortunate  ones  would  be  held  up  a? 
warning  examples  of  the  danger  of  the  undertaking. 

Not  so  in  lottery.  Here  a  fortunate  winner  shall  always  prove  to  the 
world  how  easy  it  is  to  make  one's  fortune.  In  1871  a  tenth  of  ihe  ti 
winning  the  grand  prize  in  the  Havana  Lottery,  had  been  sold  in  New 
York.  An  Agency  of  this  lottery  in  Wall  street  harped  ou  this  event  a 
whole  year  and  published  it  in  the  daily  papers  as  well  as  in  circulars. 
Although  the  drawings  of  the  Havana  Lottery  take  place  evory  17  days,. 
New  York  has  not  been  favored  with  another  stroke  of  luck  from  this 
source.  Thus  while  the  winner  stands  alone  in  his  glory  of  the  present 
day,  the  number  of  losers  can  be  counted  by  hundreds  of  thousands. 

It  is  still  worse  with  the  prizes  in  our  inland  lotteries.  Many  think  the 
chances  of  winning  very  great,  because  f^r  instance  in  the  Kentucky  Lot- 
tery out  of  78  numbers  13  must  win.  But  this  is  a  great  mistake.  Ot 
78  numbers  each  one  exists  in  a  thousand  different  combinations  with  two 
others  on  the  different  tickets.  Through  these  combinations  the  actual 
number  of  tickets  is  raised  to  78,000.  Furthermore,  as  only  those  tickets 
win  which  bear  the  numbers  in  the  order  in  which  they  are  drawn,  the 
possibility  of  winning  a  prize  or  two  (an  uAmbo")  or  even  on  three  (a 
"Terno ")  is  very  small.  Only  in  the  probability  of  a  prize  on  a  simple 
number  (a  "Solo")  are  the  changes  of  winning  in  the  ration  of  13  to  78. 
Such  a  prize  however  only  pays  back  the  price  of  the  ticket,  and  that  not 
without  deducting  15  percent,  as  is  the  case  with  every  prize.  Thus  the 
player  must  even  lose  in  the  last  case.  These  "Solos"  with  an  occasional 
"Ambo"  are  the  chief  magnets  which  attract  lottery  players  and  as  a  gua- 
rantee for  future  luck,  stimulate  them  to  renewed  daring  aud  losing.  Many 
lottery  players  have  the  unfortunate  idea  that  they  can  force  the  luck. 
They  belong  to  the  worst  class  of  gamblers.  Suicide,  the  lunatic  asylum 
or  the  prison  not  seldom  forms  the  closing  scenes  of  the  lives  of  such  per- 
sons. They  know  the  secret  how  such  "forcing"  can  be  done,  and  theo- 
retically they  are  right.  They  say  if  you  play  at  every  drawing  and  always 
double  your  stakes,  you  will  surely  win  a  prize  some  time,  that  will  cover 
all  your  former  losses.  This  is  undoubtedly  true.  Only  to  bring  such 
an  experiment  to  a  close,  it  would  be  necessary  to  have  the  patience  of 
Job,  aud  the  riches  ot  Croesus.  This  will  be  easily  seen.  If  a  player 
according  to  this  "forcing  system"  should  begin  with  1  cent,  he  would  re- 
quire in  the  twentieth  drawing  a  stake  of  over  $5000.  But  let  him  begi:» 
with  5  cents,  and  his  stake  in  the  20th  drawing  will  be  over  $20,000  ;  or 
with  an  original  investment  of  $5,  the  20ih  drawing  would  require  a  capita 
of  over  $2,000,000.  But  whoever  has  so  much  money  at  his  disposal  can 
make  a  better  use  of  it  than  by  "forcing"  his  luek  iu  the  lottery.  Poorer 
people  had  better  keep  the  first  stake  in  their  pockets,  and  dismiss  every 
idea  of  "forcing"  their  luck  in  lotteries.  Small  tricks  are  also  not  wan- 
ting by  which  passionate  lottery  players  try  to  gain  the  good  will  of  fortune. 


LOTTERIES    AND    TOLICV.  507 

One,  f°r  instance,  supposes,  he  will  insult  dame  Fortune,  by  not  letting 
chance  have  full  play  in  obtaining  his  tickets.  lie  therefor  always  takes  the 
tir>i  tickets  that  come  into  his  hands,  and  takes  good  care  not  even  to  glance 
at  them.  This  is  a  sure  way  of  winning.  And  not  until  the  drawing  has 
taken  pace  does  he  look  at  his  tickets,  fully  expecting  that  each  one  has 
drawn  a  prize.  If  he  is  mistaken,  he  consoles  himself  with  the  hope,  that 
he  will  have  all  the  more  luck  the  next  time. 

Another  player  again  believes  that  there  is  no  chance  in  this  world,  but 
that  everything  goes  on  according  to  "eternal  and  unchangeable  laws." 
And  as  the  lotteries  undoubtedly  belong  to  this  world,  he  also  denies  the 
existence  of  chance  with  regard  to  them,  and  he  makes  it  the  business  ot" 
his  life  to  find  out  the  "eternal  and  unchangeable  laws',  according  to 
which  the  prizes  are  drawn.  If  we  should  hear  such  a  lottery  philosopher 
talking,  we  would  suppose  he  had  already  solved  the  great  problem.  He 
keeps  a  close  account  of  all  drawings.  For  him  lottery  is  a  science,  and 
the  numbers  and  combinations  of  numbers  in  which  he  plays,  are  always 
the  result  of  deep  study,  and  complicated  mathematical  problems.  He 
always  plays  such  numbers,  as  he  is  sure  must  win.  Still  they  do  not- 
win.  This  does  not  trouble  him  a  bit.  He  makes  new  calculations,  to 
find  the  mistake  in  his  former  calculation.  He  soon  finds  it,  and  with 
more  confidence  he  finds  the  numbers  that  must  be  drawn  the  next  time- 
Another  mistake  and  another  discovery,  and  this  continues  until  the  poor 
fellow  has  calculated  himself  into  the  poor-house  or  the  lunatic  asylum. 

The  last  two  however,  are  only  specimen  of  a  very  small  class.  The 
large  majority  of  the  lottery  gamblers  believe  in  a  mystic  connection  of 
dreams  with  the  lucky  numbers.  They  neither  trust  to  chance  nor  to- 
calculations,  and  live  in  the  happy  idea,  that  man  dreams  only  to  win  in 
the  lottery.  It  is  only  to  interpret  the  dreams  correctly.  This  is  dene  bv 
a  book  which  bears  the  beautiful  title  of  "dream  book".  Any  person 
only  half  way  in  his  senses,  can  only  find  the  most  disgusting  nonsense  in 
this  book,  which  has  preserved  the  superstitions  of  the  middle  ages  to  the 
present  day.  More  nonsensical  stuff  than  we  find  in  this  book,  could  not 
possibly  be  thought  of.  Every  dream,  picture  or  sensation  produced  by 
the  mind  of  the  sleeper  is  not  only  explained  in  this  book,  but  also  possesses 
a  number.  If  the  dreamer  plays  on  the  numbers  in  the  lottery,  he 
will  surely  become  a  millionaire.  He  has  perhaps  taken  a  late  and  heavy 
supper  the  night  before  and  as  a  natural  consequence  his  slumber  is  not 
easy.  He  dreams  of  elephants  with  cat's  eyes  aud  fiery  teeth  or  any  other 
monstrosities.  The  first  thing  he  does  when  he  awakens,  is  to  consult  a 
dream  book.  With  its  help  he  has  soon  combiued  the  elephant,  cat's  eyes 
•  and  fiery  teenth  in  numbers,  and  he  hurries  to  the  policy  shop  in  the  sure 
hope  that  a  "flat  gig"  will  recompense  him  for  all  the  pains  and  fear  en- 
dured during  the  night.  But  he  does  not  win,  aud  not  once  but  hundreds 
of  times  has  the  dream  book  misled  him  in  such  a  mauner.     But  never- 


308  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

tl.eless  he  consults  it  every  day  with  undiminished  confidence.     No  super- 
stition is  deeper  seated,  and  more  difficult  to  uproot,  than   that  of  dream 
numbers.     This  is  probably   so   from  the  fact  that  it  only  takes  root  in 
those  heads,  whose  organization  enchives  the  possibility  of  receiving  any 
,  reasonable  arguments   whatever.     These    dreamers   of  numbers  are  the 
lowest  and  most  wretched  of  all  the  lottery  players.     Many  of  them  at 
last  only  live  to  dream,  and  dream  to  play  in  the  lottery.     What  wonder 
then  that  such  people  at  last  degenerate  in  every  respect  and  mostly  close 
their  career  in  the  poor  house,  or  in  the  lunatic  asylum.     The  less  edu- 
cation a  person  possesses,  the  easier  does  he  take  to  this  superstition.  Among 
I  he  uneducated  masses  of  our  negro  population  it  is  spread  the  most,  but 
white  men  and  women  are  also  not  wanting,  who  are  not  a  bit  better  than 
ihe  negro  in  this  respect.     It  is  chiefly  the  policy  game  which  has  in  the 
<!reain  book  its  inseperable  ally.     In  this  respect  it  is  a  real  hot-house  of 
-superstition,  and  as  it  can  be  played  for  any  amount,  it  is  one  of  the  most 
dangerous  accompanyments  of  the  lotteries.     It  almost  seems  to  possess 
an  epidemic  character.     We  are  almost  forced  to  this  conclusion  upon 
noticing  the  effect  which  the  entrance  of  a  male  or  female  lottery  or  policy 
player  has  upon  a  neighborhood,  which  is  not  yet  infested  by  "Policy." 
It  has  almost  the  same  effect  as  we  would    see   if   a  person  afflicted  with 
small-pox  should  be  moved  into  a  densely  settled  neighborhood. 

But  how  is  it,  that  the  lotteries  with  dangerous  influence  extending  in 
all  directions,  still  exist  and  flourish  in  our  midst,  in  spite  of  all  law  and 
ordinances  to  the  contrary.  The  explanation,  simple  as  it  is,  is  very  un- 
satisfactory. The  best  laws  are  of  no  use,  if  the  officers  entrusted  with 
their  execution  do  not  do  their  duty.  Why  they  do  not  do  their  duty  may 
partly  be  due  to  the  immense  wealth  and  political  influence  of  those  at  the 
head  of  these  concerns.  The  police  certainly  know  the  lottery  shops  ex- 
isting in  all  the  streets,  as  well  as  the  public.  As  long  as  they  do  not 
close  them  as  ordered  by  law,  so  long  does  the  accusation  stand  against 
them  that  they  are  gained  by  bribery.  For  only  occasionally  does  the 
police  seem  to  remember  the  lottery  laws.  They  then  pounce  upon  some 
small  offices  in  side  streets.  But  the  next  morning  the  same  shops  are 
again  in  full  blast  as  well  as  the  large  policy  shops  in  our  principle  streets. 
In  the  summer  of  1870  it  seemed  for  a  short  while  as  if  the  lottery  and 
j>olicy  shops  were  to  be  wiped  out  of  existence.  One  fine  day  the  police 
made  a  complete  raid  on  all  the  lottery  shops  between  the  Battery  and 
Harlem,  and  arrested  everybody  connected  with  them.  Thus  the  city 
seemed  to  be  effectually  cleared  of  "Policy".  The  papers  and  the  respect- 
able community  rejoiced  over  the  final  triumph  of  law.  But  the  rejoicing 
was  a  little  too  early.  The  policy  shops  remained  closed  for  just  one  day. 
when  they  again  resumed  business  as  if  nothing  had  happened  to  interfere 
with  it.  Nobody  was  punished,  arid  the  number  of  policy  shops  has  in 
<i  eased,  if  anything,  since  that  time,  so  that  the  raid  seemed  to  have  beei. 


IHI    LUNATIC     ASYLUMS.  509 

f  no  use  whatever.     After  such  a  sample  not  much   was   hoped  for  any 

love  from  law,  which  nobody  could  he  found  to  execute.     Aud  still  a  law 
ould  be  of  groat  beuefit  which  would  make  it  punishable  for  any  one  to 
•i  1   lottery  circulars  by  mail.      For  a  large  part  of  the  lottery  business 
nd  all  the  business  of  the  lottery  swindles  is  done  by  mail.     But  the   in- 
uence  which  can  prevent  the  execution  of  disagreeable  laws,  is  also  strong 
nough  to  prevent  their  framing. 
Thus  it  will   be  a  good  while  before  lottery  aud  policy  disappear  from 
ic  list  of  the  "dark  sides"  of  our  city.     They   have  brought    misery   to 
sands  of  families,  and  even  a    "luck",   that  is  occasionally  gained  by 
ome,  is  not  always  without  its  cause.     We  have  found  them  to  be  among 
he  most  powerful  promoters  of  pauperism  aud  ignorance,  as  well  as  the 
overiug  for  the  most  shameless  swindles.     That  they  still  exist  in  oui 
jidst  shows  the  emptiness  and  hypocrisy  of  the  reform  phrases,  which  are 
hrowu  about  the  more  liberally,  the  less  they  are  used  in  earnest. 


THE  LUNATIC  ASYLUMS. 

The  saddest  kind  of  diseases  to  which  man  is  subject,  are  those  of  the 
uind,  in  which  the  action  of  the  brain  is  more  or  less  permanently  inter- 
iipted.     This  form  of  disease  is  probably  as  old  as  mankind  itself,  and 
nsanity  can  be  traced  into  ancient  times,  when  the  mist  of  the  age  of 
hbles  was  broken  by  the  first  rays  of  history.     In  those  ancient  times  iu- 
ianity  was  not  regarded  as  a  disease.     Not  seldom  are  the  senseless  utter- 
tuces  of  idiots  thought   to  be  expressions  of  a  supernatural  inspiration. 
The  idiot  was  then  looked  upon  as  the  in-pired  seer,  and  attempted  to 
solve  the  prophetic  meaning  of  his  words.     Another  view  of  insanity  was 
that  which  looked  upon  an  idiot  as  "possessed  by  the  devil".     They  were 
then  shunned  as  such,  driven  into  the  deserts  and  even  killed,  as  they  were 
considered  hardly  any  better  than  the  evil  one  himself.     There  was  of 
course  no  idea  of  a  treatment  of  such  unfortunates  with  such  views,  un- 
less exorcising  the  devil  was  considered  a  treatment.     The  so-called  court 
'fools  or  jesters  at  the  courts  of  princes,  were  originally  nothing  but  idiots 
of  a  pleasant  and  contented  nature,  whose  foolish  actions  and  words  amused 
the  "noble"  men  as  well  as  the  low  people.     Only  one  hundred  years  ago, 
idiots  chained  in  narrow  cells,  were  shown  for  money,  just  as  it  is  done  at 
present  with   wild  animals  in  a  menagerie.      And  even  to-day  there  are 
thousands  who  look  upon  the  unfortunate  inmates  of  a  lunatic  asylum  as 


•510 


THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 


ii  they  were  looking  at  wild  beasts  in  a  menagerie.  A  long  while  even 
rJ'or  insanity  was  recognized  as  only  a  disease,  was  the  medical  treatment 
of  idiots  confined  to  subduing  and  intimidating  the  patient. 

The  lunatic  asylums  therefor  resembled  prisons  more  than  they  did  hos- 
pitals, and  all  that  it  was  intended  to  do,  was  to  prevent  the  insane  from 
injuring  themselves  or  other  persons.  Only  in  recent  times  has  the  pro- 
gress of  science  produced  a  reform  in  the  treatment  of  idiots.  Our  present 
lunatic  asylums,  if  they  were  conducted  with  spirit  of  reform,  would  be 
institutions  in  which  the  unfortunate  patient  is  not  only  prevented  from 
injuring  himself  and  others,  but  where  they  also  receive  a  proper  medical 
treatment,  in  accordance  with  the  laws  of  humanity,  and  return  again  as 
useful  members  of  society.  Thus  they  are  philanthropic  institutions  of  the 
noblest  kind,  and  the  finest  productions  of  the  progress  of  our  a<re. 

But  how  do  they  come  among  the  "Dark  Sides  of  New  York"?  Simply 
because  a  thing  is  not  always  that  what  it  is  supposed  to  be,  and  that  there 
is  a  great  difference  between  things  as  they  are  and  as  they  ought  to  be. 
Thus  it  is  also  with  the  lunatic  asylums  of  our  city,  in  which  until  very 
recently  the  greatest  abuses  were  openly  practiced,  and  if  indeed  it  is  any 
better  at  present,  it  is  not  at  all  impossible  that  these  abuses  will  be  repeated. 
Next  to  being  buried  alive,  no  idea  is  more  inspired  to  fill  any  one 
with  horror  than  that  of  being  imprisoned  in  a  lunatic  asylum,  while  in 
possession  of  all  his  faculties.  Real  and  invented  adventures  of  this  kind 
circulate  among  the  people,  and  are  one  of  the  chief  causes  of  the  horror 
with  which  lunatic  asylums  are  looked  upon  to  the  present  day.  The 
past  few  years  have  also  brought  to  light  some  facts  with  regard  to  our 
insane  asylums,  which  do  not  reflect  very  creditably  upon  their  adminis- 
tration. They  led  to  the  belief,  that  the  laws  with  regard  to  sending 
lunatics  to  an  asylum,  did  not  only  not  prevent  the  incarceration  of  per- 
fectly sane  persons  there.  °  At  the  time  other  facts  came  to  light  which 
seemed  to  show  that  the  administration  in  the  treatment  and  care  of  the 
patients,  was  a  century  behind  time. 

In  order  to  find  out  whether  there  were  any  truth  in  these  rumors,  and 
to  work  for  the  abolition  of  the  abuses,  in  case  of  their  truth,  the  N.  Y. 
Tribune  in  August,  1872,  determined  to  adapt  a  new  as  well  as  an  original 
manner  to  solve  the  question.  One  of  its  reporters,  Mr.  Chambers,  re- 
ceived orders  to  assume  insanity,  whereupon  two  of  his  friends  should 
secure  the  necessary  medical  and  judicial  documents  and  remand  him  to 
the  asylum  in  Bloomingdale.  The  lunatic  asylum  in  Bloomingdale  was 
chosen,  because  it  had  long  been  considered  a  model  institution,  and  if 
anything  proved  itself  rotten  there,  the  conclusion  was  easily  arrived  at, 
that  the  other  institutions  must  necessarily  be  so,  as  in  truth  they  seemed 
to  be  without  any  investigation  at  all.  We  will  speak  of  the  result  of  the 
investigation  further  on.  This  experiment  had  at  the  same  time  the  benefit 
that  it  made  not  only  the  lunatic  asylums,  but  also  all  other  institutions  of 


THE    UNA  II-        \-Yl.l    MS.  51  1 

•harify  and  correction  the  subjects  of  discussion  in  our  daily  press,  and 
ised  further  inquiries  to  be  set  on  foot,  which  brought  to  light  a  number 
of  in  eresting  discoveries.  Thus  the  N.  Y.  Tribune  tore  off  the  hypo- 
critical mask  from  these  institutions,  and  proved  the  startling  rumors  to 
founded  on  fact,  on  the  basis  of  which  we  undertook  to  treat  of  these 

jtitutinns  under  the  "Dark  Sides"  of  our  city. 

The  B.oomingdale  asylum  is  a  private  institution  privileged  by  the  state, 
and  is  a  branch  of  the  "New  York  Hospital",  formerly  situated  on  Broad- 
way opposite  Pearl  street,  but  which  is  at  present  suspended  until  the  com- 
ion  of  its  new  building  in  White  Plains.  It  is  situated  on  117th  street, 
between  10th  and  11th  avenues,  and  is  considered  one  of  the  best  ar- 
ranged (  ?)  institutions  of  the  kind  in  the  world.  It  is  governed  by  a  board 
of  directors  who  are  called  the  governors  of  the  institution.  The  '-New 
York  City  Lunatic  Asylum",  a  large  building  on  Blakewell's  Island,  can 
contain,  together  with  its  side  buildings,  over  576  patients.  As  this  build- 
ing proved  itself  too  small,  a  new  one  Mas  begun  on  Ward's  Island  about 
three  years  ago. 

This  is  a  large  commodious  building  of  475  feet  front,  and  can  receive 
about  500  patients.  Both  of  these  institutions  are  under  the  control  of  the 
commissioners  of  charity  and  correction.  Both  of  these  institutions  to- 
gether do  not  suffice  for  the  accommodation  of  all  applicants,  as  the  pa- 
tients under  the  charge  of  the  commissioners  of  charity  amounted  to  1300 
i  .i  1870,  while  now,  after  the  completion  of  the  new  Ward's  Island  asylum, 
there  is  accommodation  for  only  107G  patients. 

These  then  are  the  institutions  to  wich  the  following  has  reference.  The 
Tribune  gave  its  reporter  strict  instructions.  According  to  these  he  should 
conduct  his  investigations  with  the  greatest  impartiality,  and  only  report 
Wich  facts  which  he  could  swear  to  in  a  court.  Mr.  Chambers  went  to 
work  at  once.  On  the  12th  of  August,  in  the  afternoon,  he  went  to  the 
Grand  Central  Hotel  in  Broadway,  where  he  rushed  into  the  office  in  great 
excitement,  and  entered  his  name  on  the  hotel  register  with  great  affecta- 
tion. Having  been  shown  to  his  room,  he  continued  to  draw  attention 
.  towards  himself  by  continually  pulling  at  the  bell  rope  and  giving  the 
waiters  answering  these  calls  the  most  absurd  orders.  Upon  the  arrival 
of  night  he  did  not  lie  down  to  sleep,  but  walked  up  and  down  the  room 
with  a  heavy  tread,  or  he  sat  down  by  the  open  window.  All  this  as  well 
as  the  fact  that  his  two  carpet  bags  were  still  in  the  middle  of  the  room 
where  the  porter  had  placed  them,  was  easily  noticed  by  the  attendants  of 
the  hotel  as  he  had  left  his  door  wide  open.  Every  one  who  saw  him, 
therefor,  came  to  the  conclusion  that  his  mind  must  be  slightly  deranged. 
The  following  morning  a  friend  called  upon  him,  who  had  undertaken  to 
start  the  affair.  He  greeted  Chambers  most  cordially,  who  however  did 
not  recollect  of  ever  having  seen  him.  After  this  scene,  which  had  also 
been  enacted  with  open  doors,  had  continued  for  some  time,  the  friend 


512  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

left,  apparently  deeply  moved,  and  as  he  said  in  the  hotel  office,  he  went 
for  a  doctor.  He  went  to  a  doctor  in  Amity  Street,  whom  he  related  the 
affair,  and  who  immediately  declared  that  the  young  man  must  either  be 
intoxicated,  or  suffering  from  the  effect  of  some  narcotic  administered  to 
him.     He  went  however  with  the  friend  to  see  the  patient. 

The  patient  was  sitting  by  the  open  window,  and  gazing  vacantly  into 
the  open  air,  when  they  entered.  The  doctor  tried  to  engage  him  in  a 
conversation,  felt  of  his  pulse,  but  all  without  eliciting  any  response  from 
him.  The  only  result  of  his  investigation  was  that  he  dropped  the  idea 
of  intoxication,  as  he  noticed  no  smell  of  liquor  on  the  patient,  and  ex- 
plained his  condition  as  the  result  of  a  stupefaction,  caused  by  some  nar- 
cotic. But  that  was  of  no  account,  and  a  little  brandy  and  peppermint 
would  quickly  set  him  to  rights  again.  The  two  "remedies"  were  ordered 
and  the  doctor  mixed  the  ingredients  with  a  businesslike  air.  After  con- 
siderable coaxing  the  patient  so  far  took  notice  of  the  doctor  as  to  receive 
the  tumbler,  only  to  empty  its  contents  out  of  the  window,  however. 
This  took  the  doctor  quite  aback.  As  an  adviser  of  good  "Bourbon",  he 
expressed  the  opinion  that  no  one  should  so  far  forget  himself,  as  to  treat 
good  brandy  in  such  a  manner,  and  declared,  after  another  unsuccessful 
attempt  to  induce  the  patient  to  take  the  medicine,  that  it  was  a  clear  case 
of  insanity.  He  thought  it  too  dangerous  to  leave  the  pa'ient  alone  in  the 
hotel,  and  offered  to  take  the  patient  to  his  office  and  to  watch  him,  which 
offer  was  accepted  by  the  friend.  The  doctor  left  with  Mr.  Chambers, 
while  the  friend  went  according  to  programme,  to  call  the  uncle  of  the 
sick  man.  The  Amity  Street  doctor  would,  in  all  probability,  not  have 
hesitated  to  issue  a  certificate  of  insanity,  but  the  object  was  to  obtain  a 
certificate  from  a  doctor,  who  laid  claim  to  a  scientific  education,  and  a 
special  knowledge  of  diseases  of  the  mind.  While  Chambers  continued 
his  acting  in  Amity  Street,  his  friend  together  with  his  uncle,  called  on 
Dr.  Lockrow  in  Great  Jones  Street,  and  invited  him  to  a  consultation  with 
the  Amity  Street  physician.  This  however  he  declined  to  do,  as  he  did 
not  recognize  the  practice  of  that  physician  as  respectable.  At  last  it  was 
decided  to  leave  the  Amity  Street  doctor,  and  to  place  the  patient  in  the 
hands  of  Dr.  Lockrow.  This  was  done  after  a  partner  of  the  Amity 
Street  doctor  haol  declared  the  patient  undoubtedly  insane.  But  Dr. 
Lockrow  also  was  not  able  to  see  through  the  deception,  and  even  thought 
the  condition  of  the  patient  so  excitable  as  to  prescribe  a  calming  remedy. 
He  also  advised  that  if  the  patient  did  not  get  any  better  during  the  night, 
it  would  be  best  to  send  him  to  the  lunatic  asylum  at  Bloomingdale.  In 
the  meantime,  upon  the  recommendation  of  Dr.  Lockrow,  he  was  brought 
to  the  La  Pierre  Hotel  in  Eighth  Street,  where  an  experienced  attendant 
should  watch  over  him  during  the  night.  The  attendant  began  his  duties 
by  supplying  himself  with  a  good  supper.  But  the  "lunatic"  soon  began 
to  cut  up  in  such  a  manner,  as  to  frighten  the  attendant  as  well  as  all  the 


THE    LUNATIC    ASYLUMS.  513 

inmates  of  the  hotel.  In  his  fright  the  attendant  asked  the  assistance  of 
one  of  the  hotel  porters,  and  the  doctor  who  called  during  the  evening, 
also  sent  a  student  of  medicine,  to  carefully  observe  the  patient  until 
morning.  Tiie  night  passed  as  it  had  begun.  "When  the  doctor  called  in 
the  morning,  terrible  stories  were  related  to  him  by  each  of  the  three 
persons  in  the  room.  There  was  no  doubt  then  as  to  the  insanity  of  the 
patient.  It  was  therefor  decided  that  Dr.  Lockrow  should  hold  a  final 
consultation  with  some  specialist  in  the  field  of  insanity,  and  then,  if 
necessary,  send  the  patient  to  the  Bloomingdale  asylum.  The  consultation, 
which  was  held  with  Dr.  C.  E.  Bellington  of  Lexington  Avenue,  took 
place  the  same  afternoon.  The  patient  took  no  notice  whatever  of  the 
physicians  and  answered  none  of  the  questions  directed  to  him.  The 
doctors  felt  of  his  pulse,  placed  their  hands  on  his  forehead,  and  then  re- 
tired into  a  corner  of  the  room,  where  they  held  their  consultation,  to- 
gether with  the  student  and  the  attendant.  It  did  not  last  long,  and  con- 
vinced  all  that  Chambers  suffered  of  insanity,  dangerous  both  to  himself 
and  to  his  surroundings.  It  was  consequently  decided,  to  take  the  neces- 
sary legal  steps  immediately,  to  bring  the  young  man  to  Bloomingdale.  The 
two  doctors  now  rode  in  company  with  the  uncle  to  the  Jefferson  Market 
Police  Court.  There  the  matter  was  brought  up  before  Judge  John  Cox, 
whom  the  uncle  requested  to  furnish  the  necessary  papers,  to  bring  Cham- 
bers to  the  lunatic  asylum,  remarking  at  the  same  time  that  two  physicians 
were  ready  to  sign  them.  The  police  judge  immediately  ordered  the  clerk, 
to  make  out  the  papers.  After  this  was  done,  he  required  the  two  phy- 
sicians to  sign  the  following  document : 

Police  Court  of  the  Second  District,  State  of  New  York, 
City  and  County  of  New  York. 

Arthur  Lockrow,  M.  D.,  and  C.  E.  Bellington,  M.  D.,  declare  upon 
their  oath,  that  James  J.  Chambers  is  insane,  and  is  so  much  deranged  in 
mind,  that  it  would  be  dangerous  for  his  own  person,  as  well  as  for  the 
person  and  property  of  others,  if  he  were  not  placed  in  safe  confinement. 
They  have  personally  examined  said  Chambers,  and  consider  his  mind  so 
deranged,  that  he  is  no  longer  able  to  distinguish  right  from  wrong,  or  to 
know  the  consequence  of  his  deeds,  as  he  has  completely  lost  the  free  and 
natural  use  of  his  mental  faculties. 

Sworn  to  before  me  this  14th  day  of  August,  1872. 

John  Cox,  Police  Judge. 
Arthur  Y.  B.  Lockrow.  C.  E.  Bellington. 

Thereupon  Judge  Cox  signed  the  following  document : 
Police  Court  of  the  Second  District,  Jefferson  Market,  State  of  New  York 

City  and  County  of  New  York. 
To  the  Police  Officers  and  the  Warden  of  the  "Bloomingdale 

Lunatic  Asylum/' 

After  it  has  been  declared  to  me,  the  undersigned,  a  police  judge  of 


514  TEE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

said  .city,  by  the  sworn  and  written  declarations  of  Arthur  Lockrow  and 
C.  E.  Bellington,  two  respectable  physicians,  that  James  J.  Chambers  is 
insane,  and  that  in  consequence  of  this  insanity,  he  is  so  much  deranged 
in  his  mind  as  to  endanger  his  own  person,  as  well  as  the  person  and 
property  of  others,  in  case  he  should  remain  at  liberty,  and  after  i"  have 
convinced  myself  by  a  personal  examination,  that  it  would  be  dangerous  to 
let  him  remain  at  liberty. 

I  do  hereby  order  in  the  name  of  the  people  of  the  state  of  New  York, 
the  above-named  police  officers  and  warden,  and  take  the  said  Chambers 
into  their  custody,  to  confine  him  in  the  lunatic  asylum  at  Bloomingdale,  in 
the  city  of  New  York,  (a  secure  place,  designated  by  the  governor  of  the 
cliaritable  institutions  for  this  purpose,  and  confined  as  a  fit  place  for  the 
detention  of  lunatics,  and  by  a  standing  resolution  of  the  city  and  county 
of  New  York)  and  to  treat  him  in  accordance  with  the  law. 

Given  under  my  hand  and  seal,  this  14th  day  of  January,  A.  D.  1872. 

John  Cox,  Police  Judge. 

This  document  was  handed  to  the  uncle,  and  after  having  been  assured 
by  the  clerk,  that  this  order  would  suffice  for  the  reception  of  the  patient 
in  the  asylum,  the  party  left  the  court-room.  The  whole  affair  had  not 
lasted  more  than  ten  minutes,  although  a  human  being  had  been  con- 
demned by  it  to  the  sad  imprisonment  in  the  lunatic  asylum.  So  little 
trouble  does  it  cost  to  declare  a  person  insane  by  means  of  the  courts,  and 
to  rob  him  of  his  liberty,  under  the  plea  of  insanity.  It  may  be  objected 
that  in  this  case  the  victim  had  imitated  insanity,  and  had  brought  into 
operation  all  means  of  deception,  in  order  to  be  detained  in  the  lunatic 
asylum.  This  is  true  indeed,  but  is  in  this  case  of  secondary  importance. 
Police  Judge  Cox,  with  whom  the  decision  rested  in  this  cas3,  had  never 
seen  the  man  before,  who  pretended  to  be  the  uncle  of  Chambers.  He 
did  not  know  who  he  was,  nor  did  he  even  ask  his  name  or  his  address. 
The  "uncle"  had  scarcely  spoken  twenty  words,  when  Judge  Cox,  guessing 
his  business,  ordered  the  clerk  to  make  out  the  necessary  papers.  Nor 
did  he  know  the  physicians,  he  did  not  convince  himself  that  they  were  actually 
"respectable  physicians",  and  not  quacks,  bribed  by  the  uncle  for  a  criminal 
purpose.  The  Judge  did  not  even  consider  it  necessary  to  see  the  chief 
person  in  the  whole  affair,  the  lunatic  himself,  whom  his  order  condemned 
for  an  indefinite  period  to  the  lunatic  asylum,  to  which,  as  will  be  seen 
ferther  on,  the  access  is  much  easier  than  the  egress.  The  reception  in 
the  asylum  was  attended  with  even  less  formalities,  than  the  furnishing  of 
the  necessary  documents.  Dr.  Burrill,  who  acted  as  chief  of  the  insti- 
tution in  the  absense  of  Dr.  Brown,  only  raised  the  objection  that  a  permit 
from  a  member  of  the  asylum  committee  would  be  necessary  for  the  re- 
ception of  the  patient.  Upon  the  declaration  of  the  uncle,  that  a  part  of 
the  money  for  board  &c,  would  be  paid  down,  and  that  the  permit  would 
be  obtained  tlio  next  day,  the  patient  was  received  temporarily  upon  the 


THE    LUNATIC    ASYLUMS.  5l5 

payment  of  $80,  for  four  weeks'  board.  No  examination  of  the  patient 
took  place,  except  that  we  call  it  an  examination,  that  Dr.  Burrill,  while 
shaking  hands  with  him,  felt  of  his  pulse  for  a  few  seconds.  No  questions 
were  asked  of  his  friends  as  to  his  sickness,  his  mode  of  living,  his  temper 
etc.  The  payment  for  board,  and  the  obtaining  of  the  permit,  were  the 
principle  points  on  which  the  reception  depended.  That  it  is  also  an  easy 
matter  to  obtain  this  permit,  will  be  seen  from  the  following.  The  follow- 
ing morning  the  friend  and  the  uncle  went  to  No.  52  Wall  Street,  the 
office  of  Geo.  Cabot  "Ward,  one  of  the  members  of  the  asylum  committee. 
They  said  nothing  of  the  permit,  but  only  wished  to  pay  the  balance 
necessary  for  the  reception  of  the  patient.  Mr.  "Ward  declared  himself  not 
authorized  to  receive  this  money,  as  this  must  be  paid  in  the  institution 
itself.  But  he  asked  them,  whether  they  had  a  permit  for  the  reception  of 
their  patient,  and  if  not,  he  would  be  happy  to  furnish  them  with  one. 
This  he  did  immediately  by  filling  out  the  following  document : 
"To  the  Warden  of  the  Insane  Asylum. 

New  York,  August  15th,  1872. 

Upon  the  reception  of  James  J.  Chambers  of  Brooklyn,  in  the  insane 
asylum  at  Bloomingdale,  I  agree  to  pay  $20  per  week  for  board  and 
medical  attendance,  to  the  Society  of  the  New  York  Hospital,  through  the  war- 
den. I  also  agree  to  be  held  responsible  for  all  damage  done  to  the  windows, 
bedding  and  furniture  of  said  asylum,  by  said  Chambers,  to  supply  him 
with  clothing,  to  receive  him  upon  his  dismissal  from  the  asylum,  and  to 
pay  the  funeral  expenses  in  case  of  his  death." 

(Signature  of  the  applicant.) 

"In  consideration  of  the  reception  of  said  James  J.  Chambers  in  the 
asylum,  and  of  one  dollar  paid  to  me  by  said  society,  the  receipt  of  which 
I  hereby  acknowledge,  I  declare  myself  responsible  for  the  performance  of 
the  above  agreement.'' 

(Signature  of  the  warden.) 

"Permii  for  James  J.  Chambers,  as  a  patient  in  the  asylum,  upon  pre- 
payment of  $260  for  board  for  13  weeks,  and  the  usual  security.  The 
order  of  the  judge,  required  by  the  revised  statutes,  will  be  delivered  to 
you  before  the  reception  of  the  patient. 

Geo.  Cabot  "Ward,  for  the  Committee  on  Asylums." 

This  permit  as  we  see  does  not  give  guarantees  to  prevent  the  imprison- 
ment of  perfectly  sane  persons  in  the  asylum,  but  is  only  intended  to 
look  out  for  the  pecuniary  welfare  of  the  institution.  The  permit  together 
with  the  balance  of  $180  for  board,  was  sent  to  the  institution  by  a  third 
person,  and  thus  the  detention  of  Mr.  Chambers  in  the  asylum  was  secured. 
The  consequences  which  may  be  derived  from  this  experiment  of  the 
Tribune  are  by  no  means  pleasing.  They  prove  the  fact  alreadv  con- 
clusively settled  by  other  insane  asylums,  how  easy  it  is  to  misuse  the 
"charitable  institutions"  known  as  lunatic  asylums,  for  the  purpose  of 


516  THE    DARK   SIDE    OP   NEW    YORK   LIFE. 

prisons.  Mr.  Chambers  remained  in  this  institution  twelve  days.  Neither 
the  doctors  nor  the  attendants  noticed  that  the  new  arrival  was  perfectly 
sane.  This  is  saying  a  good  deal,  when  it  is  remembered  that  he  did  not 
simulate  insanity  after  his  arrival,  but  simply  played  the  part  of  a  quiet 
observer.  As  stated  above,  Dr.  Burrill  did  not  enquire  in  the  least  about 
the  patient  upon  his  arrival.  The  question  for  his  first  name,  and  feeling 
of  his  pulse  sufficed  to  send  the  quiet  and  depressed  looking  patient  to  the 
department  for  excited  lunatics  (raving  maniacs,  etc.).  There  he  re- 
mained fonr  days.  During  this  time  he  was  not  examined  by  a  physician.. 
An  occasional  feeling  of  the  pulse,  and  a  "How  are  you  to-day'*?  "How 
"  have  you  slept?"  was  the  only  notice  taken  of  the  patient  by  the  visiting 
physician  during  this  time.  At  ona  time  two  directors  of  the  institution 
made  a  visit.  It  did  not  last  over  five  minutes  however,  and  although 
Chambers,  who  was  the  last  arrival,  placed  himself  in  their  way  in  such 
a  manner,  that  they  could  not  help  noticing  him,  still  they  took  no  notice 
whatever  of  him.  After  four  days  Chambers  was  at  last  transferred  from 
the  department  of  maniacs  into  one  of  milder  forms.  In  this  department 
he  remained  eight  days  without  showing  any  symptoms  of  insanity.  There 
his  pulse  was  not  felt  once.  But  a  friend  who  wished  to  see  him,  gained, 
permission  to  see  him  for  five  minutes,  with  the  greatest  difficulty  only. 
At  the  same  time  Dr.  Burrill  remarked  that  the  patient  was  still  in  a  condition,, 
which  would  make  his  dismissal  during  the  next  few  weeks  extremely 
dangerous,  and  would  possibly  bring  about  a  relapse.  According  to  his 
views  the  relatives  of  the  patient  should  still  leave  him  in  the  institution,, 
and  not  pay  any  attention  to  what  the  patient  might  communicate  to  them,, 
either  orally  or  by  letter.  How  long  the  patient  might  have  remained 
in  the  asylum,  if  his  pretended  relatives  had  had  an  actual  interest  in 
keeping  him  there,  can  not  be  said.  Chambers  had  already  made  enough 
observations,  to  furnish  a  thorough  description  of  the  administration,  and 
the  condition  of  the  patients  of  this  lunatic  asylum,  and  of  course  desired 
to  regain  his  liberty.  It  only  remained  to  discover  whether  the  accusation 
was  true,  that  the  officers  of  the  institution  were  always  notified  of  the 
issuing  of  a  writ  of  Habeas  Corpus,  and  then  dismissed  the  patient,  before 
the  writ  was  served.  In  this  manner,  it  was  said,  did  the  institution  pre- 
vent the  doings  in  their  institution  from  being  brought  to  light  by  an 
official  investigation. 

In  the  case  of  Mr.  Chambers  this  was  found  to  be  not  true,  for  the  writ 
of  "Habeas  Corpus"  was  actually  served  in  this  case,  before  the  patient 
had  left  the  asylum.  The  dislike  for  an  official  investigation  was  still 
very  apparent.  Dr.  Brown,  the  chief  of  the  institution,  whom  Mr.  Cham- 
bers had  never  before  seen,  now  condescended  to  visit  him  in  his  room. 
He  reasoned  with  him  how  disagreeable  it  would  be  for  him  to  have  his. 
name  in  the  newspapers,  as  dismissed  from  the  lunatic  asylum,  and  tried 
to  persuade  him  to  use  his  influence  for  withdrawing  the  writ  of  "Habeas 


THE    LUNATIC    ASYLUMS.  0l7 

Corpus".  As  Mr.  Chambers  did  not  consent  to  do  this,  similar  steps 
taken  with  the  uncle,  whose  attention  was  especially  called  to  the 
that  if  an  investigation  was  ordered,  he  (the  uncle)  would  appear  to 
brought  his  nephew  into  the  lunatic  asylum  without  any  reason.  The 
uncle  at  last  consented  to  effect  a  compromise  with  the  counsel  of  the 
applicaut,  that  the  writ  should  be  withdrawn,  and  the  supposed  lunatic  be 
discharged  from  the  asylum.  This  was  done  without  leaving  the  physi- 
cians of  the  asylum  the  least  idea,  that  the  dismissed  patient  was  probably 
the  clearest  head  that  had  ever  been  within  their  asylum.  The  reports 
which  Mr.  Chambers  then  published  in  the  N.  Y.  Tribune,  were  by  no 
means  flattering  for  the  institution.  Carlessuess  and  incompetency  on  the 
part  of  the  attendants  as  wrell  as  the  physicians,  poor  and  insufficient  food 
which  could  hardly  be  compared  with  that  of  a  second-class  boardinghouse, 
rude  treatment,  aye  even  cruel  abusing  of  patients  by  the  nurses^a  want 
of  proper  comfort,  etc.,  all  these  facts  proven  by  Mr.  Chambers  by  ex- 
amples, present  a  picture  which  resembles  almost  anything  but  a  char- 
itable institution.  He  admits  that  the  four  days  in  the  department  of 
maniacs,  had  almost  been  sufficient  to  derange  his  mind.  And  this  was 
the  case  with  him,  who  had  intentionally  smuggled  himself  into  this  place, 
and  full  well  knew,  that  he  could  leave  at  any  time.  We  cannot  here  go 
into  the  details  of  the  mismanagement,  brought  to  light  by  Mr.  Chambers' 
report,  on  account  of  space.  But  from  what  is  said  above,  we  ean  plainly 
see,  that  the  institution  was  managed  more  with  a  regard  to  its  own  finan- 
cial interest,  than  that  of  the  unfortunate  patients.  This  was  done  in  a 
private  institution,  which  charged  its  patients  high  prices,  and  claims  to 
be  a  model  institution.  If  this  then  is  the  case  with  our  model  institutions, 
how  must  it  be  writh  those  which  lay  no  claim  to  this  title.  Among  these 
are  our  public  lunatic  asylums,  erected  by  the  city  on  Blackwells  and 
Wards  Islands.  They  have  not  escaped  the  fate  of  all  the  other  public 
departments,  and  have  become  so  estranged  from  their  original  purpose, 
that  at  present  they  rather  serve  to  supply  politicians  with  offices,  than  to 
furnish  medical  attendance  and  a  home  to  poor  lunatics.  In  thug  making 
charitable  institutions  subservient  to  party  politics,  may  be  found  the  root 
of  that  evil,  by  which  richly  endowed  charitable  institutions,  which,  with 
an  able  and  honest  administration,  would  be  the  pride  of  the  city,  are 
rather  blemishes.  But  the  object  of  these  lines  is  not  to  uncover  the 
present  or  past  mismanagement  of  this  or  that  institution.  Nor  is  it  to  be 
taken  for  granted  that  because  wre  have  particularly  treated  of  the  lunatic 
asylums  as  one  of  the  "Dark  Sides  of  New  York",  that  all  others  of  our 
charitable  institutions,  as  hospitals,  poor  houses,  etc.  are  entirely  free  from 
mismanagement.  By  no  means  !  They  also  have  their  dark  sides,  wThich 
would  give  them  a  place  in  our  "Dark  Sides".  But  we  confine  ourselves 
entirely  to  lunatic  asylums  in  general,  because  their  mismanagement,  to- 
gether with  not  very  clearly  defined  laws,  make  it  possible  to  use  then?  d+ 


518  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

prisons  for  disgusting  private  purposes.     No  one  will  deny  after  what  hag: 
been  said,  that  such  a  misuse  of  the  lunatic  asylums  is  possible.     Further- 
more, that  the  detention   of  perfectly  sane  persons,  under  the  plea  of  in- 
sanity, has  actually  occurred,  can  also  be  proven.     Even  the  official  reports, 
cf  the  public  lunatic  asylums  do  not  deny  this  fact.     The  New  York  State 
Lunatic  Asylum,  for  example,  admits  in  its  report,  that  in  1869  not  less 
than  6  patients  were  received,  who  were  afterwards  found  to  be  perfectly 
sane.     In  the  City  Lunatic  Asylum  fifteen  patients  were  admitted  iu  1870, 
and  125  since  1847,  who  upon  a  close  examination  were  found  to  be  sane. 
It  may  indeed  be  true  what  the  physicians  say,  that  it  is  much  easier  to- 
detect  insanity,  than  perfect  saneness  in  a  person  ;  but  a  method,  by  which 
for  example,  Mr.  Chambers  was  received  and  detained  in  the  Blooming- 
dale  asylum,  contains  much  more  a  guarantee  for  the  reception  and  de- 
tention of.  any  sane  person,  than  his  rejection  or  dismissal.     Mr.  Cham- 
bers relates  in  this  respect  a  very  characteristic  case,  which  happened 
under  his  own  notice  in  the  Bloomingdale  asylum.     A  certain  Mr.  Estrada 
was  detained  there  as  long  as  his  relations  paid  for  him.     After  they 
stopped  paying  for  him,  the  officers  of  the  asylum  sent  him  to  the  asylum 
on  Blackwells  Island,  when  the  physicians  soon  after  recognized  him  as 
perfectly  sane,  and  dismissed  him.     The  following  case  of  intentional  de- 
tention of  a  sane  person  in  a  lunatic  asylum,  and  which  occurred  in  the  fall 
of  1872,  also  needs  no  further  commentary.     Conrad  Jacob,  a  German,, 
married  soon  after  his  arrival  in  New  York,  in  1851,  a  German  girl,  with 
whom  he  had  become  acquainted  in  Paris.     They  did  not  live  together 
very  happy,  and  their  married  life  was  nothing  but  a  continual  warfare, 
broken  only  by  an  occasional  truce.     Nevertheless  they  were  well  blessed 
with  the  goods  of  this  world,  and  a  large  laundry  which  they  had  estab- 
lished in  3rd  Avenue,  was  a  source  of  a  good  income  to  them.     They  also 
had  four  children,  the  oldest  of  which,  a  daughter,  was  already  twenty- 
one  years  old  in  the  fall  of  1872.     This  daughter  had  lately  been  the  cause 
of  dissension.     Now  it  is  nothing  unusual  for  a  young  girl  of  twenty-one 
years  to  fall  in  love,  nor  is  it  wrong.     But  it  was  wrong  that  she  gave  her 
love  to  a  loafer,  who  spent  twenty  dollars  for  every  ten  he  earned,  as  the 
father  soon  found  out.     But  it  was  still  worse  that  the  mother  assisted  the 
loving  pair,  and  favored  the  young  man's  suit,  the  more  the  father  opposed 
it.     The  mother  at  last  decided  to  make  short  work  of  it,  and  to  make- 
her  husband  harmles  by  a  coup  d'etat:    She  soon  found  the  "doctors"  who 
obliged  her  by  issuing  a  certificate  in  due  form,  declaring  Mr.  Jacob  insane. 
With  this  certificate  she  succeeded  in  obtaining  an  order  from  a  police 
judge,  for  the  detention  of  her  husband  in  the  asylum  on  Black  well's 
Island.     Mr  Jacob  was  then  induced  to  visit  the  "Island"  under  some 
pretext  of  business,  where  the  disagreeable  surprise  awaited  him,  to  be- 
immediately  detained  as  a  lunatic,  and  in  spite  of  all  protestations,  to  be- 
confined  in  a  cell.     In  this  terrible   condition  he  passed  five  days.     For- 


THE    LUNATIC    ASYLUMS,  519 

tunately  one  of  the  physicians  took  a  special  interest  in  him,  and  soon  dis- 
covered that  he  showed  no  traces  of  insanity.     lie  now  caused  him  to  be 
watched,  and  as  in  consequence  his  mental  sanity  was   not  to   be  doubted 
in  the  least,  Mr.  Jacob  was  dismissed.     Ilis  wife,  however,  was  anything 
but  overjoyed   at  his  quick  dismissal.     Therefor,  when   Mr.  Jacob  tried 
again  to  assume  his  position  at  the  head  of  the  family,  he  met  with  some 
objections.     His   wife   called  to   him  from  the   window,  that  she  did  not 
want  to  see  him  any  more,  that  he  could  go  where  he  pleased,  but  that  lie 
should  never  again  think  of  entering  that  house.     The  end  of  this  family 
drama  was  enacted  in  the  courts,  where  Jacob  sued  his  wife  for  the  re- 
covery of  his  property,  and  the  physicians  who  declared  him  insane,  for 
Si 0,000  damages.     That  was  a  case  that  had  a  fortunate  termination. 
It  shows  nevertheless  the  astonishing  facility,  with  which  any  rascal  can 
obtain  the  necessary  documents  for  the  execution  of  his  criminal  purposes. 
Another  interesting  case  is  that  of  a  nun,  Rose  McCabe,  which  occurred 
in  1872,  where  a  physician  signed  a  certificate  of  insanity,  only  to  oblige 
a  brother  physician.     Dr.  Nugent,  this  is  his  name,  was  asked  one  day 
by  one  of  his  colleagues,  while  accidentally  meeting  him,  to  sign  a  document 
declaring  Miss  McCabe  insane.     Dr.  Nugent  had  never  seen  her  before. 
He  knew  nothing  whatever  of  her  state  of  mind,  but  what  had  been  told 
him  by  his  colleague.     He  knew  full  well  the  consequences  of  a  document 
of  that  kind,  and  yet  he  signed  his  name,  without  first  satisfying  himself 
as  to  the  truth  of  his  colleague's  statements.     What  could  have  induced 
him  to  do  it?     Perhaps  the  $100,  which  had  been  promised  him  for  his 
signature.     Thus  this  bad  world  is  only  too  easily  inclined  to  think.     But 
the  doctor  explained  it  in  a  far  different  manner.     He  sigued,  as  he  said, 
only  to  see  whether  any  one  could  be  sent  to  a  lunatic  asylum  on  the  cer- 
tificate  of  a  physician,  who  had  never  seen  the  person.     Physicians,  how- 
ever, need  not  even  be  very  bad  or  careless,  to  declare  a  man  insane,  when 
he  is  anything  but  that.     It  is  well  known  how  easily  old,  nervous  persons 
of  a  morbid  irritability,  are  suspected  of  being  insane,  when  rascally  re- 
lations do  everything  in  their  power,  to   bring  about  this  result.     Such 
persons  can  easily  be  worked  up  for  a  time,  into  such  a  passion,  that  even 
good  physicians  will  look  upon  it  as  a  consequence  of  their  deranged  mind. 
For  as  in  the  case  of  Mr.  Chambers,  an  experienced  specialist  in  diseases 
of  the  mind,  was  not  able  to  detect  the  simulated  insanity,  how  much 
easier  must  it  be  for  an  ordinary  physician  to  mistake  the  highly  excited 
condition  of  a  nervous  man,  with  that  of  a  lunatic.     And  if  in  addition, 
the  physician  has  been  prepared  and  been  led  to  expect  a  lunatic,  by  the 
talk  of  the  family,  even  a  very  respectable  physician  may  aid  in  sending  a 
sane  man  to  the  lunatic  asylum.     When  such   an  unfortunate  fellow  is 
once  in   the  asylum,  his  condition  is  pitiable  indeed.     We  have  seen  how 
a  patient   was  received  and  sent  to  the  department  of  mad-meu,  without 
any  medical  examination  worth  speaking  of.     Now  put  yourself  in  the 


520  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

place  of  an  old  and  nervous  person,  who  is  in  his  full  senses,  sees  himself 
put  out  of  the  way  in  this  manner  by  his  relatives.  The  position  is  such 
as  to  break  even  the  strongest  spirit,  and  derange  the  strongest  mind.  How 
much  more  so  must  that  be  the  case,  where  a  morbid  irritability  already 
exists.  The  praying  and  beseeching  of  the  patients,  the  assurances  of 
their  sanity,  the  accusations  against  their  relatives,  or  their  rage  against 
the  imposition  practiced  upon  them,  are  either  not  noticed  at  all,  in  these 
institutions,  or  are  even  regarded  as  the  signs  of  a  deranged  mind.  To 
this  is  added  in  private  lunatic  asylums  the  pecuniary  interest,  which 
keeps  a  patient  under  treatment  all  the  longer,  the  higher  the  sum  is  that 
is  paid  in  advance.  In  this  respect,  a  gentleman  who  had  been  kept 
prisoner  in  a  lunatic  asylum  by  his  children,  who  wished  to  come  into 
possession  of  his  money,  for  over  two  years,  declares,  that  any  lunatic 
asylum  in  the  United  States  will  keep  every  patient  delivered  to  it,  insane 
or  not,  as  long  as  they  are  paid  for.  This  is  a  very  serious  accusation, 
but  there  are  examples  which  tend  to  show  it  not  to  be  without  foundation. 
Another  very  serious  accusation  against  the  Bloomingdale  asylum  is,  that 
if  a  writ  of  "Habeas  Corpus"  is  taken  out  for  any  patient,  he  is  dismissed 
before  the  writ  can  be  served.  Thus,  it  is  said,  do  the  officers  prevent 
anything  going  on  in  their  institution,  from  being  brought  out  to  light  by 
an  official  investigation.  For  as  the  patient  has  already  been  dismissed 
as  cured,  they  can  deliver  him  to  the  court,  and  any  investigation  of  the 
case  is  cut  off.  In  how  far  this  accusation  is  founded  on  fact,  we  can  not 
say.  In  the  case  of  Mr.  Chambers  it  was  found  not  to  be  true.  But 
there  are  cases,  which  it  seems  impossible  to  set  aside  as  without  any 
foundation.  The  best  known  case  of  this  kind  is  that  of  Mr.  G.  F.  Van 
Vleck,  a  prominent  and  rich  merchant  of  our  city.  As  his  story  casts  a 
peculiar  light  upon  our  subject  in  other  respects  too,  we  will  give  its  main 
features  below. 

Mr.  Van  Vleck,  while  sitting  at  breakfast  on  the  morning  of  March 
27th,  1871,  was  suddenly  seized  by  two  men,  perfect  strangers  to  him, 
and  dragged  out  of  the  house  into  a  carriage,  standing  there  in  readiness. 
He  had  no  idea  what  the  meaning  of  this  could  be,  and  only  wondered 
that  his  family  as  well  as  the  servants  made  no  attempts,  in  spite  of  his 
cries  for  help,  to  prevent  his  abduction.  When  the  carriage  drew  up  be- 
fore the  lunatic  asylum  in  Bloomingdale,  he  guessed  to  his  horror,  what 
was  to  be  done  with  him.  His  protest  against  this  treatment,  made  to 
Dr.  Porter,  was  of  no  avail.  He  found  himself  so  closely  watched,  that 
he  did  not  succeed  in  communicating  by  letter  with  the  outer  world,  except 
through  such  letters  as  passed  through  the  hands  of  the  officers,  i.  c,  were 
read  by  them,  and  he  found  his  hope  of  soon  regaining  his  freedom,  to  be 
in  vain.  The  consciousness  of  his  helplessness  so  worried  him,  that  he 
feared  he  would  actually  become  insane.  Only  by  his  strength  of  mind, 
and  his  resolution  to  foil  his  enemies,  kept  him  alive,  both  in  mind  and 


THE    LUNATIC    ASYLUMS.  ^21 

body.  He  undertook  to  keep  a  close  account  of  everything  that  occurred 
in  his  surroundings.  This,  together  with  the  attempts  to  preserve  his 
notes  from  discovery  and  destruction  by  the  attendants  of  the  asylum, 
furnished  him  useful  employment  and  diversion.  After  a  year  he  was  at 
illowed  a  little  more  liberty,  and  succeeded  in  sending  a  letter  to  a 
r,  Mr.  Townsend,  with  whom  he  was  well  acquainted.  Mr.  Town- 
send  visited  him,  and  promised,  after  satisfying  himself  of  his  sanity,  to 
procure  a  writ  of  "Habeas  Corpus"  for  him.  This  step  however  was  un- 
necessary. For  the  olhcers  had  received  notice  of  the  threatening  writ, 
and  before  it  could  be  served,  they  dismissed  him.  This  was  on  June 
21st,  1872,  sixteen  months  after  his  reception.  During  this  entire  period 
Mr.  Van  Vleck  did  not  know  which  judge  and  which  physicians  had  sent 
him  to  the  asylum.  Nor  did  he  know  in  what  his  insanity  consisted. 
Mr.  Van  Vleck  was  G2  years  of  age  at  the  time  of  his  reception,  and  had 
always  enjoyed  perfect  health  of  mind  and  body. 

In  private  institutions  the  money  question  very  often  is  the  cause  of  not 
hastening  the  dismissal  of  a  patient.  For  every  patient  is  a  good  boarder 
for  the  institution,  who  helps  to  swell  the  annual  income.  This  money 
question  drops  out  of  sight,  more  or  less,  in  the  public  institutions.  The 
consequence  is  just  the  opposite  of  what  we  have  seen  in  the  private  lun- 
atic asylums.  The  patients  are  dismissed  much  earlier  than  would  seem 
advisable,  both  for  the  patient's  interest  and  that  of  his  relations'.  Relapses 
with  such  prematurely  dismissed  patients,  are  not  unfrequent,  and  are 
often  attended  with  the  most  serious  consequences.  The  following  tragic 
occurrence,  which  happened  in  the  fall  of  1872,  may  serve  as  a  proof  for 
the  above. 

A  certain  Patrick  Levy  had  been  sent  on  account  of  temporary  dis- 
turbances of  the  mind,  in  which  he  threatened  the  lives  of  the  members 
of  his  family,  to  the  asylum  on  Ward's  Island.  After  he  had  passed  a 
week  in  the  asylum,  he  was  visited  by  his  wife,  who  was  overjoyed  to 
find  him  apparently  much  better.  The  patient  also  considered  himself 
cured,  and  begged  his  wife  to  take  him  home  again.  The  poor  woman 
allowed  herself  to  be  persuaded,  and  requested  the  physicians  to  dismiss 
her  husband.  Although  the  insanity  of  the  patient  was  of  such  a  dan- 
gerous nature,  and  he  had  been  under  their  treatment  for  so  short  a  time, 
that  they  could  hardly  have  formed  an  opinion  as  to  the  condition  of  the  dis- 
ease, they  nevertheless  granted  the  request.  They  dismissed  him  on  trial  for 
a  month.  But  this  trial  had  a  terrible  conclusion.  After  three  days  had  ti 
passed,  during  which  time  he  had  behaved  very  well,  his  desire  to  murder 
suddenly  returned  with  greater  fierceness  than  ever  before.  Unfortun- 
ately his  daughter  did  not  notice  the  first  symptous  of  returning  insanity, 
when  he  said  to  her  one  evening :  "I  shall  murder  you  all  to-morrow". 
The  insane  man  was  terrible  in  earnest  when  he  said  these  words.  For 
on  the  following  morning,   as  Mrs.  Levy  was  preparing  to  go  to  church, 


522 


THE    DARK    SIDE    OP    NEW    YORK   LIFE. 


he  took  his  carpenter  saw.  and  stepped  to  the  door  with  it.  As  his  wife 
stepped  out  without  a  thought  that  anything  was  out  of  the  way,  he  struck. 
her  two  powerful  blows  with  the  saw,  killing  her  almost  instantly.  He 
was  about  to  strike  her  again,  when  his  daughter  hurried  to  the  scene, 
crying  loudly  for  help,  and  caught  the  uplifted  arm  of  her  father,  who 
now  turned  upon  her.  After  a  short  struggle  she  succeeded  to  tear  her- 
self away,  and  to  escape.  He  caught  her  again  and  knocked  her  down 
senseless  with  a  blow  of  his  saw.  Thereupon  he  caught  his  twelve  years 
old  niece  by  the  throat,  and  would  have  also  murdered  her,  if  a  policeman, 
who  had  in  the  meanwhile  arrived,  had  not  knocked  the  saw  out  of  his 
hand.  But  he  was  also  not  able  to  master  him,  and  would  have  suc- 
cumbed to  the  mad-man,  if  some  other  person  had  not  come  to  aid  in 
time,  and  had  helped  to  overpower  him.  These  were  the  consequences  of 
dismissing  a  man  on  trial,  who  suffered  of  insanity  in  its  worst  form,  viz.,. 
the  desire  to  kill,  and  who  had  not  been  under  treatment  a  week. 

If  we  have  heard  already  from  Mr.  Chambers  facts  from  the  Bloom- 
ingdale  asylum,  which  kindled  our  righteous  indignation,  the  state  of 
affairs  in  the  public  asylums,  on  Ward's  and  Blackwell's  Islands,  are  much 
worse.  It  almost  seems  as  if  insanity  was  there  considered  a  crime,  and 
that  the  unfortunate  patients  are  accordingly  treated  as  criminals,  and 
that,  as  it  would  not  be  suffered  in  any  respectable  prison.  One  of  the 
most  disgusting  cases  of  brutal  treatment  became  known  in  the  fall  of 
1872,  when  in  the  asylum  on  Ward's  Island,  two  unfortuuate  patients 
were  ill-treated  in  such  a  manner  by  one  of  the  attendants,  by  the  name 
of  Farrell,  that  they  died  shortly  after.  The  investigation  brought  to 
light  the  following  revolting  facts:  Ornell,  a  Swede,  was  not  really  in- 
sane, but  a  helpless  cripple,  suffering  from  almost  total  paralysis.  He  was 
entirely  harmless,  and  good  natured  as  a  child.  This  poor  man  was  found 
one  day  on  his  bed  in  a  state  of  complete  exhaustion,  covered  by  bruises 
and  blood.  With  the  greatest  care  he  could  only  be  brought  back  to  life 
so  far,  as  to  answer  the  questions  how  he  had  come  to  be  in  this  condition? 
All  that  he  could  say  was  that  the  "big  attendant"  had  struck  him.  When 
all  the  attendants  stepped  up  before  his  bed,  he  recognized  Thos.  Farrell 
as  the  perpetrator.  Ornell  died  the  following  day.  The  only  punishment 
inflicted  on  Farrell  was,  that  he  was  dismissed.  But  Farrell  was  not  ar- 
rested until  after  the  death  of  Ornell,  another  inmate  of  the  asylum  cor- 
roborated the  statement  of  the  deceased.  The  arrest  had  hardly  taken  place, 
when  the  head  physician  was  informed  that  a  colored  patient,  by  the  name 
of  Seymour,  was  seriously  ill.  A  visit  to  the  sick-bed  showed  the  physi- 
cian bruises  and  wounds  on  the  head  of  the  patient.  His  principal  suffer- 
ing however,  arose  from  inflammation  of  the  bowels,  which  had  been 
caused  by  exterior  injuries  on  the  abdomen.  Upon  being  asked  how  he  had 
been  injured  in  such  a  manner,  the  sick  man  said  that  he  had  been  knocked 
down  and  kicked  about  by  Farrell  a  few  days  ago.     Upon  searching  fur- 


THE    LUNATIC    ASYLUMS.  523 

ther,  patients  were  found  who  had  been  witnesses  of  Farrell's  brutality 
towards  Seymour.  Seymour  also  died,  and  Farrell  was  charged  by  the 
coroner's  jury,  of  having  caused  the  death  of  Oruell  and  Seymour. 

But  this  seemed  to  have  no  effect  upon  the  other  attendants.  On  the 
contrary,  matters  seemed  to  become  worse.  A  patient,  Samuels,  ailing 
for  a  long  time,  died  in  consequence  of  insufficient  food,  and  an  ice-cold 
bath,  administered  to  him  as  a  punishment,  for  disobeying  the  regulations., 
by  a  certain  McDonald.  The  same  attendant  a  few  days  after,  broke  the 
nose  of  an  insane  man,  for  putting  on  two  pairs  of  pantaloons.  Another 
patient,  the  Italian  Rafaello,  was  badly  hurt  by  the  attendaut  Mc 
Gloughlin.  Attendant  Foles  did  the  same  thing  to  a  certain  Thomas 
Cooper.  Attendant  Michael  O'Reilly  abused  and  kicked  a  harmless  pa- 
tient. All  these  cases,  and  many  others,  occurred  iu  the  course  of  a  few 
weeks,  and  only  in  two  instances  were  the  attendants  dismissed,  while  in 
the  others  nothiug  was  done  to  them,  and  they  remained  in  their  positions. 

This  will  suffice  to  characterize  the  class  of  people  employed  in  our  lun- 
atic asylums  as  attendants.  The  medical  attention  was  also  a  tyrannical 
one,  and  was  calculated  to  make  the  condition  of  the  patients  rather  worsev 
than  better.  As  an  example  for  this  we  would  mention  the  case  of  a  certain 
Condon,  who  was  in  the  asylum  on  Blackwell's  Island,  in  the  department  for 
daugerous  lunatics  (in  the  so-called  "Lodge").  Condon  was  kept  iu  the 
"lodge"  under  the  most  severe  restrictions,  although  nothing  iu  his  char- 
acter justified  such  a  treatment.  Far  from  being  excited,  he  was  one  of 
the  most  harmless  patients.  Whenever  he  saw  the  doctor,  he  begged  him 
to  let  him  out  of  the  "lodge",  and  let  him  breathe  some  fresh  air.  All 
these  requests  were  however  refused  without  any  cause  and  were  com- 
pletely ignored.  This  made  the  poor  fellow  desperate.  He  resolved  to 
get  out  of  the  lodge  at  any  price,  if  he  even  should  risk  the  gallows  by 
doing  so.  With  these  thoughts  uppermost  in  his  mind,  he  obtained  a- 
knife  from  one  of  his  companions,  with  the  intention  of  first  trying  it 
again  with  begging,  and  if  that  was  of  no  use,  to  stab  the  doctor.  Upon 
the  doctor's  next  visit  he  asked  him  again  to  let  him  out  of  the  lodge,  and 
put  him  in  one  of  the  other  departments.  The  doctor  refused  as  befores. 
and  declared  that  he  would  have  to  remain  iu  the  "lodge".  Thereupou 
Condon  knocked  him  down  and  stabbed  him  in  the  back  of  the  neck.  He 
would  have  certainly  killed  the  doctor,  if  the  attendants  had  not  over- 
powered him  in  time.  An  examination,  which  was  then  undertaken  in 
the  lodge,  brought  to  light  not  less  than  Jive  knives,  which  were  found- iu 
the  possession  of  maniacs,  which  was  certainly  a  very  good  recommenda- 
tion for  the  care  employed  by  the  attendants.  It  is  unnecessary  to  men- 
tion that  Condon  did  not  better  his  condition  by  his  desperate  deed.  He 
was  put  in  chains,  which  he  was  forced  to  carry  continually,  until  fortun- 
ately for  him,  he  wai  transferred  to  the  Ward's  Island  asylum.  Upon  hig. 
arrival  there,  he  was  relieved  of  his  chains,  aud  this  produced  a  marked 


524  THE    DARK   SIDE    OF   NEW    YORK   I^E. 

change  for  the  better  within  him.  In  a  short  time  he  wa3  one  of  the 
quietest  and  most  pliable  patients,  and  gave  no  cause  for  complaint  what- 
ever. He  worked  diligently,  and  took  particular  care  of  his  weaker  com- 
panions. He  strictly  obeyed  the  directions  of  the  physician,  and  was  as 
thankful  for  the  kind  treatment  he  experienced  in  the  new  institution,  as 
he  always  remembered  with  great  bitterness  the  cruelties  which  he  had 
suffered  in  the  "lodge"  on  BlackwelPs  Island. 

The  following  case  may  serve  as  a  sample  of  the  supervision  of  the 
patients.  In  January,  1873,  a  young  Irish  woman  jumped  out  of  the 
window  of  the  lunatic  asylum  on  Blackwell's  Island,  and  injured  herself 
in  such  a  manner,  that  she  soon  after  died.  She  was  afflicted  with  a 
suicidal  mania,  and  tried  to  jump  into  the  water,  because,  she  said,  she 
would  become  a  "pretty  little  fish".  She  had  jumped  into  the  East  River 
once  before,  and  had  only  been  saved  with  the  greatest  difficulty.  Since 
then  she  wore  the  straight  jacket,  in  which  she  was  allowed  to  walk  about 
in  the  corridor  for  maniacs.  As  the  nurse  one  day  opened  the  door  to 
the  corridor,  to  admit  somebody,  the  unfortunate  woman  slipped  through 
the  door  and  rushed  to  a  window,  beneath  which  she  saw  the  East  River 
flowing  along.  She  immediately  raised  herself  on  the  window  sill,  in  spite 
of  her  straight  jacket,  and  before  any  one  had  noticed  her,  she  jumped 
down.  She  injured  herself  so  severely,  that  she  died  soon  after.  Neg- 
ligence on  the  part  of  the  attendants,  and  the  singular  fact,  that  the  patients 
had  access  to  windows  without  bars,  were  according  to  the  verdict  of  the 
coroner's  jury,  the  chief  causes  of  this  sad  accident.  It  is  not  an  unfre- 
quent  occurrence  that  lunatics  on  Blackwell's  Island  jump  into  the  water. 
From  1847  to  1870  not  less  than  10  such  cases  have  occurred.  It  is 
hardly  possible  to  depict  a  more  terrible  picture  of  the  abuses  existing  in 
our  public  lunatic  asylums,  than  has  been  done  by  Dr.  Echeverria,  in  his 
report  to  Mayor  Hall,  in  the  fall  of  1872.  Dr.  Echeverria  was  head  phy- 
sician in  the  Ward's  Island  asylum,  and  did  his  best  to  lay  bare  and  to 
correct  the  abuses,  existing  there  and  on  Blackwell's  Island.  All  his  com- 
plaints and  charges  were  found  to  be  true  in  every  respect,  by  a  special 
committee  appointed  to  investigate  them.  But  the  committees  for  chari- 
ties and  corrections,  looked  very  unfavorably  upon  the  exertions  of  the 
doctor,  and  dismissed  him.  Dr.  Echeverria  makes  a  sketch  in  his  report 
of  the  state  of  affairs  existing  in  the  lunatic  asylum,  which  is  calculated 
to  fill  every  well  meaning  citizen  with  disgust.  The  rooms  of  the  com- 
missioners, the  physicians,  the  stewards  and  of  the  matron,  as  well  as  the 
general  office,  were  the  only  rooms  in  the  entire  building,  furnished  at  all. 
The  rooms  of  the  patients  did  not  contain  the  least  bit  of  furniture,  when 
the  institution  was  opened  for  the  reception  of  patients.  The  former  in- 
mates of  the  old  asylum  on  Blackwell's  Island,  did  not  find  the  least  com- 
fort upon  their  arrival  on  Ward's  Island.  The  majority  were  compelled 
io  sleep  on  the  bare  floor,  with  only  a  bare  covering  to  protect  them  against 


THE    LUNATIC    ASYLUMS.  525 

the  bitter  cold.  Many  of  the  attendants  installed  in  the  new  asylum,  were 
rude  fellows,  who  from  the  first  day  they  were  in  the  institution,  openly 
inclined  to  insubordination  and  disrespect  for  the  rules  of  the  new  asylum. 
On  January  2Gth,  1872,  Dr.  Echeverria  reported  to  the  commissioners  the 
existence  of  a  eontagious  disease  among  the  lunatics,  and  criticised  upon 
this  occasion  the  gross  carelessness  of  the  steward  and  the  matron,  recom- 
mending at  the  same  time  measures  to  remedy  these  abuses.  The  com- 
missioners neither  answered  his  request,  nor  did  any  one  of  them  person- 
ally inspect  the  institution.  The  consequence  was,  that  from  February  to- 
April,  21  died  out  of  a  division  of  59,  of  typhoid  fever.  At  last,  when 
the  eastern  wing  of  the  new  asylum  was  finished  in  April,  the  patients 
who  were  still  living  at  that  time,  wer^  transferred  thither,  and  through 
the  exertions  of  the  physicians  the  disease  was  here  stopped.  The  pro- 
vision for  the  patients  was  fully  equal  to  the  coarse  treatment  they  received 
at  the  hands  of  attendants.  In  February,  1872,  the  number  of  patients- 
was  375,  besides  which  the  institution  contained  118  convicts  from  the 
poor  house,  19  attendants  and  a  number  of  other  persons,  together  525 
persons.  7,792  pounds  of  meat  were  requisite  for  their  maintenance, 
while  they  only  received  5,512  pounds.  On  the  other  hand,  they  received 
200  pounds  of  bread  more  than  was  needed  for  the  patients.  But  the 
latter  had  no  benefit  of  this  plenty,  on  the  contrary,  complaints  were  heard 
of  insufficiency  of  the  bread  supply.  What  the  steward  had  done  with 
the  bread,  he  was  never  required  to  tell. 

On  February  27th,  a  committee  of  physicians  was  requested  by  the- 
commissioners,  to  examine  the  state  of  affairs  in  the  lunatic  asylum.  The 
report  of  these  gentlemen  verified  all  the  Jatements  of  Dr.  Echeverria, 
and  recommended  the  execution  of  the  measures  proposed  by  him.  Never- 
theless the  commissioners  let  everything  remain  as  it  was.  The  only 
change  wThich  was  undertaken,  was  that  a  warden,  with  a  salary  of  $2,500 
per  annum,  and  a  clerk  were  appointed.  The  former  official  was  made 
the  head  of  the  institution.  Soon  however,  Dr.  Echeverria  was  compelled 
to  complain  of  the  man  for  drunkenness.  Another  reform  of  the  com- 
missioners consisted  in  sending  Dr.  Echeverria  to  Blackwell's  Island,  who 
however,  refused  to  leave  his  post,  enquiring  at  the  same  time  why  the 
patients  sick  with  the  typhoid  fever  did  not  receive  the  benefit  of  the  ap- 
propriation of  $100,000,  made  for  this  purpose.  On  June  16th,  1872,  the 
commissioners  authorized  another  committee,  consisting  of  Professor  John 
\Y.  Draper,  Prof.  Robert  Ogden  Doremus,  and  Prof.  Charles  F.  Chandler, 
to  inspect  the  lunatic  asylum.  The  reports  and  recommendations  of  this 
committee  were  also  without  any  effect,  and  the  state  of  affairs  in  the 
lunatic  asylum  at  that  time  were  really  terrible.  The  employees  from. 
the  warden  down  to  the  lowest  workman,  were  drunk  day  after  day,  while 
prostitutes  from  the  workhouses  carried  on  their  disgraceful  trade,  with, 
the  same  shamelessness  as  formerly  in  the  streets  of  the  city,  and  offered 


526  THE   DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

their  persons  to  the  employees  of  the  institution.  Besides  the  scandalous 
orgies  performed  by  this  disgraceful  set  of  people,  two  lunatics  were  af- 
flicted with  disgusting  diseases. 

Dr.  Echeverria  urged  the  commissioners  to  stop  these  disgraceful  scenes. 
The  president  of  the  board  then  told  him  to  leave  the  institution  for  a 
short  time,  during  which  the  warden  and  the  matron  should  restore  order 
in  the  asylum,  and  if  they  failed  to  do  it,  they  should  be  dismissed  in- 
stantly. When  Dr.  Echeverria  returned  after  a  month,  on  September 
11th,  1872,  it  was  worse  than  it  ever  had  been  before.  In  spite  of  the 
large  amounts  expended  on  the  institution,  the  walls  of  a  few  cells  only 
had  been  white-washed.  Otherwise  everything  was  in  a  dilapidated  con- 
dition. The  patients  were  covered  with  vermin,  and  many  bore  the  marks 
of  cruel  beatings.  Many  were  without  shoes  or  stockings,  and  often  did 
not  change  their  clothing  for  months.  All  the  employees  belonged  to  a 
political  clique,  the  "O'Brien  Association".  A  committee  appointed  by 
the  commissioners,  to  investigate  the  charges  against  these  institutions, 
always  showed  itself  ready  to  obey  the  dictates  of  the  politicians,  and  men 
who  had  been  guilty  of  the  most  glaring  abuses,  and  disregard  of  their 
duties,  were  at  most  transferred  to  another  institution.  The  murder  of 
Ornell  and  Seymour  by  Thos.  Farrell,  was  followed  by  a  number  of  cruel 
abuses  of  patients,  and  the  death  of  Levi  Samuels,  through  the  cruel 
treatment  at  the  hands  of  the  attendants,  some  of  whom  at  present  again 
occupy  their  former  position  in  the  asylum.  The  governor  of  the  state 
•convinced  himself  by  personal  inspection  of  the  state  of  affairs  existing 
in  the  asylum.  And  all  thes£  abuses  were  going  on  under  the  very  eyes 
of  the  commissioners.  As  long  as  Dr.  Echeverria  held  his  position,  none 
of  the  commissioners  thought  it  necessary  to  give  a  single  hour  to  the  in- 
spection of  these  institutions,  or  to  listen  to  the  complaints  of  the  physi- 
cian. None  were  on  hand  to  receive  the  dying  depositions  of  Ornell  anc 
Seymour. 

Should  we  believe  it  possible  that  such  a  thing  should  happen  in 
civilized  state,  and  in  a  so-called  charitable  institution?  That  is  one  of 
the  many  fruits  of  that  pernicious  system,  which  looks  upon  all  the  d( 
partments  of  the  administration  as  the  rightful  spoils  of  the  victorioi 
political  party,  and  always  fills  the  various  offices  with  persons,  whose 
only  recommendations  are  the  services  rendered  to  their  party.  No  matter 
what  party  gains  the  ascendency,  it  always  proceeds  in  this  respect,  ac 
cording  to  these  principles.  An  improvement  is  therefor  not  to  be  expecte( 
in  this  respect,  as  long  as  the  civil  service  is  not  made  independent  of 
politics,  and  an  appointment  holds  good  during  the  good  behavior  and 
iulfillment  of  his  duties  by  the  appointee. 

With  regard  to  the  administration  of  the  lunatic  asylums,  the  appoint- 
ment of  ward  politicians  as  wardens,  attendants,  etc.,  has  born  the  fruits 
described  above.     Our  public  lunatic  asylums,  through  this  system,  have 


THE    LUNATIC    ASYLUMS.  527 

"become  houses  of  refuge  for  drunken  politicians,  and  the  unfortunate 
lunatics  are  only  the  pretence  under  which  the  citizens  are  taxed  to  support 
political  favorites. 

The  wretched  administration  in  the  private  asylum  in  Bloomingdale, 
can  be  traced  to  auother  reason.  There  was  a  time  when  it  was  indeed  a 
model  institution.  But  this  time  is  long  past :  Not  properly  controlled 
by  the  authorities  of  the  state,  a  backward  movement  soon  began  ;  and 
instead  of  earning  fresh  laurels,  the  institution  rested  lazily  on  its  old  ones. 
Dr.  Brown,  the  head  physician,  was  used  much  more  by  the  governors  of 
the  institution,  to  figure  as  wire  puller  in  the  financial  interest  of  the  in- 
stitution, at  Albany,  than  to  tend  to  his  duties  at  home.  Thus  the  con- 
trolling head  was  wauting,  and  carelessness  and  superficiality  began  to 
show  themselves  for  several  years,  as  it  would  never  before  have  been 
thought  possible. 

With  regard  to  the  much  more  serious  evil,  of  detaining  sane  person3 
for  criminal  purposes  in  insane  asylums,  the  root  of  the  evil  will  be  chiefly 
found  in  the  defective  legislation.  A  careful  observation  and  examination 
of  a  patient  immediately  upon  his  arrival,  would  restrict  the  time  of  the 
detention  of  a  sane  person  to  a  few  days  at  most,  and  make  his  detention 
for  months  and  years  an  impossibility.  But  even  the  possibility  of  such 
short  detention  in  lunatic  asylums  could  be  prevented  by  better  laws.  In 
several  states  no  patient  can  be  sent  to  the  asylum,  who  has  not  been  de- 
clared insane  by  a  jury.  In  one  of  the  last  sessions  of  the  legislature,  two 
bills  were  brought  forward  to  do  something  in  this  respect.  The  one  had 
for  its  object  a  better  control  of  the  asylums,  and  ordered  that  no  person 
could  make  it  a  business  of  caring  for  lunatics,  without  the  consent  of  the 
commissioners  of  charities.  The  second  bill  intended  to  make  it  more 
difficult  to  obtain  a  certificate  of  insanity.  Instead  of  the  affidavit  of  two 
physicians,  a  certificate  of  a  certain  number  of  physicians  should  be  re- 
quisite, which  physicians  were  to  be  appointed  for  every  county.  Upon 
this  certificate  the  police  judge,  after  a  careful  examination,  should  be 
allowed  to  issue  an  order  for  the  reception  of  the  patient.  But  before  the 
reception  of  the  patient,  the  record  of  the  proceedings  should  be  sent  to  the 
county  judge,  who  could  either  confirm  or  annul  the  decision  of  the  police 
judge.  Furthermore,  each  of  the  physicians  issuing  the  certificate,  should 
notify  the  county  judge  immediately,  and  the  superintendents  should  im- 
mediately notify  the  county  judge  of  the  reception  of  a  patient.  It  was 
also  intended  by  this  bill  to  empower  the  county  judge,  to  enquire  at  any 
time  into  the  condition  of  auy  person  held  in  the  asylums,  and  if  necessary, 
to  give  the  case  in  the  hands  of  a  jury.  These  bills  were  defeated  because 
the  Bloomingdale  asylum  were  against  them.  As  stated  before,  the  gov- 
ernors took  good  care  to  look  out  for  their  interests  in  Albany,  while  these 
bills  were  in  the  interest  of  poor,  unfortunate  lunatics,  and  the  public  in 
jreneral. 


528  THE   DARK   SIDE    OF   NEW    YORK   LIFE. 

Thus  to  the  present  day  the  accusal  of  insanity  is  followed  by  the  most 
terrible  imprisonment  in  a  lunatic  asylum.  The  accused,  who  in  many 
cases  does  not  know  his  accusers  and  the  judge  who  robs  him  of  his  lib- 
erty, has  no  chance  to  defend  him.  If  he  were  accused  of  some  crime, 
the  law  would  offer  him  the  most  liberal  advantages  to  defeat  the  accusa- 
tions brought  against  him.  A  murderer  can  to-day,  by  a  smart  use  of 
insanity  as  a  defence,  fool  justice.  This  seems  strange  if  compared  with 
the  facility  with  which  a  perfectly  saae  person,  by  criminal  plotting,  can 
be  put  out  of  the  way  for  some  time,  under  the  plea  of  insanity.  "We 
have  also  seen  how  a  short  time  ago  a  judge  sent  George  Francis  Train 
to  the  state  lunatic  asylum,  although  he  full  well  knew  that  the  accused, 
with  the  exception  of  a  little  eccentricity,  was  as  sane  as  any  man  in  the 
court-room.  That  Mr. Train  did  not  goto  the  lunatic  asylum,  and  thus 
saved  our  administration  of  justice  a  new  disgrace,  was  not  the  fault  of 
the  judge.  The  lunatic  asylum  is  the  most  terrible  of  all  prisons.  The 
judge  who  would  with  the  greatest  carelessness  send  a  person,  represented 
to  him  by  others  as  insane,  to  the  lunatic  asylum,  certainly  deserves  great 
blame.  But  we  cannot  find  words  strong  enough  to  condemn  that  judge, 
who  would  send  a  person  to  a  lunatic  asylum,  when  he  knew  him  to  be 
sane.  The  law  should  certainly  make  it  just  as  difficult  to  send  a  sane 
person  to  a  lunatic  asylum,  as  to  send  an  innocent  person  to  prison.  Not 
until  this  is  the  case,  when  the  same  care  is  accorded  to  the  unfortun- 
ate inmates  of  our  lunatic  asylums,  as  to  the  less  unfortunate  inmates  of 
our  hospitals,  not  until  then  will  our  lunatic  asylums  become  truly  char- 
itable institutions,  and  cease  to  be  a  fitting  theme  for  the  "dark  sides  of 
our  city". 


FORTUNE  TELLERS. 


In  many  of  our  larger  dailies  the  reader  will  find  a  standing  column  of 
advertisements,  with  the  strange  heading  "Astrology".  The  word 
voluntarily  reminds  us  of  the  middle  ages,  and  we  can  only  wonder  to 
find  it  at  the  head  of  a  column  of  advertisements,  in  a  paper  in  our  en- 
lightened century.  But  our  curiosity  is  aroused  and  thus  fulfills  the  object 
of  the  advertisers,  who  wish  to  attract  the  eyes  of  all  to  these  advertise- 
ments, by  their  strange  heading.  It  also  gives  a  respectable  name  to  a 
very  disreputable  affair,  and  is  in  this  respect  also  of  advantage  for  the 
publishers  of  the  newspapers,  who  need  a  fitting  head  for  this  group  of 
advertisements,  and  out  of  regard  for  the  advertisers  and  themselves,  denote 


THE    FORTUNE    TELLERS.  .r>2? 

something  that  is  actually  a  swindle,  as  astrology.  In  its  days  of  glory 
astrology  was  also  nothing  but  swindle,  depending  as  it  did  upon  fraud 
and  willful  deception.  But  it  also  had  its  uses.  For  as  alchemy  (art  of 
making  gold,  etc.)  became  the  true  mother  of  chemistry,  thus  the  art  of 
reading  in  the  stars  (astrology)  contributed  very  much  to  raise  the  science 
of  the  heavenly  bodies  (astronomy)  to  its  present  standard.  At  the  same 
time  it  had  an  excuse  in  the  superstition  of  the  centuries  in  which  it 
flourished.  What  our  dailies  call  astrology  however,  is  a  product  of  moral 
depravity,  and  the  most  senseless  nonsense,  and  not  only  ridicules  the  en- 
lightenment of  our  century,  but  tends  to  promote  demoralization.  Let  us 
look  however,  at  some  of  these  astrological  advertisements.  There  we 
can  read  among  others  : 

"Attention  !  Mrs.  — ,  the  celebrated  medical  clairvoyant  and  prophetess 
of  the  future,  can  be  consulted  for  any  events  in  life.  She  never  fails  to 
recognize  the  nature  of  any  disease,  to  discover  secrets,  to  give  inform- 
ation of  absent  friends,  law-suits,  lucky  numbers  in  lotteries,  etc.  Fees, 
50  cents  to  $1.00.     For  ladies  only/' 

"Twenty  years'  experience !  Mrs.  —  may  be  consulted  on  business, 
losses,  enemies,  love,  marriage,  diseases,  etc.  Fees  for  ladies,  50  cents  to 
$1.00  ;  for  gentlemen,  $1.00  to  $2.00." 

"Madame  — ,  clairvoyant  and  doctoress,  answers  every  question.  Send 
your  age  and  natal  star.  Strictly  confidential.  Send  for  a  circular.  Fees 
25  cents." 

"Madame  — ,  clairvoyant,  can  be  consulted  on  all  affairs  of  life.  Fees 
for  ladies,  75  cents  ;  for  gentlemen,  $1.00." 

"Attention  !  Know  thy  fate  !  He  who  knows  what  is  comino-,  can 
easily  arrange  his  affairs  beforehand.     Do  not  be  cheated  by  swindlers, 

but  go  to  No. Street,  where  the  best  clairvoyant  of  the  age  can  be 

consulted.  She  brings  unfaithful  husbands  back  to  their  duties,  unites 
lovers,  brings  about  quick  marriages,  and  success  in  business  and  love. 
Preserve  this  advertisement !" 

"Madame  — ,  the  greatest  medical  and  business  clairvoyant  and  proph- 
etess of  the  nineteenth  century,  gives  information  of  the  past,  present,  and 
future,  names  lucky  numbers,  shows  the  portraits  of  the  future  husbands, 
and  wives,  and  possesses  the  wonderful  Persian  Amulets,  for  procuring 
love  and  a  quick  marriage." 

"Madame  — ,  spiritualist  for  medical  and  business  affairs,  can  be  con- 
sulted on  all  affairs  of  life.     Cures  cancer,  skin-diseases,  etc." 

"Not  to  be  overlooked  !  Consultations  on  business,  law-suits,  personal 
enemies,  losses,  absent  friends,  love,  marriage,  sickness  and  death.  Pay- 
ment refused,  if  satisfaction  is  not  given." 

"Madame  — ,  the  great  natural  clairvoyant,  reveals  to  the  visitor  hia 
whole  life,  from  the  cradle  to  the  grave.  She  cures  cancers,  tumors,  and 
other  diseases.     Consultation  $1.00." 

34 


530  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK   LIFE. 

"Miss  — ,  the  English  gipsy,  can  read  the  prophecies  of  heaven,  written 
in'starry  characters,  and  reveal  the  future  events  in  the  life  of  her  visitor. 
She  is  the  possessor  of  a  love  powder,  known  only  to  her  tribe,  and  never 
fails  to  unite  long  seperated  lovers.     Fees  $1.00." 

"Who  would  not  seek  his  fortune?  Do  not  fail  to  visit  Miss  — ,  the 
great  English  prophetess,  who  stands  above  and  unsurpassed  in  her  art. 
Consultations  (personal  and  by  letter)  on  all  affairs  of  life,  love,  stolen  or 
lost  objects,  law-suits,  travels,  hidden  treasures,  etc.  She  brings  drunken 
or  unfaithful  husbands  back  to  the  path  of  duty.  She  has  also  on  hand 
a  large  assortment  of  genuine  Roman  or  Arabian  amulets,  for  luck  in  love, 
business,  and  other  affairs.  The  effect  oi  these  amulets  is  guaranteed  for 
a  whole  life  time." 

"A  reader  of  the  planets !  There  is  no  other  possibility  to  unveil  the 
future,  than  by  reading  the  planets.  Professor  —  is  the  only  person  in 
New  York,  who  can  do  it.     Senp!  a  stamp  for  a  circular." 

Others  of  these  modern  "astrologists",  who,  as  we  see,  arc  nothing  but 
fortune  tellers,  announce  themselves  as  the  seventh  daughter  of  a  seventh 
daughter,  or  of  a  seventh  son,  or  they  impart  to  the  world  the  interesting 
secret,  that  they  were  born  with  a  veil.  But  it  would  take  up  too  much 
space  and  time  to  recount  all  the  nonsense  here,  which  the  advertising 
columns  of  certain  papers  present  to  their  readers.  We  actually  do  not 
know  after  reading  them,  whether  to  send  the  advertisers  to  prison,  or  those 
who  apply  to  them,  to  the  lunatic  asylum.  It  would  be  hard  indeed  for 
the  latter,  but  as  we  will  see  in  the  course  of  the  chapter,  only  just  for 
the  former.  Some  of  our  readers  may  ask  :  "Are  there  then  indeed  per- 
sons who  will  let  themselves  be  taken  in  by  such  advertisements?"  Un- 
fortunately we  must  answer  that  there  are  more  than  we  should  think 
possible.  This  is  seen  from  the  fact  alone,  that  the  number  of  professional 
fortune  tellers  in  our  city  is  very  large,  and  that  their  business  is  a  paying 
one.  Those  advertising  in  the  newspapers,  are  altogether  a  small  fraction 
of  the  actual  number.  Their  income  is  estimated  on  an  average  at  $3  to 
$6  per  day,  while  some  can  even  boast  of  an  income  as  high  as  $50  to 
$100  daily.  Two  of  these  lady  prophets  have  amassed  a  fortune  by  their 
business,  which  is  estimated  at  over  $100,000.  This  is  probably  the  most 
practical  gauge  to  estimate*  the  spread  of  superstition,  which  alone  enables 
this  fortune  telling  swindle  to  exist  at  all  in  our  city. 

It  would  be  foolish  for  us  to  try  and  prove  that  no  means  exist  to  lift 
the  veil  of  the  future.  There  never  were  such  means,  nor  ever  will  be  as 
long  as  the  world  exists.  Whoever  would  deny  the  truth  of  this,  for  him 
all  further  arguments  would  be  in  vain.  We  will  not  go  to  this  trouble  ; 
we  have  also  no  space  in  this  book,  which  treats  on  the  "Dark  Sides  of 
New  York",  for  the  comical  part  of  fortune  telling  in  its  various  forms. 
From  our  standpoint  we  look  upon  fortune  telling  as  a  covering  for  far 
worse   thiDgs  ;  a  covering,  seemingly  harmless,  which  hides  a  very  dan- 


T1IK     FOKTINK    TBLLEBS.  "'   '1 

porous   trap.     To   remove   this  covering,  and  to  show  the  trap  hidden  be- 
neath it  to  the  unsuspicious  eye,  is  the  object  of  the  present  chapter. 

In  —  Street,  near  a  public  school,  Mrs.  N.  keeps  a  small  cake  bakery. 
This  bakery  however  is  only  a  mask  for  the  fortune  telling,  carried  on  by 
this  woman,  as  fortune  telling  is  in  its  turn  a  mask  for  a  much  worse- 
criminal  business.  The  proximity  of  the  school  brings  as  customers  to 
this  woman's  shop  many  schoolchildren,  among  them  girls  from  12  to  17 
years  of  age,  who  there  spend  their  pennies  for  cakes,  candies,  etc.  Among 
her  steady  customers  was  Emma  R.,  a  girl  of  about  16  years  of  age, 
abounding  in  youthful  health  and  beauty.  For  her  Mrs.  N.  shows  a  par- 
ticular interest,  and  tells  her  one  day  confidentially  that  she  knows  how 
to  read  the  fortune  of  a  person  from  cards.  Of  course,  Miss  Emma  im- 
mediately desired  to  have  her  future  revealed.  Her  wish  was  fulfilled. 
The  woman  takes  up  the  cards  and  begins  to  give  their  meaning.  With 
glowing  cheeks  and  beating  heart  the  girl  listens.  Nothing  but  love  and 
happiness  and  happiness  and  love  do  the  mystic  cards  prophesy.  A 
"beautiful  young  man"  of  great  wealth  is  her  destined  husband.  She  will 
soon  be  married  to  him,  and  as  the  mother  of  many  children  will  live 
long  and  happily  with  him.  A  beautiful  mansion,  carriages,  servants,  etc., 
are  other  less  important  points  which  assist  in  turning  poor  Emma's  head- 
How  dead  and  empty  does  the  present  life  suddenly  seem  to  her,  with  the 
expectation  of  that  brilliant  future.  How  she  does  long  to  see  the  "beau- 
tiful  young  man",  who  is  destiued  by  fate  to  make  her  happy  and  rich. 
After  a  few  days  she  again  applies  to  the  woman,  to  hear  further  partic- 
ulars. The  cards  this  time  not  only  confirm  the  prophecy  made  before, 
hut  even  aid  that  Emma  is  to  see  her  intended  in  a  very  short  time.  She 
is  also  told  to  come  again  the  next  day,  when  she  will  see  the  picture  of 
her  iutended.  Emma  comes  punctually  at  the  appointed  time.  The  for- 
tune teller  tells  her  to  look  into  a  dark  box,  which  she  does  with  great 
solemnity.  At  first  she  sees  nothing  ;  but  soon  it  begins  to  grow  lighter 
in  the  back-ground,  a  figure  begings  to  form,  and  at  last  she  sees  the  picture 
of  a  really  handsome  young  man.  Thus  she  has  seen  the  picture  of  her 
iutended,  but  when  will  she  be  permitted  to  see  him  in  reality?  Mrs.  N. 
can  also  answer  this  question.  She  gives  Emma  an  amulet,  and  tells  her 
to  wear  it  three  days  and  three  nights  on  her  heart,  and  then  to  go  to 
Brooklyn  on  the  3  o'clock  boat  from  Fulton  Ferry.  These  directions  are 
faithfully  obeyed.  The  poor  girl  hardly  dares  to  look  up  as  she  steps  on 
the  fatal  boat.  Upon  raising  her  eyes  she  sees  opposite  to  her  the  living 
image  of  the  picture  she  saw  in  the  camera  of  the  "prophetess",  and  each 
feature  of  which  is  deeply  engraved  on  her  mind.  The  prophecy  has  been 
strangely  fulfilled,  with  regard  to  the  meeting  place,  and  Emma  saw  in 
this  a  guarantee,  that  the  more  pleasant  part  of  the  prophecy  would  also 
be  fulfilled.  At  the  landing  of  the  boat  the  young  man  succeeded  to  get 
near  Emma,  and  to  render  her  some  slight  service,  without  appearing  to 


55J  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

obtrude.  After  a  short  and  aimless  walk  she  returned  home,  and  to  her 
joy  found  the  young  man  again  on  the  boat.  This  time  he  sat  down  be- 
side her,  and  began  to  talk  to  her.  Emma  would  in  all  probability  not 
have  noticed  him  under  any  other  circumstance.  But  the  handsome  un- 
known was  the  husband  intended  to  her  by  fate,  and  she  was  therefor  more 
friendly  to  him,  than  it  would  seem  to  be  warranted  with  such  an  ac- 
quaintance. He  also  took  the  liberty  to  conduct  her  from  the  boat  to  a 
street-car,  where  they  parted  with  some  friendly  words.  On  the  following 
day  another  accidental  (  !  )  meeting  occurred,  when  Emma  came  from 
school.  A  beautiful  bouquet,  which  he  presented  to  her,  paved  the  way  to 
further  intimacy,  and  everything  seemed  to  point  to  the  conclusion  that 
the  events  would  take  the  course  foreshadowed  by  the  woman.  In  he? 
imagination  poor  Emma  saw  herself  already  as  the  wife  of  her  adored,. 
and  without  any  cares  she  gave  herself  up  to  her  love,  which  she  carefully 
concealed  from  her  friends,  upon  the  advice  of  her  friend,  the  fortune 
teller.  No  more  is  necessary  for  the  reader  to  guess  the  end  of  this  sad 
romance.  As  it  could  have  been  expected  from  the  character  of  the  prin- 
cipal actors,  an  innocent  girl,  a  heartless  rascal,  and  a  miserable  procuress, 
it  ended  in  seduction  and  desertion  of  the  poor  girl.  But  how  is  the 
wonderful  fulfillment  of  the  first  part  of  the  prophecy  and  the  magic  pic- 
ture to  be  explained?  In  the  most  natural  manner  imaginable.  A  rich 
and  dissolute  young  man  had  seen  Emma  several  times  on  her  way  to 
and  from  school,  and  had  taken  a  fancy  to  the  pretty  girl.  But  she  had 
been  well  brought  up  by  respectable  and  wealthy  parents.  Her  seducer 
saw  that  he  would  not  gain  his  point  by  ordinary  measures,  and  therefor 
made  use  of  the  fortune  teller,  whom  he  had  known  some  time  already  as 
a  procuress.  For  a  large  sum  of  money  she  arranges  the  matter,  and  the 
wonder  with  the  picture,  as  well  as  the  meeting  on  the  ferry-boat  some 
time  after  needs  no  further  explanation. 

With  this  story  the  veil  is  raised  which  covers  the  true  occupation  of 
most  of  our  fortune  tellers.  The  customers  who  apply  to  these  people- 
with  a  superstitious  belief  in  their  powers,  are  not  so  numerous  as  to  ex- 
plain with  their  small  fees,  sometimes  only  25  cents,  the  large  income  of 
these  people.  They  must  therefor  possess  some  other  and  better  sources 
of  income.  These  sources  have  been  fully  indicated  by  the  above  sketch. 
The  principle  customers  of  the  fortune  tellers  are  young  and  old  rakes, 
whom  they  assist  in  procuring  interviews  with  girls  and  women.  Very 
Beldom  indeed  are  such  interviews  arranged  for  the  purpose  of  marriage. 
Seduction  is  almost  always  the  outspoken,  and  only  to  the  victims  unknown 
object. 

It  is  not  difficult  to  undertand  how  easy  it  is  for  seduction  to  gain  its 
end  in  such  a  case.  The  superstitious  girl  to  whom  a  rich  marriage  is 
prophesied,  and  to  whom  her  future  husband  is  so  pictured,  that  she  must 
recognize  him  in  the  person  of  the  rascal,  who  has  determined  upon  her 


THE  FORTUNE  TELLERS.  533 

ruin,  seldom  possesses  sufficient  moral  strength  to  resist  the  temptation. 
She  only  awakens  from  her  dream  when  it  is  too  late.  Very  often  the 
victim  then  again  applies  to  the  woman,  in  the  hope  that  she  may  possess 
some  means  of  bringing  her  faithless  lover  back  to  her.  But  hhe  jumps 
from  the  frying-pan  into  the  fire.  Her  fortune  telling  "friend"  soon  shows 
her  a  new  happiness,  and  thus  leads  her  into  the  hands  of  another  rascal, 
or  delivers  her  to  some  "Ladies'  Boarding  House",  where  her  doom  is 
sealed  forever.  It  is  a  fact  well  known  to  the  police,  that  the  fortune 
tellers  are  in  the  employ  of  brothels,  which  receive  from  them  a  large 
Dumber  of  their  pitiable  victims.  This  kind  of  business  pays  much  better 
for  the  fortune  tellers,  than  their  revelations  of  the  future,  as  they  receive 
from  the  rakes  $10  to  $15,  and  as  high  as  $50  from  the  brothels  for  each 
service  of  this  kind. 

Very  often  the  residences  of  the  fortune  tellers  are  at  the  same  time 
houses  of  assignation,  and  a  look  in  the  biography  of  these  sybils  would 
show,  that  their  present  occupation  is  only  a  variation  of  their  former 
business  of  prostitution.  The  girl  or  the  woman  who  enters  such  a  den, 
should  therefor  know,  that  in  so  doing  she  takes  the  first  step  to  the  house 
of  assignation  or  brothel.  Hundreds  of  unfortunate  creatures  would  never 
have  known  the  latter,  if  they  had  avoided  the  former.  The  least  that 
can  be  said  of  the  fortune  tellers  is,  that  they  are  without  exception 
swindlers.  They  cheat  knowingly  and  intentionally,  and  not  one  believes 
the  nonsense  which  she  tells  her  superstitious  friends.  We  have  already 
indicated  how  they  show  a  future  husband  or  wife.  If  the  woman  has 
no  reason  to  show  any  particular  picture,  she  lets  a  picture  appear  in  her 
magic  box,  so  indistinct,  that  the  visitor  with  a  little  imagination  can  con- 
struct any  man  or  woman  out  of  it.  In  many  cases  any  photograph  is 
put  in  the  box  and  shown  plainly.  Thus  it  was  that  a  young  reporter, 
who  visited  a  fortune  teller  in  female  apparel,  and  who  desired  to  see 
his  "future  husband",  was  surprised  by  the  picture  of  a  well  known  actor. 
Six  years  have  passed  since  then,  and  as  the  reporter  is  still  a  man,  and 
the  aetor  has  married  in  the  meantime,  the  fulfillment  of  the  prophecy 
seems  at  present  to  be  rather  impossible. 

Very  often  the  fortune  tellers  have  persons  in  their  ante-rooms,  who  are 
apparently  waiting,  but  in  reality  are  examining  the  visitors.  The  result 
of  this  examination  and  questioning  is  then  reported,  and  the  woman  then 
surprises  her  visitors  by  her  kuowledge.  The  proverb,  that  walls  have 
ears,  also  applies  to  the  ante-rooms  of  fortune  tellers,  and  such  walls  with 
ears  are  often  very  useful  assistants  in  the  fortune  telling  business. 

As  foolish  as  the  majority  of  the  visitors  of  the  fortune  tellers  are,  it 
would  be  gross  iujustice  to  accuse  the  fortune  tellers  themselves  of  being 
fools.  They  may  be  very  bad,  but  they  are  not  stupid.  Although  mostly 
are  without  any  real  education,  they  still  possess  a  knowledge  of  the  human 
character,  which  enables  them  to  determine*  the  class  of  their  visitor  with 


534  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

on,e  sharp  look.  At  the  same  time  they  thoroughly  understand  the  ar& 
of  drawing  out  a  person,  so  that  in  a  short  time  the  visitor  has  furnished 
them  all  the  material  they  require  for  points  to  found  their  prophecies 
upon.  Where  such  points  are  wanting  they  help  themselves  with  common 
place  remarks,  or  with  the  ambiguity  of  indefinite  phrases,  which  the 
visitor  is  allowed  to  interpret  himself.  This  is  the  true  art  of  the  fortune 
tellers,  and  the  more  they  excel  in  this  the  higher  will  their  fame  rise. 
With  regard  to  the  power  of  the  fortune  tellers  to  determine  the  lucky 
numbers  in  lotteries,  we  believe  that  they  perform  as  wonderful  acts  in 
this  respect  as  the  dream  books  do,  and  of  them  we  have  spoken  in  the 
chapter  on  lotteries.  The  only  strange  thing  about  it  is  that  these  ladies 
do  not  play  on  these  numbers  themselves,  and  thus  become  millionaires  in 
the  quickest  possible  manner.  The  amulets  and  love  powders,  for  which 
superstitious  fools  often  pay  these  fortune  tellers  as  high  as  $5-,  are  either 
dangerous  poisons,  or  harmless  stuff  simply  intended  to  cheat.  The  curing 
of  diseases  by  fortune  tellers  we  can  only  class  among  the  very  worst  kind 
of  quackery.  Sometimes  these  women  even  try  their  hands  at  abortion, 
or  they  act  as  agents  of  abortionists,  to  whom  they  often  send  women  in 
distress  (often  through  their  own  fault). 

A  large  part  of  the  business  of  our  fortune  tellers  is  done  by  mail,  and 
extended  over  the  entire  United  States.  For  our  "sybils'*  understand  the 
art  of  announcing  to  far-off  persons  their  destiny,  upon  the  receipt  of  a 
small  sum,  the  age,  the  hour  of  birth,  etc.  The  money  in  such  cases  of 
course  plays  the  most  important  part,  while  the  other  things  may  be  omit- 
ted if  necessary.  Upon  sending  $1  we  can  also  receive  the  picture  of  our 
future  husband  or  wife.  Our  prophets  have  for  this  purpose  a  large  supply 
of  pictures  constantly  on  hand,  which  they  buy  from  photographers  on 
whose  hands  they  have  remained.  As  laughable  as  it  seems  it  is  never- 
theless true,  that  the  fortune  tellers  do  a  large  business  with  these  phot 
graphs,  as  well  as  the  love  medicines,  and  the  Persian,  Egyptian,  Roman 
and  other  charms. 

Many  persons  order  these  things  from  sheer  curiosity.  This  kind  of 
curiosity  however  benefits  these  rascals  just  as  much  as  stupidity.  Curi- 
osity which  shows  itself  in  such  a  manner  does  not  savor  very  much  of 
wisdom. 

We  cannot  explain  here  the  method  employed  by  the  fortune  tellers  to 
determine  the  future.  The  good  old  method  of  reading  one's  fate  from 
the  lines  of  the  hand  has  gone  out  of  use  almost  entirely.  A  similar  fate 
seems  to  threaten  the  cards.  Of  astrology  however,  there  is  not  the  least 
idea.  Not  one  of  all  this  crowd,  including  the  "English  gipsy",  and  the 
"Planet  reading  professor",  hardly  know  enough  of  astronomy  to  dis- 
tinguish the  full  moon  from  the  other  stars.  Among  those  whom  super- 
stition leads  into  the  hands  of  the  fortune  tellers,  the  female  sex  forms  the 
large   majority.     For  the   above   mentioned  reasons   the   fortune  tellers 


m 

: 

n, 


THE    FORTUNE    TELLERS. 

speculate  chiefly  on  womea  and  girls.  For  they  are  the  ground  for  the 
business  of  the  procuress,  which  hides  itself  behind  that  of  the  fortune 
teller.  They  enjoy  therefor  certain  privileges  with  regard  to  the  prices, 
as  can  be  seen  from  the  advertisements.  Especially  the  poorer  classes  of 
girls  and  women  are  the  chief  support  and  the  victims  of  the  fortune 
tellers.  But  not  infrequently  does  superstition  draw  one  of  the  stronger 
sex  into  the  toils  of  the  fortune  tellers.  It  must  undoubtedly  be  considered 
a  strange  paradox,  when  educated  men  and  women  of  great  influence,  be- 
come the  protectors  of  fortune  tellers,  and  do  not  fail  to  consult  them  in 
affairs  of  even  the  least  importance. 

It  is  indeed  sad  that  such  a  remnant  of  the  dark  ages  should  continue 
to  flourish  in  our  enlightened  age.  But  unfortunately  this  is  not  all,  as  we 
have  seen.  Fortune  telling  is  often  only  a  name  which  hides  the  worst 
sores  of  society.  Prostitution,  abortion,  quackery,  lottery,  and  swindle 
join  hands  with  it,  and  have  in  it  a  powerful  ally.  "With  regard  to  their 
power  and  their  inclination  to  do  evil,  our  fortune  tellers  are  in  no  way 
better  than  those  strange  creatures,  whom  the  superstition  of  former 
centuries  called  witches.  The  suspicion  of  being  a  witch  often  sufficed 
to  bring  innocent  women  to  torture  and  to  the  stake.  We  shudder  when 
we  think  of  the  barbarity  of  this  kind  of  justice,  but  the  indifference  with 
which  modern  justice  looks  upon  our  modern  witches,  is  scarcely  less  in- 
comprehensible. No  law  threatens  or  punishes  their  activity,  which  in 
all  cases  is  most  certainly  suspicious,  and  in  many  cases  even  dangerous. 
The  fact  that  they  openly  plunder  the  pockets  of  the  simple  minded,  would 
not  be  the  worst.  But  they  also  know  how  to  use  superstition  in  such  a 
manner,  as  to  seriously  endanger  female  virtue  and  innocence.  Under 
the  pretence  of  discovering  secrets,  they  have  already  destroyed  the  happi- 
ness of  many  families,  and  have  sown  hate  and  discord  in  many  family 
circles.  Under  the  pretence  of  revealing  the  future,  they  have  already 
cheated  many  women  out  of  all  happiness  of  this  future.  They  are  power- 
ful promoters  of  superstition  and  of  demoralization,  and  are  therefor  dan- 
gerous enemies  of  society.  As  such  the  fortune  tellers  should  not  be  en- 
tirely disregarded  by  the  laws.  Superstition,  of  course,  can  not  be  ex- 
terminated by  law,  this  must  be  done  by  a  liberal  education  of  the  people. 
But  what  the  law  can  and  should  do,  is  to  regard  the  business  of  fortune 
telling  as  that  what  it  is  in  reality,  a  swindle  and  fraud  in  every  case,  and 
only  too  often  a  mask  for  much  worse  abuses  and  crimes. 


536  THE  DARK   SIDE   OV   NEW   YORK   LIFE. 


MEDIUMS. 


The  leap  from  the  fortune  tellers  to  the  spiritualistic  mediums  is  not 
very  large.  Both  interfere  with  the  other  business  so  much,  that  it  is 
difficult  to  determine  the  boundary  between  them.  But  the  true  mediums 
have  some  mystical  religious  theori3s  as  a  basis,  which,  although  by  no 
means  new,  have  yet  been  brought  up  again  in  our  present  age  in  a  new 
form.  These  theories  are  comprised  under  the  head  of  spiritualism. 
What  interests  us  most  in  spiritualism,  is  the  belief  that  an  uninterrupted 
intercourse  exists  between  the  living  world  and  the  spiritual  world,  and 
to  such  a  degree,  that  according  to  the  belief  of  the  spiritualists,  it  can 
hardly  be  assumed  that  these  two  worlds  are  separate  from  each  other. 
This  intercourse  however,  say  the  spiritualists,  needs  a  medium,  and  only 
persons  peculiarly  constituted  both  in  person  and  mind,  can  be  mediums. 
Their  name  is  derived  from  the  Latin  word  "Medium"  (the  middle),  and 
denotes  that  the  persons  bearing  it,  form  the  middle  between  this  and  the 
spiritual  world.  These  mediums  are  said  to  possess  such  an  affinity  for 
the  spirit  world,  that  they  can  not  only  see  spirits  invisible  for  other  eyes, 
but  are  at  times  so  completely  identified  with  these  spirits,  that  whatever 
the  medium  says  or  does  is  regarded  as  emanating  from  the  spirits  them- 
selves. All  those  wonders  said  to  be  performed  by  mediums,  are  explained 
by  this  "control  of  the  spirits",  as  it  is  termed.  For  it  is  the  spirit  that 
controls  the  medium  at  the  time,  and  not  the  medium  itself  which  performs 
these  wonders.  The  spiritualist  to  whom  a  painting  is  shown,  executed 
by  some  medium,  "entirely  ignorant  of  drawing  or  painting"  (!),  sees 
nothing  wonderful  in  this  feat.  According  to  his  theory,  the  medium  at 
the  moment  of  painting  the  picture,  was  controlled  by  the  spirit  of  Raphael 
or  Fetian,  and  what  wonder  then  that  it  should  paint  these  pictures.  It 
seems  still  more  natural  to  the  spiritualist,  that  the  spirits  of  deceased 
friends  and  relatives  are  ready  to  communicate  by  means  of  mediums, 
with  their  friends  in  this  world,  and  to  answer  questions  and  give  good 
advice.  But  we  cannot  here  go  into  the  details  of  the  spiritualistic  views. 
It  suffices  for  our  purpose  to  know,  that  according  to  the  spiritualists  all 
questions  of  the  past,  present  and  future  can  be  solved  with  the  aid  of 
mediums,  and  that  all  the  trouble  of  your  own  thinking  and  research  in 
science  and  in  every  day  life,  can  be  replaced  by  simple  questioning  of  the 
spirits.     That  and  nothing  less  does  spiritualism  promise  as  its  results. 

Without  the  mediums,  the  bridge  crossing  the  gulf  between  this  and 
the  spirit  world,  would  be  forever  broken  down.  The  mediums  are  there- 
for to  be  regarded  as  the  prophets  of  spiritualism.  They  must  therefor 
be  recognized  as  the  representatives  of  spiritualism,  and  must  be  held  re- 
sponsible for  the  good  or  evil  effects  of  spiritualism  in  the  world  at  large. 
We  will  therefor  take  up  only  those  mediums,  whose  actions  in  our  city 


THE    MEDIUMS.  537 

have  greatly  contributed  to  bring  the  name  "spiritualist"  into  disgrace. 
These  actions  also  contribute  to  make  the  name  ''medium"  synonymous 
with  humbug  and  swindle. 

As  it  cannot  be  denied  that  the  majority  of  the  spiritualists  actually 
believe  what  they  profess,  so  it  cannot  be  denied  that  the  majority  of  the 
mediums  are  swindlers.  The  spiritual  manifestations  of  Hume,  the 
Davenports,  and  others,  have  been  often  described  as  what  they  really 
were,  viz.,  very  clever  jugglery,  so  that  it  will  be  scarcely  necessary  to 
return  to  them  here.  We  will  simply  confine  ourselves  to  the  so-called 
mediums  at  present  existing  in  our  city. 

In  the  Spring  of  1873,  a  number  of  prominent  merchants  determined  to 
oppose  this  humbug.  They  appointed  a  committee  of  seven  to  visit  the 
most  prominent  of  the  mediums  of  the  city,  and  to  make  observations  which 
would  facilitate  the  exposure  of  their  so  called  wonders.  The  first  visit 
was  paid  to  Dr.  J.  V-  Mansfield  in  6th  Avenue,  a  medium  who  receives 
sealed  letters  for  the  spirits  and  without  opening  them  answers  them.  For 
this  service  he  charges  $5  and  four  3  cts.  postage  stamps.  The  doctor 
received  the  seven  gentlemen  politely,  but  stated  that  the  spirits  did  not 
manifest  themselves  to  more  than  two  visitors  at  a  time.  Five  of  the 
gentlemen  therefore  left.  The  two  remaining  ones  received  thin  transparent 
paper,  on  which  they  should  write  their  questions  to  the  spirits.  This  was 
done  and  they  were  further  instructed  how  to  fold  their  letters.  One  of 
the  gentlemen  had  asked  the  spirit  of  his  father  about  an  affair  only  known 
to  the  family.  The  other  wrote  to  the  spirit  of  his  brother  Charles,  asking 
him  whether  he  was  present  %.  the  room  and  would  converse  with  him. 

Dr.  Mansfield  took  these  letters  separately,  rubbed  them  in  his  hands, 
folded  them  together,  and  undertook  several  other  manipulations  with  them, 
most  of  which  probably  had  no  other  object  than  to  divert  the  attention  of 
the  visitors.  At  last  he  shrank  back,  and  while  moving  the  forefinger  of 
his  left  hand  as  if  telegraphing,  he  wrote  the  answer  with  his  right  hand. 
This  answer  showed  that  the  doctor  had  actually  known  the  contents  of 
the  letter.  But  this  was  the  easiest  part  of  the  business,  as  the  committee 
were  afterwards  also  able  to  read  letters  on  this  paper,  without  opening 
them.  In  other  respects  however  the  spirits  had  left  the  doctor  in  the 
lurch.  The  spirit  of  the  father  was  not  able  to  say  anything  just  then 
about  the  family  matter,  and  told  him  to  enquire  again  some  other  time. 
(As  each  visit  cost  $5  and  four  3  cent  stamps,  this  advice  was  probably 
more  agreeable  to  the  doctor  than  to  the  sou.)  At  the  same  time  the 
father's  spirit  declared  that  he  was  overjoyed  to  see  his  son  take  such  in- 
terest in  the  great  truths  of  spiritualism. 

The  doctor  fared  far  worse  however,  with  the  inquiry  of  the  second 
gentleman.  The  spirit  of  Charles  declared  through  the  doctor  that  he  was 
present  in  the  room,  and  asked  his  brother  to  believe  in  spiritualism.  But 
at  the  moment  that  the  spirit  of  brother  Charles  was  dictating  these  words 


538  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

into,  the  pen  of  the  doctor,  he  was  himself  alive  and  well  in  his  counting 
room.  The  other  gentlemen  of  the  committee  also  led  the  spirits  of  the 
doctor  astray  that  day.  Upon  the  question,  "where  is  our  dear  little 
Tina"  and  how  she  was  getting  on  in  the  other  world,  the  answer  came, 
that  she  was  a  "pretty  little  angel"  and  very  happy  in  heaven.  In  reality 
she  was  a  worthy  old  lady  of  210  lbs.,  who  by  no  means  expected  to  ex- 
change the  joys  of  this  world  for  that  of  another.  Another  gentleman 
who  had  never  had  a  brother,  was  nevertheless  surprised  by  the  doctor 
with  a  letter  in  answer  to  a  question  to  "his  dear  departed  brother". 

After  Dr.  Mansfield,  Dr.  H.  Slade  in  West  43th  street  was  visited.  This 
Slade  is  considered  one  of  the  most  prominent  members  of  the  spiritualists.. 
His  spirits  usually  write  their  own  answer  on  a  slate.  The  doctor  however 
always  enquires  beforehand  whether  the  spirit  will  write  or  not.  If  he 
assents  to  do  so,  he  raps  three  times  on  the  leg  of  the  table,  which  denotes 
in  the  language  of  the  spirits,  "Yes,  I  will."  His  spirits  are  also  musically 
inclined,  and  play  on  an  accordeon,  which  the  doctor  holds  with  one  hand 
under  the  table.  The  secret  of  Dr.  Slade's  power  is  the  rapidity  with 
which  he  performs  his  tricks.  But  any  juggler  or  conjurer  does  the  same 
and  still  better  tricks.  For  this  jugglery  Dr.  Slade  charges  $5,  and  always 
finds  enough  believers  to  make  his  business  pay. 

In  R.  W.  Flint,  of  Broadway,  the  committee  found  an  equally  wonderful 
but  cheaper  medium.  His  fee  is  $2  and  three  3  cent  stamps.  His  art 
consists  in  letting  his  spirits  write  letters  a  la  Mansfield,  in  answers  to 
others  written  to  the  spirits,  which  he  reads  with  their  aid.  The  most  won- 
derful part  of  the  whole  performance  howev#  is,  that  he  requires  a  whole 
weeks  time,  as  he  is  so  pressed  with  business,  that  his  time  is  taken  up  for 
several  days  ahead.  Nobody  can  object  to  that,  as  it  is  an  old  rule  that 
"first  come,  first  served."  The  gentlemen  were  therefor  compelled  to  leave 
their  letter,  which  contained  the  old  question  to  the  father  about  the  family 
matter,  and  wait  till  the  following  week  for  an  answer. 

When  the  gentlemen  returned  in  the  course  of  a  week,  the  unopened 
letter  as  well  as  the  answer  to  it  was  handed  to  them.  The  answer  was 
almost  the  same  as  that  given  by  Dr.  Mansfield.  The  control  of  the  medium 
was  not  very  good,  and  it  was  impossible  for  the  father  to  say  anything 
about  the  family  matter  this  time.     Perhaps  next  time  etc. — 

This  was  not  very  satisfactory,  and  the  only  question  remaining  was 
whether  it  required  supernatural  powers  to  become  acquainted  with  the 
questions  contained  in  the  sealed  letter.  The  seals  and  the  envelopes 
seemed  to  be  untouched.  The  committee  went  to  work  to  solve  this 
question,  and  soon  discovered  how  easily  seals  can  be  detached  from  the 
paper  by  means  of  a  heated  knife,  and  without  showing  a  trace  of  the 
manipulation  be  pasted  together  again.  They  found  it  still  easier  to  dis- 
solve the  gum  on  the  euvelopes  by  steam  in  such  a  manner,  as  to  make 
the  opening  and  closing  of  the  envelope  a  very  easy  matter.     They  there* 


•  THE    MEDIUMS. 

for  gave  to  the  medium  some  questions  in  a  letter,  written  on  the  verr 
tinest  tissue  paper,  which  was  very  carefully  sewn  together  by  a  sewing 
machine.  This  letter,  as  had  been  expected,  proved  too  difficult  to  ansWei 
for  Mr.  Flint  and  his  spirits.  He  gave  as  an  excuse  that  his  magnet i 
condition  had  not  reached  the  proper  intensity,  to  allow  him  to  operate  as 
a  medium. 

Another  visit  was  made  to  Dr.  Parker,  in  4Gth  Street,  a  "celebrated" 
spiritual  physician,  who  cures  all  kinds  of  diseases  by  means  of  his  spirits. 
He  is  the  possessor  of  a  telegraph,  through  which  the  spirits  telegraph  all 
the  answers  to  him.  The  whole  committee  went  to  see  the  doctor  in  a 
body,  and  found  a  number  of  spiritualists  in  meeting.  They  were  received 
in  the  "circle",  which  was  formed  in  such  a  manner,  that  all  persons  took 
hold  of  a  wire  which  connected  a  galvanic  battery  in  the  adjoining  room, 
with  a  telegraph  apparatus  on  the  table.  But  probably  on  account  of  the 
seven  unbelieving  members  the  spirits  were  in  bad  humor,  and  sent  no 
dispatches.  They  only  condescended  to  move  the  table,  to  lift  it  or  to 
make  it  creak.  As  this  began  to  be  tiresome,  the  spirits  by  means  of  the 
medium,  made  known  their  desire  to  have  the  room  darkened.  This  re- 
quest was  fulfilled,  and  suddenly  in  the  back  of  the  room  two  lights  ap- 
peared, which  the  medium  declared  to  be  angels.  A  respectful  admiration 
reigned  in  the  circle  of  believers.  One  of  the  unbelieving  intruders  how- 
ever, left  the  table  and  advanced  noiselessly  and  unseen  towards  the  angels. 
He  soon  had  discovered  their  nature.  Through  little  holes  in  the  door 
rays  of  light  from  a  bright  light  burning  in  the  next  room,  fell  upon  a 
mirror,  from  which  they  were  reflected  on  the  wall.  He  closed  the  holes 
and  in  the  same  moment  the  angels  had  also  disappeared.  For  this  the 
intruders  however  indemnified  their  believing  companions  by  helping  the 
spirits.  Soon  knocking  was  heard  in  all  parts  of  the  room,  then  this  or 
that  believer  felt  himself  caught  by  invisible  hands  by  the  neck,  legs,  etc.. 
and  the  table  as  if  possessed  by  a  thousand  spirits,  moved  about  the  room 
in  all  directions,  until  at  last  it  overturned.  The  faithful  crew  present 
were  in  ecstasies,  for  never  had  they  witnessed  such  active  manifestations 
of  the  spirits  as  in  this  sitting.  No  one,  with  the  exception  of  the  doctor, 
had  the  remotest  idea  that  profane  unbelievers  had  anything  to  do  with 
this. 

Similar  results  were  obtained  by  the  committee  upon  visiting  other 
mediums.  Everywhere  it  found  that  what  seemed  to  be  inexplicable  at 
first  sight  was  simply  jugglery.  Not  a  single  question  that  could  not  be. 
answered  by  a  common  place  answer,  was  answered  satisfactorily,  and 
into  every  trap  that  was  set  for  them,  the  spirits  without  exception  would 
fall.  The  committee  then  had  sitting  itself,  in  which  one  of  the  members 
performed  all  the  tricks  learned  from  the  medium,  to  the  great  satisfaction 
of  even  earnest  spiritualists.  The  committee  also  issued  a  notice  to  all 
the  different  mediums,  asking  them  to  perform  their  manifestations  under 


540  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF   NEW    YORK   LIFE.  • 

the  eyes  of  the  committee.  Although  a  large  sum  was  offered  for  char- 
itable institutions,  if  one  of  the  mediums  could  then  bring  about  the  same 
manifestations,  the  notice  remained  unanswered.  Spirits  do  not  like  to 
be  tampered  with. 

It  would  lead  us  too  far  to  lay  bare  all  the  tricks  which  the  mediums 
i»ake  use  of  to  cheat  the  superstitious.  One  medium  even  goes  so  far  as 
to  let  the  spirits  appear,  by  letting  the  visitors  look  through  a  small  hole 
in  a  curtain.  The  magic  lantern  also  plays  a  prominent  part  in  the  con- 
juring of  spirits  by  mediums.  With  regard  to  the  pictures  painted  by 
mediums,  we  are  forced  to  believe  the  medium  when  he  tells  us  that  he 
has  actually  painted  the  picture,  or  that  he  has  never  learned  to  paint. 
But  the  critic  will  always  come  to  the  conclusion,  that  the  spirits  are  either 
-very  poor  painters,  or  that  in  the  case  of  Raphael  or  Titian  they  have 
fallen  out  of  practice.  It  is  a  strange  fact,  that  while  the  female  sex  pre- 
dominates in  the  field  of  fortune  telling,  the  mediums  are  almost  without 
exception  men.  This  is  probably  chiefly  owiug  to  the  character  of  the 
business  ;  jugglery  is  a  field  in  which  ladies  have  not  yet  tried  their  hand. 
As  the  business  of  a  medium  depends  chiefly  on  credulity  and  superstition, 
it  need  not  be  wondered  at  that  it  sometimes  takes  a  criminal  form.  Ex- 
amples of  this  are  not  wanting.  The  following  case  shows  how  easily 
superstition  can  turn  the  heads  of  even  those  who  count  themselves  among 
the  educated  classes. 

Mary,  a  poor  but  beautiful  and  highly  educated  young  lady,  was  en- 
gaged to  Mr.  P.,  an  old  but  very  wealthy  merchant.  Although  much 
younger  than  Mr.  P.,  she  still  loved  him  with  all  her  heart,  and  her  love 
was  fully  returned.  Nevertheless  the  beautiful  bride  became  depressed 
more  and  more,  the  nearer  the  day  of  the  wedding  approached.  The  fear 
had  taken  possession  of  her  heart,  that  on  account  of  the  inequality  of 
their  worldly  possessions,  the  love  of  her  future  husband  would  in  time 
die  out,  and  that  then  her  position  as  wife  would  change  into  a  dependent 
one,  against  which  her  pride  revolted.  This  troubled  her  so  much,  that 
she  already  thought  of  breaking  off  the  engagement.  In  the  meanwhile 
her  aunt  from  New  Orleans  unexpectedly  came  on  a  visit.  This  worthy 
lady  soon  noticed  that  not  everything  was  as  it  ought  to  be  with  her  niece. 
She  spoke  to  her  about  it,  and  the  latter  at  last  poured  out  all  her  sorrows 
in  the  ears  of  her  aunt.  The  aunt  however,  laughed  at  her  fears.  She 
called  her  a  little  fool,  and  said  if  it  was  nothing  else  than  that,  a  remedy 
could  easily  be  found.  The  simplest  thing  would  be  to  go  to  a  clairvoyant 
or  a  medium,  and  get  his  advice.  Many  girl  and  woman  had  already 
been  helped  in  this  manner.  It  was  a  pity  that  they  were  not  in  New 
Orleans,  she  would  soon  know  where  to  go  to,  but  in  New  York — well 
she  would  see.  Mary,  who  was  not  inclined  to  be  superstitious,  knew 
still  less  of  the  clairvoyants  and  mediums  of  New  York  than  her  aunt. 
At  last  aunty  remembered  the  papers,  and  from  the  "astrological"  adver- 


THE    MEDIUMS.  541 

tisements  in  the  Herald,  the  name  of  Mrs.  Seymour  in  Grand  Street  wai 
Belected.  The  next  day  found  the  aunt  and  the  niece  on  their  way  to 
Grand  Street,  the  latter  more  to  oblige  her  aunt,  than  for  any  other  reason. 
In  the  house  of  the  seeress  they  were  received  by  Mr.  Seymour,  a  sharp- 
looking  Irishman.  As  they  had  to  wait,  the  loquacious  aunt  was  soon  in 
full  conversation  with  the  man,  who,  while  asking  her  but  very  few 
questions,  soon  knew  who  the  two  were,  and  what  had  led  them  to  come. 
He  then  left  the  ante-room,  and  soon  afterwards  the  aunt  and  niece  were 
led  into  the  presence  of  the  prophetess.  After  greeting  them,  she  told 
them  the  object  of  their  vi?it,  and  many  family  affairs,  which  quite  as- 
tonished the  niece,  who  had  not  noticed  what  her  aunt  had  said,  and  the 
aunt,  who  did  not  remember  what  she  had  told  the  Irishman  in  the  ante- 
room. Filled  with  confidence  at  the  manifestations  of  these  extraordinary 
powers,  the  two  visitors  now  brought  forward  their  request.  Mrs.  Sey- 
mour listened  with  the  air  of  one  who  was  fully  acquainted  with  every- 
thing that  was  said.  In  reply  she  said  that  the  matter  was  a  very  im- 
portant one,  and  that  she  usually  strenghtened  herself  by  a  prayer  in  her 
chamber  in  such  cases.  She  then  left  the  ladies,  and  returned  to  the 
parlor  in  about  a  quarter  of  an  hour.  She  seemed  to  be  glorified,  and. 
told  the  ladies  that  she  saw  clearly  into  the  matter.  During  her  prayer, 
she  said,  she  had  seen  angels  descending  from  heaven.  These  angels- 
adorned  each  other  with  jewels,  which  before  being  presented  were  con- 
secrated by  a  beautiful  priestess.  She  understood  the  meaning  of  this 
vision  completely.  Mary  should  marry  her  intended  without  any  fear. 
She  was  destined  to  be  happy  and  would  continue  to  be  so,  if  she  acted 
according  to  the  following  advice.  After  her  wedding  she  should  collect 
all  the  money,  valuables,  jewels,  etc.,  which  her  husband  had  handled  or 
had  worn  upon  his  person,  and  bring  them  to  the  woman.  She  would 
then  consecrate  these  things  as  she  had  seen  it  done  in  the  vision.  Thus 
consecrated  the  treasure  must  be  put  in  a  separate  box,  which  the  young 
wife  should  take  home,  and  keep  it  as  near  as  possible  to  herself  for  a  few 
weeks,  when  Mrs.  Seymour  would  come  to  the  house  and  open  the  box,, 
and  would  thus  give  back  the  articles  to  their  ordinary  uses.  The  larger 
the  number  of  these  consecrated  articles,  and  the  higher  their  value,  the 
surer  and  more  lasting  would  the  love  of  her  husband  be. 

This  was  the  advice  of  Mrs.  Seymour,  which  the  ladies  heard  with 
wondering  faith.  As  a  fee  for  this  sitting  she  charged  $50,  but  as  the 
ladies  did  not  have  so  much  money  with  them,  she  was  satisfied  with  $25 
and  the  promise  to  pay  the  rest  the  next  time.  The  wTedding  took  place 
on  the  appointed  day,  and  the  happy  couple  made  a  short  bridal  trip  to 
Canada.  Soon  after  her  return  the  young  wife  visited  the  prophetess  with 
the  first  lot  of  the  articles  to  be  consecrated,  consisting  of  a  watch  set 
with  diamonds,  a  diamond  ring,  gold  and  silver  medallions,  and  a  number 
of  other  valuable  articles.     Mrs.  Seymour  received  all  these  articles  and 


542  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

retired  with  them  to  her  praying  chamber  to  consecrate  them,  as  she  said. 
When  she  came  in  again  and  returned  the  articles  to  the  young  wife,  she 
suddenly  remembered  that  she  had  a  box  which  would  do  very  well  to 
hold  the  consecrated  things.  She  brought  a  small  box  of  papier  mache, 
and  gave  it  to  Mrs.  P.,  who  thankfully  received  it.  At  the  same  time 
she  advised  the  young  wife  to  keep  the  box  as  near  as  possible  to  her  per- 
son, and  to  try  and  fill  it  as  soon  as  possible.  The  charm  would  be  all 
the  more  active  the  quicker  it  would  be  brought  to  a  close.  She  a!so  re- 
marked in  this  connection,  that  anything  her  husband  had  worn  or  handled 
would  do  equally  well.  The  young  wife  did  not  hesitate  to  follow  this 
.advice,  and  the  box  was  soon  filled.  After  she  had  also  added  $2,000 
which  she  had  received  from  her  husband,  the  final  consecration  of  treasure, 
amounting  to  about  $5,000,  took  place  in  the  praying  room  of  the  seeress. 
The  ceremony  of  closing  and  sealing  the  box  took  place  in  the  house  of 
the  young  wife,  where  in  her  presence  the  treasure  had  been  put  in  the 
box  piece  by  piece.  To  complete  the  charm  it  was  only  necessary  that 
Mrs.  Seymour  should  pray  over  the  sealed  treasure,  during  which  however 
she  must  be  alone  in  the  room.  She  therefor  requested  Mrs.  P.  to  leave 
the  room  a  few  minutes,  which  she  did  without  any  suspicion  of  wrong. 
The  prayer  was  not  a  very  long  one,  for  soon  "Madame"  came  out  of  the 
room,  whereupon  the  ^wo  brought  the  box  into  the  bed-room,  and  deposited 
it  in  a  suitable  place. '  After  this  had  been  done,  Mrs.  Seymour  took  her 
leave,  with  the  promise  to  return  in  two  months,  when  the  charm  would 
be  completed,  and  the  valuables  could  be  taken  from  the  box.  Any  open- 
ing of  the  box  during  this  time  would  destroy  the  charm,  which  would 
also  be  the  case  if  other  hands  than  her  own  should  break  the  magic  seal. 
The  young  wife  strictly  obeyed  these  directions.  Mr.  P.  however,  became 
every  day  more  loving  to  his  wife,  who  thought  she  saw  in  this  the  effect 
of  the  charm.  How  will  it  be  when  the  charm  is  completed  ?  the  young 
wife  thought.  She  was  overjoyed  and  could  hardly  wait  for  the  end  of 
the  two  months.  They  passed  at  last,  but  Mrs.  Seymour  did  not  come. 
In  her  impatience  Mrs.  P.  sent  for  her,  but  the  messenger  did  not  find 
her,  and  had  only  heard  that  she  had  moved  to  Brooklyn.  But  there  also 
she  could  not  be  found.  What  was  to  be  done  ?  The  young  wife  feared 
that  if  she  touched  the  box,  she  would  destroy  the  charm.  Therefor  she 
left  it  in  its  place,  in  the  confident  hope  that  Mrs.  Seymour  would  some 
day  appear.  Thus  three  months  had  passed,  during  which  Mrs.  P.  in 
spite  of  all  research,  could  not  find  a  trace  of  the  one  she  sought,  and 
during  which,  strange  to  say,  not  the  least  suspicion  had  arisen  within  her. 
During  the  visit  of  some  of  her  husband's  relations,  the  conversation 
happened  to  turn  on  certain  family  jewels,  and  Mr.  P.  rose  to  get  them. 
To  his  astonishment  however,  he  could  not  find  them  at  their  usual  place, 
and  upon  further  research  it  was  found  that  they  as  well  as  some  other 
valuables  had  disappeared.     Theft  was  the  only  possible  explanation,  and 


THE    MKDITM3.  543 

(he  police  were  already  talked  of,  when  the  wife,  greatly  embarrassed, 
palled  her  husband  aside  and  told  him  the  whole  story.  He  kissed  her 
embarrassment  away,  and  assured  her  that  it  needed  no  charm  for  her  to 
secure  his  love,  she  should  only  open  the  box  to  please  him,  as  the  old 
witch,  satisfied  with  the  $50,  would  probably  never  return.  The  wife 
consented,  although  not  without  many  misgivings.  The  box  was  taken 
from  its  hiding  place,  and  Mr.  P.  opened  it  with  jokes  on  the  magic  seals. 
Both  however,  were  considerably  astonished,  when  instead  of  gold  and 
jewels  they  found  nothing  but  old  iron  and  stone  wrapped  up  in  cotton. 
Mr.  P.,  in  order  to  spare  his  wife  any  disagreeable  remark  and  shame,  in- 
tended to  drop  the  matter,  but  Mrs.  P.  insisted  that  the  woman  should  be 
tracked  out  by  the  authorities.  Detective  McWatters  succeeded  in  dis- 
covering this  woman  in  Boston,  where  in  a  fashionable  quarter  she  was 
creating  considerable  excitement  as  a  spiritual  medium,  under  the  name 
of  Mrs.  Bradley.  He  went  to  her  in  order  to  receive  news  from  his  dead 
wife  (who  was  alive  and  well  in  New  York).  Mrs.  Bradley  immediately 
communicated  with  the  spirit  world,  from  which  she  reported  everything 
good  about  his  wife. 

Upon  this  proof  that  Mrs.  Bradley  was  still  the  same  swindhr  she  had 
been  as  Mrs.  Seymour  in  New  York,  the  detective  dropped  his  mask.  He 
now  presented  himself  as  "medium",  as  the  medium  of  Mrs.  P.  in  New 
York,  who  had  been  robbed  by  a  certain  Mrs.  Seymour  in  Grand  street 
of  valuables  amounting  to  $5000.  LookiDg  sharply  at  the  woman  who 
suddenly  grew  very  pale  and  had  nearly  fainted,  he  went  on  stating  that 
he  had  already  discovered  a  part  of  the  stolen  valuables,  how  following  the 
traces  of  the  crime,  he  had  been  led  to  Boston,  and  into  this  house.  She 
was  Mrs.  Seymour,  and  had  committed  the  theft  in  Mrs.  P's.  house.  The 
woman  who  had  already  betrayed  herself  by  her  embarrassment,  soon  said 
that  the  detective  knew  so  much  of  the  affair,  that  it  would  be  hopeless  to 
try  and  deny  the  crime.  She  therefor  readily  accepted  the  proposition  to 
restore  the  value  of  the  stolen  goods  and  thus  save  herself  from  arrest. 
Thus  in  this  case,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  P.  received  back  their  property,  but  the 
thief  remained  unpunished,  and  is  at  liberty  to  continue  to  rob  as  a  spiri- 
tual medium  the  victims  whom  superstition  brings  to  her.  This  little  ex- 
ample of  the  dexterity  of  Mrs.  Seymour  shows  a  genius,  which  is  certainly 
capable  of  being  cultivated. 

Another  story  in  which  a  female  medium  successfully  tried  herself  on 
the  field  of  swindle,  is  too  good  to  be  omitted  here.  It  happened  in  No- 
vember, 1872,  and  is  probably  unparallelled  for  its  boldness,  as  well  as  the 
credulity  displayed  by  the  victim. 

A  young  man,  Mr.  G.,  partner  in  a  large  firm  in  the  country,  had  come 
to  tfie  city  on  business.  In  order  to  pass  a  pleasant  evening,  he  allowed 
himself  to  be  persuaded  to  take  part  in  a  spiritualistic  meeting,  and  to 
witness  the  manifestations  of  the  spirits.     The  guest   was  very   much   in- 


544  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

terested  in  the  manifestations,  and  he  was  only  sorry,  that  he  did  not  see 
some  of  the  many  spirits,  which  his  spiritualistic  friends  told  him,  filled 
the  room.  Among  other  things  a  lady  told  him  that  she  saw  the  spirit  of 
an  old  man,  who  continually  looked  sadly  at  him  (the  young  man).  The 
guest  was  very  curious  to  know,  and  tried  to  think  who  this  spirit  would 
be  that  took  so  much  interest  in  him.  He  was  told  that  the  spirit  might 
possibly  want  to  tell  him  something,  and  he  would  therefor  do  well  to  apply 
to  the  above  mentioned  lady.  Our  friend  did  so.  The  lady  very  kindly 
told  him  that  she  would  communicate  with  the  spirit,  and  invited  him  to 
call  upon  her  the  following  day.  Mr.  G.  was  there  punctually  at  the  ap- 
pointed hour.  The  lady  received  him  very  kindly  and  began  at  once  to 
relate  the  results  of  her  communication  with  the  spirits.  A  distant  relation 
of  his  was  dying,  and  he  would  receive  from  him  a  large  legacy.  But 
before  this  would  happen  he  would  receive  very  valuable  and  for  him  in- 
teresting family  jewels.  This  was  all  that  the  spirit,  which  was  that  of 
one  of  his  ancestors,  had  told  here.  The  young  man  therefore  willingly 
paid  the  fee  demanded  by  the  mediums  and  returned  home — full  of  joy  over 
such  a  happy  news.  Quickly  he  settled  his  business  in  the  city  and  hurried 
back  to  his  town  with  all  possible  speed,  that  he  might  not  miss  the  arrival 
of  the  jewels.  But  these  did  not  seem  to  be  in  any  particular  hurry.  Day 
after  day  passed,  but  yet  they  did  not  come.  Our  friend  already  began  to 
have  his  doubts  as  to  the  correctness  of  this  communication  of  the  spirits, 
until  at  last  an  expressman  entered  his  office  one  day,  and  handed  him  a 
package  addressed  to  him.  It  was  pretty  heavy,  and  as  Mr.  G.  made  a 
little  hole  in  the  paper  enclosing  it,  he  saw  that  it  contained  a  polished 
mahogany  box.  This  box  contained  the  jewels  and  the  supposition  seemed 
justified  by  the  "C.  O.  D."  (cash  on  delivery)  and  the  very  large  amount 
$180  to  be  collected.  He  immediately  paid  the  money  to  the  expressman, 
and  hurried  to  his  inner  office,  tore  off  the  paper  covering  and  as  he  finds 
no  key  to  open  the  box,  he  forced  the  lock.  Upon  raising  the  lid,  he  saw 
instead  of  glittering  diamonds  and  gold,  a  layer  of  saw  dust.  It  seemed 
rather  strange  to  him,  that  jewels  should  be  packed  in  saw  dust,  but  the 
box  was  heavy  and  the  treasure  was  certainly  hid  under  this  little  promising 
covering.  He  therefor  hastily  removed  the  saw  dust,  and  really  found 
ornaments,  but  miserable  bronze  affairs,  which  would  have  been  dear  at 
a  dollar,  while  the  bottom  of  the  box  was  filled  with  iron  and  lead,  which 
had  produced  the  weight. 

Full  of  rage  he  threw  the  box  into  a  corner,  and  rushed  to  the  express 
office.  There  nothing  was  known  of  such  a  package,  and  he  received  the 
poor  consolation,  that  the  supposed  expressman  was  nothing  but  a  swindler. 
The  merchant  now  began  to  see  that  the  swindle  was  connected  with  the 
spiritualistic  lady.  But  he  saw  that  he  had  no  means  of  proving  it  in  a 
court  of  law,  while  on  the  other  hand,  if  the  true  state  of  affairs  became 
knowu  in  the  city,  there  would  be  no  end  to  the  raillery  of  his  companions. 


Till'.    MKIUI.'MS. 

He  therefor  preferred  to  bear  his  loss  silently,  and  take  it  as  a  Lesson  for 

the  future.  But  since  then  lie  lias  had  very  little  faith  in  spiritualism  and 
mediums,  and  declared  them  all  to  be  humbugs,  without  giving  his  reason 
lor  this  special  view. 

But  it  would  be  unjust  to  designate  all  mediums  without  exception  as 
swindlers.  There  are  also  among  them  persons  of  a  high  moral  character 
and  with  a  good  education,  whom  we  would  do  great  injustice  with  such 
a  conclusion.  For  they  actually  believe  that  they  see  spirits  and  hear 
their  voices.  There  are  certain  morbid  conditions,  which  without  de- 
ranging the  mind,  often  conjure  such  lively  pictures  of  the  imagination, 
that  the  person  who  sees  them  takes  them  for  truth.  Such  pictures  of 
the  imagination  often  present  themselves  in  voices  and  forms,  which  with 
the  least  inclination  to  superstition,  may  be  easily  taken  for  spirits  and  the 
voices  of  spirits. 

If  we  look  at  the  pale  and  nervous  forms  of  the  honest  mediums,  we  will 
easily  notice  their  morbidness.  Instead  of  combating  medically  against 
this  condition,  it  is  promoted,  and  if  we  may  say  so,  perfected  by  practice. 
Is  it  a  wonder  then  that  such  mediums  at  last  learn  to  prodnce  such  pic- 
tures as  they  may  wish  to  see,  and  in  answering  questions,  actually  be- 
lieve that  they  are  speaking  under  an  inspiration,  while  they  only  give  us 
the  products  of  their  own  imagination.  They  first  learn  to  deceive  them- 
selves, and  then  to  deceive  others.  This  seem3  to  us  to  be  the  most  na- 
tural description  of  the  honest  medium.  Those  who  actually  believe  in 
the  inspiration  of  mediums  have  a  striking  argument  against  them.  No 
medium,  always  supposing  him  to  be  a  trained  tool  in  the  hands  of  pro- 
fessional swindlers,  can  answer  questions  put  to  him,  in  any  other  manner 
than  would  be  warranted  by  its  education.  Thus  for  example,  the  spirit 
of  Shakespear  or  Byron  will  speak  miserable  English  in  the  mouth  of  an 
uneducated  medium,  or  the  spirit  of  Newton  or  Humboldt  will  speak  the 
greatest  nonsense  in  natural  history.  No  medium  has  ever  answered  a 
question  that  had  not  been  solved  by  science,  or  has  predicted  any  of  the 
great  events  that  have  taken  place  during  the  past  25  years,  since  which 
time  spiritualism  has  flourished.  Thousands  of  mediums  have,  according 
to  their  statement,  conversed  with  hundreds  of  thousands  of  spirits  in  this 
world,  without  having  benefitted  this  world  in  the  least.  All  the  great 
truths  that  have  been  brought  to  light,  all  the  inventions  made,  and  the 
great  ideas  that  have  originated  in  our  time,  have  all  been  the  result  of 
the  steady  progress  of  science.  The  whole  crowd  of  the  spiritualists  can 
not  show  one  man  who  is  recognized  as  an  authority  in  the  scientific  world. 

Humboldt  died  when  spiritualism  was  still  in  its  infancy,  and  his  un. 
favorable  opinion  of  it  may  not  be  taken  into  account  by  many  spiritualists. 
"We  will  therefor  give  in  preference  the  opiuion  of  one  of  the  most  prom- 
inent English  naturalists,  Huley,  who  not  long  ago  expressed  himself  in 
the  following  manner  on  spiritualism  and  mediums  :      "To  my  extended 

35 


546  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

examination  on  the  supposed  apparitions  of  spiritualism,  I  was  only  able 
to  discover  the  most  disgusting  ignorance  and  the  plainest  swiudle.  I  for 
my  part  would  rather  earn  my  bread  by  sweeping  the  streets,  than  to  be- 
come a  spirit,  and  talk  the  greatest  nonsense  for  a  guinea  a  sitting."  This 
was  said  by  Professor  Huly  before  a  committee  of  the  Dialectic  society  of 
London,  which  had  been  ordered  to  investigate  the  spiritualistic  manifes- 
tations, and  had  invited  the  professor  to  take  part  in  this  investigation. 
It  has  been  often  attempted  to  raise  spiritualism  to  the  dignity  of  re- 
ligion. But  in  this  respect  it  has  been  a  complete  failure.  Is  it  possible 
to  imagine  a  greater  profanation  of  the  idea  of  immortality,  than  is  con- 
tained in  spiritualism.  If  spirits  have  nothing  else  to  do  than  to  give 
foolish  answers  to  foolish  questions,  and  to  please  idlers,  perform  tricks, 
which  jugglers  would  be  ashamed  to  perform,  who  would  not  join  Huley 
in  choosing  the  lot  of  a  street  cleaner  in  preference  to  such  immortality. 
Judging  from  their  manifestations,  the  spirits  appear  to  any  impartial 
mind,  to  have  forgotten  a  good  deal,  and  to  have  learnt  nothing  since  iheir 
exit  from  this  world.  We  have  also  seen,  that  judging  it  by  its  exponents, 
the  mediums,  spiritualism  occupies  a  very  low  position  indeed.  None  of 
the  common  mediums  have  ever  done  anything  worth  mentioning.  But 
whatever  extra-ordinary  feat  has  been  performed  by  more  prominent 
mediums,  has  upon  a  closer  examination,  been  shown  to  be  simple  jugg- 
lery, and  these  mediums  may  therefor  be  considered  as  simple  jugglers, 
and  as  swindlers,  because  they  represent  their  art  to  be  something  else  than 
what  it  is.  The  frequency  of  this  swindling  is  not  at  all  denied  by  prom- 
inent spiritualists.  They  say  however,  that  a  good  cause  is  not  to  be  con- 
demned if  it  is  joined  by  bad  elements.  This  is  true,  but  if  we  drop  the 
swindlers  among  the  mediums,  we  must  also  drop  all  those  strange  mani- 
festations, which  have  formed  the  strongest  defence  of  spiritualism,  and 
which  form  the  rocks  on  which  it  has  laid  its  foundation.  What  remains 
are  only  visions  produced  by  a  morbid  excitement,  and  which  have  their 
origin  in  an  excited  imagination,  and  are  gone  when  the  morbid  excite- 
ment has  passed  away.  And  these  visions  have  been  taken  hold  of  by 
low  speculative  minds,  who  every  day  more  shamelessly  continue  to  make 
superstitious  and  credulous  minds  their  victims.  The  "honest"  mediums, 
whom  we  can  only  regard  as  persons  to  be  pitied,  have  long  ceased  to  draw 
crowds,  while  humbug  and  swindle  have  taken  his  place,  and  continue  to 
produce  astonishing  manifestations.  In  this  form  the  mediums  have  be- 
come an  actual  public  nuisance,  which  is  to  be  feared  all  the  more,  as  it 
speculates  on  the  superstitious  element  in  man,  aud  tries  to  draw  quackery 
and  fortune  telling  within  its  bounds.  The  evil  threatens  to  become  worse 
every  day,  and  it  is  a  subject  of  regret  that  the  laws  against  swiudle  are 
not  more  strictly  enforced.  These  laws  could  very  well  be  brought  into 
operation  against  sensational  mediums,  and  would  cripple  their  business 
in  such  a  manner  that  it  would  no  longer  pay.     The  mediums  as  well  as 


THB    PAWNBROKERS.  547 

the  spirits  and  their  manifestations  would   then  cease  to  be  a  satyre  on  the 
civilization  of  our  century. 


THE  PAWNBROKERS. 

"Pawnbrokers",  "usurers",  "bloodsuckers",   are  names  commonly  ap- 
plied to  that  class  of  people,  which   forms  the  subject  of  the  following 
pages.     Judging  from  the  names  applied  to  them,  they  do  not  stand  in 
very  good  repute,  nor  do  they  enjoy  any  popularity.     The  bad  reputation 
of  the  pawnbrokers  is  not  caused  by  their  business.     The  business  itself 
13  not  only  necessary,  but  also  beneficial,  but  the  manner  in  which  it  is 
conducted,  has  brought  it  into  bad  repute  in  olden  times,  and  it  is  chiefly 
used  to-day  as  it  was  centuries  ago,  to  take  advantage  of  poverty  and 
misery  in  the  most  heartless  manner,  instead  of  forming  a  refuge  for  the 
poor.     We  say  since  olden  times,  for  pawnbrokers  or  what  amounts  to 
the  same  thing,  money  lenders,  are  institutions  which  are  as  old  as  the 
hills,   and  have  flourished  with  the  Chinese  and  Israelites  thousands  of 
years  before  our  era.     The  three  golden  balls  also  date  back  several  cen- 
turies.    A  family  of  quacks  in  Milan,  in  the  14th  century,  began  to  in- 
vest their  money  by  lending  it  out  on  good  security,  at  a  high  rate  of  in- 
terest.    They  thus  accumulated  great  wealth,  and  gained  great  influence 
with  the  princes,  who  would  apply  to  these  money  lenders  whenever  they 
were  in  want  of  money.     Thus  it  was  that  this  family  was  at  last  raised 
to  the  nobility,  and  received  in  consideration  of  their  occupation  as  quack 
doctors   (doctors  in  Italian  being  "Jfecfcci")  that  name  which  afterwards 
became  so  famous  in  European  history,  Medici,  and  for  their  coat  of  arms 
three  golden  pills.     The  family  continued  to  carry  on  their  business  of 
lending  money  in  Italy  and  in  London  by  agents,  who  made  known  their 
establishments  by  the  three  golden  pills,  the  coat  of  arms  of  their  masters. 
After  the  rapidly  rising  family  of  the  Medici  had  given  up  the  business  of 
money  lenders,  and  others  took  hold  of  it,  the  three  golden  pills  remained 
the  sign  of  the  pawnbrokershops.     The  three  golden  balls  which  we  meet  ■ 
in  our   streets  to-day,   are  nothing  but  the  coat  of  arms  of  the  Medici 
family.     These  three  balls  are  placed   in  such  a  manner,  that  there  are 
always  two  opposite  the  other  one.     This  position  is  said  to  indicate  that 
you  can  always  "bet  two  to  one"  that  the  pawned  article  will  not  be  re- 
deemed.    The  pawnbrokers,   as  we  have  seen,  are  not  of  recent  origin. 
Poverty  and  frivolity  are  the  ground  from  which  they  have  sprung,  and 


548  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

from  which  they  derive  their  profit  to-day,  as  they  did  in  ancient  times,. 
But  in  spite  of  their  age  no  attempts  have  as  yet  been  successful  to  reform 
them  in  such  a  manner  that  they  should  be  welcome  aids  to  poverty,  with- 
out being  at  the  same  time  promoters  of  frivolity. 

In  many  countries  of  Europe,  everything  that  can  be  done  in  this  re- 
spect has  been  done,  and  the  business  of  the  pawnbrokers  has  been  organ- 
ized in  such  a  manner,  that  the  poor  man  or  one  suddenly  placed  in  diiii- 
culties,  can  apply  to  it  for  aid  full  of  trust.  We  in  the  United  States  have 
not  yet  advanced  so  far.  Our  pawnbrokers  may  give  momentary  aid,  but 
this  aid  is  always  dearly  paid  for.  It  is  a  business  that  speculates  chiefly 
on  poverty,  misery  and  misfortune.  From  this  description  of  the  business 
we  may  easily  guess  the  class  of  people  who  have  chosen  it  for  a  pro- 
fession. Is  it  a  wonder  then  if  pawnbrokers  and  their  shops  are  regarded 
with  instinctive  dislike  by  the  large  mass  of  the  people? 

The  pawnbroker  business  is  so  well  known,  that  it  is  hardly  necessary 
to  waste  many  words  on  its  description.  The  fundamental  idea  is  to  re- 
ceive a  loan  of  money,  upon  leaving  a  certain  article  which  represents  a 
certain  value,  as  security.  From  this  we  see  that  there  is  absolutely  no 
risk  connected  with  the  business.  The  pawnbroker  possesses  in  the  object 
a  security  of  a  much  higher  value  than  what  he  has  loaned  on  it,  and  he 
can  only  gain,  if  his  customers  do  not  observe  the  conditions  stipulated  in 
the  pawn  ticket.  This  business,  guarded  as  it  is  against  all  loss,  has  been 
furthermore  favored  by  the  legislature,  by  allowing  it  to  charge  25  per 
cent  interest  per  annum  in  its  transactions,  while  any  other  business  is- 
only  allowed  to  charge  7  per  cent  interest.  Any  business  that  receives 
25  per  cent  sure,  must  be  certainly  regarded  as  a  quick  way  of  getting 
rich.  For  the  pawnbrokers  their  business  is  a  very  profitable  one.  But 
it  is  very  different  if  we  look  at  it  with  regard  to  its  customers.  Let  us 
first  look  at  those  customers  whom  it  is  intended  to  help,  the  poor  labor- 
ing classes,  who  by  strokes  of  bad  luck  have  been  suddenly  plunged  into 
the  greatest  poverty  and  misery.  A  loan  coming  at  all  near  the  actual 
value  of  the  pawned  articles,  would  often  help  many  unfortunates  over  a 
momentary  crisis,  and  save  whole  families  from  starvation.  But  the  little 
that  the  pawnbroker  pays  on  pawned  objects  in  general,  and  especially  iu 
cases  where  he  sees  that  his  customers  must  have  money  under  any  cir- 
cumstance, is  only  like  a  drop  of  water  on  a  heated  stove.  Not  only  can 
the  poor  fellow  not  better  his  condition  with  it,  but  he  is  all  the  worse  off, 
as  he  has  robbed  himself  by  it  of  his  last  support. 

We  can  imagine  the  kind  of  aid  a  poor  man  receives  in  a  pawnbroker's 
shop,  when  we  know  that  the  pawnbrokers  never  give  over  one  fourth,  and 
very  often  only  one  tenth  of  the  actual  value  of  the  object.  This  money 
is  then  charged  25  per  cent  interest,  which  by  certain  tricks  is  often  raised 
to  50  per  cent,  without  acting  contrary  to  law.  This  is  done  by  the  pawn- 
broker in  adding  an  extra  fee  of  25  to  50  cents  on  every  article  pawned,. 


THE    P  \  w  M'.::«  >KERS.  549 

whether  it  is  valuable  or  not.     He  who  would  murmur  at  this  extra  charge 

would  have  his  article  flung  back  at  him,  with  an  injunction  to  leave  the 
shop.  Poverty  therefor  dare  not  protest.  The  starving  children  may  be 
crying  at  home  for  bread,  or  the  siek  husband  is  waiting  for  the  medicine 

which  is  to  give  him  health,  and  thus  enable  him  to  support  his  family. 
There  is  no  appeal  from  the  decision  of  the  pawnbroker.  His  heart  is 
without  pity  and  invulnerable  against  tears.  A  case  is  related  of  a  pawn- 
broker who  cooly  deducted  5  cts.  for  a  revenue  stamp  from  a  poor  woman 
who  had  pawned  a  shawl  for  10  cts.,  to  buy  bread  for  her  children.  When 
the  poor  woman  burst  out  crying  and  said  she  could  not  buy  bread  for 
-5  cts.,  he  answered  roughly,  that  that  was  none  of  his  business,  but  if  she 
were  not  satisfied,  she  would  not  get  anything.  The  poor  woman  took  the 
pawn  ticket  and  the  five  cents,  and  left  the  office. 

No  better  place  than  a  pawn  broker's  office  can  be  chosen  to  study  tna 
true  poverty  and  misery  that  hides  itself  from  the  world.  It  is  true  in- 
deed, that  very  often  the  pawnbroker  is  also  patronized  by  frivolity,  or 
that  the  thief  seeks  him  out  to  dispose  of  his  booty.  But  all  this  is  of 
secondary  importance  only,  while  the  chief  source  of  the  pawnbroker's 
wealth  is  poverty  which  applies  to  him  as  its  last  resort.  And  a  sad  resort 
it  is,  an  extreme  measure,  such  as  is  tried  by  the  sinking  ship  which  dis- 
gorges on  the  high  sea  all  its  precious  freight,  and  thus  gains  at  most  a 
short  respite  only.  Look  at  the  majority  of  the  objects  pawned,  and  which 
fill  a  pawnbrokers^  shop  to  the  ceiling.  They  are  neither  silk  nor  satin, 
nor  gold  nor  jewels,  but  they  are  chiefly  articles  of  clothing,  such  as  are 
used  by  the  common  laborer  on  Sunday,  bedding,  etc.  ;  very  often  the  most 
necessary  articles  of  a  household  ;  in  short,  articles  from  which  only  the 
greatest  poverty  could  have  compelled  their  owner  to  part.  If  we  then 
examine  the  books  of  the  pawnbroker,  we  shall  find  such  objects  are  very 
seldom  redeemed.  Where  are  their  owners?  Have  they  become  so  rich 
that  they  need  them  no  longer?  Certainly  not ;  on  the  contrary,  it  is  much 
more  probable  that  they  have  already  reached  that  depth  of  poverty  from 
which  kind  fate  only  rescues  a  person  very  exceptionally.  The  articles 
that  are  redeemed,  "usually  belong  to  persons  who  have  been  hard  pushed 
for  money  at  some  time,  but  whom  we  cannot  therefor  class  among  the 
poor. 

The  pawnbrokers'  shops  therefor,  as  they  exist  with  us,  are  simply  dens 
in  which  the  poor  are  robbed,  and  only  too  often  traps  which  draw  those 
battling  against  poverty,  lower  and  lower,  while  they  think  that  they  are 
saving  themselves  from  it.  This  is  the  case  with  the  so-called  licensed 
pawnbrokers  whose  business  is  regulated  by  legal  enactments,  and  who 
undoubtedly  are  the  best  of  their  class.  They  make  money  by  speculating 
on  the  poverty  and  frivolity  of  other  people,  and  in  this  are  no  worse  than 
many  of  our  Fii'lh  ave.  millionaires  who  very  often  lend  their  money,  if 
not  their  names,  to  a  business  still  more  disgraceful.     Besides  these,  there 


550  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

is  another  class  of  pawnbroker  whose  business  is  much  lower  and  more 
heartless  and  dangerous,  and  for  whom  the  names  usurer,  vampyre,  etc.* 
are  much  too  mild.  Among  these  the  proprietors  of  loan  offices  come 
nearest  to  the  true  pawnbrokers.  Then  we  have  certain  money  brokers, 
diamond  brokers  and  others,  who  offer  to  advance  money  on  diamonds, 
watches,  etc.  For  this  class  the  regulations  for  pawnbrokers  do  not  exist. 
They  carry  on  their  business  in  such  a  manner  that  according  to  the  law 
they  do  not  come  under  the  head  of  pawnbrokers,  while  at  the  same  time 
they  carefully  avoid  the  usury  laws. 

A  comparison  of  the  pawn  tickets  of  a  licensed  and  non-licensed  pawn- 
broker will  explain  the  latter' s  mode  of  business  most  plainly.  The  ticket 
of  the  licensed  pawnbroker  states  the  quality  of  the  object  pawned,  the 
date,  the  amount  loaned,  and  prescribes  that  this  amount  must  be  paid 
back  in  the  course  of  a  year,  with  interest  at  25  per  cent,  per  annum.  But 
the  ticket  of  the  non-licensed  pawnbroker  reads  quite  differently.  Let  us 
suppose  that  Mr.  N.,  on  account  of  a  momentary  want  of  money,  had 
entered  a  loan  office  to  pawn  his  gold  watch.  The  proprietor  receives  the 
watch  and  hands  Mr.  N.  $20  and  the  following  pawn  ticket :  "The  under- 
signed agrees  to  sell  to  Mr.  N.  thirty  days  after  date  a  gold  watch  for 
Twenty-five  dollars."  The  meaning  of  these  lines  is  very  plain.  No 
money  has  been  loaned  or  borrowed,  Mr.  N.  has  simply  sold  his  watch, 
but  according  to  the  ticket  he  has  the  right  to  buy  it  back  in  the  course  of 
one  month  for  $25.  By  this  means  the  fellow  receives  not  less  than  300 
per  cent,  per  annum  for  his  loan,  and  need  not  fear  any  pawn  broker's  or 
usury  laws.  If  Mr.  N.  cannot  buy  the  watch  back  within  thirty  days, 
the  contract  is  null  and  void,  and  if  Mr.  N.  should  wish  to  reclaim  his 
timekeeper  in  five  weeks,  he  would  perhaps  not  be  able  to  buy  it  for  $100.. 
Not  always  do  these  usurers  content  themselves  with  300  per  cent.  If 
they  see  that  a  customer  needs  money  very  badly,  they  do  not  hesitate  to 
take  600  per  cent,  or  more.  They  know  very  well  that  poverty  and 
frivolity  do  not  look  beyond  the  present  moment.  But  why,  some  readers 
will  ask,  are  such  pawnbrokers  patronized,  if  there  are  others  who  are 
satisfied  with  much  less,  if  not  even  with  the  legal  25  per  cent. 

There  are  several  reasons  for  this.  Many  go  into  such  loan  offices 
without  having  an  idea  of  the  great  difference  existing  between  them  and 
the  licenced  pawnbroker's  offices^  They  go  into  such  an  office  with  the 
intention  of  pawning  a  watch,  some  jewelry  or  other  valuable.  No  one, 
except  he  be  a  steady  customer  of  a  pawnbroker's  office,  will  enter  such  a 
place  without  a  feeling  of  shame  and  humiliation.  Every  one  wishes  to 
transact  the  unpleasant  business  as  quickly  as  possible,  and  again  reach 
the  fresh  air.  Hardly  one  in  one  hundred  ever  thinks  of  quietly  examin- 
ing the  pawn  ticket  handed  to  him.  If  he  looks  at  it  afterwards,  when  he 
is  at  home,  he  will  certainly  begin  to  feel  rather  strangely.  The  ticket 
does  not  mention  a  word  of  the  deposit  of  an  object  with  the  broker.    It  Lfr 


THE    PAWNBROKERS.  .r>51 

simply  an  agreement,  in  which  the  broker  engages  himself  to  sell  a  watch, 
jewelry,  etc.,  for  a  certain  sum  within  thirty  days.  t>  The  general  pawn- 
broker's regulations,  one  year's  time,  etc.,  do  not  exist  for  him.  He  must 
raise  the  money  and  buy  back  the  watch  within  one  month,  or  his  valuable 
property  is  lout  for  him.  Neither  the  police,  nor  the  courts  can  help  him, 
for,  according  to  his  ticket,  he  has  sold  the  watch  to  the  broker  and  has 
only  reserved  the  right  of  pre-emption  for  thirty  days.  Hundreds,  strangers 
especially,  have  already  been  swindled  out  of  valuable  objects  in  this  man- 
ner, which  they  would  never  have  pawned   on  such  dangerous  conditions. 

Another  reason  why  these  usurers  are  sought  out  by  many,  is  that  they 
advance  more  than  the  licensed  pawnbrokers  usually  do.  These  people 
however  overlook  the  immense  difference  in  the  interest,  aud  the  short 
time,  thirty  days  only,  given  for  redemption.  During  one  year,  which 
time  is  allowed  by  all  the  licensed  pawnbrokers,  many  changes  can  occur, 
and  a  man  may  be  raised  from  poverty  to  affluence.  The  possibility  of 
redeeming  is  therefor,  as  we  would  be  inclined  to  think,  very  great.  A 
look  into  the  books  of  the  pawnbrokers  teaches  us  better.  For  we  see 
that  on  an  average  not  more  than  16  per  cent,  of  all  articles  pawned  are 
redeemed.  And  how  much  less  must  the  chances  of  redemption  be,  when 
the  time  allowed  is  only  thirty  days,  and  the  loan  has  been  increased  by 
an  interest  at  the  rate  of  300  to  600  per  cent,  per  annum. 

The  business  of  these  fellows  is  greatly  favored  by  the  foolish  and  sense- 
less legislation  which  forbids  a  licensed  pawnbroker  to  lend  more  than 
S25  on  any  one  object.  If  anyone  therefor  wishes  to  have  more  than  $25 
loaned  on  a  valuable  article,  he  is  driven,  unwillingly  perhaps,  into  the 
dens  of  these  non-licensed  vampyres.  The  customers  of  this  class  of  pawn- 
brokers belong  almost  exclusively  to  the  better  classes  and  even  to  the 
"Upper  Tens".  The  loan  offices  however  are  for  the  rich  no  less  dangerous 
thau  the  licensed  pawnbrokers  are  to  the  poorer  classes.  We  give  in  the 
following  a  case  that  happened  several  years  ago,  and  created  great  ex- 
citement by  its  tragic  end. 

A  young  lady  belonging  to  the  most  aristocratic  circles  of  our  city,  was 
the  possessor  of  some  very  valuable  jewelry  which  she  had  received  as  a 
wedding  present  from  her  husband.  With  all  her  good  qualities,  she  had 
one  failing,  and  that  was  the  desire  to  be  the  acknowledged  leader  of  her 
set.  But  this  cost  more  than  her  husband,  in  spite  his  large  income,  could 
afford.  She  clearly  saw  this,  but  was  to  weak  to  act  according  to  her 
better  understanding.  One  day  a  beautiful  new  dress  captivated  her  heart 
but  she  did  not  dare  to  ask  her  husband  for  the  large  sum  of  money  which 
was  necessary  to  buy  it.  Then  suddenly  a  good  friend  helped  her  out  of 
the  difficulty  by  advising  her  to  pawn  her  jewels.  The  young  wife  im- 
mediately acted  upon  this  advice.  She  could  easily  spare  her  jewels  for 
some  time,  and  with  a  little  economy  she  would  be  able  to  redeem  them 
within  a  few  weeks.     Accidentally  her  husband  soon  missed  these  jewels, 


552  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

and  asked  for  them.  She  did  not  dare  to  confess  the  truth,  but  said  that 
she  had  lent  them  to  her  sister.  In  her  carelessness  she  had  not  even 
looked  at  the  pawn  ticket,  and  when  she  did  so  in  a  spare  moment,  she 
found  that  she  must  pay  back  the  money  within  a  month.  She  was  startled, 
for  only  two  days  were  wanting  to  complete  the  thirty,  and  shame  still 
restrained  her  from  letting  her  husband  know  that  she  had  pawned  her 
bridal  present. 

She  tried  to  obtain  the  money  by  all  possible  means.  But  this  was  more 
difficult  than  she  had  imagined,  and  it  was  only  with  considerable  trouble 
that  she  raised  the  money  two  days  after  the  day  it  was  due.  She  hurried 
to  the  pawnbroker's  office  with  the  idea  that  it  was  still  time.  But  in  this 
she  was  mistaken.  The  jewels  were  too  valuable  for  the  pawnbroker  to 
have  missed  the  opportunity  of  obtaining  possession  of  them  so  cheaply. 
She  handed  him  the  ticket  and  opened  her  pocketbook.  The  rascal  cast 
one  look  upon  it  and  pushed  it  back  with  the  words  :  "Too  late  !  The 
jewels  have  been  due  for  two  days  already,  and  have  been  sold."  The 
lady  grew  pale.  One  look  into  the  heartless  features  of  the  man  before 
her  showed  her  that  all  further  words  would  be  wasted.  She  staggered 
out  of  the  office,  and  after  having  made  a  small  purchase  in  a  drug  store, 
she  returned  home.  When  her  husband  came  home  in  the  evening,  he 
found  her  very  sick.  The  physicians  who  were  immediately  summoned, 
declared  the  case  hopeless,  and  gave  as  their  opinion  that  she  had  been 
poisoned.  All  that  their  skill  could  do  was  to  bring  the  unfortunate  woman 
back  to  consciousness  for  a  short  time,  when  she  confessed  to  her  husband 
the  story  of  her  jewelry  and  that  fear  and  shame  had  caused  her  to  end 
her  life. 

Another  and  similar  case,  also  in  the  ranks  of  our  Upper  Tens,  although 
it  did  not  end  in  suicide,  still  resulted  in  shame  and  a  divorce.  The  lady 
in  this  case,  when  the  time  came  to  redeem  some  valuable  jewelry,  helped 
herself  by  selling  her  honor.  And  before  this  act,  this  woman  had  been 
considered  a  model  lady  and  housewife.  The  fear  of  the  discovery  of  her 
frivolity  led  her  to  choose  the  opening  offering  itself  by  selling  her  honor. 
She  saved  the  jewels,  but  the  price  she  had  paid  for  them  was  discovered 
and  the  consequences  were  a  divorce  and  the  destroyed  happiness  of  a 
family. 

These  loan  offices  are  always  willing  promoters  of  the  frivolity  of  the 
higher  classes,  and  have  thus  already  often  become  the  ruin  of  wealthy 
families.  It  is  a  sad  fact  that  women  of  the  highest  classes  very  often 
send  their  confidential  servants  to  pawn  their  jewels,  to  cover  a  deficiency 
caused  by  some  fashionable  extravagance  of  which  the  husband  shall  know 
nothing.  Thus,  for  example,  the  jewelry  of  the  wife  of  one  of  our  mil- 
lionaire was  safely  hid  away  in  the  safe  of  a  Broadway  diamond  broker, 
while  the  lady  wore  an  imitation  of  bronze  until  she  was  able  to  redeem 
the  real  jewels.     As  it  was  necessary  to  renew  the  loan   from  month   to 


Till-:    PAWNBROKERS.  2>«>9 

month,  the  sum  that  she  paid  at  last  WU  exactly  double  that  which  she 
had  at  first  received. 

For  such  aristocratic  cusloraers  these  loan  offices  very  often  have  a 
private  entrance,  and  even  S  private  office,  where  such  business  trans- 
actions are  conducted  secretly  and  conlidentially.  The  articles  alone  on 
which  these  pawnbrokers  advance  money,  show  the  class  of  customers. 
.Diamonds  and  jewelry  in  general,  with  and  without  setting,  watches  and 
ornaments,  gold  and  silver  ware,  pianos  and  valuable  furniture,  valuable 
furs  and  other  articles  of  clothing,  valuable  papers  of  all  kinds,  life  insur- 
ance policies,  etc.,  almost  always  the  property  of  persons  who  would  be 
rich,  if  they  lived  within  their  income,  but  who  through  the  fatal  desire 
to  appear  richer  than  they  really  are,  are  on  the  best  way  to  become  poor. 

A  third  class  of  pawnbrokers  are  private  persons,  small  business  men 
and  others  who  try  to  enlarge  their  savings  by  lending  money  on  articles 
-within  certain  circles.  Although  they  take  more  than  the  legal  7  per  cent, 
ior  their  services,  it  would  still  be  unjust  to  designate  them  as  a  class  as 
usurers,  although  some  of  them  fully  deserve  this  name. 

Thus  we  have  seen  rich  and  poor  men  among  the  customers  of  the 
pawnbrokers.  The  distress  of  the  poor,  the  recklessness  of  frivolity  and 
crime  produce  the  customers  of  the  pawnbroker.  As  the  true  object  of 
the  pawnbroker  shops  is  to  give  to  poverty  wrestling  with  adversity  a 
momentary  support,  we  will  look  at  these  institutions  from  this  view. 
From  what  has  been  said,  we  can  see  that  the  pawnbroker  shops  not  only 
do  not  fulfill  their  mission  in  this  respect,  but  are  rather  an  enemy  than 
a  friend  of  the  poor  man.  A  pawnbroker's  shop  therefor,  in  its  present 
form,  is  an  evil,  with  which  we  cannot  even  reconcile  ourselves,  because 
it  is  a  necessary  evil,  as  some  say.  Nobody  will  deny  that  in  our  present 
state  of  affairs  the  institution  is  necessary.  The  facts  that  the  pawn- 
broker do  a  better  business,  the  harder  the  times  are,  and  that  in  times 
Avhen  work  and  money  are  plenty,  the  pawnbrokers  complain  of  poor  busi- 
.  speak  plainly  for  themselves.  The  legislature  has  also  recognized 
this  necessity,  and  as  the  laws  on  this  subject  will  do  much  to  enlighten 
<>ur  readers  with  regard  to  this  institution,  we  give  below  extracts  from 
these  laws. 

The  mayor  shall  issue  licenses  for  pawnbroker  shops  to  respectable  per- 
sons only.  The  license  shall  cost  $50,  and  the  person  thus  licensed  shall 
give  two  securities  of  £500  each  for  the  strict  observance  of  the  ordinances 
respecting  pawnbroker  establishments.  Pawnbrokers  shall  keep  a  strict 
record  of  all  articles  pawned  and  redeemed,  and  shall  issue  certificates 
(pawn  tickets)  for  all  articles  pawned.  These  records  shall  always  be 
open  to  the  authorities  lor  inspection.  For  every  violation  of  the  city 
ordinances  by  a  pawnbroker  he  shall  pay  a  fine  of  §25.  Pawnbrokers 
shall  not  charge  interest  at  a  higher  rale  than  25  per  cent,  oar  auuum. 
Net  more  than   $2 5   shall  be  loaned  on  one  single  article,  and  it  shall  not 


554  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

be 'lawful  to  divide  any  article  into  several  parts,  in  order  to  receive  a. 
higher  amount  on  it.  No  object  pawned  shall  be  considered  forfeited,  or 
be  sold  before  a  year's  time  has  elapsed.  The  sale  of  such  forfeited  ar- 
ticles must  take  place  by  auction.  If  the  sale  of  such  an  article  brings  a 
higher  amount  than  was  loaned  on  it,  the  owner  of  the  article  is  entitled 
to  any  money  remaining  after  deducting  all  costs. 

The  law  means  well,  but  is  at  the  same  time  such  a  piece  of  legislative 
nonsense,  that  we  would  be  inclined  to  laugh  at  it,  if  it  did  not  also  have 
such  a  serious  side  to  it.  The  law  is  intended  to  restrict  usury,  but  goes 
to  work  so  clumsily  that  it  works  right  into  the  hands  of  the  usurers.  It 
forbids  licensed  pawnbrokers  to  advance  more  than  $25  on  any  single 
article,  and  thus  makes  it  impossible  to  benefit  such  persons  a3  need  more 
than  $25  and  have  only  one  valuable  object  to  pawn.  The  pawning  of 
diamonds  and  other  articles  of  great  value  is  thus  directly  given  into  the 
hands  of  the  real  usurers,  while  the  business  of  the  licensed  pawnbrokers 
is  so  much  restricted,  that  according  to  the  opinion  of  well  informed  per- 
sons, two-thirds  of  the  entire  business  is  in  the  hands  of  the  unlicensed 
pawnbrokers.  The  licensed  pawnbrokers  still  do  a  splendid  business  with 
the  one-third  remaining  for  them,  but  the  large  profits  which  the  business 
is  known  to  yield,  go  into  the  pockets  of  the  non-licensed  pawnbrokers. 

With  regard  to  that  part  of  the  law,  according  to  which  licenses  are 
given  only  to  respectable  persons,  much  could  be  said.  The  public  has  its 
own  opinion  about  the  pawnbrokers,  which  is  not  very  favorable  to  them. 
Certain  it  is  that  no  one  would  look  for  pity  in  a  pawnbroker.  A  pawn- 
broker with  a  feeling  heart  would  be  ruined  in  half  a  year.  The  little 
that  can  be  said  in  their  favor  is,  that  they  are  not  quite  as  bad  as  they 
might  be,  or  as  they  are  thought  to  be  by  the  public.  Thus  it  is  com- 
monly believed  that  they  would  without  any  hesitation  advance  money  on 
stolen  goods.  ,  In  this  respect  they  are  better  than  their  reputation,  and 
there  among  them  only  a  few  who  are  suspected  by  the  police  of  being 
receivers  of  stolen  goods.  In  general,  they  are  rather  the  victims  than  the 
associates  of  thieves.  They  know  full  well  that  in  looking  for  stolen  goods, 
the  police  generally  first  looks  to  them.  If  a  stolen  article  is  found  in  their 
possession,  it  is  simply  confiscated,  and  the  article  and  the  money  advanced 
are  both  lost  to  them.  A  careless  acceptance  of  any  article  would  therefor 
be  a  bad  policy  for  them.  It  occurs  just  as  seldom  that  pawnbrokers  re- 
fuse to  return  pawned  articles  on  the  plea  that  the  ticket  has  been  forged, 
or  on  any  other  pretence,  or  that  they  try  to  cheat  the  owners  of  jewelrv 
by  replacing  it  by  mock-jewelry.  This  kind  of  honesty  is  all  the  more 
astonishing,  as  such  a  trick  could  easily  be  done  through  the  indistinct, 
wording  of  the  pawn  tickets.  But  the  pawnbrokers  know  the  prejudice 
existing  against  them,  and  know  that  they  would  certainly  come  out 
second  best,  if  a  suit  should  be  instituted  against  them.  Nothing  more 
disagreeable  could  happen  to  them  therefor,  than  if  a  mistake  occurred  in 


THE    PAWNBROKERS. 

the  delivery  of  packages.  Very  few  perhaps  would  hesitate  to  cheat  the 
pawnbroker,  the  "usurer".  For  example,  it  has  never  yet  happened  that 
anv  one  returned  a  gold  watch  to  a  pawnbroker,  which  he  had  received 
instead  of  a  silver-plated  one.  But  a  terrible  indignation  would  be  aroused, 
if  the  proprietor  of  the  golden  watch  should  receive  the  plated  one.  Thus 
it  happened  once  that  a  pawnbroker  could  not  find  a  common  cotton  shawl 
which  had  not  cost  more  than  $6  when  new,  and  on  which  he  had  ad- 
vanced $2,  when  the  owner  came  to  redeem  it.  The  owner,  an  Irish 
woman,  created  such  a  row  that  she  soon  had  the  whole  street  assembled 
in  front  of  the  office.  The  pawnbroker  became  frightened,  and  he  offered 
to  pay  the  full  price  of  the  shawl  to  the  woman.  She  assented  to  this  and 
named  $100  as  the  price  for  which  she  had  bought  the  shawl  in  London. 
That  was  more  than  the  pawnbroker  had  bargained  for,  and  the  matter 
was  brought  before  the  courts.  Then  the  woman  and  half  a  dozen  friend* 
6wore  oath  upon  oath  that  the  shawl  had  been  bought  in  London  for  $100, 
and  the  pawnbroker  considered  himself  lucky  on  being  ordered  to  pay  the- 
woman  §50  for  the  shawl. 

Jn  other  respects,  the  pawnbroker  is  not  as  well  off  as  he  seems.  He 
also  has  his  losses,  which  take  their  share  of  the  three  hundred,  five 
hundred,  or  higher  per  cent.  As  smart  as  he  generally  is,  he  is  not 
infallible,  and  instances  are  not  wanting  in  which  a  pawnbroker  has 
become  the  victim  of  swindlers.  This  was  often  the  case  when  electro- 
plating was  first  introduced,  and  before  its  products  came  into  the  trade. 
This  invention  cost  the  pawnbrokers  of  our  city  thousands  of  dollars 
before  they  discovered  the  trap  set  for  them.  At  that  time  it  was  nothing 
unusual  to  see  a  closely-veiled  lady  or  a  gentleman  leaving  a  carriage, 
and  entering  one  of  those  places  with  a  large  bundle.  They  generally 
played  the  part  of  rich  people  who  were  in  want  of  money,  and  their 
whole  bearing  seemed  to  show  how  hard  this  step  was  for  them.  They 
generally  brought  very  heavy  and  old  silverware  (  !  ),  spoons,  cups,  etc.*. 
with  coats-of-arms,  and  other  family  marks,  and  especially  inquired  how 
long  it  would  be  before  they  became  forfeited.  The  pawnbrokers,  who 
were  not  yet  acquainted  with  the  new  invention,  supposed  the  plated 
articles  to  be  silver,  and  advanced  a  proportionately  high  amount  on  them. 
With  this  money  the  "ladies"  or  "gentlemen"  left  the  office,  and  never 
returned. 

Other  losses  which  the  pawnbrokers  suffer  are  caused  by  moths.  This 
insect  can  be  smuggled  by  any  article  of  clothing  into  their  warerooms, 
and,  before  it  is  noticed,  cause  a  loss  of  several  hundred  dollars.  Many 
persons  may  think  that  the  pawnbroker  is  not  affected  by  this  vermin,  as 
a  special  clause  on  the  ticket  declares  that  he  is  not  responsible  for  any 
damage  done  by  fire,  moths,  or  theft.  That  is  true,  but  the  pawnbroker 
never  counts  upon  the  redemption  of  the  articles.  He  knows  full  well 
that   8-i  per  cent,    of  the   articles   pawned   remain  as   his   property,  and 


556  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

therefore  hates  the  moths  because  they  destroy  that  which  he  already 
regards  as  his  own.  For  him  the  business  is  a  buying  and  not  a  loaning 
business.  This  also  explains  the  fact  that  he  advances  as  little  as  possible 
on  an  object,  although  it  would  bring  him  more  interest  if  he  advanced 
one-half,  or  even  one- fourth,  instead  of  one-tenth  of  the  value  of  the 
article.  Not  the  interest  makes  him  rich,  but  the  objects  forfeited,  and 
the  less  he  advances  on  them,  the  cheaper  has  he  bought  them  in  the  end. 

But  there  are  still  more  dangerous  enemies  for  him  than  moths,  and 
those  are  contagious  diseases,  which  are  brought  into  his  office  by  articles 
of  clothing.  He  looks  with  especial  dread  on  the  woolen  coverings  during 
an  epidemic.  They  may  look  as  clean  and  unsuspicious  as  they  please, 
and  may  still  come  from  the  bed  of  a  person  afflicted  with  the  small-pox 
or  the  cholera.  Such  coverings  are  very  seldom  properly  disinfected  or 
destroyed.  Often  does  the  attendant  hide  them  away,  and  afterwards 
leave  them  with  the  pawnbroker.  He  or  his  clerk,  whoever  examines  it, 
then  has  the  best  chance  to  catch  the  disease.  In  the  manner  in  which 
articles  are  stored  away  in  his  office,  the  possibility  is  also  contained  of 
communicating  the  disease  to  other  articles,  and  thus  help  to  spread  it 
from  these  shops. 

The  matter  is  very  bad  indeed,  look  at  it  as  we  may,  and  our  wise 
legislature  has  only  made  it  worse  by  the  above-mentioned  laws  ;  and  yet 
a  reform  in  this  matter  is  not  only  possible,  but  examples  worthy  of 
imitation  have  existed  for  some  time.  We  need  only  look  to  the  conti- 
nent of  Europe,  where  pawnbrokers  are  either  controlled  by  the  govern- 
ment, or  the  business  is  in  the  hands  of  the  government  itself,  and  has 
thus  become  a  popular  and  beneficial  institution. 

.  The  institution  which  is  at  the  same  time  the  most  popular,  the  best 
conducted,  and  the  grandest  of  its  kind,  is  the  loan-office  in  Paris  known 
as  the  Mont  de  Pietd,  which,  called  into  existence  during  the  first  French 
Revolution,  and  reformed  whenever  it  seemed  necessary,  now  stands 
forth  as  a  firmly  founded  and  popular  institution.  It  is  in  the  hands  of  a 
company  of  shareholders  privileged  by  the  state,  and  is  subject  to  a  strict 
supervision  by  the  government.  It  advances  money  on  all  articles  of 
value.;  on  gold,  silver,  and  jewels,  as  high  as  four-fifths  of  their  value; 
oi)  .other  articles,  two-thirds  of  their  value.  The  time  of  forfeiture  is 
one  year.  After  this  period  the  articles  are  sold  at  auction,  and  what- 
ever remains,  after  deducting  the  money  advanced  and  the  costs,  is  placed 
to  the  credit  of  the  owner  for  three  years.  Who  does  not  present  his 
claims  during  this  time  loses  all  further  right  to  the  money,  which  then 
goes  to  the  company.'  The  interest  is  not  higher  than  10  per  cent,  per 
month,  without  regard  to  the  object  pawned.  The  capital  of  the  institute 
consists  of  the  paid-up  shares  of  the  shareholders,  the  surpluses  of  the 
various  charitable  institutions,  the  bonds  of  the  government  officers,  and 
the  profit  resulting   to   the   institution  by  acting   at  the  same  time   as  a 


THE    PAWNBROKER?.  O.)  I 

sayings  bank.  The  transactions  of  the  institution  are  carried  on  with 
the  greatest  impartiality.  Whoever  wishes  to  have  money  advanced, 
hands  the  object  he  wishes  to  pawn  to  an  ollicer  of  the  institution,  who 
sends  il  to  the  appraiser.  He  determines  the  highest  amount  that  can 
be  advanced  on  it.  This  appraiser  never  sees  the  applicant,  and  does  not 
know  whether  he  is  rich  or  poor,  or  how  much  he  wishes  to  receive  on  it. 
His  decision  is  final,  and  then  the  applicant  can  receive  from  the  cashier 
any  amount  on  it  which  does  not  exceed  the  amount  stated  by  the 
appraiser. 

Such  a  system  guarantees  complete  impartiality,  and  whoever  is  com- 
pelled to  pawn  au  article  can  do  so  with  the  firm  conviction  that  his 
momentary  difficulties  will  not  be  made  use  of  to  his  disadvantage. 
Furthermore,  the  interest  is  much  lower  than  with  us,  and  all  the  extras 
by  which  our  pawnbrokers  often  double  the  legal  interest  are  also  done 
away  with.  The  whole  undertaking  is  furthermore  guaranteed  by  the 
government,  which||>laces  the  idea  of  a  failure  out  of  the  reach  of  the 
possible. 

Why  such  an  example  is  completely  ignored  by  our  legislatures,  or 
rather  why  the  laws  relating  to  this  subject  are  turned  into  such  miserable 
farces,  it  is  difficult  to  understand.  Some  years  ago  some  capitalists 
applied  in  Albany  for  a  charter  for  an  institution  similar  to  the  Mont  de 
Piete,  but  the  plan  was  not  followed  up.  In  the  interests  of  the  poor,  it 
is  only  to  be  hoped  that  this  important  enterprise  will  be  again  taken  hold 
of.  The  fact  that  the  Mont  de  Piete  of  Paris  has  survived  all  the  storms 
and  changes  in  the  political  life  of  France,  and  to-day  enjoys  a  greater 
activity  than  ever  before,  shows  that  the  idea  animating  it  is  one  that  has 
sprung  from  a  popular  want,  and  one  that  is  able  to  live.  The  number 
of  objects  pawned  this  year  amounts  on  an  average  to  1,313,000  for 
Paris  alone,  while  this  number  is  considerably  increased  by  the  articles 
pawned  with  the  various  branches  of  the  Mont  de  Piete  in  the  Depart- 
ments. 

The  name  "  Mont  de  Piete  "  denotes  "  mountain  of  piety,"  and  is 
derived  from  the  Italian  "  Monte  di  Pieta,"  for  in  Perugia,  in  Italy,  the 
first  institution  of  the  kind  was  established,  in  the  fifteenth  century,  on  a 
hill  bearing  that  name.  The  name  of  the  hill  was  then  transferred  to  the 
institution,  and  the  similar  institutions  which  were  afterwards  established 
in  other  cities  adopted  this  name,  which  had  already  gained  great  popu- 
larity. These  institutions  were  all  conducted  more  with  a  view  for  the 
benefit  of  the  poor,  than  for  their  own  benefit.  They,  as  well  as  the 
"Montde  Pietd,"  and  the  public  loan  establishment  conducted  by  the 
government  in  Germany,  are  truly  charitable  institutions.  They  are,  as 
such,  of  a  beneficial  influence  and  a  blessing,  especially  to  the  poorer 
classses,  while  our  system  is  in  reality  nothing  but  licensed  usury,  and 
as  such,  a  curse  to  those  who  are  compelled  to  look  to  it  for  aid.     It   U" 


558  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

therefore,  all  the  more  difficult  to  understand  why  we  ignore  a  system 
which  has  been  successfnlly  introduced  in  all  the  more  advanced  countries 
of  -Europe,  with  the  exception  of  England.  But,  as  we  have  seen, 
money  is  to  be  made  with  our  system  of  pawnbroker  establishments. 
Many  of  the  licensed,  as  well  as  the  non-licensed,  pawnbrokers  of  our 
city  are  not  themselves  the  owners  of  the  establishments  they  conduct. 
They  are  only  the  business  managers  for  other  and  more  influential  per- 
sonages, who  give  their  money  but  not  their  name  to  the  business,  and, 
as  they  are  not  known  to  the  public,  pocket  their  blood-money  with  the 
appearance  of  respectable  men.  The  money  and  the  political  influence 
of  this  class  of  "  honorable  men  "  are  probably  among  the  chief  reasons 
why  our  pawnbroker-shops  do  and  will  belong,  for  some  time  to  come,  to 
the  "  Dark  Sides  of  New  York  Life/'  The  introduction  of  public  loan 
offices,  according  to  the  above-mentioned  European  models,  would  make 
its  beneficial  effects  felt  in  all  classes  of  society,  and  might  be  regarded 
as  a  forward  step  of  our  social  conditions.  & 


THE  EMIGRANT  SWINDLERS. 

The  territory  of  the  United  States  is  so  extensive  that  it  could  easily 
Accommodate  the  entire  population  of  Europe,  while  our  population  is 
about  equal  to  that  of  France  only.  The  state  of  Texas,  whose  area  is 
about  equal  to  that  of  France,  could  therefor  accommodate  the  entire 
population  of  the  United  States,  without  beiDg  more  densely  populated 
than  the  state  of  Massachusetts  is  at  present.  Thus  the  38  millions  of  our 
inhabitants  could  be  settled  in  the  state  forming  the  S.  E.  corner  of  the 
Union,  while  all  the  rest  of  the  United  States  from  the  gulf  to  the  lakes, 
and  from  the  Atlantic  to  the  Pacific,  would  remain  an  uninhabited  desert. 
So  large  then  is  the  territory  within  our  boundaries  which  is  still  wraiting 
to  be  settled  v  Great  as  this  territory  is,  so  great  are  also  the  rssources 
slumbering  within  it,  whose  development  can  only  progress  in  the  same 
proportion  as  our  population  increases.  We  will  therefor  become  as  a 
nation  greater  and  more  powerful,  the  quicker  oar  extensive  territories 
are  filled  with  an  energetic  and  prosperous  people  whose  every  part  as  in 
a  complicated  machine  work  actively  for  the  common  end.  This  great 
truth  has  been  recognized  in  our  day  by  every  one.  The  fact  that  the 
United  States  still  need  over  300  million  ''Americans",  has  effectively 
silenced  the   old  party  cry,  "  America  for   the  Americans,"  with  which 


Tin:   i:.mk..;ani    SWIXDLEB8.  559 

..hort-sighted  nativists  have  so  long  made  our  nation  an  object  of  ridicule 
and  scorn  in  the  eyes  of  the  European  nations.  Every  one  who  makes 
our  free  soil  his  home  is  an  American.  Thus  it  was  when  our  Pilgrim 
Fathers  landed  on  Plymouth  Rock,  and  thus  it  is  at  the  present  day, 
when  large  fleets  of  steamers  land  thousands  of  future  citizens  on  our 
shores  every  month.  But,  as  many  as  there  are  already,  there  is  still 
room  for  ten  times  the  number.  But  we  do  not  intend,  by  any  means,  to 
demonstrate  the  necessity  and  benefit  of  immigration  for  our  country. 
This  would  be  as  superfluous  as  if  one  should  attempt  to  demonstrate  that 
sunshine  and  rain  are  necessary  for  the  crops.  The  disappearance  of  the 
"Know-Nothings"  and  "Nativists''  speaks  more  plainly  for  the  change 
of  public  opinion  which  has  taken  place  in  this  respect.  The  "  Home- 
stead Law "  shows  how  our  national  government  recognizes  the  value 
and  importance  of  immigration.  The  different  State  governments,  espe- 
cially those  of  the  little-populated  South  and  West,  try  by  valuable  con- 
cessions and  inducements  to  draw  the  flood  of  immigration  to  their  States, 
and  in  all  the  large  cities  of  the  Union  private  associations  have  been 
formed  to  guard  the  interests  of  the  emigrant. 

Our  State,  with  New  York  as  the  principal  port  for  the  European 
emigration,  has  not  been  backward  in  this  respect.  The  authorities  have, 
for  a  long  time,  already  taken  measures  to  protect  the  large  number  of 
emigrants  arriving  here  from  being  the  victims  of  swindlers,  as  well  as 
to  afford  the  poor  and  sick  proper  accommodations  and  care.  But  much 
as  has  been  done  by  the  State  and  municipal  authorities  and  the  citizens 
themselves,  the  measures  taken  for  the  protection  of  emigrants  are  still 
entirely  inadequate  ;  for  we  have  amongst  us  a  class  of  people  with  whom 
the  voice  of  humanity  and  right  has  lost  its  power,  and  who  speculate  on 
the  helplessness  of  the  emigrants,  and  make  the  most  of  it  with  a  heart- 
lessness  which  exceeds  anything  that  can  be  imagined.  These  are  the 
emigrant  swindlers,  the  worst  kind  of  rascals,  who  excel  in  every  field  of 
crime  and  depravity,  but  use  their  genius  almost  exclusively  to  swindle 
and  plunder  the  emigrants  arriving  in  our  city.  They  are  a  separate 
class  of  criminals,  who  carry  on  their  nefarious  business  under  various 
names.  Many  of  them  are  very  rich.  Almost  all  play  a  prominent  part 
in  elections  as  "  repeaters,"  and  in  similar  roles,  and  enjoy  the  protection 
of  prominent  political  personages. 

Their  attention  is  principally  directed  to  swindling,  but,  if  it  is  in  their 
interest,  they  do  not  shrink  from  any  crime.  Their  business  is  very 
extensive,  and  includes  everything  connected  with  the  transportation  of 
emigrants,  their  lodging  in  this  city,  and  their  further  transportation  to 
their  final  destination.  With  regard  to  their  transportation  from  Europe, 
Ave  will  only  state  that  many  of  our  emigrant-swindlers  have  their  agents 
in  the  principal  European  ports,  who  prepare  the  ground  on  which  their 
masters     are     to    build.      We    coufine    ourselves,    however,    entirely    to 


560  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

describing  the  doings  of  the  emigrant-swindlers  in  our  city.  Of  course- 
we  cannot  go  into  details  here,  and  only  add  that  if  thousands  of  emi- 
grants, upon  their  arrival  here,  do  not  suffer  from  the  swindlers,  the  cases 
of  swindling  are  still  so  many  that,  in  spite  of  all  measures  taken  to 
suppress  them,  they  have  brought  our  city,  as  a  landing-place  for  emi- 
grants, into  bad  repute. 

The  agents  and  subordinates  of  the  more  important  emigrant-swindlers 
are  the  so-called  "  runners,"  and  they  are  generally  the  persons  with 
whom  the  emigrant  becomes  first  acquainted,  often  before  he  has  even  set 
foot  on  dry  land.  The  business  of  these  "  runners"  is  to  hang  about  the 
landing-places  of  ocean  steamers,  on  railroad  depots,  hotels,  etc.,  to  creep 
into  the  confidence  of  unsuspecting  emigrants  or  travelers,  and  cause 
them  to  transact  their  business  by  railroad  or  steamer  tickets  in  certain 
swindling  offices.  They  are  even  to  be  found  on  the  trains  and  on  steamers, 
where  they  study  the  passengers  with  a  view  to  business.  They  mostly 
belong  to  the  scum  of  society,  and  would  just  as  quickly  murder  their  vic- 
tim as  rob  him  of  his  money.  These  runners  generally  belong  to  that 
nationality  which  they  intend  to  work  upon.  Thus  we  find  among  them 
Frenchmen,  Germans,  Irishmen,  etc.,  fellows  who  are  incapable  and  un- 
willing to  gain  an  honest  living.  Many  of  them  have  a  rascally  appear- 
ance, while  others  again  look  quite  harmless  and  innocent,  and  make  use 
of  many  disguises  with  the  aptness  of  a  trained  actor.  They  play  equally 
well  the  part  of  an  honest  countryman,  and  that  of  a  professional  rowdy. 
Cases  have  occurred,  in  which  the  "runners"  have  treated  the  emigrants 
in  such  a  manner  as  to  remind  a  person  of  the  corsairs  of  the  middle  ages* 
This  has  happened  especially  where  large  passenger  ships  have  been  de- 
tained in  quarantine,  and  the  passengers  who  were  well  have  been  sent  on 
small  steamers  to  Castle  Garden.  These  steamers  are  generally  much  too 
small  for  the  number  of  emigrants  they  contain,  so  that  the  latter  are 
literally  packed  together  like  herrings.  The  runners  are  informed  of  the 
time  when  these  transportations  take  place.  They  wait  in  small  rowboats 
until  the  steamer  is  out  of  view  of  quarantaine.  They  then  row  up  to  it, 
clamber  on  board  and  mingle  with  the  crowd.  They  soon  know  where  to 
look  for  money  or  valuables,  and  where  plain  stealing  or  swindling  will 
not  suffice,  they  take  to  open  robbery.  Their  knives  and  revolvers  in- 
timidate the  strangers  only  too  easily,  and  he  who  would  offer  resistance, 
would  be  knocked  down.  Women  are  insulted  most  shamefully,  and  it 
has  even  occurred  that  they  have  been  abused.  The  officers  of  the  boat 
take  no  notice  of  these  things,  nor  would  they  be  able  to  offer  much  assist- 
ance in  the  crowded  condition  of  the  boat.  As  soon  as  they  draw  near 
Castle  Garden,  the  rascals  who  are  all  dressed  alike  to  make  their  indenti- 
fication  more  difficult,  row  ashore  where  they  change  their  clothing  and 
again  take  up  their  business  in  a  different  form.  They  approach  the  emi- 
grants under  the   guise  of  friendship  and  try  to  bring  them  to  certain 


TIIK     BMI0BAH1  '-SWINDLERS.  SCI 

lodging  houses,  emigrant  hotels,  or  ticket  offices.  If  any  one  observes  the 
.migrants  leaving  Castle  Garden,  he  will  surely  notice  the  numerous  ruu- 
uers  moving  about,  whom  he  will  easily  recognize  by  their  villaineous 
countenances.  As  soon  as  the  emigrants  appear,  this  crowd  approach 
them  with  the  greatest  impudence,  and  try  every  possible  means  to  get 
them  into  their  toils.  T.ie  nationality  is  the  most  common  trap  used.  The 
"runner-',  for  example,  walks  up  to  one  emigrant  and  greets  him  as  an 
old  acquaintance  whom  he  had  expected.  The  old  friend  of  course  looks 
full  of  astonishment  at  his  countryman,  and  says  at  last  that  he  does  not 
remember  of  ever  having  seen  him,  whereat  the  rascal  is  immensely  astou" 
ished.  "So  you  have  forgotten  your  old  friend  in  so  short  a  time,  or  are 
you  not  Mr.  Confidence  ?"  Instead  of  answering  the  question  with  a  single 
"No",  the  fellow  thus  addressed  will  stop  and  explain  that  his  name  is  not 
Confidence,  but  Greenhorn,  and  thus  open  the  way  for  a  further  conversa- 
tion. His  friend  of  course  is  very  much  disappointed.  He  asks  whether 
Mr.  Confidence  who  looks  amazingly  like  Mr.  Greenhorn,  was  not  on  the 
steamer.  In  the  meantime  other  emigrants  have  assembled  around  the 
two,  and  they  all  assert  that  there  was  no  one  on  the  ship  by  the  name  of 
Confidence,  nor  any  one  who  looked  at  all  like  Mr.  Greenhorn.  This  is 
very  disagreeable  to  the  runner.  He  had  expected  his  friend  Confidence 
on  this  steamer  and  provided  good  cheap  lodging  for  him  in  a  hotel  where 
the  emigrants  are  not  swindled  as  is  too  often  the  case.  Thus  he  has 
begun  a  popular  theme  of  conversation,  in  which  the  emigrants  fall  in  only 
too  readily.  The  runner  accompanies  them,  gives  all  the  information  they 
want,  and  especially  advises  them  to  be  very  careful  in  the  choice  of  their 
hotels  as  "it  is  really  a  shame  how  inexperienced  emigrants  are  robbed  in 
our  hotels."  At  last  Mr.  Greenhorn  asks  his  apparent  friend,  as  Con- 
fidence has  not  arrived,  whether  he  cannot  have  the  lodgings  supplied,  as 
he  would  like  to  get  to  a  good  hotel  which  is  not  too  expensive.  The  run- 
ner looks  at  his  watch  and  sees  that  he  has  no  time  to  lose,  and  adds  that 
he  remembers  how  he  would  have  liked  to  have  a  friend  to  advise  him 
when  he  arrived  in  this  country,  and  he  will  therefor  conduct  his  friend  to 
the  hotel.  Soon  a  second  and  a  third  emigrant  join  the  first,  and  in  a 
short  time  the  runner  has  a  half  dozen  emigrants  who  go  to  the  hotel 
which  he  has  intended  "for  his  friend  Confidence".  We  need  hardly  add 
that  this  hotel  is  only  a  den  in  which  emigrants  are  eased  of  their  money. 
This  is  one  of  the  most  common  tricks  made  use  of  by  runners,  but  state 
as  it  is,  it  pays  just  as  well  as  it  did  ten  or  twenty  years  ago.  If  the  new 
arrival  looks  extremely  "green",  the  runner  makes  short  work  of  him  and 
simply  orders  him  to  follow  him  to  a  certain  hotel  where  he  must  board, 
and  in  most  cases  the  person  thus  ordered  obeys  with  the  docility  of  a 
lamb. 

In  this  respect,  things  are  much  better   at  present  than  they  were  in 
past  years,  owing  to  the  exertions  of  the  Commissioners  of  Emigration 

3G 


562  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

and  the  officers  of  the  German  Association  of  the  city  of  New  York. 
But  still  much  remains  to  be  done  before  the  business  of  the  "runners" 
is  broken  up  outside  of  Castle  Garden  as  much  as  it  is  inside.  It  has 
cost  great  exertions  to  banish  the  emigrant-swindlers  from  Castle  Garden, 
but  it  still  happeus  that  their  business  cards  and  circulars  are  distributed 
among  the  emigrants  by  police  and  customs  officers.  Such  cards  and  cir- 
culars then  have  all  the  more  weight  with  the  emigrants,  as  they  suppose 
these  hotels,  boarding-houses,  exchange-offices,  etc.,  to  be  recommended 
officially. 

It  is  difficult  to  tell  which  is  the  more  dangerous  of  the  two,  the  officers 
or  the  hotels.  Both  are  hardly  less  than  robbers'  dens.  We  will  begin 
with  the  M  exchange  and  ticket  offices,"  because  they  are  in  the  hands  of 
the  mo6t  dangerous  rascals,  who,  owing  to  their  wealth  and  their  political 
influence,  form  the  true  aristocracy  of  this  class  of  criminals.  These 
offices  mostly  have  a  sign  with  "Exchange  Office"  on  it,  and  are  almost 
all  alike,  so  that  the  description  of  one  will  do  for  all.  They  are  found 
throughout  the  lower  part  of  the  city,  but  chiefly  in  Hudson,  Greenwich, 
Washington,  and  West  streets,  from  the  Battery  to  Canal  street,  and  in 
the  streets  crossing  them.  They  have  only  one  window,  in  which  printed 
show-cards  with  "  Foreign  gold  changed,"  "  U.  S.  money  changed," 
"Broker's  Office,"  etc.,  may  be  seen.  The  posters  of  the  different  steam- 
ship lines  are  pasted  or  nailed  on  the  door,  while  in  a  show-window,  pro- 
tected by  wire-work,  may  be  seen  a  number  of  foreign  coins  and  United 
States  bank-notes. 

Upon  entering  we  see  a  narrow,  dark  office,  on  one  side  of  which  is  a 
counter.  The  office,  which  in  itself  is  already  very  small,  is  furthermore 
partitioned  in  such  a  manner  as  to  form  a  small  back-room,  the  uses  of 
which  we  will  see  further  on.  The  impression  which  these  offices  make 
on  us  is  by  no  means  a  favorable  one.  They  bear  the  mark  of  suspicion 
so  plainly  on  their  face  that  we  cannot  help  but  wonder  that  any  one 
would  transact  any  money-business  in  them.  And  yet  these  offices,  with 
the  aid  of  the  "  runners,"  do  a  splendid  business.  Hundreds,  aye  thou- 
sands, of  artless  emigrants,  whose  misfortune  or  whose  stupidity  has  led 
them  into  the  hands  of  the  "  runners,"  have  been  plundered  here  in  the 
most  heartless  manner.  They  are  induced  to  change  their  money  into 
United  Slates  money,  for  which  an  enormous  per  centage  is  charged  them, 
and  not  unfrequently  do  they  receive  counterfeit  money.  If  the  customer 
has  an  unusually  verdant  appearance,  and  has  shown  a  well-filled  pocket- 
book,  the  so-called  "  belt  game  "  is  tried  on  him.  He  is  told  how  dan- 
gerous it  is  to  travel  in  America,  and  is  advised  to  be  very  careful  of  his 
money.  If  his  fears  are  sufficiently  aroused,  he  is  advised  to  change  his 
money  into  twenty-dollar  gold-pieces,  to  keep  only  enough  money  in  his 
pocket-book  to  pay  his  way,  and  to  put  the  rest  in  a  belt  which  he  can 
wear  directly  on  his  body.     He  is  shown  such   a  belt ;   "  every  traveler 


Tin:    EMIGRANT-SWINDLERS.  563 

>vears  them  iu  the  United  States  f   and  the  swindlers  offer  to  furnish  him 
with  one  for  nothing.     The  unsuspicious  fellow  is  quite  charmed  with  so 
much  kindness,  and  thankfully  accepts  the  offer.      His   money  is  changed 
into  shining  twenty-dollar  gold-pieces,  and  he  carefully  puts  them  into  the 
belt,      lie  is  about  to  start,  when  he  is  asked  if  he  will    not   put  the  belt 
around  his  body  before  leaving  ;  he  can  easily  do  it  in  an  adjoining  room, 
lie  is  then  brought  into   the   above-mentioned   back-room,  and   the   swin- 
dlers are  so  kind  as  to  explain  to  him  how  the  belt  is  to  be   fastened  and 
worn.     They  help  him  kiudly,  and  he  does   not  notice   how  quickly  they 
change  the  belt  containing  the  gold  pieces  for  another  one  containing  lead. 
At  la6t  the  belt  is  securely  fastened,  and  our  newly-imported  friend  leaves 
with  the   happy  feeling   that   he   is  completely  robber-proof,  and  that  he 
can   slumber  peacefully  without   any  fear   for  his   treasure.     As  he  has 
followed  the  kind  advice  of  the  swindlers  to  keep  a  small  amount  in  his 
pocket-book,  he  sometimes  has  no  occasion  to  open  his  belt  until  he  has 
reached  his  destination,  perhaps  some  place  in   the   far  West.     There,  in 
the  midst  of  his  friends,  he  opens  his  belt ;  and  his  face  can  be  better  im- 
agined than  described,  upon  seeing  lead  instead  of  his  gold-pieces. 

The  majority  of  the  emigrants  robbed  in  such  offices  are  induced  by 
the  "  runners''  to  go  there  by  the  representation  that  they  can  change 
their  money,  or  buy  their  railroad  or  steamship  tickets,  much  cheaper 
there  than  anywhere  else.  Unfortunately  the  emigrant  is  caught  by 
nothing  more  easily  than  the  supposed  greater  cheapness  of  an  article, 
and  he  will  certainly  consider  that  person  his  best  friend  who  offers  him 
anything  at  a  lower  price  than  anybody  else.  That  is  the  stumbling- 
block  of  the  majority  of  the  emigrants,  that  in  trying  to  save  a  few  dol- 
lars they  let  themselves  be  robbed  of  all  their  possessions.  Numerous 
cases  occur  every  year  in  which  emigrants  are  swindled  out  of  hundreds 
of  dollars  in  such  offices.  In  1871  a  German  by  the  name  of  Kronach 
lost,  in  one  of  these  offices  iu  Canal  street,  not  less  than  §900  by  the 
"  belt  game."  Another  victim,  Otto  Freisam,  also  a  German,  was  robbed 
by  forged  passage-tickets,  counterfeit  money,  and  other  means,  of  $682. 
Fortunately  he  discovered  the  swindle  before  he  left  New  York,  and 
called  upon  the  police  for  help.  This  was  all  right,  only  he  did  not  know 
where  the  office  was  to  which  he  had  been  brought  by  the  "  runner." 
With  great  difficulty  it  was  at  last  ascertained  that  it  must  be  either  in 
Courtlandt  street  or  in  West  street.  Inquiries  would  not  have  been  of 
any  use,  as  both  offices  would  have  denied  any  knowledge  of  the  matter.  ji 
The  authorities,  however,  assumed  an  air  of  great  confidence,  and  de- 
manded of  both  offices  the  $682,  fully  satisfied  that  the  innocent  one 
would  protest.  But  it  happened  otherwise,  for  both  offices  immediately 
sent  the  $682.  Freisam  thus  received  his  money  back.  But  the  fact 
that  both  offices  had  declared  themselves  guilty  by  sending  the  mouey, 
showed  conclusively  that  another  emigrant  had  also  been   swindled,  and 


564  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

that  too  out  of  a  sum  greater  than  $682.  The  reason  why  he  had  not 
applied  was  probably  that  he  had  already  arrived  at  his  destination,  and 
perhaps  did  not  even  suspect  how  cruelly  he  had  been  plucked  by  the 
emigrant-swindlers. 

Another  method  of  swindling  employed  by  these  offices  consists  in  the 
sale  of  railroad  and  steamship  tickets.  The  "runners"  generally  suc- 
ceed in  convincing  their  victims  that  the  tickets  can  be  bought  much 
cheaper  in  the  offices  recommended  by  them  than  in  any  other.  The 
newly-arrived  emigrant  has  generally  no  idea  whatever  of  the  price  of 
tickets,  and  as  they  only  too  easily  fear  swindling  in  any  other  form  than 
that  in  which  it  presents  itself,  they  confide  in  those  only  too  quickly  who 
offer  their  services  and  friendship.  They  therefore  follow  the  "runner" 
into  the  swindling-office,  and  there  buy  their  tickets  at  double  or  three 
times  their  regular  price,  or  buy  a  ticket  for  half  the  distance  at  full 
price.  The  attempt  is  very  seldom  made,  however,  to  sell  forged  tickets 
to  emigrants,  for  they  could  not  leave  the  city  with  them,  and  the  police 
would  be  set  on  the  track  of  the  swindlers  too  quickly.  This  ticket- 
swindle  reached  its  highest  point  at  the  time  of  the  California  gold-fever, 
but  is  by  no  means  to  be  considered  extinct  to-day.  Not  only  "  green  " 
emigrants  are  victimized  by  it,  but  even  those  who  have  been  in  the 
country  for  years,  and  wish  to  undertake  a  trip  to  the  "old  country." 
Thus  an  Englishman  by  the  name  of  Church  allowed  himself  to  be 
drawn  into  one  of  these  offices  by  a  "  runner,"  and  was  induced  to  buy 
tickets  for  himself  and  family  for  passage  on  one  of  the  European 
steamers.  He  paid  the  price  for  the  first  cabin,  but  upon  arriving  on 
board  he  found  that  he  was  only  entitled  to  a  steerage  passag3.  He  called 
upon  the  police  for  aid,  and  they  had  the  money  restored  to  him.  As  this 
was  done  immediately  before  the  sailing  of  the  steamer,  Mr.  Church  had 
no  opportunity  to  notice  that  he  had  not  escaped  the  hands  of  the  swin- 
dlers entirely  unhurt.  When  he  arrived  in  Liverpool,  he  found  that 
almost  all  of  the  restored  money  was  counterfeit. 

Besides  leading  the  emigrants  to  those  offices,  it  is  also  the  business  of 
the  "  runners  "  to  bring  them  to  the  so-called  emigrant  hotels  or  boarding- 
houses.  Our  city  contains  a  large  number  of  these  boarding-houses, 
whose  proprietors  are  in  the  employ  of  emigrant-swindlers,  or  who  carry 
on  their  business  on  their  own  account.  Most  of  them  are  found  in 
Greenwich  street.  Many  of  these  hotels  have  their  own  "  runners,"  who 
often  make  the  trip  from  Europe.  They  are  without  exception  very 
smart  and  talented  men,  who  thoroughly  understand  the  art  of  obtaining 
the  confidence  of  their  fellow-passengers,  and  enjoy  great  popularity 
through  their  jovial  demeanor  and  by  treating  freely.  They  pretend  that 
they  have  lived  in  America  for  some  time,  and  are  well-off  and  well 
acquainted  with  the  circumstances  existing  there.  They  describe  Castle 
Garden,  the  German  Society,  as  well  as  all  the  official  measures  taken  to 


THK    EMIGEANT-  BWIKDLEB8.  565 

protect  emigrants  as  humbugs,  aud  the  end  of  the  story  generally  is  that 
they  recommend  some  particular  hotel  as  the  best,  the  cheapest,  and  the 
most  respectable.  No  one  possesses  more  influence  on  an  emigrant-ship 
than  a  traveliug-eompauiou  who  gained  the  confidence  of  the  emigrants 
by  his  general  behavior,  his  liberality,  and  his  pretended  knowledge  of 
American  affairs.  Such  " runners"  are  therefore  in  general  very  suc- 
cessful, and  manage  to  bring  a  large  number  of  the  emigrants  to  the  hotel 
recommended  by  them. 

The  following  may  serve  as  an  example  of  how  successfully  these 
"  runners"  operate  on  emigrant-ships  :  The  proprietor  of  a  hotel  who  had 
been  excluded  from  Castle  Garden  on  account  of  maltreatment  of  emi- 
grants, posted  his  u  runners"  outside  of  the  building  closed  to  him,  who 
now  tried  everything  to  induce  the  emigrants  arriving  to  go  to  their  hotel. 
He  also  persuaded  the  police  and  customs  officers  to  distribute  his  cir- 
culars among  the  emigrants.  But  his  enterprising  spirit  did  not  let  him 
rest  here.  He  sent  his  "runners"  to  Europe,  so  that  one  returned  on 
every  German  steamer,  whose  business  it  was  to  persuade  emigrants  to 
stay  a  few  days  in  that  hotel  in  New  York.  One  of  these  "  runners  " 
returned  on  the  steamer  Donau,  which  had  several  hundred  passengers 
over  half  of  whom  left  Castle  Garden,  upon  their  arrival,  and  went  with 
their  baggage  to  this  hotel.  Not  long  after  another  of  his  "runners" 
arrived  on  the  steamer  Deutschland.  He  had  also  tried  to  induce  a  large 
number  ef  emigrants  to  leave  Castle  Garden,  because  they  would  not  be 
treated  as  well  there  as  in  his  hotel,  where  they  would  find  everything 
necessary  to  continue  their  journey.  He  had  expended  a  large  amount 
on  the  journey  in  treating  the  emigrants  to  beer,  etc.  Upon  their  arrival 
the  "runner"  entered  himself  as  an  emigrant,  and  placed  himself  next 
to  the  express  company's  agent.  He  asked  the  emigrants  to  give  him 
their  baggage  checks,  as  their  baggage  would  be  sent  to  the  hotel.  This 
aroused  the  suspicion  of  the  officers  of  Castle  Garden,  and  caused  them 
to  inspect  this  over-officious  gentleman  a  little  more  closely,  when  they 
recognized  in  him  a  well-known  •'  runner  "  to  whom  the  entrance  to  Cas- 
tle Garden  had  long  ago  been  forbidden.  He  was  made  short  work  off ; 
they  gave  him  his  baggage,  and  swiftly  put  him  out  of  doors.  Although 
the  emigrants  had  been  informed  of  his  character,  and  had  been  warned 
of  him,  still  a  large  number  went  to  the  hotel  which  had  been  recom- 
mended by  him. 

After  what  has  been  said,  it  is  hardly  necessary  to  add  anything  further 
about  the  lodging-houses,  boarding-houses,  hotels,  etc.,  kept  by  emigrant 
swindlers.  The  emigrant  who  gets  into  one  of  them  by  chance  may  be 
happy  if  nothing  worse  happens  to  him  than  receiving  miserable  lodgings 
and  board  at  extremely  high  prices.  Generally  the  hotel-keeper  plays 
the  part  of  an  anxious  countryman  for  his  "  green"  guests.  He  recom- 
mence them  to  restore  themselves  from  the  effects   of  their  long  journey. 


566  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

There  is  plenty  of  time  to  think  of  work.  Well  paying  situations  as  well 
as  easy  and  profitable  work  can  be  had  here  at  any  time,  and  we  will  look 
out  for  them  in  this  respect.  He  tells  the  same  thing  to  his  guests  who 
are  bound  for  the  interior,  and  whom  he  advises  to  remain  with  him  yet, 
so  that  they  may  prepare  themselves  for  the  climate.  Of  money  and  pay- 
ment very  little,  if  anything,  is  said.  For  the  hotel  keeper  has  the  bag- 
gage of  his  guests  in  his  care  and  is  well  informed  as  to  the  contents  of 
the  trunks  as  well  as  of  those  of  their  pocketbooks.  The  less  he  says  of 
the  money  question,  the  more  does  he  bring  his  guests  into  temptation  to 
spend  their  money.  Generally  he  is  aided  by  runners  and  other  vagabonds 
who  also  stop  at  the  house  as  supposed  emigrants,  by  treating,  etc.,  to 
make  the  emigrants  careless  and  bring  their  dollars  into  circulation  as 
quickly  as  possible.  Thus  it  is  that  an  emigrant  depending  on  the  assur- 
ances of  a  hotel  keeper  and  his  confederates,  passes  his  days  without  a 
thought  for  the  future,  and  only  bagins  to  think  of  work  when  he  sees  the 
bottom  of  his  purse.  Too  soon  only  does  he  find  then  that  work  in  a  city 
flooded  with  workmen  of  all  kinds,  is  found  often  with  the  greatest  diffi- 
culty, and  sometimes  not  at  all.  The  proprietor  also  changes  his  tone 
then.  If  the  poor  emigrant  has  looked  in  vain  for  work,  has  spent  his 
last  dollar  and  owes  for  a  few  days  board,  the  heartless  proprietor  simply 
puts  him  out  of  the  house  and  keeps  his  baggage  for  security.  Sometimes 
it  also  happens  that  such  poor  fellows  are  intoxicated  and  sold  to  some 
outward  bound  ship.  Such  boardinghouses  are  especially  dangerous  for 
the  female  emigrants.  The  proprietors  very  seldom  hesitate  to  deliver 
them  to  brothels,  with  the  proprietors  of  which  they  are  often  in  close 
connection.  This  point  we  have  already  spoken  of  in  the  chapter  on  pro- 
stitution. v 

The  frauds  practiced  on  emigrants  are  of  very  frequent  occurrence. 
Hardly  a  day  passes,  but  that  a  case  of  this  kind  is  brought  to  the  notice 
of  the  police.  We  can  see  that  the  rascals  understand  their  business  from 
the  fact  that  the  sums  taken  from  the  emigrants  by  swindling  and  other- 
;wise,  amount,  according  to  the  statements  of  the  police,  to  about  $200,000 
annually.  But  we  can  safely  assume  that  but  one  out  of  50  cases  is  ever 
brought  to  the  notice  of  the  police.  Many  who  are  swindled  by  the  exor- 
bitant bills  of  the  hotel  keepers,  do  not  perhaps  even  know  that  they  are 
swindled.  Others  again,  the  victims  of  the  ticket  and  belt  games,  only 
discover  the  fraud  practiced  on  them  when  they  are  hundreds  of  miles  from 
the  city,  and  very  seldom  does  any  news  of  their  misfortune  come  to  the 
ears  of  our  city  authorities.  Others  again  are  so  intimidated  by  the  threats 
of  the  villains  that  they  do  not  dare  to  make  any  complaint.  Tiie  experi- 
ences of  such  emigrants  who  have  taken  legal  steps  against  such  swindlers,. 
are  also  not  of  the  pleasantest.  For,  according  to  our  laws,  the  witness 
in  criminal  cases  must  give  bail  for  his  appearance,  as  well  as  the  criminal. 
Generally  the  poor  emigrant  robbed  of  his  last  dollar,  is  unable  to  find  any 


TIIK    BMIGRANT-3 WINDLEBS .  507 

one  who  is  willing  to  go  bail  fur  him.  The  emigrant-swindler  who  enjoys 
■  high  political  protection,  can  always  fiud  bail,  no  matter  what  his  offence 
may  he.  Thus  it  is  nothing  unusual  that  the  poor  emigrant  who  was 
robbed,  is  kept  in  close  confinement  for  weeks,  while  the  person  who 
robbed  him,  continues  his  business  as  if  nothing  had  happened.  The  busi- 
ness is  therefor,  exclusive  of  the  high  political  favors  it  enjoys,  a  not  very 
dangerous  one  for  those  who  carry  it  on.  For  a  considerable  length  of 
time  it  was  even  considered  an  impossibility  to  punish  them. 

At  the  same  time  however  we  can  only  wonder  at  the  simplicity  or 
rather  stupidity  of  the  emigrants,  for  no  trick  is  too  clumsy  for  them  to  be 
caught  by  it.  All  the  tricks  described  under  the  head  of  swindle  are  suc- 
cessfully applied  by  the  runners  on  emigrants.  A  prominent  example  of 
such  stupidity  happened  in  November  1872.  The  victim,  a  Scotchman 
by  the  name  of  Stevenson,  was  by  no  means  a  "greenhorn",  but  a  man 
who  had  lived  for  several  years  in  New  York  aud  was  about  to  re- 
turn to  his  native  country  with  his  savings.  The  day  of  leaving  had 
arrived,  and  our  Scotchman  started  to  take  a  short  walk  yet  before  leav- 
ing. He  entered  a  saloon  to  take  another  drink,  when  he  happened  to 
meet  a  young  man  with  whom  he  engaged    in   conversation.     Stevenson 

mentioned  that  he  was  about  to  start  for  England  on  the  steamer  . 

This  seemed  to  make  the  young  man  feel  happy,  for  he  had  also  taken 
passage  on  that  steamer.  Stevenson  also  felt  overjoyed  at  this  news.  The 
glasses  were  again  filled,  and  they  drank  to  a  successful  journey.  While 
the  two  were  sitting  and  drinking,  a  man  stepped  up  to  them  and  asked 
Stevenson's  friend  to  pay  express  charges  on  his  trunks,  which  had  been 
brought  on  board  of  the  steamer.  The  fellow  answered  that  he  had  only 
a  few  sovereigns  in  his  pocket,  but  his  friend,  Mr.  Stevenson,  would  cer- 
tainly lend  him  the  money  for  a  few  minutes.  Stevenson  of  course  could 
not  refuse  his  pleasant  companion  this  small  request.  Pie  gave  him  ten 
dollars  for  the  stranger,  who  thereupon  left.  Stevenson's  kindness,  how- 
ever, was  not  yet  exhausted.  His  friend  asked  him  in  a  little  while  to 
lend  him  his  watch,  as  he  had  a  short  errand  to  perform  yet,  and  it  would 
be  disagreeable,  to  say  the  least,  to  miss  the  steamer.  Stevenson,  with- 
out the  least  suspicion,  handed  him  the  watch,  whereupon  they  separated. 
Stevensou  waited  for  some  time  on  board,  but  his  friend  did  not  make  his 
appearance.  At  last  suspicions  began  to  arise  withiu  him,  and  he  asked 
the  captain  whether  a  certain  McNeil  (the  name  the  swindler  had  given) 
was  on  the  passenger-list.  He  was  answered  in  the  negative,  and  he  saw 
that  he  had  been  swindled.  But  what  wras  to  be  done?  The  steamer 
was  to  sail  in  a  few  hours.  He  again  rushed  into  the  street,  hoping  to 
see  something  of  the  rascal.  But  all  in  vain  ;  and  he  was  just  on  the 
point  of  returning  to  the  ship  when,  to  his  astonishment,  he  saw  his 
friend  looking  calmly  at  the  steamer  aud  the  people  on  board  of  her.  He 
had  him    immediately  arrested  ;    but  his   money  and  watch  were   gone. 


568  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

The  police  recognized  in  McNeil  a  celebrated  confidence  swindler  and 
runner.  He  stoutly  denied  ever  having  seen  Stevenson,  and,  as  the  latter 
had  no  desire  to  be  detained  as  a  witness,  the  swindler  had  to  be  re- 
leased. 

A  peculiar  kind  of  emigrant-swindlers,  which  stands  alone  by  itself, 
and  has  nothing  in  common  with  the  above-mentioned  class,  was  brought 
to  the  notice  of  the  public  during  the  summer  of  1873.  The  persons  who 
compose  it  are  engaged  in  the  importation  of  children  from  Italy,  who, 
according  to  contract,  are  let  out  from  their  country  to  Italians  living 
here,  to  serve  them  as  street  musicians  for  a  number  of  year3,  and  to  be 
further  educated  in  music. 

Thus  at  least  is  the  wording  of  the  supposed  contract.  As  a  compen- 
sation for  the  musical  education  of  the  children,  the  contractors  here  take 
the  money  they  collect  in  their  wanderings  as  street  musicians.  Upon 
the  expiration  of  the  contract,  the  contractors  ("padroni"  as  they  are 
called)  are  to  take  them  back  to  Italy,  and  to  pay  them  a  nominal  grati- 
fication of  forty  or  fifty  ducats.  But  in  reality  the  thing  is  quite  different. 
As  has  been  discovered  by  researches  instituted  in  Italy,  these  poor  chil- 
dren are  sold  by  their  parents  to  speculators,  or  are  even  stolen  by  these 
rascals.  When  they  arrive  in  our  city  as  compulsory  emigrants,  a  sad 
lot  awaits  them.  The  persons  by  whom  they  are  taken  are  generally  the 
lowest  and  most  degraded  class  of  Italians  in  our  city.  Of  education 
there  is  no  idea.  The  children  are  in  reality  nothing  but  the  slaves  of 
these  padroni.  They  do  not  understand  the  English  language,  while  amDng 
the  inhabitants  of  the  city  there  is  hardly  one  in  one  hundred  thousand 
who  understands  the  Italian  language.  They  are  furthermore  instructed 
by  their  padroni  to  avoid  every  one  who  seems  to  take  an  interest  in 
them,  and  especially  to  look  upon  those  who  speak  Italian  to  them  as  their 
enemies. 

Thus  these  little  slaves  are  completely  isolated,  and  believe  that  they 
have  no  other  friends  in  this  great  city  than  the  padroni,  while  they  in 
reality  are  their  worst  enemies.  The  children,  who  all  know  how  to  play 
on  some  instrument,  generally  the  violin  or  the  harp,  are  compelled  to 
perform  in  the  streets  and  in  saloons.  The  money  thus  raised  by  them  is 
all  appropriated  by  the  padroni.  Each  one  of  these  little  slaves  must 
brin<*  home  a  certain  sum  in  the  evening.  If  he  lacks  a  few  cents  only 
of  the  required  amount,  he  is  unmercifully  beaten. 

The  den  that  is  given  to  these  poor  children  as  a  home,  is  a  bitter  satire 
on  that  sweet  word.  The  homes  of  the  padroni  are  generally  in  the  low- 
est quarters  of  the  city,  near  the  Five  Points  or  the  Arch  Block.  When 
the  little  street  musicians  come  home  in  the  evening,  they  find  a  heap  of 
dirty  rags  as  a  bed.     Food  they  are  generally  told  to  obtain  by  begging. 

The  business  was  a  very  easy  and  very  profitable  one  for  the  padroni. 
More  and  more  of  these  youthful  slaves  were  imported  ;  child-buying  be- 


TIIK    B MIGRANT    SWINDLERS.  569 

came  more  frequent  in  Italy,  and  the  dirty  and  sickly-looking  children  in 
our  streets  became  more  numerous.  At  last  the  terrible  secret  hidden 
behind  these  youthful  emigrants  came  to  light.  New  York  shuddered 
when  it  discovered  that  it  had  such  open  and  terrible  slavery  in  its  midst. 
The  press  hurled  its  thunderbolts  against  it,  and  the  police  cast  a  watch- 
ful eye  on  this  sore  spot  of  our  social  organism  which  was  thus  laid  bare. 
At  last,  the  respectable  portion  of  the  Italian  citizens  and  the  Italian 
consul  took  energetic  steps  against  it.  Although  the  discovery  of,  and 
the  agitation  against,  this  evil  is  still  new,  it  has  nevertheless  already 
received  its  deathblow.  Investigations  were  instituted,  and  a  number  of 
these  little  sufferers  were  taken  from  their  padroni,  and  were  placed  in 
our  charitable  institutions.  This  good  work  is  still  continued,  and  we  can 
safely  assume  that  this  kind  of  emigrant-swindling  will  soon  belong 
to  the  things  of  the  past.  For,  as  we  said  before,  these  Italian 
emigrant-swindlers  belong  to  the  lowest  class  of  society,  and,  as  they  do 
not  take  the  least  interest  in  politics,  and  can  therefore  not  be  even  used 
as  "voting  cattle,"  they  do  not  possess  the  political  influence  which  makes 
the  other  class  of  emigrant-swindlers  so  powerful.  In  such  cases  Dame 
Justice  does  not  hesitate  to  do  her  duty,  and  we  can  therefore  congratu- 
late ourselves  on  the  fact  that  the  evil  was  eradicated  the  moment  it  be- 
came known  to  the  public. 

The  swindling  of  emigrants  was  carried  on  for  years  with  the  most 
shameless  impudence,  while  the  authorities  took  no  measures  whatever  to 
combat  the  evil  which  threatened  to  become  a  lasting  disgrace  to  the  Re- 
public.  At  last  the  state  authorities  awoke  to  a  sense  of  their  obligations, 
and  created  a  so-called  emigrant  commission  whose  duties  should  be  to 
watch  over  the  interests  of  the  emigrant,  from  the  time  of  his  arrival  until 
the  time  of  his  departure  from  the  city.  Before  the  creation  of  this  com- 
mission, all  that  had  been  done  to  protect  the  emigrants,  had  originated 
with  private  associations  formed  to  protect  their  respective  countrymen 
(German  and  Irish).  These  private  associations  exert  to  the  present  day, 
«ven  after  the  creation  of  the  above  mentioned  commission,  a  beneficial 
influence  and  have  each  a  vote  in  this  commission. 

The  state  board  of  emigration  consists  of  13  members,  9  of  whom  are 
appointed  by  the  governor  of  New  York,  the  mayors  of  the  cities  of 
Brooklyn  and  New  York,  and  the  presidents  of  the  German  and  Irish 
societies  forming  the  other  4.  The  duties  of  this  board  are,  to  protect  the 
emigrants  and  to  afford  the  sick  and  the  poor  assistance  and  proper  care. 
For  this  purpose  the  building  situated  in  the  Battery  and  known  as  the 
Castle  Garden,  has  been  designated  as  a  place  where  arriving  emigrants 
must  be  landed.  When  an  emigrant  ship  arrives  off  quarantine,  a  member 
of  the  board  of  emigration  goes  on  board,  examines  the  sanitary  condition 
of  the  emigrants,  make3  inquiries  as  to  their  treatmeut  on  their  voyage 
over,  and  receives  all  complaints  made  by  passengers.     He  remains  on 


570 


THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YOKK    LIFE. 


board  until  the  passengers  are  landed  in  Castle  Garden,  and  sees  that  no 
unauthorized  persons  come  on  board  and  mingle  with  passengers.  When 
the  baggage  of  the  passengers  has  been  examined  by  the  custom  house 
officer,  the  emigrants  are  landed  in  the  Castle  Garden  depot.  There  the 
name,  the  age,  the  place  he  came  from,  etc.,  of  each  emigrant  are  entered 
in  a  book.  The  names  of  those  for  whom  money  or  letters  have  been  left, 
and  of  those  who  are  expected  by  friends,  are  then  called  out.  Upon 
identification,  they  receive  the  money  or  the  letters,  or  are  brought  to  their 
friends,  which  friends  are  first  sharply  examined  to  ascertain  whether  they 
are  really  what  they  pretend  to  be. 

The  various  steamship  and  railroad  lines  also  have  offices  in  Castle 
Garden  where  the  emigrants  can  procure  their  tickets  for  their  further 
journey.  There  are  also  broker's  offices  which  are  so  closely  controlled 
by  the  commission,  that  the  emigrants  can  change  their  money  there  with- 
out the  least  fear  of  being  swindled.  Cheap  and  substantial  meals  may 
be  had  in  a  restaurant,  while  an  intelligence  office  registers  the  names  of 
all  those  seeking  employment,  and,  if  possible,  immediately  supplies  them 
wi;h  positions.  A  telegraph  office  sends  despatches  from  the  emigrants 
to  their  friends  and  relatives,  while  in  another  office  there  are  clerks  who 
will  write  letters  for  emigrants  in  almost  any  language.  Those  emigrants 
who  wish  to  go  out  west  without  any  further  delay,  are  brought  by  licensed 
agents  of  the  railroads  directly  to  the  respective  depots.  Those  emigrants 
however  who  wish  to  remain  in  the  city  for  some  time,  will  find  proprie- 
tors of  boarding  houses  who  are  under  the  control  of  the  commissioners, 
and  whose  prices  are  fixed  by  a  special  tariff.  These  hotel  keepers  or 
their  agents  take  charge  of  the  emigrants  applying  to  them,  and  bring 
them  and  their  baggage  to  the  boarding  house.  Sick  emigrants  are  taken 
to  the  hospital  on  Ward  Island,  where  they  are  cared  for  and  nursed  free 
of  charge  until  their  entire  recovery. 

After  such  regulations,  which  seem  to  be  equally  liberal  and  practical, 
we  justly  wonder  that  the  swindling  of  emigrants,  is  still  carried  on  so 
openly  and  boldly.  We  should  be  inclined  to  suppose  that  the  business 
had  been  completely  ruined  by  the  Board  of  Emigration,  together  with 
Castle  Garden  and  Ward's  Island ;  and  yet  we  have  seen  that  this  is  not 
the  case,  although  the  swindling  of  emigrants  has  lost  considerably  in 
extent  as  well  as  in  brutality.  It  is  still  able  to  give  a  number  of  villains 
a  splendid  income.  The  system  and  the  idea  of  the  State  Board  of  Emi" 
gration  are  both  very  good,  but  the  men  who  shall  execute  the  idea  are 
not  very  human,  but  in  many  cases  politicians,  and  wherever  in  charita- 
ble institutions  political  party  questions  are  brought  into  consideration, 
something  will  always  be  out  of  order.  Honorable  as  the  intentions  of 
the  commissioners  may  be,  they  are  not  able  to  draw  a  line  in  the  party 
considerations  in  appointing  their  subordinates.  Thus  it  is  that  the 
official  guard  for  the  emigrants  occasionally  shows  a  weak  spot,  of  which 


THE     KMIGRANI-SWINDLKI;-.  571 

the  emigrant-swindlers  immediately  take  advantage.  How  could  the 
scenes  be  otherwise  explained,  which  we  have  described  as  occurring  dur- 
ing the  transportation  of  emigrants  from  quarantine  to  Castle  Garden? 
In  a  word,  the  protection  of  the  emigrant  shows  in  all  directions  the 
abuses  which  are  not  the  fault  of  the  system,  but  the  fault  of  the  persons 
entrusted  with  its  execution.  Another  share  of  the  blame,  and  that  not 
a  small  one,  falls  on  the  emigrants  themselves.  We  have  seen  how 
eagerly  they  bite  at  every  bait  that  is  offered  to  them,  and  how  a  large 
Dumber  of  them,  after  a  fellow-passenger  had  been  proven  to  them  to  be 
a  runner  and  a  swindler,  had  still  gone  to  the  boarding-house  recom- 
mended by  him.  What  is  the  use  of  explanations  and  warnings  with 
such  people  ?  They  will  always  follow  the  swindler,  who  knows  how  to 
make  use  of  their  weak  points,  and  will  suspect  treachery  in  the  plain 
speech  of  an  honest  man.  This  class  of  people  can  only  learn  from  a 
bitter  experience.  The  large  majority  of  the  victims  of  emigraut- 
swindlers  can  be  safely  set  down  as  belonging  to  this  class.  Another 
reason  which  enables  the  emigrant-swindlers  to  flourish  so  much  can  be 
found  in  the  laxity  with  which  our  laws  are  brought  into  operation  against 
those  rascals,  who  play  important  parts  in  elections  as  local  politicians, 
ballot-box  stuffers,  rowdies,  etc.  The  first  sign  of  independence  in  this 
respect  was  shown  by  Recorder  Hacket,  who  lately  sentenced  two  well- 
known  emigrant-swindlers,  in  spite  of  all  the  political  influence  which  was 
brought  to  bear  on  him,  to  several  years  in  the  State  Prison.  This  was 
formerly  regarded  as  an  impossibility.  But  it  was  done  after  the  over- 
throw of  the  "  Tammany  Ring,"  aud  it  is  to  be  hoped  that  emigrant- 
swindling,  which  was  a  part  of  this  "  ring,"  received  a  blow  through  its 
overthrow  from  which  it  will  not  so  easily  recover.  This  will  be  the  case 
if  our  judges  continue  to  do  their  duty.  Whatever  has  been  done  until 
now  against  the  emigrant-swindlers  has  only  been  defensive.  The  swin- 
dlers have  been  left  undisturbed,  and  they  have  been  permitted  to  lay 
their  snares  at  their  leisure,  and  the  authorities  have  been  satisfied  if,  in 
cases  where  they  could  not  escape,  they  would  disgorge  their  booty.  But 
this  by  no  means  suffices,  and  is  not  the  protection  which  the  law  must 
afford  against  crime.  The  law  shall  act  on  the  offensive.  It  must  make 
the  existence  of  swindling  offices  and  swindling  hotels  an  impossibility,, 
and  should  send  the  swindlers  to  where  they  belong,  viz,  the  State  Prison. 
For  this  it  is  necessary  to  repeal  that  law  which  makes  it  dangerous  thing 
for  the  plaintiff  to  enter  a  complaint  against  these  swindlers.  We  have 
reference  to  that  law  which  imprisons  the  plaintiff  if  he  cannot  give  bail 
for  his  appearance,  while  the  swindler,  who  can  always  give  bail,  goes 
free,  and,  if  he  thinks  it  necessary,  can  make  himself  invisible.  In  a 
word,  the  business  of  the  emigrant-swindler  must  be  made  as  dangerous 
as  possible  for  him,  and  political  influence  must  not  be  allowed  to  Wind 
the  eye  of  justice,  or  to  deprive   her   arm   of  power.     This  not  only  re- 


572  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

quired  by  our  inborn  sense  of  right,  but  also  by  our  national  honor,  for 
by  nothing  does  this  suffer  more  than  by  the  greatly  enlarged  stories  and 
rumors  of  the  emigrant-swindlers  of  New  York,  the  chief  port  for  the 
landing  of  emigrants,  which  circulate  in  all  parts  of  Europe. 

We  cannot  close  this  chapter  without  noticing  a  new  enterprise,  said  to 
t>e  undertaken  in  the  interest  of  the  emigrants.  Until  now  it  is  only 
known  by  its  name,  the  "  United  German- American  Association."  All 
that  we  know  of  it  is  that  it  states  as  its  object  the  protection  of  the  emi- 
grant, and  is  said  to  have  established  a  branch  office  in  Berlin.  Its  first 
board  of  officers  was  as  follows :  Dr.  S.  Ehrenberg,  president ;  Hugo 
Elloser,  secretary ;  M.  Mandel,  treasurer ;  directors,  Ernest  von  Blom- 
berg,  T.  Rothenburg,  C.  W.  Meyer,  William  Fischer,  E.  E.  Evers,  R.  D. 
Davis,  E.  H.  Muldauer,  Dr.  W.  Wildner,  M.  Blank,  and  C.  Schaaf. 
Messrs.  Ehrenberg  and  Mandel,  however,  are  two  very  suspicious  char- 
acters, and  President  Ehrenberg  has  even  had  the  honor  of  residing  for  a 
number  of  years  in  the  Missouri  State  Prison,  not  a  very  favorable  re- 
commendation indeed.  Hugo  Elosser,  who  has  been  named  as  on  the 
board  of  directors  of  the  Association,  has  protested  against  this  in  a  letter 
to  the  German  Society.  He  declares  that  his  name  has  been  used  with- 
out his  knowledge  or  consent  as  secretary  of  the  *  U.  G.  A.  Association/' 
that  he  knows  nothing  of  the  objects  or  the  character  of  the  "  Association," 
and  that  he  had  never  had  any  connection  with  it  whatever.  Nor  could 
anything  be  learned  in  Berlin  about  the  branch  office  in  that  city.  All 
this  seemed  so  peculiar  that  the  German  Society  adopted  the  following 
resolution,  offered  by  Mr.  Willy  Wallach  : 

"  Resolved,  That,  as  neither  the  public  press  nor  the  untiring  efforts  of 
private  persons  have  succeeded  in  bringing  to  light  any  definite  know 
ledge  of  the  tendency  and  activity  of  the  so-called  "  United  German- 
American  Association,"  and  as  the  President,  Dr.  S.  Ehrenberg,  and  the 
treasurer,  M.  Mandel,  are  known  as  notorious  swindlers  and  adventurers, 
the  board  of  directors  of  the  German  Society  considers  its  its  duty  to  warn 
its  fellow-citizens  against  giving  said  persons  any  aid,  either  by  contribu- 
tions or  otherwise." 

This,  as  well  as  many  other  things,  seems  to  have  opened  the  eyes  of 
the  better  elements  in  the  "  Association."  A  movement  was  begun  in 
the  ■"  Association,"  the  object  of  which  was  to  get  rid  of  the  suspicious 
characters  at  its  head.  The  movement  was  successful,  and  resulted  in 
the  resignation  of  Ehrenberg,  Mandel,  and  their  special  friends.  This 
was  done  in  the  meeting  of  August  1,  1873,  in  which  a  president  and 
secretary  pro.  tern,  were  also  chosen.  Thus  the  matter  rests  at  present. 
The  u  Association  "  has  taken  a  great  step  forward  by  ridding  itself  of 
these  two  notorious  swindlers,  but  yet  it  is  not  possible  to  give  a  final  de- 
cision on  its  true  character  so  long  as  the  public  remains  in  the  dark  as  to 
He  true  object,  as  well  as  the  means  to  be  employed  in  the  attainment  of 


THK     KMK.i;  LB  1      -WINDI.KK-. 

this  object.  If  the  M  Association  "  desires  to  gaiu  credit  ia  the  eyes  of 
the  public,  it  will  not  lack  opportunities  to  do  so.  Until  then,  however, 
the  warning  of  the  German  Society  must  remain  in  full  force. 

Although  we  have  attempted  to  give  the  dark  side  of  our  emigrant  sys- 
tem, owing  to  the  object  of  the  book,  we  still  cannot  close  the  chapter  with- 
out directing  the  attention  of  the  reader  to  a  bright  side,  which  may  be  re- 
garded as  the  forerunner  of  a  new  and  better  era.  It  is  an  undertaking 
set  on  foot  by  our  German  fellow-citizens  for  the  benefit  of  the  German 
emigrants,  and  is  the  erection  of  an  u  emigrant  home/'  which  is  to  pro- 
vide the  emigrant  with  good  and  cheap  lodging,  in  the  full  guarantee  of 
safety  against  being  swindled,  and  of  good  treatment.  The  undertaking 
was  first  set  on  foot  by  Rev.  W.  Berkemeier,  and  has  been  energetically 
pushed  until  its  completion.  The  association  which  has  furnished  the 
means  bears  the  name,  M  Lutheran  Emigrant-Home  Association  of  New 
York."  It  has  bought  the  house  situated  at  No.  16  State  street,  opposite 
Castle  Garden,  for  $30,000.  The  house  is  28x60  feet,  and  five  stories 
highland  posseses  ample  accommodations.  With  such  an  emigrant-house, 
and  under  the  control  of  an  association  which  has  only  charitable  object* 
in  view,  the  most  practical  way  has  been  taken  to  break  up  the  disgrace, 
ful  business  of  the  "emigrant-runners."  The  undertaking  is  a  truly 
charitable  one,  and  free  from  all  sectarian  spirit.  The  name,  "  Lutheran 
Emigrant-Home,"  by  no  means  denotes  that  it  is  only  open  to  Lutherans, 
but  that  it  was  erected  by  a  Lutheran  community. 

We  hope  that  this  good  example  will  find  many  imitations,  and  that 
thus  at  last  the  odium  resting  on  the  good  name  of  our  city,  through  the 
still  flourishing  "emigrant-runners,"  will  be  removed.  They  have  been  the 
cause  of  the  most  abject  misery.  Thousands  of  emigrants,  who  stepped 
on  our  shores  full  of  hope,  have  perished  miserably,  or  have  been  forced 
into  the  paths  of  crime,  because  they  found  themselves  in  a  strange 
country  without  friends,  and  without  means  of  subsistence.  Everything 
that  tends  to  protect  the  emigrant  against  the  dangers  threatening  him, 
and  to  show  him  that  he  is  not  regarded  as  a  stranger  in  the  country 
which  he  has  selected  for  a  home,  is  a  work  of  true  humanity  which 
ought  to  be  promoted  in  every  possible  manner. 


$74  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

BOGUS  INTELLIGENCE  OFFICES. 

Among  the  institutions  which  would  be  a  blessing,  if  they  were  con- 
ducted in  the  right  manner,  we  may  also  class  the  intelligence  offioes. 
Their  true  object  is  to  serve  both  employer  and  employee,  to  furnish  the 
one  with  a  workman  and  the  other  with  work.  The  employer  is  therefor 
interested  in  them  as  well  as  the  employee,  as  he  needs  the  workman  as 
much  to  make  use  of  his  capital,  as  the  employee  needs  work  to  gain  his 
livelihood.  Our  restless  age  can  spare  none  of  the  existing  working  powers, 
and  we  can  therefor  say  that  for  every  able  workman  who  is  without  work 
in  one  place,  the  lack  of  his  labor  is  felt  in  another.  The  source  of  the 
evil  is  therefor  not  to  be  sought  in  a  surplus  of  labor,  nor  in  a  scarcity  of 
demand  for  those  now  existing,  but  in  their  unequal  distribution,  in  the 
fact  that  they  are  not  to  be  found  where  they  are  wanted.  The  single 
workman  however  does  not  always  know  where  his  labor  may  be  needed, 
while  the  employer  is  often  at  a  loss  where  to  seek  the  necessary  additional 
labor.  Both  have  two  ways  open  to  them.  The  one  is  to  make  known 
their  wants  through  advertisements  in  the  newspapers,  and  the  other  to 
'  aPpty  t0  intelligence  offices.  Both  ways  are  so  often  used  that  a  large 
business  has  grown  out  of  both.  Both  are  of  great  benefit,  but  both  also 
have  their  dark  sides.  The  dark  sides  of  advertising  will  be  spoken  of 
further  on,  while  in  this  chapter  we  will  treat  of  the  dark  sides  of  intel- 
ligence offices,  that  is  the  "Bogus  Intelligence  Offices". 

"VVe  regret  that  we  are  forced  to  remark  here  in  the  beginning  that  the 
number  of  bogus  intelligence  offices  is  very  large.  The  respectable  ones 
are  the  exception,  and  on  account  of  the  suspicious  light  that  is  thrown  on 
them  through  the  large  number  of  their  criminal  colleagues,  they  lose  the 
confidence  of  the  public  and  thus  the  power  to  do  good.  The  intelligence 
offices  are  scattered  throughout  the  city,  but  are  all  pretty  much  conducted 
on  the  same  system.  The  person  looking  for  work  must  pay  a  certain 
sum,  ranging  from  fifty  cents  to  several  dollars,  in  advance.  His  name, 
the  kind  of  employment  desired,  his  age,  etc.,  are  then  entered  in  a  book 
kept  for  this  purpose,  and  which  is  referred  to  in  case  of  an  application. 
A  second  book  contains  the  names,  etc.,  of  employers  who  are  looking  for 
help.  */rom  this  the  applicant  for  work  is  supplied  with  addresses  of  per- 
sons who  might  possibly  make  use  of  his  services.  But  if  none  of  the 
situations  should  suit  him,  he  is  at  liberty  to  sit  down  in  the  waiting  room 
and  wait  day  after  day  for  somebody  looking  for  help,  or  to  pursue  a  more 
pleasant  but  not  quite  as  safe  a  plan,  to  call  several  times  each  day  and 
inquire  whether  anything  has  been  found  for  him.  Many  of  those  who 
look  for  servants  or  workmen  come  to  these  waiting  rooms  from  time  to 
time  to  look  at  those  waiting  for  situations.  Scenes  occur  then  sometimes 
which  cause  the  looker-on  to  have  very  peculiar  ideas  about  our  republican 
institutions.    Many  of  the  applicants  must  undergo  an  examination  which 


BOGUS  iNTBTUGSKCE-OrnCES.  5T5 

equals  those  formerly  in  vogue  in  our  southern  slave  marts.  If  the  appli- 
cant succeed  in  obtaining  a  situation,  he  must  often  pay  another  fee  which 
varies  according  to  the  value  of  the  situation  obtained.  But  very  few  are 
so  fortunate  as  to  obtain  employment.  It  is  indeed  in  the  interest  of  the 
offices  to  supply  as  many  applicants  as  possible  with  work,  and  thus  gain 
renown  and  perhaps  receive  another  fee.  But  the  majority  obtain  their 
true  revenue  exclusively  from  the  registration  fees,  without  taking  any 
further  trouble  as  to  obtain  employment  for  the  applicants.  If  a  situation 
accidentally  turns  up, — well,  all  the  better.  If  not,  the  applicant  is  put  off 
from  day  to  day,  until  he  loses  his  patience  and  stays  away,  or  finds  em- 
ployment by  some  other  means.  Many  of  such  offices  try  to  obtain  appli- 
cants by  means  of  advertisements  of  very  favorable  situations.  These 
situations  however  are  often  only  imaginary  ones,  and  are  only  intended 
to  6erve  as  bait,  the  better  the  situations  are,  the  greater  the  want  of  work 
is  at  the  time.  Applicants  come  to  the  offices  in  large  numbers  and  pay 
the  exorbitant  registration  fee,  so-called.  An  example  will  show  best  how 
this  infamous  plan  works  : 

Some  time  ago  an  intelligence  office  advertised  a  situation  for  a  clerk 
in  a  large  oil  establishment  in  Pennsylvania.  The  salary  was  stated  at 
S1000.  Of  course  applicants  were  not  wanting.  Among  them  was  a 
young  Englishman  who  had  just  arrived  in  this  country.  After  a  few 
formalities,  the  situation  was  as  good  as  promised  to  him.  The  president 
of  the  oil  company,  he  was  told,  would  be  in  the  office  in  a  few  days,  and 
he  would  then  be  introduced  to  him.  That  sounded  very  hopeful,  and  the 
Englishman  almost  exhausted  his  entire  means  to  pay  the  $6  required  as 
a  fee.  After  three  days,  the  young  man  again  applied  in  the  office,  but 
he  was  put  off  to  the  next  day.  The  following  day  he  was  again  put  off, 
and  so  on  until  his  money  and  his  patience  were  exhausted.  He  now 
asked  for  the  situation  or  for  his  six  dollars,  but  received  only  rude 
answers.  Upon  answering  back  in  the  same  tone,  he  was  told  to  leave, 
or  he  would  be  arrested  for  breaking  the  peace.  This  intimidated  the 
the  young  man,  who  was  entirely  unacquainted  with  our  laws,  etc.,  and 
he  left  the  office  with  a  feeling  bordering  on  desperation.  And  he  was 
not  the  only  victim  ;  hundreds  of  others  had  applied  for  the  same  posi- 
tion during  the  month  in  the  course  of  which  this  advertisement  had 
appeared.  They  all  paid  the  same  price  for  the  introduction  to  the 
"  president,"  whose  arrival  was  put  off  from  day  to  day  with  them  also, 
until  the  poor  fellows  were  tired  of  waiting  or  were  sent  off  as  the  Eng- 
lishman had  been. 

These  advertisements  are  especially  tempting  for  newly-arrived  emi- 
grants, and  for  young  men  from  the  country.  As  they  see  these  good 
positions  continually  advertised,  they  suppose  that  all  they  need  do  is  to 
apply  and  get  them.  They  have  not  the  remotest  idea  that  these  adver- 
tisements are  but  simple  devices  to  rid  them  of  their  money. 


576  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

Many  of  these  offices  go  to  work  with  great  smartness.  The  applicant  y 
whom  we  will  call  Smith,  applies  to  the  office  ot  Jenkins  &  Co.,  pays  the 
registration  fee  of  two  dollars,  and  is  told  the  next  day  that  they  know  of 
a  very  good  opening  in  "  Sharpersville,"  with  $150  per  month.  Mr. 
Jones,  the  proprietor  of  the  business,  is  present  in  the  city,  and  will  make 
his  choice  among  the  applicants.  Mr.  Smith  is  told  that  Jenkins  &  Co. 
take  a  special  interest  in  him,  and  as  Jones  is  an  old  friend  of  theirs,  he 
(Smith)  can  count  safely  on  the  position.  But  if  he  is  engaged  he  must 
pay  the  office  $15.  Smith  readily  agrees  to  that,  and  is  introduced  to 
Jones  the  same  day.  He  seems  to  be  a  good  business  man,  for  he  ex- 
amines Smith  pretty  sharply  as  to  his  qualifications.  At  last  he  seems 
satisfied,  engages  the  young  man,  and  requests  him  to  go  to  his  hotel  with 
him,  where  he  has  several  things  to  settle  before  his  departure.  The 
clerks  of  Jenkins  &  Co.  congratulate  Smith  on  his  good  fortune,  and  he 
gladly  pays  his  $15. 

Upon  arriving  at  Jones's  room,  that  individual  remembers  that  he 
has  to  keep  an  appointment,  and  requests  Smith  to  wait  a  few  minutes. 
He  returns  soon,  and  is  about  to  take  up  a  bundle  of  letters,  when  he 
misses  a  ten-dollar  bill  which  he  had  laid  on  the  table  under  a  book.  He 
says  that  he  saw  the  bill  when  he  left  the  room  ten  minutes  before,  and  it 
must  therefore  be  still  in  the  room.  He  looks  in  the  corners  and  all  over 
the  room,  and  Smith,  who  fears  that  he  will  be  suspected  of  stealing  it  if 
it  is  not  found,  busily  assists  in  the  search.  But  the  bill  does  not  make 
its  appearance.  Jones'syassertion  that  the  bill  was  in  the  room  when  he 
left  becomes  more  and  more  pointed.  At  last  his  remarks  take  such  a 
form  that  Smith  is  forced  to  believe  that  he  takes  him  for  a  thief.  He 
protests  against  such  a  suspicion,  whereupon  Jones's  remarks  become  still 
more  insulting.  At  last  Smith  answers  back  in  the  same  manner,  and 
the  end  of  it  all  is  that  Jones  puts  Smith  out  of  the  room,  declaring  that 
he  will  have  nothing  more  to  do  with,  such  an  impertinent  and  suspicious 
fellow,  while  the  injured  Smith  leaves  with  not  very  friendly  words- 
Thus  the  position  disappears,  and  what  the  applicant  regrets  most  is  the 
$15  which  he  has  paid.  But  he  hopes  that  he  can  still  save  this  money. 
He  has  no  idea  that  Jones  is  only  a  professional  swindler,  working  hand- 
in-<*love  with  Jenkins  &  Co.  He  does  not  know  that  his  engagement  and 
the  ten-dollar  bill  were  only  tricks  to  cheat  him  out  of  the  money  paid  to 
that  bogus  firm.  He  therefore  goes  again  to  the  office  of  Jenkins  &  Co., 
and  thinks  he  can  induce  these  "  gentlemen  "  to  restore  the  money  by  re- 
lating his  story.  But  they  are  willing  to  procure  him  another  situation, 
and  charge  him  nothing  for  it.  Thus  Smith  is  again  induced  to  pay  $2 
as  a  registration  fee,  and  to  wait  for  another  engagement.  But  that  never 
comes,  at  least  through  the  office  of  Jenkins  &  Co.,  and  he  considers  him- 
self fortunate  when  some  friends  procure  him  a  situation,  although  not 
with  $150  a  month. 


LI  G  El     !-■'.: 

How  many  others  looking  for  employment  were  swindled  in  this  man- 
ner by  Jenkins,  Jones  Ov  Co.,  it  is  difficult  to  tell.  This  method  baa  this 
intage  for  the  swindlers,  that  their  victims  do  not  know  that  they 
have  Icon  swindled.  As  in  the  above  case,  it  often  happens  that  the 
victims  again  apply  to  the  swindler,  and  actually  believe  that  they  have 
lost  the  situation  by  their  own  rashness.  It  would  be  foolish  to  think 
that  such  offices  are  only  found  in  out-of-ihe-way  places.  On  the  con- 
trary, they  can  be  found  in  the  most  fashionable  quarters  of  the  city. 
This  was  the  sad  experience  of  five  Irishmen  who  had  just  arrived  from 
the  "  old  country."  Upon  the  advice  of  a  friend  (probably  a  "runner"), 
they  applied  in  a  Broadway  intelligence-office,  in  order  that  they  might 
obtaiu  work  as  quickly  as  possible.  They  were  received  with  the  greatest 
kindness  in  the  office,  and  were  told  that  they  would  receive  work  in  a 
few  days  at  most.  They  should  only  pay  the  required  tax  of  three  dol- 
lars each,  when  their  names  would  be  entered  on  the  book.  They  paid 
the  money,  but,  although  they  applied  every  day,  none  of  them  could  get 
employment.  It  was  certainly  no  wonder  that  they  became  impatient, 
and  thought  that  three  dollars  was  too  much  money  for  the  privilege  of 
walking  a  great  distance  every  day.  At  last  two  of  them  received  the 
addresses  of  two  firms  who  were  in  need  of  workmen,  as  they  were  told. 
These  two  fortunates  immediately  set  out,  while  the  remaining  three 
were  filled  with  hope  for  themselves  by  the  success  of  their  comrades. 
But  the  joy  of  the  two  fortunate  ones,  as  well  as  the  hopes  of  the  remain- 
ing three,  received  a  sudden  damper.  The  firms  to  whom  they  had  been 
sent  seemed  very  much  astonished,  and  declared  very  decidedly  that  they 
were  in  no  need  of  workmen,  and  they  knew  nothing  of  the  intelligence 
office  that  had  sent  the  applicants  to  them.  This  looked  too  much  like 
swindling  for  the  five  Irishmen  not  to  see  through  it.  They  went  in  a 
body  to  the  office,  and  demanded  each  his  three  dollars.  In  answer  they 
were  shown  the  door.  As  they  were  sadly  deliberating  in  the  street 
what  to  do  next,  a  kind  old  gentleman  stepped  up  to  them  and  asked 
them  the  cause  of  their  trouble.  They  told  him  -their  story,  whereupon 
the  kind  old  gentleman  took  the  trouble  to  take  them  to  the  mayor's  office, 
where  they  made  their  charge.  The  consequence  was  that  the  proprietor 
of  the  intelligence  office  was  brought  by  a  policeman,  and  immediately 
restored  the  fifteen  dollars  to  avoid  further  trouble. 

One  class  of  these  swindlers  have  no  real  office,  and  simply  pperate  by 
means  of  advertisements  from  some  obscure  back-room  of  some  out-of- 
the-way  street.  They  advertise  for  a  number  of  book-keepers,  clerks 
and  men  for  other  positions,  and  then,  like  Micawbcr,  "  wait  for  some- 
thing to  turn  up."  Such  advertisements  are  generally  answered  from  the 
country  by  letter,  and  on  these  the  swindlers  speculate.  In  answer  to 
these  applications,  he  replies  that  a  certain  fee  must  be  paid  before  any- 
thing can  be  done  for  them.     This  fee  is  generally  sent.     The  swindler 

37 


578  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK   LIFE. 

pockets  the  money  received,  and  thus  finishes  his  part  of  the  business. 
The  applicants  hear  no  more  of  him,  and  in  most  cases  are  not  able  or 
inclined  to  push  the  matter  any  further.  Occasionally  such  a  victim  docs 
come  to  the  city,  and  handles  the  rascal  rather  roughly,  and  then  it  is  not 
unfrequent  that  the  latter  will  have  a  black  eye  or  some  other  mark  to 
show  the  effects  produced  by  such  a  visitor.  If  the  office  has  already 
earned  a  bad  reputation  under  one  name,  the  proprietor  begins  the  busi- 
ness in  some  other  place  under  a  new  name,  and  carries  it  on  as  before. 
Not  unfrequently  do  such  swindlers  make  use  of  the  names  of  respectable 
firms,  so  that  their  victims  may  be  more  easily  induced  to  send  their 
money.  Smith  &  Co.  is  a  not  very  imposing  name  for  example,  but  it 
gains  considerably  by  having  a  line  at  the  head  of  their  letter-paper  which 
reads,  "  Hereules  Mutual  Life  Insurance  Company  of  the  United  States,'' 
although  this  company  has  no  idea  of  the  existence  of  Messrs.  Smith  & 
Co.  These  Smith  &  Co.  announced  themselves  for  some  time  as  "  Mer- 
chants' Agency,"  and  offered  to  procure  situations  for  clerks  and  others. 
Of  course  many  applied  to  this  agency.  Among  the  applicants  was  a 
clerk  in  New  Haven,  and  his  experience  has  probably  been  that  of  all 
other  applicants.  Upon  his  letter  to  the  firm,  he  received  the  following 
answer : 

Dear  Sir:  We  take  the  liberty  to  inform  you  that  we  have  several  very  good 
positions  for  book-keepers,  freight-clerks,  and  others  at  our  disposal,  with  salaries 
ranging  from  eight  hundred  to  fifteen  hundred  dollars  per  annum.  We  could  also 
furnish  you  with  a  position  on  a  steamer,  if  you  preferred  that.  If  you  should 
desire  to  make  use  of  our  services,  you  will  please  send  the  customary  fee  of  two 
dollars,  when  we  will  do  our  best  for  you,  and  will  keep  you  informed  of  all  that 
may  interest  you. 

Yours,  &c, 

SMITH  &  CO. 

This  letter,  as  we  have  mentioned  before,  bore  at  its  head  the  name  of 
the  Hercules  Fire  Insurance  Company,  and  also  contained  a  card  of  this 
company  with  "  E.  B.  Smith,  Financial  Secretary,"  printed  on  the  back. 
As  the  young  man  did  not  know  that  Smith  &  Co.  had  obtained  the  cards 
and  paper  by  criminal  means,  he  could  not  but  believe  that  Smith  was 
connected  with  this  company.  He  therefore  sent  the  required  two  dol- 
lars, and  anxiously  awaited  the  result.  But,  as  Smith  &  Co.  gave  no 
sign  of  life  for  over  two  waeks,  he  wrote  again  and  again,  but  without 
effect.  At  last  he  decided  to  save  his  postage  stamps,  and  consider  his 
chance  of  obtaining  employment  from  this  source,  as  well  as  his  two  dol- 
lars, as  lost. 

These  bogus  intelligence-offices,  if  they  have  a  position  at  their  disposal, 
do  not  hesitate  to  supply  an  applicant  for  it,  for  in  this  way  they  can  de- 
mand from  the  applicant,  as  well  as  the  employer,  an  additional  fee. 
Whether  the  applicant  is  fit  for  the  position  matters  little  to  the  office.  As 
long  as  he  is  willing  to  accept  the  situation,  the  office  does  not  hesitate  to 


BOGUS    INTELLIGEK<  B- OFFICES.  579 

recommend  him  as  a  model  of  a  diligent  and  honest  young  man,  and  one 
who  would  do  credit  to  the  position  he  fills.  Their  object  is  to  bring 
about  his  employment,  so  that  they  may  charge  their  fees.  Whether  the 
employer  and  the  employee  agree  is  of  little  consequence  to  the  intelli- 
gence office.  It  is  as  ready  to  swindle  the  employer  as  the  employee  ; 
that  they  chiefly  take  to  swindling  employees  is  explained  by  the  fact  that 
there  are  fifty  applisants  for  every  vacant  position.  A  workman  has  just 
as  much  chance  of  obtaining  a  situation  through  one  of  them  by  paying 
the  fee,  as  he  would  of  winning  in  policy  if  he  invested  in  that  game. 

A  separate  class  of  these  intelligence  offices  are  those  who  confine 
themselves  to  obtaining  situations  for  female  servants.  Among  these 
respectable  offices  are  also  not  wanting,  to  which  servants,  as  well  as 
ladies,  can  apply  with  perfect  confidence.  But  these  are  always  in  the 
minority  ;  even  the  best  conducted  ones  have  their  faults.  For  them  the 
business  is  the  principal  thing,  and  they  care  very  little  for  the  character 
of  the  servant,  or  for  that  of  the  lady  to  whom  they  introduce  her.  They 
receive  their  fees  from  both,  and  what  comes  next  they  don't  trouble 
themselves  about.  If  anything  is  done  at  all  in  this  respect,  it  is  for  the 
benefit  of  the  lady,  as  the  servant  is  generally  required  to  bring  a  certifi- 
cate from  her  last  position.  Such  certificate,  howevgj-,  has  only  a  nomi- 
nal value.  Nothing  whatever  is  done  in  the  interest  of  the  servant,  and 
she  is  left  to  find  out  for  herself  whether  the  lady  dressed  in  silk  or  satin 
is  a  respectable  lady  or  a  low  procuress.  And  the  risk  that  a  friendless 
girl,  who  has  just  arrived  on  our  shore,  incurs  by  assuming  a  position  in 
a  strange  house  is  often  much  greater  than  that  of  a  wife  in  her  family. 

Many  of  these  offices,  however,  are  not  much  better  than  the  resorts  of 
thieves,  the  proprietors  of  them  being  the  direct  accomplices  of  thieves 
and  burglars,  for  whom  they  obtain  opportunities  to  ply  their  trade.  For 
this  purpose  they  have  a  number  of  female  thieves,  and  these  they  place 
as  servants  in  wealthy  families.  These  servants,  however,  suddenly  dis- 
appear, and  the  families  with  whom  they  stayed  find  that  a  number  of 
valuables  have  disappeared  with  them.  A  part  of  the  stolen  goods  goes 
itito  the  pocket  of  the  proprietor  of  the  intelligence  office,  who  then  pro- 
cures another  position  for  the  thief. 

Sometimes  there  is  a  third  party  to  the  transaction,  viz  :  a  burglar. 
The  servant-girl  does  not  herself  steal  in  such  a  case,  but  finds  out  all 
about  the  house,  and  reports  to  her  confederate.  Then  the  further  plans 
are  laid.  The  girl  forgets  to  bolt  some  door  or  window  on  a  certain 
evening,  and  the  next  morning  shows  that  a  burglary  has  been  committed 
by  some  one  acquainted  with  the  house. 

Thus  we  see  that  the  danger  arising  to  families  from  these  places  is 
very  great  ;  but  the  danger  for  the  servants  is  much  greater.  It  is  a 
a  well-known  fact  that  it  is  a  perilous  venture  for  a  young  and  pretty  girl 
to  visit  an  intelligence  office   in   quest  of  employment,  the   proprietor  of 


580  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

which  she  is  not  well  acquainted  with.  Even  the  most  respectab'e  offices 
are  sometimes  not  all3  to  detect  the  procuress  or  the  proprietress  of  a 
brothel,  while  these  persons  often  look  to  the  intelligence  offices  to  supply 
them  wit'i  girls.  Very  often  the  less  respectable  offices  are  in  direct  con- 
nection with  these  people,  and  do  their  share  in  leading  the  innocent  girls 
to  a  life  of  shame.  The  rascally  proprietors  of  such  places  immediately 
notify  houses  of  prostitution,  procuresses,  etc.,  if  an  extra  pretty  girl 
enters  their  places.  Very  soon  a  richly-attired  "  lady"  makes  her  appear- 
ance, looks  at  the  girl,  and,  if  she  is  young  and  pretty  enough,  she  is 
engaged.  The  poor  girl  discovers  the  character  of  the  house  to  which 
she  is  brought  only  when  it  is  too  late,  when  she  is  cut  off  from  all  human 
help,  and  when  she  cannot  resist  the  temptations  surrounding  her,  to 
which  very  often  brute  force  is  added.  This  connection  of  houses  of  pros- 
titution writh  certain  intelligence  offices  has  already  been  mentioned,  and 
it  is  to  be  deplored  that  such  a  terrible  business  is  continued  under  the 
very  eyes  of  the  authorities.  As  it  is,  the  intelligence  offices  are  very 
dangerous  traps  for  young  girls  looking  for  employment.  It  would,  there- 
fore, be  no  more  than  right  that  the  servants  should  require  satisfactory 
evidence  of  the  respectability  of  the  families  with  whom  they  are  to  live, 
as  well  as  the  latter*require  certificates  from  the  servants.  The  idea  has 
been  much  ridiculed,  but  the  ruin  of  many  an  honest  girl  would  have 
been  averted  if  society  had  accorded  to  innocence  and  virtue  the  same 
safeguards  with  which  it  surrounds  riches. 

From  what  has  been  said,  we  can  easily  estimate  the  value  of  intelli- 
gence offices.  They  are  generally  conducted  on  a  plan  which  is  wantiog 
in  strict  honesty.  They  take  payment  without  holding  themselves  bound 
to  render  any  equivalent  service ;  that  is,  to  supply  the  applicant  with 
work.  This  is  indeed  not  possible,  many  will  say,  for  in  our  city  the 
supply  of  labor  far  exceeds  the  demand.  True  indeed !  But  why  do  not 
these  offices  confine  themselves  to  taking  fees  from  those  whom  they 
actually  supply  with  work  ?  The  objection  that  the  business  would  not 
pay  them  is  simply  a  concession  that  these  offices  are  paid  by  applicants 
for  services  from  which  it  is  expected  that  a  large  number  will  receive  no 
benefit.  If  we  wish  to  take  refuge  behind  that  lame  excuse,  that  by  pay- 
ing the  fee  every  applicant  obtains  a  chance  of  getting  a  situation,  we 
place  the  intelligence  offices  on  the  same  level  with  lotteries,  where  every 
one  who  buys  a  ticket  also  sees  a  chance  of  winning.  They  would  cer- 
tainly not  gain  by  this  comparison. 

With  regard  to  the  bogus  intelligence-offices,  however,  they  cannot  be 
judged  too  severely.  They  are  the  most  contemptible  class  of  swindling 
dens,  for  they  look  for  their  victims  among  the  poor.  The  workman  who 
has  lost  his  situation,  and  who  lives  on  his  rapidly-diminishing  earnings ; 
the  young  man  who  has  come  to  the  city  with  the  idea  of  bettering  his 
situation,  and  now  anxiously  counting  the  hours  until  some  position  shall 


BOGUS    INTELLIGENCE-OFFICES.  581 

save  him  from  starvation,  which  stares  him  in  the  face  ;  the  friendless 
emigrant,  aud  others  in  like  position — are  those  whom  these  villains  seek 
for  their  victims.  Their  swindle  is  all  the  more  dangerous,  as  it  selects 
poverty  and  misery  for  its  victims  rather  than  superstition  aud  simplicity. 
It  is,  therefore,  by  no  means  a  necessary  requisite  to  become  a  victim  of 
these  swindlers  that  a  person  should  be  "  green." 

A  protection  from  this  class  of  swindlers  would  therefore  be  very 
necessary.  The  existence  of  so  many  intelligence  offices,  living  exclu- 
sively by  swindling,  is  a  standing  accusation  against  our  authorities,  and  a 
puzzle  the  solution  of  which  (although  in  a  manner  exonerating  our  authori- 
ties from  all  blame)  is  not  possible.  To  wait  until  the  authorities  awake 
to  a  proper  sense  of  their  duties  wouM  in  the  end  become  tiresome.  The 
best  thing  would  be,  for  the  intelligence  offices  existing  under  the  aus- 
pices of  private  or  official  institutions  of  charity  to  at  once  enlarge  their 
spheres  of  action,  and  other  institutions  of  a  similar  nature  be  brought  to 
life.  Every  man  has  a  natural  right  to  live.  From  this  point  of  view, 
the  socialist  declares  that  every  man  has  a  natural  right  to  that  which  is 
necessary  to  life,  and  consequently  to  work.  But  generations  may  pass 
away  yet  before  the  State  will  guarantee  this  right.  In  the  meanwhile, 
there  is  no  worthier  object  for  charity  than  to  bring  work  within  the  reach 
at  all  those  who  are  actually  looking  (or  it. 


THE    TENEMENT-HOUSES. 

• 

In  our  first  chapter  we  have  already  had  opportunities  to  take  insights 
into  our  so-called  tenement-houses,  which  were  of  a  not  very  pleasant 
nature.  This  was  the  case  when  we  looked  into  them  for  poverty,  of 
which,  as  we  have  seen,  they  are  the  true  home.  Cut  it  is  not  exclu- 
sively the  poor  classes  that  crowd  into  the  tenement-houses.  It  is  an 
impossibility,  considering  the  large  population  of  our  city,  that  every 
family  can  possess  its  own  home.  Tenement-houses  are  therefore  a  neces- 
sity (or  a  large  number  of  our  inhabitants,  who,  although  we  cannot  call 
them  rich,  are  still  very  well  off.  But  there  is  a  great  dilference  between 
the  numerous  tenement-houses,  and  among  them  are  a  large  number 
which  by  no  means  belong  among  the  dark  sides  of  our  city.  Ajcordin^ 
to  the  law,  every  house  that  is  inhabited  by  more  than  three  tenants  is  a 
t*  tenement-house."  Thus  we  have  the  bound  to  one  side,  aud  the  trouble 
of  living  with  three  other  tenants  in  one  house  would  therefore  not  be 
very  great.     But,  in  the  other  direction,  there  seems  to  be  no  limit  what- 


582  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

ever.  Tenement-houses  with  twenty  or  thirty  tenants  are  nothing  un- 
common, and  there  are  some  that  contain  one  hundred  and  even  two 
hundred  tenants.  In  this  respect,  it  must  not  be  overlooked  that  the 
space  allotted  to  such  human  dens  is  comparatively  very  small,  as  in  a 
case  which  came  to  our  personal  knowledge  where  over  two  hundred 
tenants  were  crowded  into  a  house  five  stories  high,  being  50  feet  long  by 
150  feet  wide.  To  bring  the  pleasures  of  such  homes  more  forcibly 
before  our  mind,  we  need  only  remember  two  hundred  tenants  are  not 
single  persons  or  small  families,  but  that  their  number  is  often  swelled 
by  boarders  to  over  twelve. 

It  is  in  this  direction  that  the  tenement-houses  reach  far  into  the  dark 
sides  of  New  York.  A  gloomy  shadow  rests  over  them  all ;  nor  does  it 
seem  to  be  in  a  hurry  to  disappear,  as  the  small  houses  disappear  more 
and  more  every  year  in  the  old  part  of  the  city,  and  are  replaced  by 
these  large  barracks.  The  room  for  living  for  our  working  classes 
becomes  smaller  and  more  expensive  every  year,  and  the  genius  of  our 
architects  is  almost  exhausted  in  trying  to  devise  methods  by  which  they 
can  crowd  the  largest  number  of  people  into  the  smallest  possible  space. 
The  result  of  their  efforts  stares  us  in  the  face  wherever  we  go,  in  th& 
form  of  the  immense  tenement-houses  which  are  piled  up  story  after  story, 
as  if  they  w^re  seeking  in  the  upper  regions  for  that  necessary  amount  of 
light,  air,  and  sun  in  which  they  are  so  sadly  deficient  below  and  inside. 
But  let  us  first  see  into  what  terrible  extremes  tenement-house  life  is  capa- 
ble of  degenerating.  As  an  example,  we  cite  the  barracks  situated  in 
Chatham  street,  known  as  Gotham's  Court,  or,  as  named  after  its  propri- 
etor, "  Sweeney's  Shambles."  This  building  does  not  exist  any  more  in 
the  form  described  below,  as  it  was  closed  some  time  ago  by  order  of  the 
Sanitary  Commission,  and  the  proprietor  was  forced  to  renovate  it  com- 
pletely. We  give  the  description  all  the  more  readily  as  there  are  many 
similar  houses  in  our  city  which  exactly  answer  it.  This  sketch,  from 
the  well-known  pen  of  Mr.  Edward  Crapsey,  of  the  New  York  Times, 
was  the  direct  cause  of  the  closing  and  renovating  of  the  building.  Mr. 
Crapsey  describes  his  visit  as  follows  : 

"As  we  stopped  in  Cherry  street,  at  the  entrance  to  Gotham  Court,  and 
Detective  Finn  dug  a  tunnel  of  light  with  his  bull's-eye  lantern  into  the 
foulness  and  blackness  of  that  smirch  on  civilization,  a  score  or  more  of 
boys  who  had  been  congregated  at  the  edge  of  the  court  suddenly  plunged 
back  into  the  obscurity,  and  we  heard  the  splash  of  their  feet  in  the  foul 
collections  of  the  pavement. 

14 '  This  bull's-eye  is  an  old  acquaintance  here,'  said  the  detective,  '  and 
as  its  coming  most  always  means  *  somebody  wanted,'  you  see  how  they 
hide.  Though  why  they  they  should  object  to  go  to  jail  is  more  than  I 
know  ;  I'd  rather  stay  in  the  worst  dungeon  in  town  than  here.  Come 
this  way,  and  I'll  show  you  why.' 


THE    TENEMENT-HOT  SE3. 

"Carefully  keeping  in  the  track  of  light  cut  into  the  darkness  by  the 
lantern,  I  followed  the  speaker,  who  turned  into  the  iirst  door  on  the 
right,  aud  I  found  myself  in  an  entry  about  four  feet  by  six,  with  steep, 
rough,  rickety  stairs  leadiug  upward  in  the  foreground,  and  their  counter- 
parts at  the  rear  giving  access  to  as  successful  a  manufactory  of  disease 
and  death  as  any  city  on  earth  can  show.  Coming  to  the  foot  of  these 
stairs,  I  was  peremptorily  halted  by  the  foul  stenches  rising  from  below  ; 
but  Finn,  who  had  reached  the  bottom,  threw  back  the  relentless  light 
upon  the  descending  way,  and  urged  me  on.  Every  step  oozed  with 
moisture,  and  was  covered  sole  deep  with  unmentionable  filth.  But  I 
ventured  on,  and,  reaching  my  conductor,  stood  in  a  vault  some  twelve 
feet  wide  aud  two  hundred  long,  which  extended  under  the  whole  of  West 
Gotham  street.  The  walls  of  rough  stoue  dripped  with  slimy  exudations, 
while  the  pavements  yielded  to  the  slightest  pressure  of  the  feet  a  suffo- 
cating odor  compounded  of  bilge-water  and  sulphuretted  hydrogen.  Upon 
one  side  of  this  elongated  cave  of  horrors  were  ranged  a  hundred  closets, 
every  one  of  which  reeked  with  this  filth,  mixed  with  that  slimy  moisture 
which  was  everywhere  as  a  proof  that  the  waters  of  the  neighboring  East 
river  penetrated  and  lingered  here  to  foul  instead  of  purify. 

"  '  "What  do  you  think  of  this?'  said  Finn,  throwing  the  light  of  his 
lantern  hither  aud  thither,  so  that  every  horror  might  be  dragged  from 
the  darkness  that  all  seemed  to  covet.  'All  the  thousands  living  in  the 
barracks  must  come  here,  and  just  think  of  all  the  young  ones  above  that 
never  did  any  harm  having  to  take  in  this  stuff!'  and  the  detective  struck 
out  spitefully  at  the  noxious  air.  As  he  did  so,  the  gurgling  of  water  at 
the  Cherry  street  end  caught  his  ear,  and,  penetrating  thither,  he  peered 
curiously  about. 

"  '  I  say,  Tom,'  he  called  back  to  his  companion,  who  had  remained 
with  me  in  the  darkness,  'here's  a  big  break  in  the  Croton  main  !'  But 
a  moment  later,  in  an  affrighted  voice  :  k  No,  it  ain't ;  it's  the  sewer  !  I 
never  knew  of  this  opening  into  it  before.  Paugh  !  how  it  smells.  That's 
nothing  up  where  you  are.  I'll  bet  on  the  undertaker  having  more  jobs 
in  this  house  than  ever  !' 

"  By  this  time  I  began  to  feel  sick  and  faint  in  that  tainted  air,  and 
would  have  rushed  up  the  stairs  if  I  could  have  seen  them.  But  Finn 
was  exploring  that  sewer  horror  with  his  lantern.  As  I  came  down  I 
had  seen  a  pool  of  stagnant,  green-coated  water  somewhere  near  the  foot 
of  the  stairs,  and,  being  afraid  to  stir  in  the  thick  darkness,  was  forced  to 
call  my  guide,  and  frankly  state  the  necessity  for  an  immediate  return 
above.  The  matter-of-fact  policeman  came  up,  and  cast  the  liberating 
light  upon  the  stairs,  but  rebuked  me  as  I  eagerly  took  in  the  compara- 
tively purer  atmosphere  from  above.  '  You  can't  stand  it  five  minutes  ; 
how  do  you  think  they  stand  it  year  in  and  year  out?'  'Even  they  do 
not  stand  it  many  years,  I  should  think/  was  my  involuntary  reply. 


584  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK 


ZlFE. 


"As  we  stepped  out  into  the  court  again,  the  glare  of  the  bull's-eye 
dragged  a  strange  face  out  of  the  darkness.  It  was  that  of  a  youth 
of  eighteen  or  twenty  years,  ruddy,  puffed,  with  the  corners  of  the 
mouth  grotesquely  twisted.  The  detective  greeted  the  person  owning 
this  face  with  the  fervor  of  old  acquaintanceship  :  "  Eh,  Buster  !  what's 
up?'  *  Hello,  Jimmy  Finn!  what  yez  doin'  here?'  *  Never  mind, 
Buster  ;  what's  up?'  i  Why,  Jimmy,  did't  yez  know  I  lodges  here  now?' 
4  No,  I  didn't.  Where?  Who  with?7  *  Beyant,  wid  the  Pensioner.' 
4  Go  on  ;  show  me  where  you  lodge/  i  Sure,  Jimmy,  it  ain't  me  as  wud 
lie  to  yez.y 

"  But  I  had  expressed  a  desire  to  penetrate  into  some  of  these  kennels 
for  crushed  humanity ;  and  Finn,  with  the  happy  acumen  of  his  tribe, 
seizing  the  first  plausible  pretext,  was  relentless,  and  insisted  on  doubting 
the  word  of  *  Buster/  That  unfortunate  with  the  puffy  face,  who  seemed 
to^know  his  man  too  well  to  protract  resistance,  puffed  ahead  of  us  up  the 
black,  oozy  court,  with  myriads  of  windows  made  ghastly  by  the  pale 
flicker  of  kerosene  lamps  in  tiers  above  us,  until  he  came  to  the  last  door 
but  one  on  the  left  side  of  the  court,  over  which  the  letter  US"  was 
sprawled  upon  the  coping-stone.  The  bull's-eye  had  been  darkened,  and 
when  the  *  Buster*  plunged  through  the  doorway  he  was  lost  to  sight  in 
the  *  impenetrable  darkness  beyond.  We  heard  him,  though,  stumbling 
against  stairs  that  creaked  dismally,  and,  the  slide  being  drawn  back,  the 
friendly  light  made  clear  the  way  for  him  and  us.  There  was  an  entry 
precisely  like  the  one  we  had  entered  before,  with  a  flight  of  narrow,  al- 
most perpendicular  stairs,  with  so  sharp  a  twist  in  them  that  we  could 
only  see  half  way  up.  The  banisters  in  sight  had  precisely  three  uprights, 
and  looked  as  if  the  whole  thing  would  crumble  at  a  touch  ;  while  the 
stairs  were  so  smooth  and  thin  with  the  treading  of  innumerable  feet, 
that  they  almost  refused  a  foothold.  Following  the  '  Buster/  who  had 
grappled  with  the  steep  and  dangerous  ascent  with  the  daring  born  of 
habit,  I  somehow  got  up  stair%  wondering  how  any  one  ever  got  down  in 
the  dark  without  breaking  his  neck.  Thinking  it  possible  there  might  be 
a  light  sometimes  to  guide  the  pauper  hosts  from  their  hazardous  heights 
to  the  stability  of  the  street,  I  inquired  as  to  the  fact,  only  to  meet  the 
contempt  of  the  '  Buster '  for  the  gross  ignorance  that  could  dictate  such 
a  question.  'Alight  for  the  stairs!  Who'd  give  it?  Sweeney?  Not 
much!  Or  the  tenants  ?  Skaselv  !  Them's  too  poor  !'  While  he  gut- 
tered, the  'Buster'  had  pawed  his  way  up  stairs  with  surprising  agility, 
until  he  reached  a  door  on  the  third  landing.  Turning  triumphantly  to 
the  detective,  he  announced,  '  There's  where  I  lodges,  Jimmy  !  You 
knows  I  wouldn't  lie  to  yez/ 

u  '  We'll  see  whether  you  would  or  no,'  said  Finn,  tapping  on  the 
door.  Being  told  to  come  in,  he  opened  it ;  and  on  this  trivial  but  dex- 
terous pretext  we  invaded  t  >e  sanctity  of  a  home. 


TIIK   TENEMENT-HOUSES.  585 

44  No  talc  is  so  good  as  one  plainly  told,  and  I  tell  precisely  what  I  saw. 
This  house  was  composed,  in  the  parlance  of  the  place,  of  a  *  room  and 
bed-room.'  The  room  was  about  twelve  feet  square,  and  eight  feet  from 
tloor  to  ceiling.  It  had  two  windows  opening  upon  the  court,  and  a  large 
fireplace  filled  with  a  cooking-stove.  In  the  way  of  additional  furniture, 
it  had  a  common  deal  table,  three  dilapidated  wooden  chairs,  a  few  dishes 
and  cooking  utensils,  and  two  4  shake-downs,'  as  the  piles  of  straw 
stuffed  into  bed-ticks  are  called  ;  but  it  had  nothing  whatever  beyond 
these  articles.  There  was  not  even  the  remnant  of  a  bedstead  ;  not  a 
cheap  print,  so  common  in  the  hovels  of  the  poor,  to  relieve  the  blank- 
ness  of  the  rough,  whitewashed  walls.  The  bed-room,  which  was  little 
more  than  half  the  size  of  the  other,  was  that  outrage  of  capital  upon 
poverty  known  as  a  '  dark  room,'  by  which  is  meaut  that  it  had  no  window 
opening  to  the  outer  air,  and  this  closet  had  no  furniture  except  two 
4  shake-downs.' 

44  In  the  contracted  space  of  these  two  rooms,  and  supplied  with  these 
scanty  appliances  for  comfort,  nine  human  beings  were  stored.  First 
there  was  the  4  Pensioner,'  a  man  of  about  thirty-five  years  ;  next  his 
wife  ;  then  their  three  children  ;  a  woman  lodger  with  two  children,  and 
the  4  Buster ' — the  latter  paying  fifteen  cents  a  night  for  his  shelter  ;  but  I 
did  not  learn  the  amount  paifl  by  the  woman  for  the  accommodation  oi 
herself  and  children.  The  4  Buster,'  having  been  indignant  at  my  inquiry 
as  to  the  light  upon  the  stairs,  was  now  made  merry  by  Finn  supposing 
he  had  a  regular  bed  and  bedstead  for  his  money.  4  Indade  he  has  not, 
but  a  '  shake-down '  like  the  rest  of  us,'  said  the  woman  ;  but  the  4  Buster  ' 
rebuked  this  assumption  of  an  impossible  prosperity  by  promptly  exclaim- 
ing, 'Whisht!  ye  knows  I  stretch  on  the  boords  without  any  4  shake- 
down '  whatsumdever.' 

44  Finn  was  of  opinion  the  bed  was  hard  but  healthy,  and,  fixing  his  eye 
on  the  4  Buster's'  flabby  face,  thought  it  possible  he  had  any  desirable 
number  of  '  square'  meals  per  day  ;  but  that  individual  limited  his  ac- 
quirements in  that  way  for  the  day  then  closed  to  four.  Finn  then  touch- 
ing on  the  number  of  drinks,  the  44  Buster,'  being  driven  into  conjecture 
and  a  corner  by  the  problem,  was  thrust  out  of  the  foreground  of  our 
investigations. 

44  By  various  wily  tricks  of  his  trade,  Detective  Finn  managed  to  get  a 
deal  of  valuable  information  out  of  the  4  Pensioner '  without  seeming  to 
be  inquisitive  or  obtrusive,  or  even  without  rubbing  the  coat  of  his  pov- 
erty the  wrong  way.  From  this  source  I  learned  that  five  dollars  per 
month  was  paid  as  rent  for  these  two  third-floor  rooms,  and  that  every- 
body concerned  deemed  them  dirt  cheap  at  that  price.  Light  was 
obtained  from  kerosene  lamps  at  the  expense  of  the  tenant,  and  water  had 
to  be  carried  from  the  court  below,  while  all  refuse,  not  emptied  into  the 
court  itself,  had  to  be  carried  to  the  foul  vaults  beneath   it.     The  rooms, 


586  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIEE. 

having  all  these  drawbacks,  and  beiDg  destitute  of  the  commonest  appli- 
ances for  comfort  and  decency,  did  not  appear  to  be  in  the  highest  degree 
eligible;  yet  the  'Pensioner'  considered  himself  fortunate  in  having 
secured  them.  His  experience  in  living  must  have  been  very  doleful,  for 
he  declared  that  he  had  seen  worse  places.  In  itself,  and  in  so  far  as  the 
landlord  was  concerned,  I  doubted  him  ;  but  I  had  myself  seen  fouler 
places  than  these  two  rooms,  which  had  been  made  so  by  the  tenants. 
All  that  cleanliness  could  do  to  make  the  kennel  of  then  *  Pensioner '  hab- 
itable had  been  done,  and  I  looked  with  more  respect  upon  the  woman 
who  had  scoured  the  rough  floor  white,  than  I  had  ever  looked  upon  a 
gaudily-attired  dame  sweeping  Broadway  with  her  silken  trail.  The 
thrift  that  had  so  little  for  its  nourishment  had  not  been  expended  wholly 
upon  the  floor,  for  I  noticed  that  the  two  children  asleep  upon  the  '  shake- 
down '  were  clean,  while  the  little  fellow  four  years  of  age,  who  was 
apparently  prepared  for  bed,  as  he  was  entirely  naked,  but  sat  as  yet  upon 
one  of  the  three  chairs,  had  no  speck  upon  his  fair  white  skin.  A  painter 
should  have  seen  him  as  he  gazed  wronderingly  upon  us,  and  my  respect 
deepened  for  the  woman  who  could,  spite  the  hard  lines  of  her  rugged 
life,  bring  forth  and  preserve  so  much  of  childish  symmetry  and  beauty, 
and  keep  it  clean  in  this  foul  spot.  «. 

"  Having  observed  these  general  facts,  I  turned  to  the  master  of  this 
household.  He  was  a  man  of  small  stature,  but  rugged  frame,  and  his 
left  shirt-sleeve  dangled  empty  at  his  side.  That  adroit  Finn,  noticing 
my  inquiring  look,  blurted  out,  '  That  arm  went  in  a  street  accident,  I 
suppose?' 

"  'No,  sir  ;  it  went  at  the  battle  of  Spottsylvania.' 
"  Here  was  a  hero  !  The  narrow  limits  of  his  humble  home  expanded 
to  embrace  the  brown  and  kneaded  Virginian  glades,  as  I  saw  them  just 
seven  years  ago,  pictured  with  the  lurid  pageantry  of  that  stubborn  fight 
where  Sedgwick  fell.  This  man,  crammed  with  his  family  into  twelve 
feet  square  at  the  top  of  '  Sweeney's  Shambles,'  was  once  part  of  that 
glorious  scene.  In  answer  to  my  questions,  he  said  he  belonged  to  the 
Thirty-ninth  New  York,  which  was  attached  to  the  Second  Corps,  and 
that  he  received  a  pension  of  fifteen  dollars  per  month  from  the  grateful 
country  he  had  served  as  payment  in  full  for  an  arm.  It  was  enough  to 
keep  body  and  soul  together,  and  he  could  not  complain.  Nor  could  I ; 
but  I  could  and  did  signify  to  my  guide  by  a  nod  that  I  had  seen  and 
heard  enough,  and  we  went  down  again  into  the  slimy,  reeking  court. 

"  Looking  upward,  I  saw  the  vast  tenement-house,  which  contained 
two  hundred  such  suits  of  apartments  as  the  one  I  had  just  left,  rising 
five  stories  above  the  narrow  court,  and  I  tried  to  imagine  the  vast  total 
of  human  misery  it  embraced.  The  reflective  official  at  my  side  guessed 
my  thoughts,  for  he  assured  me  that,  coming  as  I  had  on  a  pleasant  night 
of  the  early  summer,  I  had  seen  the  place  at  its  best.     In  August,  when 


THE  TENEMENT- HOUSES.  587 

these  two  hundred  homes  had  been  blistered  for  two  months,  the  odors 
would  be  unendurable  to  a  stranger  ;  and,  although  the  atmosphere  was 
purer  in  winter,  the  place  was  then  made  as  ghastly  in  a  different  way  by 
the  sight  of  these  thousands  of  human  beings  suffering  for  want  of  fuel 
and  clothing.  For  I  knew,  without  being  told,  that  only  the  wretchedly 
poor  could  harbor  in  these  holes.  In  many  of  the  rooms  were  widows 
struggling  to  maintain  children  by  their  scanty  earnings  as  charwomen. 
Where  there  was  a  male  head  to  the  family,  he  was  usually  either  phy- 
sically disabled  by  sickness  or  injury,  as  in  the  case  of  the  '  Pensioner,' 
or  was  one  of  the  wretched  army  of  unskilled  labor.  There  were,  how- 
ever, among  the  tenants  some  craftsmen,  such  as  printers,  carpenters,  and, 
in  fact,  representatives  of  all  trades,  who  had  lost  their  earnings  through 
the  bottle  ;  and  knowing  this  fact,  'Sweeney's  Shambles'  loomed  into 
the  misty  night  an  irrefutable  temperance  argument.  But,  whatever  the 
failings  of  these  wretched  people,  or  whatever  the  reason  of  their  pov- 
erty, there  could  not  be  any  excuse  for  the  barbarity  which  crams  one  hun- 
dred families  into  a  building  having  a  front  of  fifty  feet,  a  depth  of  one 
hundred  and  fifty  feet,  and  five  floors,  when  that  building  is  4  Sweeney's 
Shambles,'  devoid  of  every  appliance  for  health,  privacy,  or  decency,  and 
with  those  terrible  vaults  under  the  two  courts  upon  which  the  east  and 
wrest  sides  of  the  edifice  open." 

This  sketch  has  given  the  reader  a  pretty  fair  idea  of  the  two  lowTer 
classes  of  our  tenement-houses.  And  it  is  a  sad  fact  that  there  are  other 
tenement-houses,  which  not  only  equal  Gotham  Court  in  its  wretchedness, 
but  are  even  much  worse  than  it  ever  was  before  its  reconstruction.  But 
to  go  into  details  in  this  direction  would  lead  us  back  again  to  pauperism. 
Our  present  object,  however,  is  to  describe  the  tenement-houses,  not  so 
much  with  a  view  to  the  poorer  classes,  but  rather  to  the  working  classes. 
We  cite  Gotham  Court  as  an  example  to  show  to  what  depths  the  tenement- 
house  system  can  degenerate.  But  we  will  find  that  even  the  newest  and 
best  built  tenement-houses  possess  almost  the  same  faults,  with  the  sole- 
difference  that  they  do  not  stand  out  so  prominently  as  in  the  latter  case. 

According  to  the  census  of  1870,  there  are  seventy  thousand  houses  in 
our  city  used  as  places  of  business  and  residences.  Of  these,  twenty 
thousand  are  so-called  tenement-houses  ;  that  is,  they  are  inhabited  by 
more  than  three  families.  These  twenty  thousand  houses  are  inhabited 
by  not  less  than  one  hundred  and  sixty  thousand  families,  and,  counting 
four  persons  to  the  family,  it  would  make  a  total  of  four  hundred  and 
sixty  thousand  persons.  Distributing  this  number  equally  among  the 
twenty  thousand  houses,  it  does  not  seem  so  very  large  ;  but,  upon  a. 
closer  inspeetion,  we  see  the  matter  in  a  different  light.  In  the  Seven- 
teenth ward  there  there  are  2,395  tenement-houses,  which  contain  not 
less  than  85,635  persons.  Furthermore,  the  total  population  of  the  cityv 
according  to  the  census  of  1870,  was  942,202  ;  the  area  of  the  city  at 


588  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW   YORK    LIFE. 

the  same  time  was  twenty-two  square  miles.  But  by  the  census  we  see 
that  477,804 — that  is,  over  one-half  of  the  total  population — were  crowded 
together  in  the  wards  situated  below  Seventeenth  street ;  that  is,  on  a 
space  of  two  square  miles.  The  solution  of  the  problem,  how  so  many 
persons  can  be  crowded  together  in  so  small  a  space,  is  found  in  the 
tenement-houses,  the  majority  of  which,  over  eleven  thousand,  are  found 
in  this  district.  These  tenement-houses  also  explain  the  curious  fact  of 
-how  many  of  our  wards  contain  a  larger  population,  on  their  small  terri- 
tory, than  many  of  our  large  cities.  Thus  the  Seventeenth  ward,  with 
an  area  of  331  acres,  or  one-half  of  a  square  mile,  has  a  larger  popula- 
tion than  Cleveland,  Ohio,  which  in  point  of  population  ranks  as  the 
fifteenth  city  of  the  Union.  The  Fourth  ward,  with  83  acres,  and  five 
five  hundred  tenement-houses,  contains  23,748  inhabitants,  or  only  3,000 
less  than  the  well-known  manufacturing  city  of  Springfield,  Mass.  The 
Eleventh  ward,  196  acres,  two  thousand  four  hundred  tenement-houses, 
contains  64,230  inhabitants  ;  that  is,  more  than  Mobile,  Ala.,  or  Salem, 
Mass.  We  could  give  many  similar  comparisons,  but  what  we  have  said 
suffices  to  give  our  readers  a  fair  idea  of  the  crowding  together  of  our 
inhabitants  produced  by  the  tenement-houses.  In  many  parts  of  the  city, 
especially  in  the  Eleventh  and  Seventeenth  wards,  there  are  whole  streets 
composed  entirely  of  tenement-houses.  A  short  walk  through  such 
streets  on  close  summer  evenings  enables  a  person  to  give  a  pretty  good 
guess  as  to  the  number  of  persons  living  in  these  immense  houses.  The 
sidewalks,  as  well  as  the  door-steps,  swarm  with  persons  of  all  ages, 
while  every  window,  from  the  pavement  to  the  sixth  or  seventh  story, 
forms  the  frame  for  a  larger  or  smaller  group  of  faces.  What  a  con- 
trast to  the  aristocratic  quiet  and  solitude  of  Fifth  avenue.  But  it 
will  no  longer  wonder  at  this  contrast  when  we  remember  that  Fifth 
avenue,  from  Union  Square  to  Central  Park,  a  distance  of  three  miles, 
contains  hardly  half  as  many  inhabitants  as  a  single  block  in  one  of  the 
lower  wards.  In  Gotham  Court  we  have  had  a  sample  of  a  class  of 
tenement-houses  which  are  fortunately  on  the  decline.  Below  we  give  a 
sketch  of  a  tenement  which  may  be  considered  a  fair  sample  of  the  large 
majority  of  tenement-houses  as  they  exist  at  present,  and  as  they  are  still 
in  the  course  of  erection. 

Such  a  tenement-house  is  usually  built  on  a  lot  50x250  feet,  and  gen- 
erally is  of  four,  five,  and  even  six  stories.  On  each  side  of  the  house 
there  is  an  "  alleyway,"  which  is  excavated  to  the  depth  of  the  cellar,  but 
on  the  level  of  the  street  it  is  arched  over  and  paved  with  flags.  In  this 
space  gained  by  overarching  are  contained  the  privies,  which  are  in  most 
cases  without  doors,  and  are  in  connection  with  the  street  sewer.  Some- 
times a  grating  in  the  top  of  this  vault  supplies  the  air  so  necessary  to  a 
proper  ventilation.  The  stairs,  as  well  as  the  hallways,  are  so  narrow- 
that  two  persons  meeting  each   other  have  hardly  room  enough  to  pass, 


TIIK   TENEMENT-HOUSES.  589 

while  at  the  same  time  they  are  equally  dark  and  badly  aired.  The 
dwellings  in  the  different  stories  generally  consist  of  a  sitting-room  and  a 
bed-room,  with,  in  most  cases,  a  so-called  closet,  and  sometimes  with  one 
window  only,  and  that  opening  on  the  hallway.  This  hall  has  a  window 
at  each  end,  but  the  window  in  the  rear  part,  which  opens  into  a  dark 
court,  is  of  little  account.  Ou  each  floor  the  water  and  gas  pipes  enter 
every  room,  thus  cuabliug  those  tenants  who  wish  it  to  have  gas-light. 
Not  the  whole  of  the  lot  is  ;sed  f  r  the  building,  for  there  are  two  sepa- 
m  buildings  erected  on  v.u  ,  an<  the  law  prescribes  that  there  sha'.l  be 
a  fe  nee  of  at  least  25  feet  between  the  rear  and  the  front  building.  The 
rea-  building  is  of  course  situated  much  more  unfavorably  with  regard  to 
ligh  and  air,  as  its  front  windows  look  upon  the  court-yard  of  25  feet, 
and  tii  the  rear  upon  the  wall  of  the  opposite  building  only  8  feet  distant, 
With  the  exception  of  those  houses  facing  upon  the  street,  these  tenement- 
houses  are  very  badly  off  indeed  with  regard  to  light  and  air,  and  ou 
cloudy  days  they  are  sometimes  so  dark  that  it  is  impossible  to  read  iu 
them  without  a  light. 

If  we  take  into  consideration  that  the  tenants  of  these  houses  also 
receive  boarders,  and  that  it  is  nothing  unusual  for  two  and  even  three 
families  to  share  one  dwelling,  we  will  no  longer  wonder  that  these  houses 
sometimes  contain  as  high  as  one  hundred  and  twenty  families,  or  about 
seven  hundred  persons.  And  these  are  among  the  better  class  of  tenement- 
houses  in  the  lower  wards,  and  by  reason  of  the  accommodations  they 
contain,  are  perfect  paradises  as  compared  with  dens  like  Gotham  Court. 

Another  class  of  tenement-houses  which  are  beginning  to  spring  up, 
especially  in  the  upper  part  of  the  city,  are  furnished  with  all  the  elegance 
and  comfort  of  private  houses,  and  are  generally  rented  out  by  the  floor  ;  that 
is,  to  a  small  number  of  families  only.  It  is  true  they  do  not  offer  the 
comforts  of  a  true  home,  but  it  would  still  be  unjust  to  class  them  among 
the  "  Dark  Sides  of  New  York."  We  will,  therefore,  in  the  following 
pages,  confine  ourselves  to  that  class  of  tenement-houses  which  are  justly 
called  "  barracks." 

From  the  large  number  of  these  tenement-houses,  and  the  correspond- 
ingly large  number  of  inhabitants  they  contain,  it  will  be  readily  seen  that 
they  are  by  no  means  to  be  regarded  as  the  exclusive  habitations  of  the 
poor.  Fortunately,  pauperism  has  not  yet  made  so  great  advances  in  our 
city  that  its  victims  can  be  counted  by  the  hundred  thousaud.  The  ma- 
jority of  the  inhabitants  of  tenement-houses  are  industrious  laboring  men, 
or  small  business  men,  whose  means,  whose  means  do  not  allow  them  to 
have  their  homes  far  from  their  places  of  busiues.  But  the  rents  in  the 
lower  part  of  the  city  are  so  high  that  he  who  is  compelled  to  economize, 
sees  no  other  way  open  than  to  move  his  family  into  one  of  these  large 
"barracks,"  where  the  rents  are  lower,  and  he  is  nearer  his  place  of  busi- 
ness.    This  is  the  chief  reason  that  keeps  the  large  mass   of  our  popula- 


590  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

tion  packed  together  in  the  lower  part  of  the  city,  the  centre  of  business, 
and  which  enables  this  system  of  tenement-houses  to  flourish.  The  per- 
sons living  in  these  houses  do  not  follow  their  own  choice  so  much  in 
this  respect  as  that  of  imperative  necessity.  Among  a  hundred  wo 
will  hardly  find  ten  who  would  not  prefer  a  country  life  to  the  city.  But 
their  residence  in  the  city  is  imperiously  demanded  by  their  business,  and 
they  are  forced  to  remain  there  until  the  question  of  "  rapid  transit "  is 
solved  in  a  more  satisfactory  manner  than  at  present. 

If  we  now  look  for  the  dark  sides  of  tenement-house  life,  we  will  find 
them  to  be  very  many.  Even  the  best  regulated  of  them  have  their  dark 
sides,  and  the  larger  and  more  densely  populated  the  tenement-houses  are, 
the  more  prominently  will  these  dark  sides  stand  forth. 

First  among  them  are  the  dangers  to  life  and  health.  Light  and  air, 
these  two  essential  elements  of  human  life,  are  dealt  out  to  the  people 
living  in  these  places  very  sparingly.  In  building  these  honses,  the  chief 
object  has  been  to  crowd  as  many  dwellings  as  possible  into  the  available 
space.  The  sanitary  regulations,  which  are  just  the  very  least  that  could 
be  required,  are  observed  only  so  far  as  is  absolutely  necessary,  or  as  the 
dangers  of  the  situation  may  dictate.  The  most  prominent  point,  how- 
ever, has  been  overlooked  in  the  sanitary  regulations,  viz :  that  of  the 
number  of  persons  to  the  size  of  a  house.  A  house  that  can  be  safely 
tenanted  by  ten  families,  becomes  a  breeder  of  disease  if  twenty  families 
are  crowded  into  it.  Generally  the  proprietors  of  these  dens  care  for 
nothing  but  the  prompt  payment  of  the  rent.  The  tenants  have  perfect 
liberty  to  receive  as  many  boarders,  lodgers,  etc.,  as  they  please,  as  long 
as  they  pay  their  rent  promptly.  Thus  it  is  that  sometimes  the  number 
of  inhabitants  of  such  places  is  double  that  which  it  ought  to  be. 

In  such  close  quarters  cleanliness  in  every  direction  should  be  one  of 
the  first  conditions.  But  a  look  into  one  of  these  houses  will  show  us  the 
greatest  carelessness  in  this  respect.  In  the  hallway,  in  the  court,  and  on 
the  stairs,  dirt  and  filth  meet  the  eye  everywhere,  not  to  speak  of  the 
privies,  which  are  noticed  by  the  faculty  of  smell  long  before  they  are 
seen  by  the  eye.  The  dwellings  themselves  are  not  much  better  ;  among 
them  clean  and  tidy  ones  are  like  oases  in  the  desert.  But  even  local 
cleanliness  is  not  able  to  keep  the  poisonous  air,  which  fills  the  whole 
house,  away  from  a  single  lodging. 

In  the  middle  of  summer  this  atmosphere  becomes  perfectly  unbearable, 
through  the  perspiration  of  so  many  persons,  the  fires  in  the  house  for 
cooking  purposes,  etc.,  and  it  is  therefore  no  wonder  if  the  entire  popula- 
tion of  such  houses  crowd  into  the  streetr  or  to  the  windows  in  the  even- 
ing. In  the  winter  the  air,  which  is  generally  pure,  becomes  contami- 
nated, as  all  doors  and  windows  are  anxiously  kept  closed  to  keep  out  the 
cold,  and  the  heavy  air,  made  more  impure  by  carbonic  acid  gas,  is 
breathed  again  and  again  by  the  inhabitants.     In  former  years,  the  streets 


THE   TENEMENT-HOUSES.  591 

on  which  these  "  barracks  "  are  situated  were  also  in  a  not  very  clean  condi- 
tion. It  was  nothing  unusual  for  the  tenants  to  throw  dirty  water,  slops, 
etr..  into  the  streets,  as  is  done  to  the  present  day  in  the  classic  regions 
of  Baxter  street,  Sullivan  street,  and  Donovan's  lane.  But,  owing  to  the 
exertions  of  the  police,  the  streets  have  to-day  a  very  decent  appearance* 
Yet  this,  if  anything,  makes  the  matter  worse  for  the  tenants  of  these 
houses.  The  dirt,  which  cannot  be  thrown  into  the  street,  accumulates  in 
the  house  ;  and  the  proprietors  do  not  remonstrate,  for,  as  we  have  said 
before,  they  care  for  nothing  but  the  prompt  payment  of  the  rent.  The 
air  becomes  very  impure  from  the  noxious  odors  arising  from  the  nooks 
and  corners  into  which  the  refuse  is  thrown. 

With  regard  to  the  absence  of  entire  cleanliness  from  all  the  apart- 
ments, closets,  etc.,  which  the  tenants  have  in  common,  it  is  a  sad  reality. 
But  we  need  not  wonder  at  it.  Who  shall  keep  them  clean  ?  The  pro- 
prietor of  the  house,  who  resides  in  some  brown-stone  palace,  or  is  amus- 
ing himself  at  some  watering-place  or  abroad?  Most  certainly  not.  The 
tenants  then?  It  would  certainly  be  in  their  interest  to  look  to  it ;  but, 
for  every  one  who  is  willing  to  do  his  share,  there  are  ten  others  who 
stoutly  refuse,  or  ar.3  very  indifferent  in  the  matter.  Those  wTho  are 
inclined  to  be  clean  at  last  tire  of  being  the  servants  of  the  others,  and 
the  result  may  be  imagined.  In  this  respect,  it  is  a  strange  fact  that  so 
many  of  the  tenants  continually  talk  about  the  filth,  but  would  rather 
suffocate  by  it  than  stir  a  hand  to  remove  it.  And  they  are  by  no  means 
in  want  of  excuses  to  explain  their  singular  conduct.  Such  an  excuse 
was  given  recently  to  the  Sanitary  Commission,  upon  visiting  one  of  the 
filthiest  tenement-houses  in  Thompson  street.  The  commissioners  were 
received  with  the  most  bitter  descriptions  of  the  filth  and  the  smell  exist- 
ing in  the  house.  When  the  commissioners  told  the  tenants  that  it  was 
principally  their  own  fault,  as  soap  and  water  and  brushes  would  do  much 
to  better  their  condition,  the  good  people  were  highly  indignant  at  them. 
One  fat  Irishwoman,  almost  covered  with  dirt,  stepping  up  to  the  commis- 
sioners with  her  arms  akimbo,  said  :  "  What  do  you  take  us  for?  Do  you 
think  wre  are  going  to  clean  out  the  house,  so  that  he  can  clear  us  out  when 
it  looks  better,  and  rent  it  out  to  persons  who  pay  more  than  we?" 

Strange  as  the  words  of  this  woman  seem,  they  are  still  not  without  a 
grain  of  truth,  and  show  that  the  characters  of  many  of  the  landlords 
are  no  less  dirty  than  their  tenement-houses.  Much  of  the  blame  that 
falls  on  the  tenants  of  filthy  tenement-houses  is  fully  deserved  by  the  pro- 
prietors. This  fact  is  also  recognized  by  the  Sanitary  Commission  in  one 
of  its  reports.  After  the  report  has  spoken  of  terrible  evils  found  in 
tenement-houses  in  general,  it  continues  as  follows  : 

u  The  worst  class  of  tenement-houses  were  those  where  a  landlord  had 
accommodations  for  ten  families,  and  these  buildings  comprise  more  than 
half  the  tenement-houses  of  the  city,  and  accommodrate   fully  two-thirds 


592  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

of  the  tenement-house  population.  When  the  number  of  families  living 
under  one  owner  exceeded  ten,  it  was  found  that  such  owner  was  engaged 
in  keeping  tenement-houses  as  a  business,  and  generally  as  a  speculator. 
It  is  among  this  class  of  owners  that  nearly  all  the  evils  of  the  tenement- 
house  system  are  found.  The  little  colony  exhibit  in  their  rooms,  and  in 
the  little  areas  around  their  dwelling,  extreme  want  of  care.  The  street 
in  front  of  the  place  was  reeking  with  slops  and  garbage  ;  the  alleys  and 
passageways  were  foul  with  excrement ;  the  court  was  imperfectly  paved, 
wet,  and  covered  with  domestic  refuse  ;  the  privies,  located  in  a  close 
court  between  the  rear  and  front  houses,  were  dilapidated,  and  gave  out 
noisome  odors  which  filled  the  whole  area,  and  were  diffused  through  all 
the  rooms  opening  upon  it ;  and  the  halls  and  apartments  of  the  wretched 
occupants  wjre  close,  unventilated,  and  unclean.  The  complaint  was 
universal  among  the  tenants  that  they  are  entirely  uncared  for,  and  that 
the  only  answer  to  their  request  to  have  the  place  put  in  order,  by  repairs 
and  necessary  improvements,  was  that  they  must  pay  their  rents  or  leave. 
Inquiry  often  disclosed  the  fact  that  the  owner  of  the  property  was  a 
wealthy  gentleman  or  lady,  either  living  in  an  aristocratic  part  of  this,  or 
in  a  neighboring  city,  or,  as  was  occasionally  found  to  be  the  case,  in 
Europe.  The  property  is  usually  managed  entirely  by  an  agent,  whose 
instructions  are  simple  but  emphatic,  viz  :  '  collect  the  rent  in  advance,  or, 
failing,  eject  the  occupants.'  The  profits  on  this  sort  of  property,  so 
administered,  are  rarely  less  than  15  per  cent.,  and  more  generally  20  per 
cent.,  upon  the  investment." 

But,  wherever  the  blame  for  the  evils  connected  with  our  tenement- 
houses  may  rest,  these  evils  are  a  sad  fact,  and  will  not  be  without  their 
consequences.  After  what  we  have  said  above,  it  is  a  self-evident  fact 
that  the  sanitary  condition  of  the  tenement-houses  must  be  very  unfavor- 
able. A  visit  into  the  streets  containing  these  "barracks"  must  show 
this  even  to  the  most  casual  observer.  Among  the  numberless  children 
running  about  there,  very  few  will  be  found  who  have  a  healthy  and 
strong  appearance.  Mostly  with  pale  and  bloated  faces,  they  look  like 
flowers  that  have  grown  in  places  not  reached  by  the  sun.  Much  more 
serious  proofs  of  unhealthy  influences  of  tenement-houses  are  found  in  the 
mortality  lists  of  our  city.  These  show  that  the  tenement-houses  con- 
tribute a  large  number  of  those  who  are  brought  to  their  last  resting-place 
throughout  the  year.  They  also  teach  us  that  not  only  do  epidemics  first 
appear  in  the  tenement-houses,  but  that  they  appear  there  in  their  worst 
forms.  We  can  even  say  that  these  epidemics  never  die  out  in  them,  but 
rest  for  years,  waiting  only  for  favorable  opportunities  to  develop  them- 
selves. 

But  tho  figures  of  Dr.  Elisha  Harris,  the  sanitary  superintendent,  speak 
louder  than  anything  we  can  say.  According  to  the  last  annual  report  of 
this  gentleman  before  us,  the  total  mortality  was  25,607.     Of  this  number, 


TUB    i  IM .vi-  N  r-H<  i  8E3. 

4,00.3  occurred  in  public  institutions  (hospitals,  prisons,  &c),  <3,s  1 5  in 
private  houses,  hotels,  and  boarding-houses,  and  13,285  in  tenement- 
houses;  that  is,  more  than  one-half  of  all  deaths  in  the  city  occurred  in 
tenement-houses.  This  proportion  becomes  still  more  unfavorable,  if  we 
take  into  consideration  that  the  majority  of  those  who  died  in  hospitals, 
etc.,  properly  belong  to  the  tenement-houses.  We  can  even  go  farther 
and  put  a  large  number  of  the  deaths  in  private  houses  to  the  credit  of 
the  tenement-houses,  for  they  are  true  hot-beds  of  pestilence  and  epi- 
demics, which  from  there  spread  over  the  city.  Cholera,  small-pox, 
typhoid  (ever,  etc.,  generally  originate  in  the  filthiest  and  most  densely 
populated  quarters,  and  there  again  in  the  filthy  and  overcrowded 
tenement-houses.  There  it  is  where  these  diseases  assume  such  a  malig- 
nant form  that  they  mock  all  means  employed  to  prevent  their  further 
spread.  It  has  even  been  discovered  that  a  new  and,  although  not  fatal 
yet  very  serious  disease,  the  so-called  "relapsing  fever,"  has  been  brooded 
out  in  the  tenement  dens  of  the  Five  Points.  Consumption,  diseases  of 
the  lungs,  blood  and  skin  humors,  aud  all  forms  of  malignant  fevers, 
seem  to  be  at  home  in  the  tenement-houses  at  all  times.  Under  these 
circumstances,  it  needs  no  further  explanation  that  the  mortality  among 
the  children  in  these  den3  is  very  great. 

The  inhabitants  of  tenement-houses  are  threatened  with  dangers  from 
other  quarters  also.  AVe  need  only  look  at  the  high  buildings  crowded 
with  human  beings,  and  at  their  narrow  stairways  and  entrances,  and 
then  suppose  that  a  fire  should  originate  in  one  of  them.  Involuntarily 
wc  shudder  at  the  thought.  It  almost  seems  impossible  that  sue  i  an  event 
should  happen  without  sacrificing  at  least  a  dozen  human  lives.  And  it. 
is  indeed  only  by  good  fortune  that  this  does  not  happen  more  frequently 
than  it  actually  docs.  Nevertheless,  scarcely  a  year  passes  but  that  a 
number  of  human  lives  arc  sacrificed  in  this  manner.  The  authori  ies 
have  also  recognized  the  danger  arising  from  this  source  ;  but,  instead  of 
condemning  the  impracticable  manner  in  which  the  houses  are  built,  they 
have  coufiued  themselves  to  ordering  iron  safety-ladders  to  be  placed  on 
the  walls  of  these  houses.  But,  in  spite  of  these  ladders,  the  tenement- 
houses  are  to  the  present  day  what  they  have  always  been,  viz  :  man- 
traps from  which  a  good  fortune  only  can  save  the  inhabitants  in  case  of 
a  conflagration. 

These  houses  also  exert  a  demoralizing  influence,  not  only  on  their 
inhabitants,  but  on  our  whole  society.  Without  a  home,  no  family  life 
can  be  possible  ;  and  the  less  the  family  life  is  separated  from  outside 
influences,  the  looser  will  its  hold  upon  it3  members  become.  For  this 
reason  also  the  custom  of  the  wealthy  classes,  ot  boarding  or  livin««-  in 
hotels,  has  been  so  much  condemned.  But  how  is  it  with  the  family  life 
in  tenement-houses,  with  their  twenty,  fifty,  and  even  more  families? 
The  iact  that  so  many  families  live   so   close  together,  excludes  iho  idea 

(  38 


594  TIIE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK   LIFE. 

of  a  separate  home  for  each.  There  they  all  live  together,  without  know- 
ing any  more  of  each  other  than  what  they  see  in  their  daily  intercourse  ; 
the  good  and  the  wicked,  the  honest  laborer  and  the  professional  thief, 
the  innocent  girl  and  the  prostitute — they  all  live  here  together.  It  is 
impossible  to  keep  the  children  of  the  family  entirely  away  from  impure 
associations.  How  is  it  possible  that  female  tact,  this  most  powerful  pro- 
tector of  virtue,  should  not  become  dull  after  living  in  such  places  for  a 
considerable  time?  It  is  a  strange  but  well-known  fact  that  bad  influ- 
ences will  always  be  found  more  powerful  than  good  ones.  Nowhere  is 
there  a  better  chance  to  observe  this  than  in  tenement-houses.  Just  as 
the  sense  of  cleanliness  becomes  dull  by  continual  contact  with  the  filth 
existing  here,  so  it  is  also  with  the  moral  feeling  in  daily  contact  with 
rowdyism,  immorality,  and  wickedness. 

The  home  in  these  "  barracks,"  however,  is  so  entirely  devoid  of  all 
attractions,  that  we  need  not  wonder  that  the  children  often  prefer  the 
street  to  it,  and  the  men  and  women  the  saloons.  But  neither  the  street 
nor  the  saloons  are  proper  schools  to  acquire  the  virtues  of  family  life. 
Scenes  of  beastly  drunkenness,  domestic  quarrels,  bloody  fights,  etc.,  are 
not  of  unfrequent  occurrence  in  tenement-houses.  Such  scenes  can  only 
have  a  demoralizing  effect  on  the  youthful  mind.  Thus  it  is  at  present ; 
and  what  can  we  expect  of  the  generation  now  growing  up  in  these 
houses,  and  whose  character  has  been  formed  under  their  influence?  For 
it  is  the  laboring  class,  the  true  foundation  of  our  national  power,  that  is 
chiefly  exposed  to  their  evil  influences.  How  can  this  evil  be  remedied? 
This  question  is  much  easier  asked  than  answered.  With  words  and  on 
paper  it  would  perhaps  be  an  easy  matter,  but  it  will  be  found  more  diffi- 
cult in  reality.  In  itself,  it  is  nothing  but  a  local  excess  of  population, 
and  could  be  remedied  by  a  proper  distribution  of  the  excess  of  a  certain 
district.  New  York  has  sufficient  room  in  its  neighborhood  to  bring 
cheap  and  healthy  homes  within  the  reach  of  all.  But  here  again  are 
causes  which  prevent  thousands  from  making  use  of  this  opportunity.  It 
is  hard  for  a  laborer  to  be  pressed  into  overcrowded  cars  or  a  ferry-boat 
for  an  hour  or  two  every  evening,  and  to  reach  home  half  suffocated  in 
summer,  and  half  frozen  in  winter.  It  is  equally  hard  on  him  to  take 
two  hours  from  his  necessary  sleep,  to  get  up  early  that  he  may  arrive  in 
time  at  his  place  of  business.  At  the  same  time,  with  the  exception  of 
Sundays,  he  has  no  opportunity  to  devote  himself  to  his  family,  as  the 
long  way  to  his  work  and  back  robs  him  of  the  few  hours  which  he  could 
possibly  devote  to  that  purpose.  Who  would  blame  him,  therefore,  if  he 
preferred  to  live  near  to  his  place  of  business,  and,  as  the  only  way  left 
open  to  him,  looks  to  the  tenement-houses  for  a  dwelling  in  accordance 
with  his  means? 

Thousands  and  thousands  are  driven  into  the  tenement-houses  on  this 
account,  and  are  kept  there  iu  spite  of  their  disadvantages.    The  tenement- 


THE   TENEMENT-HOUSES.  595 

houses,  now  so  overcrowded,  would  be  immediately  cleaned  out  if  the 
so  loug-debated  problem  of  "rapid  transit"  could  be  solved  in  a  satisfac- 
tory manner.  Nothing  has  as  yet  been  done  by  our  authorities  to  oppose 
the  evils  of  the  tenement-house  system.  The  sanitary  regulations,  which, 
even  if  they  are  strictly  enforced,  are  entirely  insufficient,  are  in  general 
not  at  all  enforced. 

In  midsummer,  when  cholera  or  small-pox  is  expected,  our  Sanitary 
Commission  begins  to  bestir  itself.  It  must  do  something  for  the  money. 
The  tenement-houses  are  inspected,  the  papers  publish  terrible  descrip- 
tions of  the  misery  and  depravity  laid  bare,  and  reports  are  made  ;  but, 
in  effect,  everything  remains  as  it  was  before  ;  for  what  benefit  is  derived 
from  the  fact  that  one  of  these  filthy  dens  is  closed  by  the  authorities,  aud  its 
inmates,  with  all  their  baggage,  put  into  the  streets?  Mo^t  certainly  none. 
On  the  contrary,  it  is  a  very  questionable  humanity  that  would  put  these 
miserable  creatures  on  the  street,  without  telling  them  where  to  look  for 
a  new  home.  What  is  more  natural  than  that  such  victims  of  the  sani- 
tary authorities  should  seek  refuge  in  dens  similar  to  that  from  which 
they  have  been  expelled?  One  of  these  dens  has  indeed  been  closed,  but 
others  have  been  overcrowded  in  proportion,  aud  have  been  made  all  the 
more  dangerous  on  that  account. 

Of  what  use  is  it,  furthermore,  that,  at  the  moment  when  an  epidemic 
is  threatening,  a  number  of  these  houses  are  handled  with  brush  and  soap 
by  order  of  the  police,  and  the  filth  is  rather  stirred  up  than  cleared  away? 
The  Sanitary  Commission  should  not  go   to  sleep  when  the   fear  of  an 
Epidemic  has  passed  away  with  the  summer,  but  should  look  to  it  that  the 
evils,  which  have  been  been  discovered  and  abolished  for  the  time  beino- 
do  not  again  return.     The  simplest  way  would  be  to  hold  the  owners  of 
such  "barracks"  responsible  for  any  evils,  as  filthiness,  overcrowding 
etc.,  occurring  among  them.     For,  even  in   cemeteries,  the  number  of 
dead  to  a  certain  space  is  regulated  by  law-     Why  should  not  a  similar 
law  prescribe  to   the  proprietors  of  tenement-houses   how  many  tenants 
they  shall  have,  according  to  the  size  of  their  houses?     From  the  fact 
that  such  a  law  does  not  exist,  it  has  come  to  pass  that  there  are  blocks 
in  the  down-town  wards  in  which  the  living  have  a  much  smaller  space  to 
breathe  in  than  that  in  which  the  law  allows  the  dead  to  rot.     But  these 
proprietors  are  leading  men  in  the  political  and  financial  world,  and  they 
know  how  to  keep  justice  at  a   distance.     If  the  authorities  would  hold 
these  persons  responsible,  it  would  soon  become   better,  and  such  reports  1 
as  that  which  denotes  the  majority  of  these  tenement  houses  as  untenable 
for  some  particular  reason,  would  not  be  repeated  every  year. 

The  improvements  undertaken  on  so  large  a  scale,  during  the  past  years 
within  the  city  boundaries,  have  also   tended   to  increase  the  number  of 
tenement-houses,  and  to  fill  up   their  rooms.     The   laying  out  of  public 
parka  and  boulevards  in  the  upper  part  of  the  city  has  so  raised  the  prica 


596 


TEE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 


of  ral  eelate,  thaf  it  is  an  impossibility  for  a  laboring  man  to  possess  his 
own  home.  But  we  do  not  wish  to  be  understood,  by  any  means,  that 
we  desire  to  preach  against  our  public  parks  and  other  improvements,. 
which  jiastly  fill  us  with  pride.  We  only  speak  of  the  evil  which  is  at 
the  bottom  of  our  political  and  social  conditions — against  corruption, 
which  annually  steals  millions  out  of  the  pockets  of  the  tax-payers,  and 
thus  raises  the  taxes  to  an  enormous  height.  These  taxes  are  chiefly 
resting  on  the  real  estate,  and  is  the  principal  reason  for  the  high  rents 
existing  at  present. 

True  reform  would  not  remain  without  its  beneficial  effects  on  the 
tenement-house  system.  The  tenement-houses  are  a  disgrace  to  our  city, 
and  a  crime  being  committed  upon  the  generations  now  growing  up.  Only 
one  generation  old,  they  already  form  one  of  our  most  prominent  social 
evils.  They  form  a  visible  measure  of  pauperism,  and,  as  the  sources  of 
social  demora'ization,  are  to  be  counted  among  the  causes  of  pauperism. 
What  we  have  said  with  regard  to  the  dangers  arising  from  pauperism, 
is  also  very  true  of  tenement- houses.  It  is  indeed  true  that  not  every 
one  can  live  in  a  palace,  and  this  no  one  will  expect.  Not  even  the  most 
earnest  communist  woi.ll  make  such  a  demand.  But,  as  long  as  there  is 
no  other  home  open  to  the  laborer  and  his  family  than  what  is  offered  him 
in  these  barracks,  so  long  will  there  be  a  wide  field  open  for  possiblo 
reforms.  The  well-known  saying  of  Horace  Greeley,  "  Go  west,"  can- 
not be  applied  here,  for  all  those  thousands  of  our  tenement  population 
are  necessary  to  keep  the  business  machinery  of  our  city  in  motion.  Other 
means  must  therefore  be  employed  to  furnish  relief  in  this  respect.  We 
have  already  given  short  hints  as  to  the  kind  of  means.  The  problem  is 
a  difficult,  but  not  impossible,  one  to  solve.  Its  quick  solution  is  a  matter 
of  honor  for  our  ci^y.  which  should  pride  itself  on  the  absence  of  such 
dens  as  we  have  seen  in  the  tenement-houses,  rather  than  in  the  number 
of  its  palaces. 


ADVENTURERS  AND  CHEATS. 

It  is  an  old  saying  that  "  one-half  of  tha  world  does  not  know  on  what 
the  other  half  lives."  It  may  say  a  little  too  much,  but  certain  it  is  that 
there  are  a  large  number  of  persons  in  our  miJst  who  know  how  to  liver 
and  to  live  well,  too,  and  that  without  work.  We  have  become  &c* 
quaintcd  with  quite  a  number  of  these  gentlemen  already,  and  would  here 


ADVENTOREBS     \M>    «  ill   \  l)V  < 

introduce  (lie  render  to  another  class.  AVc  have  reference  to  the  adventu- 
rera  who,  although  closely  related  to  the  swindlers,  still  only  take  to 
criminal  means  in  very  exceptional  case?.  They  speculate  on  the  weak- 
s  of  their  fellow  men,  whom  they  regard  as  far  beneath  themselves, 
and  therefore  have  no  scruples  as  to  letting  the  crowd  work  for  them. 
N«>t  seldom  does  an  adventurer  Bucceed  in  gaining  riches  and  a  high  posi- 
tion. But,  as  he  is  accustomed  to  live  far  beyond  his  means,  and  to  leave 
the  rest  to  hick  and  his  genius,  his  riches  and  position  often  fly  away  as 
quickly  as  they  were  won.  Most  adventurers,  therefore,  end  their  lives 
cither  in  the  poor-house  or  in  prison. 

Our  city  is  a  real  gold-mine  for  all  kinds  of  adventurers.  Not  only 
from  all  parts  of  the  Union,  but  cveu  from  all  countries  of  the  world,  do 
they  assemble  here  to  change  their  wit  into  money.  They  know  how  to 
intrude  into  all  classes  of  society,  and  there  to  be  recognized  as  superior 
beings.  The  respective  circles  even  consider  it  an  honor  that  the  "rich 
Southerner,"  the  "  political  refugee,"  "  my  lord,"  the  "great  traveler,' 
or  whatever  role  the  adventurer  may  assume,  should  notice  them. 

The  part  of  the  "political  refugee,"  as  well  as  that  of  the  "rich 
Southerner,"  are  getting  to  be  rather  thin  and  threadbare,  but  European 
noblemen  have  the  same  power  of  attraction  which  they  had  years  ago, 
and  are  baits  for  adventurers  at  which  our  republican  millionaires  still 
continue  to  bile.  These  "noble"  adventurers  generally  do  not  stop  at 
small  things,  but  aim  at  something  high,  and  thus  often  become  the  sen- 
sation of  the  day.  It  is  a  humiliating  fact  that  nothing  imposes  more 
easily  upon  an  American  than  a  title  of  nobility.  It  is  not  so  long  ago 
but  that  every  one  can  remember,  how  this  aristocracy  disgraced  the 
nation  by  their  servility  at  Hie  reception  of  the  Prince  of  Wales,  and 
later  at  that  of  the  Grand  Duke  Alexis. 

But  it  is  not  even  necessary  that  it  should  be  the  title  of  "  prince"  to 
open  the  most  exclusive  circles  of  our  artstocracy.  A  French  marquis,  a 
German  baron,  or  a  Russian  count  do  just  as  well.  Whether  he  really 
has  any  blue  blood  in  his  veins  or  not  is  immaterial,  as  long  as  he  knows 
how  to  play  his  part  as  nobleman  well ;  and  as  long  as  he  indulges  in 
horseflesh,  champagne,  roulette,  faro,  etc.,  and  has  a  decided  distaste  for 
work,  he  will  easily  pass  for  a  real  baron,  marqu:s,  or  count.  Many 
former  lackeys  and  servants  possess  these  qualifications  in  a  very  high 
degree.  If  they  also  have  a  large  quantity  of  "cheek"  and  well-formed 
figures,  they  will  be  quickly  taken  up  by  the  different  sets. 

Many  of  the  temporary  pets  of  our  shoddy  aristocracy,  whether  they 
are  real  or  imaginary  barons,  content  themselves  with  living  at  the 
expense  of  their  friends,  borrowing  money  of  them,  and  then  becoming 
invisible.  Others,  however,  are  not  satisfied  with  this.  They  conde- 
scend to  become  the  husbands  of  rich  widows,  or  the  sons-in-law  of  mil> 
lionairee,  who  feel  highly  honored  by  such   an  alliance  with  the  nobility. 


598 


THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 


Very  often,  however,  the  young  wife  discovers,  after  the  wedding,  that 
her  husband  has  a  wife  living  in  some  other  city,  or  in  Europe,  which  he 
was  forced  to  leave  in  a  hurry,  on  account  of  debts,  or  for  some  other 
reason.  The  beautiful  dream  of  course  stops  here.  The  baron  or  count 
disappears  as  soon  as  he  finds  his  identity  discovered,  and  generally  takes 
along  whatever  articles  of  value  he  can  lay  his  hands  on. 

Examples  are  not  wanting  in  which  the  supposed  count  or  marquis  has 
turned  out  to  be  a  former  servant.  The  love  of  the  American  baroness, 
countess,  etc.,  generally  disappears  with  the  discovery  of  her  husband's 
low  descent,  and  a  divorce  suit  quickly  follows  it.  Very  often,  however, 
the  woman's  heart  is  stronger  than  prejudice.  The  wrronged  woman 
bears  all  the  scoffing  and  mocking,  and  remains  true  to  the  man  whom 
she  has  wedded  of  her  own  free  choice.  But  she  can  consider  herself 
lucky  if  her  constancy  does  not  meet  with  a  poor  return.  We  here  give 
such  a  case,  which  is  all  the  more  interesting  as  the  adventurer  was  pro- 
tected by  the  influence  of  his  rich  father-in-law,  and  retained  the  mask 
under  which  he  had  obtained  entrance  into  aristocratic  circles. 

Some  two  years  ago  a  young  Englishman  made  his  advent  into  New 

York,  who    called  himself  Lord  Richard  N .     He   lived  in  a  style 

which  led  to  the  conclusion  that  his  purse  must  be  a  very  heavy  one.  As 
he  was  at  the  same  time  well  informed,  and  was  a  good  talker,  he  soon 
had  numerous  invitations  from  the  upper  ten.  He  made  himself  perfectly 
at  home  there.  According  to  a  rumor,  which,  however,  could  be  traced 
to  no  definite  starting-point,  the  young  and  handsome  lord  was  heir  to 
over  one  million  pounds  sterling.  This  rumor  was  believed  all  the  more 
as  Lord  Richard,  although  very  gallant  to  ladies  in  company,  was  exces- 
sively haughty  and  even  insolent  to  the  gentlemen.  It  naturally  followed 
that  the  noble  lord  was  not  very  well  liked  by  his  male  companions.  To 
this  was  added  the  fact  that  the  handsome  stranger  was  a  dangerous  rival 
in  the  affections  of  the  republican  beau.ies,  who  all  seemed  to  have  fallen 
in  love  with  his  lordship.  It  is  true  that  it  was  also  rumored  that  Lord 
Richard  had  a  great  talent  for  making  debts,  and  that  he  had  had  extra- 
ordinarily good  luck  at  faro.  The  papers  also  took  notice  at  last  of 
this  lion  of  the  day,  but  said  that  in  the  peerage  of  England  there  was 
no  such  name  as  Lord  Richard  N .  But  this  created  all  the  less  sus- 
picion in  fashionable  circles,  as  Lord  Richard 'treated  these  rumors  with 
the  most  profound  contempt,  and  continued  to  turn  the  heads  of  the 
women  by  his  gallantries.  He  succeeded  exceedingly  well,  for  one  fine 
day  the  fashionable  world  was  astonished  by  the  news  that  Lord   Richard 

N had  engaged  himself  to  Miss  S ,  a  well-known  beauty  of  Fifth 

avenue.     The  wedding,  which   followed  soon   after,  was  celebrated  with 
all  due  pomp  at  the  residence   of  the    bride's  parents.     The   new  Lady 

N was    overjoyed,  while   her  friends  were   ready  to   die  from  sheer 

jealousy.     The  newly-married  couple  passed  their  honeymoon  traveling, 


ADTBMTURBSfl    AND   CHEATS.  599 

aud  everything  seemed  to  go  according  to  wish.     But,  while  Lord  N 


and  his  young  wife  were  enjoying  themselves,  dark  clouds  were  gathering 

tor  them  in  New  York.     The  evil  rumors  circulating  against  Lord  N 

assumed  more  definite  shapes,  and  soon  no  doubt  remained  that  the  sup- 
posed lord  was  a  swindler  and  an  adventurer.  Creditors  came  in  large 
numbers,  and  asked  the  dear  father-in-law  whether  his  lordship  would  not 
soon  return.  Everybody  laughed  at  the  turn  the  affair  now  seemed  to  be 
taking.     The  same  young  ladies  who,  only  a  week  before,  would  have  been 

happy  to  give  to  Lord   N their   hearts   and  hands,  now  laughed  at 

Lady  N ,  and  said  that  they  had  recoguized  her  husband  at  first  sight 

as  an  adventurer.  The  father-in-law  at  last  saw  himself  compelled  to 
act  in  the  matter,  and  therefore  he  recalled  the  happy  pair  by  telegraph. 
Explanations  followed,  the  nature  of  which  did  not  reach  the  public. 
Only  so  much  became  known  as  that  the  supposed  lord  pleaded  guilty, 
and  that  his  young  wife  declared  most  emphatically  that  she  would  not 
separate  her  destiny  from  that  of  her  husband,  lord  or  no  lord.  The 
father  decided,  for  his  daughter's  sake,  to  make  the  most  he  could  out  of 
the  affair.  He  paid  all  the  debts  of  the  son-in-law,  laughed  at  the  circu- 
lating rumors   that  he  was   an   adventurer,  and   could   not   express  how 

happy  he  felt  to  see   his  children,  Lord   and  Lady  N ,  so  contented. 

lie  gave  a  large  party  in  honor  of  their  return,  to  which  all  the  first 
families  of  Fifth  avenue  were  invited.  By  these  and  similar  deviceWie 
succeeded  in  quieting  the  rumors,  and  in  gaining  for  the  adventurer  the 
rank  which  he  had  unlawfully  assumed.  So  far  all  has  been  well.  But 
the  future  only  can  tell  us  whether  this  story  will  be  without  that  sad  con- 
clusion which  generally  belongs  to  stories  of  this  kind. 

Female  adventurers  of  this  class  are  also  not  wanting.  Many  a 
countess  or  baroness,  with  whose  presence  many  a  millionaire  feels  him- 
self honored,  is  in  a'l  probability  nothing  but  a  decoy  for  the  gambling 
hells  of  fashionable  watering-places.  These  female  celebrities  also  under- 
stand the  art  of  making  the  purses  of  their  friends  subservient  to  their 
wishes.  Then,  if  they  disappear  some  day,  a  large  number  of  unpaid 
bills  will  make  their  appearance,  and  leave  their  friends  sometimes  the 
cousolation  that  they  ha  to  not  been  the  only  victims.  A  well-known  role 
of  female  adventurers  was  that  of  the  California  widow,  who  in  former 
years  deluded  many  a  fool  with  more  money  than  brains.  This  part, 
however,  no  longor  pays,  and  has  therefore  almost  entirely  disappeared 
from  the  list  of  female  adventurers. 

Generally,  however,  the  female  cheats  act  more  as  the  assistants  of 
some  male  cheat,  in  preference  to  going  iuto  business  on  their  own 
account.  As  it  may  suit  them,  they  are  either  the  wives  or  daughters  of 
the  swindlers.  Many  of  the  female  sharpers  are  satisfied  with  leading  au 
easy  life  without  work.  But  this  always  requires  a  person  to  have  verv 
peculiar   ideas    of  M  easiness,"    if  we    take    into    account   the    continued 


600  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

inventing  of  new  tricks,  the  always  threatening  danger  of  being  detected, 
the  continued  self-control  which  must  be  sustained,  etc.  An  example  of 
this  kind  happened  a  short  time  ago. 

In  the  fall  of  1870  a  pretty  and  interesting  lady,  aged  about  thirty-one 
years,  took  lodgings  in  one  of  our  first-class  hotels.  She  had  no  baggage, 
and  explained  this  fact  to  the  clerk  by  saying  that  her  trunks  had  been  ille- 
gally detained  in  Boston  by  the  proprietor  of  the  boarding-house,  with 
whom  she  had  some  difficulty.  She  also  succeeded  in  gaining  the  clerk 
completely  over,  and  told  him  confidentially  that  she  had  inherited  a  mil- 
lion dollars  some  time  ago,  and  that  she  intended  to  buy  property  in  this 
city.  This  "  confidential "  commuaication  of  course  remained  no  secret, 
and  soon  the  modest  proprietor  of  a  million  was  the  centre  of  observation 
of  all  the  guests.  Her  winning  ways  soon  gained  her  the  friendship  of 
all,  and  she  made  use  of  these  numerous  friendships  to  borrow  money  in 
large  or  small  amounts.  After  a  short  time  her  character  began  to  be 
suspected,  and  she  left  the  hotel,  owing  a  large  bill,  to  continue  her  game 
in  another.  Thus  she  continued  from  one  hotel  to  another,  and  when  she 
had  finished  the  hotels  she  commenced  upon  the  private  boarding-houses 
of  the  better  class,  where  she  plundered  the  guests  in  the  most  genial 
manner.  So  genially  systematic  did  she  carry  on  her  business,  that  she 
actually  lived  for  two  years  by  her  wits.  She  borrowed  and  borrowed, 
^Jltimes  paying  old  debts  by  new  ones  contracted,  but  in  the  end  nearly 
all  her  debts  of  course  remained  unpaid.  But  this  game  seemed  too 
small  for  her,  and  she  conceived  a  plan  which  should  make  her  rich  by 
one  stroke.  This  plan  was  nothing  less  than  to  buy  some  very  valuable 
property — of  course  paying  no  money. 

In  the  summer  of  1872  she  applied  for  this  purpose  to  one  of  the 
largest  real-estate  agents  in  the  city,  from  whom  she  bought  a  residence 
in  Madison  avenue  valued  at  $100,000.  She  told  the  agent  quite  coolly 
that  she  would  pay  the  money  cash  down  as  soon  as  the  papers  were  made 
out  to  her.  So  well  did  she  play  the  part  of  the  rich  lady,  that  the  agent 
had  not  the  least  doubt  of  her  ability  or  her  willingness  to  pay,  and  they 
decided  upon  the  day  of  payment.  Then  the  woman  assumed  a  confi- 
dential air  and  told  him  that  she  possessed  over  a  million  of  dollars,  and 
that  she  had  no  one  in  New  York  whom  she  could  consult  in  managing 
her  property.  The  end  of  the  story  was  that  she  asked  him  to  manage 
her  property  for  her  as  trustee,  on  the  most  liberal  terms.  Her  plan  was 
to  get  the  agent  to  the  point  that  he  would  deliver  the  papers  into  her 
hands.  The  agent  did  not  as  yet  have  any  suspicion.  But  he  had  made 
it  a  principle  never  to  act  as  trustee  for  anybody.  That  he  remained 
true  to  this  principle  under  the  most  tempting  offers  in  this  case,  saved 
him  from  the  impending  ruin.  The  woman  left  the  office  when  she  saw 
that  he  was  proof  against  all  temptations,  saying  that  she  would  call  on' 
the  appointed  day  with  the  money.     The  day  came,  but  wilh  it  no  lady, 


AI>Y  i:\TrUEKS    AND    CHEATS.  f'Ol 

and  iu  vain  did  the  agent  and  the  owner  of  the   Madison   avenue  house 

wait  for  her.  At  last  a  suspicion  of  the  woman's  purpose  in  asking  him 
to  become  trustee  entered  the  mind  of  the  agent, and  he  saw  what  danger 
he  had  escaped  by  firmly  adhering  to  his  principle.  Of  course  he  never 
the  woman  again.  The  latter  tried  the  same  game  with  various 
other  real-estate  agents,  but  she  was  nowhere  successful.  A  daily  paper 
at  last  called  attention  to  her,  and  exposed  her  doings  to  the  public. 
Whether  she  Mas  unable  to  stand  this  disgraceful  exposure,  or  whether 
she  saw  her  swindling  career  cut  short  by  it,  we  cannot  say.  But  the 
end  was  that  she  was  found  dead  iu  her  bed  one  morning.  She  had 
ended  her  life  by  poison. 

(  '  course  they  all  do  not  attempt  to  carry  on  the  business  on  so  extensive 
a  scale.  Many,  for  example,  cauuot  withstand  the  temptation  to  try  their 
hands  as  adventurers  or  cheats  if  they  sec  a  chance.  Others  again  carry 
it  on  as  a  profession,  but  only  at  retail.  These  are  not  considered  worthy 
of  the  name  of  "  adventurers,"  and  are  then  called  '•  cheats."  These 
occasional  cheats  very  often  find  out  to'their  cost  that  cheating,  as  well  as 
anything  else,  must  first  be  learned  before  it  can  be  successlully  carried 
on,  and  iu  many  cases  their  first  attempt  (very  often  perhaps  fortunately 
for  them)  brings  them  in  contact  with  the  law.  A  case  of  this  kind  was 
before  the  courts  a  short  time  ago. 

A  collector  of  one  of  our  largest  business  houses  entered  the  office  one 
day,  with  all  signs  of  the  greatest  consternation,  and  said  that  his  pocket- 
book,  with  sixteen  hundred  dollars,  had  been  stolen  from  him  while  riding 
in  a  Broadway  stage.  The  mau  had  until  then  enjoyed  a  high  reputation 
for  honesty,  and  he  related  all  the  circumstances  so  well  that  no  one 
doubted  the  truth  of  his  story.  The  breast-pocket  from  which  the  wallet 
had  been  stolen,  and  which  had  been  cut  open,  could  be  regarded  as  a 
further  proof.  The  firm  was  therefore  incliued  to  believe  the  man  inno- 
cent, but  told  him  to  report  to  the  police  and  describe  the  person,  as  closely 
as  possible,  whom  he  suspected.  This  was  done  ;  but  the  detectives  were 
not  satisfied  with  the  description,  and  thought  they  might  possibly  gain 
some  clue  to  the  thief  by  the  cut  in  the  coat.  They  examined  it,  but  the 
result  of  the  examination  was  quite  unexpected — that  is,  to  the  collector. 
Sitting  there  in  sad  meditation,  he  was  arrested  and  told  most  decidedly 
that  he  was  the  thief  and  nobody  else.  This  sudden  turn  of  the  afFair 
took  the  collector  by  surprise.  He  became  so  embarrassed  that  he  hardly 
knew  what  he  was  saying.  He  attempted  to  appear  indignant,  and  asked 
how  they  could  accuse  him  of  such  a  deed.  In  answer  he  was  shown 
his  coat,  and  that  the  outer  cut  did  not  at  all  correspond  with  the  inner 
one,  as  the  latter  was  much  longer  and  in  another  direction.  This  could 
only  be  explained  by  t.ie  fact  that  the  coat  and  the  pocket  had  been  cut 
separately.  No  one  but  himself  could  have  done  it.  lie  saw  he  had 
been  neatly  caught  in  his  own  trap,  and  confessed  on  the  spot. 


602  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK   LIFE. 

A  peculiar  class  of  cheats  are  those  who  raise  money  by  pretending 
that  they  are  authorized  to  collect  money  for  charitable  purposes.  They 
are  generally  dressed  very  respectably,  and,  with  the  most  unctuous  look 
upon  their  countenances,  they  go  from  door  to  door,  and  present  their 
petition.  They  carry  books  with  them,  in  which  they  take  down  the 
names  of  the  donors,  as  well  as  the  amount  given.  They  are  not  easily 
put  off,  and  are  satisfied  with  the  smallest  amount.  Their  respectable 
appearance  and  their  boldness,  which  is  generally  explained  by  the  good 
object  in  view,  hardly  permit  a  suspicion  to  arise.  And  yet  they  are 
nothing  but  cheats,  and  are  all  the  more  contemptible  as  their  trade  is 
carried  on  under  the  cover  of  hypocrisy,  and  does  much  to  undermine  the 
charitable  instincts  of  our  people. 

Other  tricks  are  no  less  common.  Many  a  merchant  has  been  cheated 
through  sending  goods  to  a  house  which  the  buyer  only  used  for  the  time 
to  receiye  the  goods.  The  buyer  receives  the  goods  and  goes  into  a  room, 
telling  the  messenger  to  wait,  and  he  will  bring  out  the  money  right  away. 
But  he  waits  in  vain,  and,  after  his  patience  is  exhausted,  and  he  opens 
the  door,  he  sees  to  his  surprise  that  the  door  does  not  lead  into  a  room, 
but  into  a  hallway,  through  which  the  cheat  has  long  ago  reached  the 
street  and  disappeared,  taking  the  bundle  with  him. 

Ladies,  servants,  and  others  are  often  taken  in  by  the  following  trick : 
Some  person,  who  of  course  is  acquainted  with  the  house,  calls  during 
the  day,  and  says  he  is  sent  by  the  gentleman  of  the  house  to  bring  away 
some  particular  thing.  In  this  manner  many  articles  of  clothing,  furni. 
ture,  valuable  books,  etc.,  have  come  into  the  hands  of  the  cheats.  For 
that  this  person  is  nothing  but  a  cheat  is  soon  discovered  upon  the  return 
of  the  gentleman  of  the  house  in  the  evening. 

Another  class  of  cheats  are  those  who  are  called  "  Duffers."  These 
"  duffers"  carry  on  their  business  in  the  garb  of  sailors.  With  a  bundle 
under  their  arm,  they  call  upon  ladies,  and  ask  whether  they  do  not  wish 
to  buy  silks,  link:g-goods,  etc.,  very  cheap.  They  say  that  they  have  just 
arrived  from  a  trip  to  France,  and  that  they  have  smuggled  these  goods 
through  the  custom-house.  In  most  cases  the  trick  is  successful.  Gen- 
uine French  silks  and  laces,  and  at  very  low  prices  besides,  have  a  very 
peculiar  charm  for  ladies.  It  makes  no  difference  to  them  that  the  goods 
are  smuggled.  No  one  would  take  the  apparently  simple-minded  sailor 
to  be  what  he  actually  is,  a  cheat.  His  bundles  are  bought,  and  the 
buyer  finds  to  her  mortification,  when  the  cheat  has  gone,  that  her  pur. 
cha-e  is  miserable  stuff,  and  not  worth  half  the  money  paid  for  it.  The 
"duffer"  gets  another  bundle,  and  continues  the  business  in  some  other 
street.  Even  if  should  be  again  seen  by  one  of  his  victims,  he  does  not 
care  in  the  least ;  for,  as  they  have  knowingly  bought  smuggled  goods^ 
they  would  not  care  to  have  him  arrested  for  swindling. 

The   above   are   only  a  few  examples  of  the   various    tricks   practiced 


i  III-     niEATBEfl    <>b     M1E    LOWEU    CLASS.  hi).', 

uuder  different  forms.  To  mention  them  all  would  lead  us  too  far,  and 
would  also  be  of  no  particular  interest.  For  the  genius  of  our  adveutu- 
rers  and  cheats  is  very  inventive.  If  we  should  expose  all  their  known 
tricks  to-day,  they  would  have  new  ones  ready  to-morrow,  with  which 
they  would  carry  ou  their  business  as  successfully  as  ever.  They  hardly 
ever  come  iuto  contact  with  the  police,  for,  in  the  first  place,  they  excel  in 
the  art  of  becoming  in  viable  at  the  proper  moment ;  and  secondly,  their 
victims  very  seldom  make  a  charge  against  them.  In  most  cases  it  is  the 
fault  of  the  victim,  who  has  allowed  the  cheat  to  get  the  better  of  him, 
and,  heavy  as  his  loss  may  be,  he  would  rather  bear  it  than  the  ridicule 
of  his  friends.  But  their  success  sometimes  makes  the  cheats  bold,  or 
want  drives  them  to  despair.  Gradually  they  lose  their  aversion  to  open 
crime.  The  step  from  the  adventurer  or  cheat  to  the  thief  and  robber  is 
not  so  very  great  when  a  chance  offers,  and  the  gates  of  the  prison  are 
ready  to  receive  them.  They  therefore  form  a  very  dangerous  element  of 
our  society,  from  which  the  different  classes  of  criminals  constantly  re- 
ceive fresh  additions.  As  they  carry  on  their  busiuess  under  almost  any 
and  every  disguise,  the  only  rule  that  can  be  given  to  guard  against  them^. 
is  to  employ  proper  care  in  your  intercourse  with  strangers. 


THE  THEATRES  OF  THE  LOWER  CLASS. 

The  theatres  have  not  without  justice  been  termed  institutions  for  edu- 
cating the  masses,  and  whose  true  object  is  to  purify  the  taste  of  the 
people,  and  to  develop  in  them  that  sense  of  the  beautiful  which  forms 
the  foundation  of  every  true  civilization.  Unfortunately,  however,  our 
theatres  do  not  always  fulfill  this  object.  They  are  conducted  too  much 
with  a  view  to  the  pecuuiarv  interest  of  the  proprietor,  and  this  interest 
demands  that  only  such  plays  shall  be  offered  to  the  public  as  will  satisfy 
their  tastes.  Xobody  will  blame  the  proprietor  tor  rather  being  rich  than 
bankrupt  ;  aud  he  would  certainly  become  bankrupt  if  he  should  act  con- 
trary to  the  taste  of  the  public,  aud  perform  classic  pieces  before  an  empty 
house.  It  would  therefore  be  unjust  to  apply  too  strici  a  measure  in  this, 
and,  if  we  take  everything  iuto  consideration,  it  must  certainly  be  con- 
ceded that  we  have  very  good  thea'res  in  New  York. 

There  are  theatres,  however,  which  speculate  ou  the  lowest  tastes  of 
Ihe  people,  and  do    their  be^l   to    eouiinually  iurnish  this   low  taste  with 


C04  THE    DAKK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

new  fuel.  These  theatres,  therefore,  should  most  certainly  not  be  over- 
looked in  speaking  of  the  "  Dark  Sides  of  New  York."  Murder  and 
robbery  are  given  here  every  night,  and  murderers,  robbers,  and  highway- 
men are  depicted  as  heroes  and  martyrs.  Indecent  farces  and  ballets 
occasionally  take  the  place  of  these  pieces.  From  the  character  of  these 
pieces,  we  can  judge  as  to  the  character  of  the  theatres.  But  we  only 
fully  comprehend  their  danger  to  society  when  we  look  at  the  public  that 
assembles  there.  One-half  of  this  public  is  beyond  redemption.  It  con- 
sists of  rowdies,  loafers,  prostitutes,  vagabonds,  and  others  of  the  same 
class,  whose  faces  would  more  properly  belong  in  the  galleries  of  a  prison 
than  in  a  theatre.  The  other  half  consists  either  of  children,  or  are 
young  men  just  removed  from  home  influence,  and  who  here  take  their 
first  downward  step.  The  children  in  this  motley  assembly  are  chiefly 
newsboys  and  bootblacks,  a  ragged  crowd,  who,  both  by  their  personal 
appearance  and  their  vivacity,  form  a  prominent  feature  of  such  theatres. 
We  can  hardly  escape  the  conclusion  that  it  is  from  this  second  half  of  these 
visitors  that  the  first  half  continually  recruits  itself. 

Among  these  guests  we  occasionally  see  persons  who  do  not  seem  to 
belong  to  this  company.  They  are  either  strangers  who  want  to  take  a 
look  at  the  dark  side  of  New  York,  or  unsuspicious  persons  from  the 
country,  or  even  from  the  city  sometimes,  who,  not  knowing  the  character 
of  the  place,  have  accidentally  strayed  into  one  of  these  theatres.  En- 
tirely in  accordance  with  this  public  is  their  behavior.  Those  who  do 
not  smoke,  or  chew,  or  fight,  are  eating  peanuts,  the  shells  of  which  cover 
the  floor  of  the  gallery,  as  well  as  the  parquet  or  pit,  as  it  is  called  in 
these  theatres,  with  a  crackling  covering.  Pickpockets  actively  ply  their 
trade.  The  fights  are  considered  very  amusing  additions  to  the  play,  and 
.are  real  pleasures  for  the  large  part  of  the  audience,  who  take  part  in  it 
•with  hoots  and  yells. 

And  then  the  pieces  that  are  played  here  !  Terrible  ghost  stories  and 
indecent  farces  certainly  do  much  to  demoralize  the  people,  but  they  are 
by  no  means  the  worst  that  is  offered  on  these  stages.  "Dick  Turpin," 
44  Jack  Sheppard,"  and  other  celebrated  robbers,  dramatized  in  all  possi- 
ble variations,  form  a  programme  for  these  theatres,  which  is  always  sure 
to  draw  crowded  houses.  Robbery,  murder,  and  even  scenes  of  execu- 
tion, are  given  down  to  the  smallest  details.  The  better  a  murderer  kills 
his  victim  on  the  stage,  and  Ue  more  naturally  he  dies  on  the  gallows, 
the  louder  is  the  applause  of  the  roaring  and  stamping  crowd.  A  simi- 
lar care  is  given  to  the  representation  of  burglaries  and  thefts ;  for  the 
actors  doing  these  scenes  know  full  well  that  the  spectators  are  good 
judges  in  these  matters.  This  is  carried  so  far  that  these  theatres  may 
be  fitly  termed  schools  for  young  thieves  and  burglars,  while  the  glory 
with  which  crime  is  surrounded  on  the  stage  is  a  strong  incentive  to 
crime  for  the  youthful   part  of  the   audience.     Many  unfortunates  who 


THE    TIIEATRKS    OF    TI1K    LOWKR    CLASS. 

have  ended  their  lives  on  the  gallows,  or  who  now  fill  the  cells  of  our 
prison?,  have  been  first  brought  on  the  road  to  crime  by  these  theatre*. 
The  Bowery  Theatre  especially  produces  this  class  of  dramas.  It  isv 
therefore,  a  strange  fact  that,  in  its  exterior  shape,  it  resembles  the  Tombs 
more  than  any  other  building  of  the  civ. 

Need  we  say  anything  about  that  which  is  called  a  ballet  in  those 
theatres?  Of  that  grace  which  is  the  peculiar  charm  of  the  dance  there 
is  nothing  to  be  seen.  The  dancers  have  just  the  smallest  amount  of 
clothing  on  their  bodies  as  is  allowed  by  law.  This  is  probably  of  not 
much  account,  but  for  the  "artisti;"  tastea  of  this  audience  it  is  the  chief 
thing.  The  higher  the  danseuse  throws  her  legs,  the  more  impudent  her 
looks,  the  more  indecent  her  motions,  the  louder  is  the  applause  of  the 
galleries  as  well  as  the  pit. 

This  then  is  a  picture  of  a  theatre  of  the  lower  classes.  Right  above 
them  there  are  others  in  which  the  "dark  sides"  are  not  so  prominent, 
but  which  still  speculate  on  the  desire  for  the  sensational  among  the  public, 
and  thus  do  much  for  the  lowering  of  the  tastes  of  the  people.  But 
there  are  also  theatres  which,  both  with  regard  to  their  outfit  and  the 
talent  employed  in  them,  rank  among  the  betier  class  of  theatres,  but 
which  occasionally  accommodate  the  sensational  desires  of  the  public  by 
producing  plays  which  place  them  on  the  same  footing  as  those  above 
mentioned.  Niblo's  Garden,  one  of  our  largest  and  best  furnished  thea- 
tres on  Broadway,  is  an  example.  We  would  only  recall  that  sensational 
piece,  "  The  Black  Crook,"  whose  chief  attraction  lay  in  i:s  indecency,  and 
which  has  enjoyed  great  popularity  ever  since  its  first  production.  Other 
theatres  also  do  not  think  it  beneath  them  to  give  an  occasional  spicy  and 
sensational  play,  and  thus  for  their  pecuuiary  interest  throw  overboard 
for  a  time  their  interest  in  art.  Opportunities  are  therefore  not  wanting 
in  our  city  to  satisfy  a  low  taste.  It  is  sad  that  it  is  so,  but  the  fault  is 
divided  into  two  pretty  equal  parts.  It  is  true,  nobody  would  go  to  see 
sensational  pieces  if  they  were  crossed  off  the  lists  of  the  theatres,  and 
only  classic  pieces  of  an  intrinsic  value  were  given.  But  it  is  equally 
true  that  the  theatres  would  not  give  sensational  pieces  if  the  public  would 
Dot  go  to  see  them.  As  the  theatres  depend  on  the  public,  and  not  tho 
public  on  the  theatres,  the  greater  part  of  the  blame  seems  to  rest  with 
the  public.  Examples  for  this  are  not  wanting.  The  above-mentioned 
piece,  uThe  Black  Crook,"  gained  its  chief  attraction  from  the  opposL 
tion  of  the  press,  which  with  one  voice  denounced  it  as  shameless  and 
indecent.  But  that  proved  to  be  the  lest  recommendation  it  could  wish 
for.  "  The  Black  Crook  "  had  an  almost  unequalled  popularity,  and  to  the 
present  day  draws  crowded  houses.  And  yet  the  proprietors  of  Niblo's 
Garden  would  feel  highly  insulted  if  we  should  class  it  among  the  theatres 
for  the  lower  classes.  If  we  therefore  speak  of  the  theatres  for  the  lower 
classes,  we  must  not  restrict  ourselves  to  the  u  Old  Bowery  "  or  to  u  Tony 


606  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

Pastor's."  The  more  refined  lasciviousness  of  "  The  Black  Crook," 
according  to  an  impartial  critic,  stands  just  as  low  as  that  of  the  "  Old 
Bowery "  and  "  Tony  Pastor's."  The  effect  is  also  in  both  cases  the 
same,  as  in  both  cases  does  it  tend  to  deaden  every  sense  of  decency,  and 
to  lower  the  standard  of  public  morality. 

Therefore,  as  we  have  seen  that  the  source  of  this  evil  lies  chiefly  with 
the  public,  it  would  be  difficult  to  abolish  it  in  any  other  way  than  the 
slow  way  of  a  better  education  of  the  people.  For  no  one  will  think  of 
a  supervision  of  the  theatres,  any  more  than  they  will  of  their  general 
suppression,  which  has  been  proposed  by  some  crazy  fanatic.  It  is  in  this 
respect  with  the  theatres,  as  it  is  with  literature,  in  which  sensational 
literature  also  plays  a  sadly  prominent  part.  In  theatres,  as  well  as  in 
literature,  the  good  keeps  pace  with  the  bad.  In  both  we  see,  however, 
that,  in  the  short  time  of  one  generation,  a  great  step  forward  has  been 
taken,  and  that  the  taste  of  the  people  must  therefore  have  been  consid- 
erably purified,  ^This  progress  will  not  stop  here,  and  it  is  this  know- 
ledge which  must  console  us  if  we  see,  at  the  present  day,  theatres  in 
our  midst  which  may  be  justly  considered  the  schools  of  vice  and  crime. 
It  may  still  take  a  long  time  to  make  our  theatres  what  they  ought  to  be, 
institutions  to  educate  the  people.  But  this  lies  in  the  nature  of  the  evil. 
Our  theatres  are  simply  images  of  our  rotten  social  conditions,  with  their 
loose  intrepretations  of  morality  and  right.  If  in  this  respect  a  better 
era  has  been  inaugurated  by  means  of  education,  and  of  a  legislation 
which  will  be  more  in  accordance  with  the  ideas  of  law,  then,  together 
with  other  evils,  the  theatres  which  are  dangerous  to  morality  and  justice, 
will  also  disappear.  They  will  disappear  not  in  consequence  of  the  man- 
dates of  the  authorities,  but  because  the  public  will  be  wanting  which 
to-day  so  freely  furnishes  the  means  of  their  existence. 


BAR-ROOMS  AND  THEIR  FREQUENTERS. 

Our  readers  need  not  fear  that  we  intend  to  give  them  a  tem- 
perance lecture  under  this  heading.  We  do  not  belong  to  those  who 
speak  against  the  use  of  intoxicating  liquors  because  their  unrestrained 
use  so  often  produces  misery  and  misfortune.  Our  opposition  is  simply 
restricted  to  the  excessive  use  of  liquors,  but  by  no  means  to  the  use 
itself.  If  we  therefore  treat  of  the  bar-rooms  in  the  "  Dark  Sides  of 
New  York,"  we  do  it  only  with  regard  to  intemperance,  which  changes, 


THE    BAR-ROOMS    AND    TIIEIR    FREQIKNTI.F>.  607 

for  .so  many  persons,  the  cup  that  cheer3  into  one  of  misery,  and  brings 
ruin  and  desolation  into  the  homes  of  thousands  of  families  throughout 
our  great  city. 

Unfortunately  it    cannot  be  denied   that   intemperance   in   the   use  of 
intoxicating  liquors  has  of  late  assumed  alarming  proportions,  and  is  to 
be  met  with  in  all  grades  of  society.     A  walk  through  the  streets  of  our 
city  will  furnish  a  casual  observer  with  material   for  not  very  interesting 
reflections.     The  disgusting  sight  of  persons  beastly  drunk  has  come  to 
be  quite  common,  so  that  it  does  not  create  any  farther  excitement.     It  is 
furthermore  noticeable  what  a  large  number  of  saloons  there  are  in  which 
intoxicating  liquors  are  sold.     There  are  very   few   streets  in   New  York 
city  which  do  not  contain   a  saloon  in   every  block,  while  it  is  nothing 
unusual  to  see  four,  six,  and  eight  saloons  in  a  block,  which  vary  from  a 
respectable  saloon  to  the  lowest  "gin-mill."     Their   number  must  there- 
fore be  very  large,  and,  according  to  an  estimate  made  in  the  sprin^  of 
1873,  amounts  to  over  eleven  thousand.     In   this  number  are  included, 
besides    the   regular    saloons,  wine-rooms,  restaurants,    bar-rooms,  etc., 
those  groceries  which  are  also  licensed  to  sell  liquors.     According  to  this 
estimate,  every  seventh  house  in  the  city  is  a  saloon,  so  that  even  without 
the  Croton  water,  the  city  would  be  well  supplied  with  drinking  material. 
In  1871  only  7,500  licensed  saloons  were  known,  which  shows  how  rap- 
idly they  iucrease.     That  these  saloons  do  a  good  business  is  shown  by 
the  fact  that  they  have  the  necessary  number  of  customers  to  live.     It  is 
of    course  very   difficult  to  express   the   exact  number   of  customers  in 
figures,  but  our  police  reports  give  us  some  figures  which  are  of  import- 
ance for  our  subject,  and  which  we  will  therefore  not  overlook.     Accord- 
ing to  these  reports,  32,721  persons  were  arrested  in   1871   in  the  streets 
of  New  York  in  a  drunken  condition.     Besides  these,  6,799  persons  were 
arrested  for  breaking  the   peace,  14,935  for  disorderly  conduct,  and  875 
for  assaults  with  various  intents,  all  of  which  offenses  and  crimes  had 
arisen  from  drunkenness.     Thus  the  arrests  which  were  caused  by  intem- 
perance are  swelled  to  55,439. 

But  that  does  not  exhaust  the  matter.  For  it  is  well  known  that  the 
police  only  arrest  such  drunken  persons  as  fall  down  in  the  street  and 
cannot  get  along,  or  those  who  break  some  law  by  their  conduct.  Those 
thousands  who,  after  many  mishaps,  at  last  reachhome,  must  of  course  not 
be  ignored.  If  we  look  more  closely  at  the  persons  arrested,  we  find  that 
the  weaker  sex  is  not  entirely  unrepresented.  In  1870,  among  the  23,136 
persons  arrested  for  drunkenness,  5,615  were  females,  and  among  the 
11,500  arrested  for  being  drunk  and  disorderly,  there  were  2,798  women. 
Fortunately  the  number  of  arrests  by  no  means  represents  the  number  of 
drunkards.  For  the  50,000  arrests  probably  do  not  affect  more  than 
ten  thousand  or  twelve  thousand  persons,  as  one  and  the  same  drunkard 
who  has  fallen  into  the  hands  of  the  police  four,  five,  or  six  times,  repre- 


&08  TUB    DARK    SIDE    OP    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

seats  just  so  many  arrests.  But  even  if  the  number  of  arrests  cannot  be 
considered  the  same  as  the  number  of  drunkards,  we  can  still  form  an 
idea  from  it  of  the  extent  which  intemperance  has  assumed  in  our  great 
and  thickly-populated  city. 

The  extent  of  the  evil,  and  of  the  bar-rooms,  is  the  subject  of  which 
we  wish  to  treat  in  the  following  pages.  The  large  number  of  those  who 
occasionally  or  even  steadily  visit  a  bar-room,  without  injuring  them- 
selves  or  losing  sight  of  their  duty  to  their  families,  do  not  come  under 
our  observation  here.  For  them  wine  and  beer  are  only  pleasant  and 
harmless  stimulants,  which  they  drink  as  they  would  coffee,  tea,  or  any 
other  article  of  daily  use.  The  saloons  themselves,  as  can  be  seen  from 
their  external  appearance,  differ  very  much.  Concert  saloons  and  dance, 
houses,  which  are  also  classed  as  saloons,  we  have  already  become 
acquainted  with.  The  better  class  of  drinking-saloons  are  those  in  which 
beer  and  rum  are  chiefly  sold.  The  more  the  sale  of  whisky,  rum,  etc., 
predominates  over  that  of  wine,  beer,  ale,  etc.,  the  worse  do  they  become. 
The  lowest  class  are  the  so-called  "  bucket-shops."  But  the  evil  which 
all  have  more  or  less  in  common,  is  found  in  its  worst  form  in  the  so- 
called  bar-room,  which  we  have  for  this  reason  placed  at  the  head  of  this 
chapter.  They  are  the  original  form  of  the  American  drinking-salooi], 
and  their  mode  of  furnishing  indicates  to  the  present  day  what  they  were 
intended  for.  The  bar  is  the  chief  article  of  furniture.  Tables  and 
chairs  are  generally  wanting,  and,  if  they  are  there,  are  only  innovations. 
In  short,  everything  tends  to  show  that  these  bar-rooms  were  not,  and  are 
not,  intended  for  parties  to  stay  any  length  of  time.  The  guests  came  to 
the  bar,  took  a  drink,  and  departed. 

And  thus,  to  the  present  day,  the  bar  is  the  chief  centre  of  attraction 
to  the  guests  of  a  bar-room.  But,  in  spite  of  the  absence  of  chairs  and 
tables,  the  attraction  of  the  bar  is  so  great  that  it  holds  the  guests  longer 
than  is  good  for  them.  A  look  into  such  bar-rooms  generally  shows  a 
group  of  guests,  who  stand  about  or  lean  on  the  bar.  The  glasses  are 
quickly  filled  and  emptied,  and  the  loud  talk,  as  well  as  the  florid  appear, 
ance  of  the  tipplers,  plainly  shows  the  effects  of  the  rapidly-disappearing 
liquor.  For  the  old  custom  of  emptying  a  glass  at  one  draught  is  still 
retained,  although  the  custom  of  leaving  after  it  has  been  drained  is  no 
longer  in  vogue.  This  lingering  around  the  bar  is  the  direct  cause  of  the 
bad  habit  of  "  treating,"  which  is  becoming  worse  every  day.  For, 
according  to  the  "code  of  honor"  prevailing  in  these  places,  it  would  Lo 
an  iiisult  to  refuse  a  drink  if  it  is  offered  you.  On  the  other  hand,  it 
would  be  a  disgrace  to  drink  in  a  bar-room  without  asking  the  hangers-on 
to  join  you — that  is,  "  stand  treat  to  the  crowd."  Very  few  have  the 
strength  of  mind  to  act  contrary  to  this  custom.  They  accept  the  drLk 
offered,  and  then  of  course  treat  in  turn,  thus  again  and  again  incurring 
the  obligation  to  drink  with  others,  until  a  customer  who  only  intended  to 


THE    DAR-ROOMS    AND    THEIR    FREQUENTERS.  COO 

take  one  drink,  has  swallowed,  against  bis  inclination  or  desire,  five  or  six 
glasses.  If  he  is  not  one  of  those  fortunate  persons  who  are  able  to 
ustand  some,"  the  liquor  will  soon  make  itself  felt.  Thoughtlessly  he 
drinks  with  the  crowd,  or  allows  himself  to  be  drawn  to  other  bar-rooms, 
until  he  remains  in  the  corner  of  one  of  them,  or  staggering  seeks  his  way 
home.  Thus  the  bar-rooms  very  often  become  the  schools  in  which  young 
men  acquire  the  dangerous  propensity  to  drink,  while  the  step  from  the 
tippler  to  the  drunkard  is  not  very  great.  These  bars  with  their  treating 
have  already  been  the  ruin  of  many  promising  young  men.  Many  a  young 
man  has  filled  himself  with  a  stuff  supposed  to  be  liquor,  until  his  feet 
were  no  longer  able  to  bear  him,  or  until  he  made  a  row  in  the  streets, 
and  thus  came  in  contact  with  the  police.  To  fall  into  the  hands  of  the 
police  drunk,  is  a  very  expensive  matter,  at  least  for  those  who  have 
something  to  lose.  A  drunkard  in  rags  is  simply  sent  to  prison  for  ten 
days  by  the  police  judge,  and  it  is  in  most  cases  immaterial  to  him 
whether  he  kills  time  in  prison,  or  whether  he  loafs  about  the  city. 

In  a  different  manner,  however,  does  justice  proceed,  if  the  delinquent  is 
respectably  dressed.  Only  if  the  court  happens  to  be  in  session  at  the 
time  of  his  arrest,  does  lie  have  the  good  fortune  to  be  brought  immediately 
before  the  judge.  Generally,  he  has  to  wait,  however,  until  the  judge 
happens  to  remember  him.  When  this  at  last  occurs,  he  is  fined  $10  ac- 
cording to  law.  If  he  has  this  money  with  him,  and  pays  it,  he  can  go, 
and,  if  he  wishes  to,  can  get  drunk  again.  But  if  he  has  not  the  money 
about  him,  the  matter  is  much  worse.  lie  goes  back  to  prison,  and  re- 
mains there  until  his  friends  procure  the  money  for  him.  But  it  costs  him 
a  very  good  sum  to  communicate  with  his  friends,  for  those  employed  on 
the  court,  and  still  more  so,  the  so-called  "shysters,"  or  second-hand  law 
yers,  charge  well  for  every  word  they  speak,  and  for  every  step  they  take. 
Thus  it  is  that  a  person  arrested  for  drunkenness,  who  does  not  belong 
to  the  lower  classes,  seldom  escapes  from  the  toils  of  the  law  under  850, 
most  assuredly  a  very  high  price  for  a  spree.  lie  has  also  become  ac- 
quainted writh  the  interior  of  our  city  prisons,  has  passed  several  days  in 
company  with  the  most  degraded  wretches,  read  his  name  in  the  police 
reports,  and  has  thus  gained  experiences,  which,  although  undeservedly, 
depreciate  him  in  his  own  eyes  and  in  those  of  the  world.  And  nothing 
causes  a  man  to  sink  more  rapidly  than  the  loss  of  his  self-respect. 

The  principal  business  of  these  bar-rooms  is  done  in  whiskey,  or  rather 
a  mixture  which  is  sold  under  this  name.  For  there  are  very  few  bar- 
rooms indeed  in  the  city,  where  pure  whiskey  or  pure  liquors  of  anv  kind 
are  sold.  A  number  of  years  ago,  the  N.  Y.  World  publised  a  report  on 
the  liquors  sold  in  the  principal  bar-rooms  in  the  country.  The  chemical 
analysis  of  the  different  liquors  showed  that  not  one  liquor  in  all  these  bar- 
rooms was  pure,  but  that  all  were  more  or  less  adulterated.  If  this  then 
is  the  case  in  the  principal  bar-rooms  of  the  city,  how  must  it  be  in  the 

39 


610  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

others.  We  do  not  intend  to  speak  at  length  about  the  various  adultera- 
tions of  liquors,  as  we  have  done  so  in  a  previous  chapter.  But  a  new 
discovery  in  this  respect  is  worthy  of  mention.  It  is  well  known  that 
any  dregs  remaining  in  glasses,  whether  it  be  of  beer,  ale,  whisky,  or 
anything  else,  is  poured  into  a  common  receptacle,  together  writh  such 
other  liquor  as  may  accumulate.  For  this  not  very  pleasant  mixture 
there  are  regular  customers,  who  manufacture  from  it  a  highly  intoxicat- 
ing drink,  which  is  much  sought  for  at  the  bar  for  its  peculiar  flavor  and 
cheapness.  In  general,  the  power  to  intoxicate  is  the  measure  according 
to  which  the  frequenters  of  bar-rooms  estimate  the  quality  of  a  liquor. 
It  is  considered  the  better,  the  quicker  it  brings  about  intoxication. 

With  regard  to  the  guests  of  the  bar-rooms,  they  vary  according  to  the 
locality,  and  to  the  character  of  the  proprietors.  Leaving  thieves'  dens, 
concert  saloons,  and  similar  places  out  of  the  question,  the  bar-rooms 
have  their  share  of  respectable  visitors.  On  the  other  hand,  we  do  no  one 
an  injustice  if  we  say  that  there  is  no  difference  in  the  character  of  these 
persons,  who  make  the  bar-rooms  their  headquarters,  whether  these  latter 
are  Broadway  saloons  fitted  up  in  the  most  elegant  style,  or  whether  they 
are  Water  or  Cherry  street  dens.  This  class  of  visitors  generally  con- 
sists of  loafers,  rowdies,  vagabonds,  and  those  who  are  in  the  best  way  of 
becoming  such.  This  latter  class  also  very  easily  makes  itself  at  home  in 
other  saloons,  and  in  its  less  dangerous  type  forms  the  numerous  class  of 
"bummers."  In  them  we  meet  with  the  first  beginnings  of  pauperism, 
whose  ranks  receive  the  largest  number  of  recruits  from  the  intemperate 
use  of  intoxicating  liquors.  And  it  is  a  sad  fact  that  that  it  is  chiefly  the 
poorer  and  working  classes  in  which  this  vice  is  most  met  with.  A  walk 
through  the  Fourth  or  Seventeenth  wards,  with  their  numberless  saloons, 
will  show  us  some  sad  facts  in  this  respect. 

It  must  not  be  imagined,  however,  that  a  desire  for  something  stronger 
than  water  is  formed  only  among  the  mass  of  the  people.  By  no  means  ! 
The  inhabitants  of  our  marble  and  brown-stone  palaces  on  the  avenue 
are,  in  this  respect,  no  better  than  their  fellow-citizens  living  in  tenement- 
houses.  The  millionaire  who  has  drank  a  few  bottles  too  many  of  cham- 
pagne ia  Delmonico's,  or  in  his  Fifth  avenue  club-house,  rides  home  in 
his  carriage,  and  thus  of  course  escapes  being  arrested.  We  cannot 
therefore  look  to  the  police  reports  to  estimate  the  thirst  of  the  "  upper 
tens."  But  it  is  a  well-known  fact  that  the  evil  of  intemperance  exists 
among  our  higher  classes  in  no  less  serious  form  than  among  the  lowest. 
If  it  does  not  show  itself  in  so  revolting  a  shape,  it  has  not  that  excuse 
in  Fifth  avenue,  which,  to  be  just,  we  must  take  into  consideration  in  the 
Fivo  Points. 

A  reporter  of  the  New  York  World  some  time  ago  took  the  trouble  to 
take  a  note  of  all  drinks  sold  in  one  day  in  thirteen  of  the  most  fre- 
quented  saloons  situated  in   Wall  and  neighboring  streets.     The  total 


TIIE    BAR-ROOMS    AND    THEIR    FREQUENTERS.  Oil 

nmount  of  liquors  sold  amounted  to  5,281  drinks,  from  hot  spiced  rum 
down  to  ale,  and  ninety-four  bottles  of  champagne.  This  was  the  case  in 
only  thirteen  saloons,  and  during  the  short  office-hours.  "We  must  also 
take  into  consideration  that  there  are,  besides,  a  dozen  smaller  saloons  in 
that  neighborhood  to  which  the  "  bulls  and  bears  "  come  in  large  numbers 
to  quench  their  thirst.  The  above-mentioned  reporter  therefore  assumes 
that  7,500  drinks  and  125  bottles  of  champagne  are  daily  necessary  to 
keep  the  financial  barometer  of  "Wall  street  in  motion.  If,  therefore,  the 
bankers  and  brokers  of  Wall  street  can  support,  during  their  short  office" 
hours,  a  quarter  of  a  hundred  drinking  saloons,  the  poorer  classes  may 
certainly  not  be  exclusively  reproached  with  their  11,000  saloons. 

We  have  also  stated  before  that  the  female  sex  is  not  entirely  free  from 
the  vice  of  intemperance.  In  the  rum-holes  and  bar-rooms  of  certain 
localities,  as  the  Five  Points,  the  Fourth  ward,  etc.,  it  is  nothing  unusual 
to  see  women  at  the  bar  taking  their  u  whisky  straight"  or  their  brandy, 
with  the  ease  born  of  habit.  Free  fights  among  women  are  also  not  un- 
usual sights  in  these  regions.  In  a  former  chapter  we  have  remarked  that 
the  prostitutes  are  almost  without  exception  addicted  to  drink.  There 
are  bar-rooms  in  Broadway  in  which  whole  troops  of  young  girls,  ranging 
from  fourteen  to  eighteen  years,  may  be  found  every  evening,  who  there 
drink  gin  and  wrhisky  until  they  are  helplessly  intoxicated.  On  Broad- 
way there  are  numerous  elegant  so-called  ladies'  restaurants,  which 
are  frequented  by  old  and  young  ladies  from  the  first  families.  These 
restaurants  have  all  kinds  of  liquors,  and  have  good  customers  for  them 
in  the  persons  of  their  rich  guests.  During  the  past  few  years  absinthe 
has  especially  become  a  favorite  with  these  ladies.  As  this  absinthe, 
however,  is  a  dangerous  poison  even  for  men,  how  much  more  harmful 
must  the  effects  of  it  be  on  the  much  more  tender  organism  of  females ! 

But  enough  of  these  sad  details.  Let  us  look  at  the  matter  more  in 
general.  Here  we  first  meet  with  the  question  as  to  the  causes  of  the 
evil.  Is  the  prevailing  intemperance  in  the  use  of  liquors  the  result  of 
the  large  number  of  saloons,  or  are  these  saloons  produced  by  intemper- 
ance? We  incline  to  the  latter  opinion,  because  the  desire  is  always  the 
originator  of  the  means  of  satisfying  it.  On  the  other  hand,  however, 
we  acknowledge  that  the  saloons  which  catch  the  eye  on  all  street  corners 
are  just  so  many  temptations  for  the  weak,  and  that  one-half  the  saloons 
would  more  than  satisfy  the  proper  want  of  liquors. 

A  temperance  movement,  although  not  according  to  the  idea  of  our 
temperance  fanatics,  would  therefore  be  quite  proper.  For  the  damage 
that  is  done  by  intemperance  is  not  only  felt  by  the  intemperate,  but  also 
by  our  whole  society.  The  annual  expenses  for  the  police  force  amount 
to  about  §4,000,000.  If  we  then  read  in  the  police  reports  that  of  the 
54,526  arrests  in  the  year  1870,  50,849  could  be  put  down  to  intemper- 
ance, it  is  easy  to  see  for  how  much  of  the   $4,000,000   the  bottle  it 


612  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

responsible.  It  is  also  a  well-settled  fact  that  the  majority  of  the  persons 
robbed,  knocked  down,  or  whose  pockets  were  picked,  were  either  intoxi- 
cated, or  were  at  the  time  in  concert-saloons,  dance-houses,  or  other  sus- 
picious places,  and  murder  and  attempted  murder  are  in  most  cases  to  bo 
put  down  to  the  excitement  produced  by  intoxication.  Without  the  vice 
of  intemperance,  the  list  of  crimes  w>uld  greatly  diminish.  Further- 
more, if  we  confine  oursel  es  to  the  50,  <49  arrests  for  drunkenness,  the 
smallest  loss  on  an  average  would  be  unc  day's  work  for  every  arrest. 
As  the  wealth  of  a  community  is  the  result  of  the  activity  of  its  members, 
every  such  loss  must  therefore  be  felt  by  the  whole  community.  In  the 
present  case,  this  loss  is  equivalent  to  50,849  working  days,  or  the  work 
of  a  single  individual  in  more  than  139  years. 

Many  will  object  that  we  cannot  take  the  work  done  by  the  majority  of 
those  arrested  into  account,  as  they  are  chiefly  bummers  and  vagabonds. 
But  this  does  not  detract  in  the  least  from  the  strength  of  these  figures. 
The  fact  that  these  bummers  and  vagabonds  have  become  such  by  intem- 
perance, is  not  affected  in  the  least  by  this  excuse.  This  will  suffice  to 
indicate  the  damage  done  by  intemperance.  Is  it  also  necessary  to  point 
to  the  lost  lives  of  single  persons  as  well  as  whole  families,  which  are  the 
consequences  of  intemperance?  Shall  we  cite  examples  where  liquor  has 
excited  the  worst  passions  in  men,  and  has  caused  them  to  commit  deeds 
which  the  hand  trembles  to  record?  Everyone  knows  such  cases,  and 
the  papers  bring  almost  daily  new  and  terrible  contributions.  "We  can 
therefore  spare  ourselves  the  sad  task  of  entering  more  closely  into 
details. 

As  we  have  declared  the  very  large  number  of  drinking-saloons  to  be 
the  consequence  of  increased  desire  for  liquors,  the  question  now  arises, 
what  are  the  causes  of  this  increased  desire? 

The  continually  increasing  demands  made  upon  the  powers  of  the  mind 
and  of  the  body,  and  to  which  man  must  do  justice  if  he  does  not  wish  to 
perish  in  the  general  struggle  for  existence,  are  said  to  be  among  the 
principal  of  these  causes.  It  is  said  that  more  is  demanded  in  this 
respect  than  man  can  accomplish,  and  that  thus  the  desire — and  some 
even  say  the  necessity — for  stimulants  was  caused  in  mankind.  As  a 
proof  of  this,  it  is  stated  that  with  the  advancing  civilization,  and  its 
increased  demands  on  man,  the  number  of  artificial  stimulants  which 
become  necessities  of  life  constantly  increase.  This  supposition,  however, 
justifies  the  use  only  of  such  stimulants,  without  being  any  excuse  for 
their  misuse  by  intemperance.  Intemperance  cannot  be  excused  in  any 
case,  although  in  some  particular  cases  it  may  be  easily  explained.  It 
cannot  be  denied  that  our  social  conditions  do  much  to  increase  the  vice 
of  intemperance.  Take,  for  example,  the  inhabitants  of  the  Fourth  ward 
tenement-houses,  who  are  crowded  together  in  pestilential  holes,  wanting  in 
all  necessities  of  life,  and  often  not  even  fit  for  animals  to  live  in.    Homa 


Tin:    BAR-ROOMS    AND   THEIR    FREQUENTERS.  618 

life,  with  its  ennobling  influences,  does  not  exist  for  these  unfortunates. 
Everything  about  them  continually  reminds  them  of  their  poverty  and 
their  misery,  and  who  would  therefore  judge  them  too  harshly  if  they  try 
to  escape  from  their  wretched  surroundings  for  a  short  time  at  least? 
The  only  chance  to  do  this  is  offered  them  in  the  bar-rooms  and  the  dance- 
houses  of  their  quarter.  These  places,  disgusting  as  they  may  be  to 
persons  better  situated,  are  palaces  as  compared  with  the  majority  of  the 
tenement-houses.  They  offer  to  the  poor  purer  air,  diversity,  and  the 
liquor  which  elevates  them,  for  the  time  being  at  least,  above  their  misery. 
But  not  only  among  the  poor  do  our  distorted  social  conditions  make 
themselves  felt  in  this  respect.  It  is  extremely  difficult  to  gain  admit- 
tance into  family  circles  in  our  city.  This  is  felt  especially  by  the  thousands 
of  young  men,  who,  being  engaged  in  offices  and  shops  during  the  day, 
feel  a  desire  for  recreation  among  friends  in  the  evening.  Very  few, 
indeed,  are  so  fortunate  as  to  find  this  recreation  outside  of  the  saloons. 
It  then  depends  upon  the  principles  that  have  been  instilled  into  a  young 
man,  and  the  company  he  finds  in  a  saloon,  whether  he  will  be  misled  into 
ways  that  will  make  him  a  victim  of  intemperance. 

Our  temperance  fanatics  take  the  matter  very  easy,  and  simply  hold  the 
liquors  and  the  liquor  dealers  responsible  for  the  evil  of  intemperance. 
But  they  might  equally  as  well  attempt  to  abolish  the  crime  of  murder  by 
forbidding  the  manufacture  of  knives,  pistols,  etc.  If  wine  in  one  com- 
pany produces  pleasure  and  happiness,  and  in  another  disgusting  scenes 
of  intoxication,  it  is  most  certainly  not  the  wine,  but  the  company,  which 
is  responsible  for  these  different  effects.  Even  virtues,  if  carried  too  far, 
turn  into  vices.  We  see  economy  turn  into  disgusting  avarice,  liberality 
into  ruinous  extravagance,  and  yet  no  one  will  think  to  speak  against 
economy  and  liberality.  Even  religion  has,  by  its  extreme  fanaticism^ 
done  much  harm  in  the  world,  yet  none  of  our  temperance  prophets  ever 
thought  of  abolishing  religion.  The  temperance  movement  now  in  pro. 
gress,  therefore,  attempts  something  as  foolish  as  it  is  impossible.  It 
attempts  to  force  something  by  law  which  can  only  be  a  virtue  if  done  by 
a  person's  own  free  will.  To  keep  a  minority  writhin  the  bounds  of  tem- 
perance, it  would  submit  the  large  majority  to  a  control  against  which  the 
inborn  sense  of  right  naturally  rebels.  It  mistakes  the  cause  for  the 
effect. 

The  number  of  saloons  does  not  explain  the  continual  increase  of 
intemperance,  but  the  increase  of  intemperance  constantly  calls  out  more 
and  unfortunately  worse  saloons.  The  real  evil,  as  we  said  before,  is  to 
be  found  in  our  social  conditions,  and  there  it  is  where  reformatory  efforts 
should  begin,  if  they  would  gain  more  than  an  apparent  and  momentary 
success.  The  reformatory  spirit  of  our  temperance  apostles  should  first 
direct  their  attention  to  a  more  rational  education  of  youth,  and  the  im- 
provement of  the  condition  of  the  poorer  classes.     Experience  has  shown 


614  THE    DARK    3IDE    OF    NEW     YORK    LIFE. 

that  intemperance  increases  in  this  class  in  the  ratio  as  the  necessaries  of 
life  become  dearer.  The  poor  man,  who  can  only  very  seldom  satisfy  his 
hunger,  eagerly  grasps  at  the  cheap  stuff  which,  for  a  few  cents,  affords- 
him  a  deceptive  feeling  of  satiety  and  strength. 

Why  does  he  not  buy  bread  instead  of  whisky  ?  some  philanthropists 
will  ask,  who  are  only  acquainted  with  poverty  and  misery  from  hearsay. 
They  forget,  when  asking  this  question,  that  the  poor  man  cannot  get 
enough  bread  to  satisfy  his  hunger,  for  the  money  he  pays  for  the  whisky. 
The  whisky  is  for  poverty  a  substitute  for  bread  and  meat,  rather  than  an 
article  of  luxury.  But  it  is  a  deceptive  and  dangerous  substitute,  which 
gradually  kills  a  man  while  it  seems  to  nourish  him.  Reform  which 
would  supply  the  poorer  classes  with  fresh  air,  cheap  food,  and  workr 
would  be  the  most  effective  temperance  movement.  If,  then,  the  sale  of 
poisons  under  the  name  of  liquors  were  prevented  by  law,  and  "licenses 
only  granted  to  men  of  respectable  character,  and  under  conditions  which 
would  prevent  them  from  being  used  for  concert  saloons  or  dance-houses 
intemperance  would  rapidly  decrease  even  without  the  aid  of  temperance 
laws. 


LOAFERS  AND  ROWDIES. 

Both  of  these  names  indicate  the  same  class  of  the  scum  of  our  popu- 
lation. The  difference  which  seems  to  be  indicated  by  the  names  is  very 
trifling  indeed.  It  disappears  in  a  very  short  time,  and  the  young  man 
who  beo-an  his  career  as  a  loafer  soon  develops  into  a  full-fledged  rowdy. 
The  loafer,  therefore,  we  may  consider  as  the  harmless  form  of  rowdy. 
He  and  the  rowdy  proper  are  not  really  professional  criminals,  but,  if  an 
opportunity  offers,  they  are  capable  of  any  crime,  from  picking  a  pocket 
to  murder.  We  shall,  for  shortness*  sake,  only  speak  of  the  rowdies,  for 
all  that  can  be  said  of  them  is  equally  applicable  to  the  loafers. 

The  large  majority  of  rowdies  belong  to  that  class  of  people  so  peculiar 
to  American  cities,  who  understand  the  art  of  how  to  live  without  work,, 
or  who  only  work  when  all  other  respectable  means  of  obtaining  money 
have  failed.  This,  however,  occurs  very  seldom  in  our  city,  and  the 
principal  activity  of  our  rowdies  consists  in  loafing  on  the  street  corners, 
and  drinking  whisky  in  the  suspicious-looking  saloons  in  which  they  make 
their  headquarters.     In  their  exterior  appearance  they  generally  bear  the 


LOAFERS    AND    ROWDIES.  615 

mark  of  rudeness  and  depravity,  which  no  amount  of  clothing,  jewelry, 
etc.,  is  able  to  hide.  For  the  rowdy  loves  to  dress  stylishly,  whenever 
his  income  allows  it.  If  this  is  not  possible,  he  also  feels  himself  per- 
fectly at  home  in  rags,  and  philosophically  awaits  better  times.  He  has 
little  in  common  with  man  besides  the  shape  ;  all  his  instincts  centre  in 
himself,  beyond  which  he  has  no  further  ideas.  His  education  is  gener- 
allv  neglected,  and  does  not  go  any  further  than  to  enable  him  to  read  the 
"Police  Gazette"  and  similar  papers,  sensational  novels  and  obscene 
books.  He  is  never  wanting  in  theatres  described  by  us  in  a  former 
chapter,  whenever  a  new  sensational  drama  is  brought  on  the  stage  for 
the  first  time.  Cock,  dog,  and  rat  fights  have  a  peculiar  interest  for  him- 
The  non-plus  ultra  for  him,  however,  is  a  prize-fight  or  an  execution. 

These  form  the  great  events  of  his  life,  in  which  he  plays  the  part  of  a 
looker-on.  But  the  rowdy  also  possesses  the  desire  for  renown,  and  likes 
to  read  of  his  exploits  in  the  papers  from  time  to  time.  On  occasions 
which  he  chooses  for  such  purposes,  he  never  acts  alone.  For  he  is  in 
general  as  cowardly  as  he  is  bad,  and  in  his  exploits  he  must  be  sure  that 
he  has  a  large  crowd  to  back  him. 

AVe  have  already  spoken  of  the  deeds  of  these  rowdies  in  the  chapter 
on  "  Pic-nics,"  and  have  shown  how  they  delight  to  attack  harmless  pic- 
nicking parties  without  any  cause,  and  to  break  them  up  in  the  most  dis- 
graceful manner.  As  they  undertake  such  attacks  in  big  crowds,  and  are 
well-armed  with  knives,  revolvers,  and  slung-shots,  and  very  suddenly 
attack  the  pic-nics,  they  generally  have  easy  play.  Besides  the  pleasure 
of  ill-treating  unarmed  persons,  these  attacks  have  also  a  practical  object. 
The  rowdies  never  forget  to  take  care  of  the  spoils,  and  to  appropriate  all 
watches,  chains,  rings,  etc.,  that  come  within  their  reach.  The  beastly 
savageness  of  these  fellows  is  best  seen  from  the  manuer  in  which  they 
treat  tneir  unfortunate  victims.  If  they  have  knocked  a  man  down,  they 
are  not  satisfied  with  that,  but  kick  him  unmercifully  aud  jump  on  him. 
Examples  of  such  outrages  are  not  wanting.  We  recall  a  case  that  hap- 
pened some  two  or  three  years  ago.  A  number  of  loafers,  none  of  whom 
were  over  twenty-one  years  of  age,  entered  a  saloon  on  First  avenue. 
They  called  for  drinks,  and  were  about  to  leave  without  paying.  The 
barkeeper  of  course  protested.  The  consequence  was  they  attacked  him 
and  knocked  him  down.  Nothing  would  have  prevented  them  now  from 
leaving  the  saloon.  •  But  the  rascals  amused  themselves  to  abuse  the 
senseless  barkeeper  in  the  most  disgraceful  manner,  by  kicking  him  and 
beating  him  with  a  club,  aud  the  closing  scene  of  this  drama  was  that 
one  of  them  drew  a  revolver  and  coolly  fired  it  at  the  head  of  the  unfor- 
tunate man.  This  cold-blooded  murder  can  be  explained  by  nothing  but 
the  most  disgusting  bloodthirstiness. 

AVe  can  safely  say  that  in  general  robbery  and  theft  are  not  chief 
objects  of  the    rowdies.     They    only   commit    these    crimes    en  passant, 


616  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

while  a  desire  to  abuse  and  ill-treat  some  harmless  person  is  the  chief 
incentive  for  their  atrocious  deeds.  For,  incredible  as  it  seems,  a  num- 
ber ,of  rowdies  temporarily  and  even  steadily  follow  some  profession 
which  furnishes  them  with  the  means  of  subsistence.  This  profession  is 
indeed  not  very  respectable,  but  they  have  in  it  a  steady  occupation,  and 
their  acts  of  rowdyism  are  only  a  recreation  for  them.  Others  who  have 
no  profession,  the  cavaliers  among  the  rowdies,  are  supported  by  prosti- 
tutes, the  price  of  whose  shame  generally  goes  into  the  pockets  of  these 
rowdies,  who  act  as  their  "  husbands."  From  this  disgraceful  source  do 
the  large  majority  of  our  rowdies  derive  their  income.  The  unfortunate 
women  have  often  but  very  poor  friends  in  such  husbands.  What  they 
do  for  these  women  is  to  protect  them  from  abuse  or  imposition  at  the 
hands  of  others,  while  they  tyrranize  over  them  in  the  most  heartless 
manner,  beat  them,  and  allow  them  only  a  very  small  portion  of  their 
disgraceful  earnings. 

All  rowdies  take  a  prominent  part  in  politics,  and  are  in  this  respect 
important  persons,  especially  in  municipal  elections.  From  their  number 
do  the  party  leaders  select  the  repeaters  and  fraudulent  voters,  whom  they 
need  to  elect  their  candidates.  Those  beastly  countenances  which  prowl 
about  the  voting-places,  and  often  keep  timorous  voters,  by  a  single  look, 
away  from  the  ballot-box,  are  also  taken  from  the  rowdy  element  of  our 
city.  The  palmy  days  for  them  are  past,  however.  It  is  no  longer  pos- 
sible to-day,  as  it  was  fifteen  or  twenty  years  ago,  that  gangs  of  rowdies, 
armed  with  clubs  and  revolvers,  should  take  possession  of  the  polls  and 
manipulate  the  elections  as  they  wished.  But  still  the  rowdies  are  to  the 
present  day  persons  who  are  very  useful  to  the  politicians,  and  are  there- 
fore protected  by  the  latter  in  every  possible  manner.  The  political  pro- 
tection which  these  fellows  enjoy  is  also  the  reason  why  the  police  do  not 
proceed  against  them  with  that  energy  which  the  public  welfare  would 
seem  to  require.  Our  rowdies  also  know  that  they  have  their  friends  in 
high  positions,  who  will  protect  them  if  necessary.  This  knowledge 
makes  them  bold,  and  leads  them  to  believe  that  they  have  a  right  to 
their  disgraceful  actions.  Some  four  years  ago  a  young  rowdy  was  arrested 
for  committing  a  cold-blooded  murder.  Upon  being  brought  to  the  sta- 
tion, he  cried  out  laughingly,  "  Hanging  is  played  out  in  New  York  I" 
These  few  words  sufficed  to  characterize  the  legal  proceedings  in  murder 
cases  as  they  had  been  conducted  for  years,  and  also  the  feeling  of  secu- 
rity which  the  rowdies  enjoyed.  They  contained  a  grave  charge  against 
our  courts  of  justice,  and  awoke  the  public  to  an  idea  of  the  danger  that 
was  threatening  them.  The  consequence  was  that  this  poor  fellow  had  to 
suffer  for  these  words,  as  he  found  out  to  his  sorrow  that  "hanging  was 
not  played  out  in  New  York."  But  immediately  upon  his  execution  the 
old  state  of  affairs  returned,  as  is  clearly  proven  by  the  fact  that  in  the 
year  1871  forty-two  murders  were  committed  in  New  York,  and  only  one 


LOAFERS    AND    ROWDIES.  817 

case  of  capital  punishment  took  place  during  the  same  period.  Can 
we  wonder  at  the  wickedness  of  the  rowdies  of  a  city  that  hangs  less 
than  three  per  cent,  of  its  murderers? 

Even  at  the  present  day  it  very  seldom  happens  that  a  rowdy  is 
arrested.  Places  of  amusement  which  have  been  much  frequented  by 
rowdies  during  the  past  years,  seem  to  be  still  ignored  by  the  police. 
This  is  particularly  the  case  with  Coney  Island,  from  which  the  respecta- 
ble citizen  has  been  almost  entirely  crowded  out  by  the  rowdy.  This 
Rowdyism  also  extends  to  the  steamboats  plying  between  New  York  and 
Coney  Island,  and  in  such  a  degree  that  it  is  dangerous,  especially  for 
|adies,  to  undertake  this  trip.  How  the  rowdies  carry  on  aboard  of  one 
of  these  steamboats,  the  following  incident,  which  occurred  in  the  summer 
of  1^73,  will  show  : 

Among  the  passengers  of  the  steamer  Metamora,  which  left  Coney 
Island  one  Sunday  night  for  New  York,  there  was  a  part  of  the  famous 
"West  Houston  street  gang,"  in  company  with  a  number  of  prostitutes# 
As  soon  as  the  boat  had  left  the  island,  the  rowdies  rushed  into  the  ladies' 
cabin,  and  insulted  the  occupants  with  the  most  disgusting  language.  A 
gentleman  who  tried  to  remonstrate  with  them  was  knocked  down,  and, 
as  the  officers  of  the  boat  did  not  do  anything  to  stop  th^m,  the  rowdies 
had  it  all  to  themselves.  At  last  they  squirted  water  into  the  cabin,  so 
that  the  passengers  were  forced  to  leave  the  saloon  to  them,  and  to  seek 
safety  on  the  upper  deck.  They  theu  apparently  began  to  quarrel  among 
themselves,  until  the  disorder  among  the  crowded  passengers  seemed  great 
enough.  They  then  suddenly  cried  out,  "  Man  overboard  V  and  asked 
the  captain  to  stop  the  engine.  As  everybody,  in  consequence  of  this 
cry,  rushed  to  the  side  where  the  man  was  said  to  be  overboard,  they 
made  use  of  the  crowding  to  ply  their  trade  of  picking  pockets.  The 
consequence  was  that  a  large  number  of  passengers  lost  their  watches, 
pocket-books,  jewelry,  etc.  As  nothing  was  done  by  the  officers  of  the 
boat  to  stop  these  proceedings,  it  was  an  easy  matter  for  the  gang  to 
leave  the  steamer  in  the  city,  and  before  the  other  passengers,  and  thus 
evade  the  possibility  of  an  arrest. 

But  even  if  there  is  a  possibility  of  arresting  the  villains,  it  is  brought 
about  by  chance,  or  some  other  strange  cause,  that  the  police  get  hold  of 
the  wrong  parties,  and  that  the  rowdies  escape  unharmed.  A  strange 
case  of  this  kind  happened  in  August,  1873.  A  car  of  the  Second  ave- 
nue one  evening  was  returning  with  a  party  of  Germans,  who  had  been 
spending  the  day  on  a  pic-nic  in  an  uptown  park.  There  wrere  men, 
women,  and  children,  all  iu  the  happiest  mood.  Near  Sixty-second 
street,  however,  this  happiness  was  destined  to  have  a  sudden  termina- 
tion. A  number  of  rowdies  began  to  bombard  the  car  with  stones,  and 
then  entering  it,  they  beat  the  men  and  insulted  the  women  in  the  most 
shameful  maimer.     Of  course  the  passengers  did  not  take  it  very  meekly, 


618  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF   NEW    YORK   LIFE. 

but  defended  themselves  as  well  as  they  could.  At  last  the  police  came 
to  the  rescue,  and,  by  a  liberal  application  of  their  clubs,  and  by  arrest- 
ing six  of  the  4t rioters,"  at  last  restored  order.  The  reader  will  of  course 
think  that  the  six  persons  arrested,  as  well  as  the  oue  who  had  been 
clubbed,  were  rowdies.  But  far  from  it !  They  were  peaceable  Ger- 
mans, who  had  had  the  u  audacity  "  to  defend  themselves,  and  to  protect 
their  wives  and  daughters  from  insult.  Why  did  they  want  to  sing,  and 
thus  incur  the  displeasure  of  our  Sir  Rowdies  !  And  why  did  they  not 
allow  themselves  to  be  beaten,  and  permit  their  wives  to  be  insulted, 
instead  of  disturbing  the  public  peace  by  their  resistance?  In  this  case, 
as  in  all  others,  our  police  were  in  the  right,  for  our  police  are  most  cer- 
tainly infallible ! 

In  a  similar  manner  do  the  police  proceed  in  many  other  cases,  where 
they  have  to  settle  disputes  between  peaceable  citizens  and  rowdies.  Is  it  a 
wonder  then  if  rowdyism  flourishes  in  our  city,  and  disgustingly  brutal 
scenes  are  among  our  daily  occurrences?  In  those  times  which  are  hap- 
pily now  past  and  gone,  when  our  Fire  Department  was  made  up  of 
volunteer  companies,  it  formed,  in  spite  of  the  many  good  elements  it 
contained,  a  regular  hotbed  of  rowdyism.  Street  fights  between  rival 
companies  were  nothing  unusual.  Knives,  revolvers,  and  stones  were 
freely  used  in  such  fights,  while  the  police  kept  at  a  distance.  The  change 
of  the  volunteer  into  a  paid  and  strictly-disciplined  body  of  men  was 
therefore  greeted  by  all  friends  of  order  as  a  decided  improvement. 

The  rowdies  possess  a  certain  organization  among  themselves,  and  form 
separate  gangs,  the  names  of  which  have  often  survived  a  generation. 
These  names  are  either  so-called  fancy  appellations,  as  "  Plug  Uglies," 
"  Short  Boys,"  "  Dead  Rabbits,"  or  they  have  reference  to  the  particular 
locality  of  a  certain  gang,  as  the  "  Bowery  Boys,"  "  Fourth  Warders," 
or  the  "  Nineteenth  Street  Gang."  Such  gangs  are  most  numerous  in 
the  quarters  containing  the  tenement-houses,  and  the  Sixth  ward  espe- 
cially had  for  a  time  the  unenviable  notoriety  of  containing  the  greatest 
number  and  the  worst  rowdies.  This  fact,  as  well  as  the  large  number 
of  crimes  occurring  in  it,  gave  it  the  name  of  the  "  Bloody  Sixth."  It 
was  for  a  time  the  centre  of  rowdyism  in  our  city.  But  since  the  former 
labyrinth  of  streets  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  Five  Points  has  begun  to 
fill  up  with  large  stores  and  warehouses,  it  can  no  longer  lay  claim  to  this 
distinction. 

When  the  rowdy  begins  to  grow  old,  and  has  sown  his  wild  oats,  he 
very  often  settles  down  and  becomes  "  solid."  He  opens  a  rum-hole,  or 
a  saloon  for  thieves,  or,  in  company  with  some  pretty  prostitute,  he  opens 
a  panel-house,  in  which  he  plays  the  part  of  "  badger."  Concert-saloons 
and  dance-houses  are  also  in  some  cases  the  object  of  his  ambition.  But, 
in  his  new  position,  he  remains  true  to  the  traditions  of  his  youth,  and  is 
in  constant  intercourse  with  his  former  companions,  who  make  his  saloon 


LOAFERS    AND    ROWDIES.  619^ 

their  place  of  meeting.  For  many,  however,  the  life  of  a  rowdy  is  only 
a  state  of  transition  to  that  of  a  professional  criminal.  The  burglars, 
highwaymen,  etc.,  especially  recruit  themselves  from  the  ranks  of  the 
rowdies.  Besides  excelling  as  highwaymen,  our  rowdies  as  above- 
mentioned  play  a  prominent  part  as  local  politicians.  Many  a  rowdy  has 
succeeded  in  gaining,  as  a  reward  for  his  services  to  "  the  party,"  some 
fat  office,  from  deputy-sheriff  to  that  of  alderman.  Thus  it  was  under 
the  Tammany  "  Ring."  How  far  the  new  reform  administration  will  do 
better,  can  only  be  seen  in  the  future.  Until  now  the  political  reform,  so 
loug  promised  to  us,  has  brought  forth  little  more  than  high-flown 
speeches. 

Where  do  our  rowdies  come  from?  From  what  element  of  the  popu- 
lation do  they  recruit  themselves?  Rowdyism  has  been  denoted  as  an 
evil  peculiar  to  the  United  States,  and  it  has  been  attempted  to  trace  it 
back  to  the  peculiarities  of  our  system  of  education,  and  of  our  political 
conditions.  Some  even  go  so  far  as  to  hold  our  climatic,  geographical, 
and  other  conditions  responsible  for  rowdyism.  They  see  in  it  nothing 
but  the  outbreak  of  Indian  savageness,  which  they  regard  as  a  necessary 
feature  of  the  primitive  condition  of  the  inhabitants  of  this  continent. 
The  physical  theory  may  be  left  out  of  the  question.  These  would  first 
show  themselves  in  the  descendants  of  the  earliest  settlers,  as  they  have 
been  exposed  to  them  longest.  But  this  is  not  the  case.  On  the  con- 
trary, it  is  a  fact  that  the  majority  of  rowdies  are  the  children  of  Irish, 
German,  and  other  foreign  parents.  Education  and  political  conditions 
have  undoubtedly  a  large  share  in  the  development  of  rowdyism.  They 
favor  a  premature  independence  of  the  individual,  and  a  dislike  of  subor- 
dination to  a  strange  authority,  which  in  itself  is  indeed  a  guarantee  of 
liberty  in  general,  but  only  too  easily  exceeds  the  proper  bounds.  But 
we  have  another  and  a  more  prominent  source  of  this  evil.  In  former 
chapters  we  have  already  made  several  remarks  in  this  respect,  and  the 
reader  could  easily  see  the  sources  of  rowdyism  laid  bare  in  the  chapters 
on  pauperism  and  street  children.  We  also  refer  the  reader  to  the  chap- 
ter on  the  theatres  of  the  lower  classes,  where  we  have  called  his  atten- 
tion to  the  ragged  crowd  of  newsboys,  bootblacks,  etc.  It  is  quite  natural 
that"  children  who  receive  such  an  education  will  not  grow  up  to  be  orna- 
ments of  society.  These  boys  who,  side  by  side  with  the  lowest  specimens 
of  humanity,  witness  the  glorification  of  crime,  are  by  no  means  the  worst 
kind  of  our  youthful  street  Arabs.  They  follow  some  honest  profession,, 
and  generally  have  a  certain  home,  furnished  them  by  their  parents  or  by 
public  charity.  But  there  are  hundreds  who  know  no  other  home  than 
the  streets  or  the  wharfs,  and  have  no  other  means  of  subsistence  than 
begging  or  stealing.  Is  it  not  quite  natural,  then,  to  look  to  our  street 
children  as  the  chief  source  of  rowdyism?  If  we  furthermore  take  into- 
consideration  that  the  large  majority  of  these  children   are   paupers,  we 


620  THE    DARK    SIDE    OP    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

are  forced  to  declare  rowdyism  the  worst  fruit  of  pauperism,  for  it  is  the 
incipient  stage  of  crime. 

We  have  already  spoken,  in  our  first  chapter,  of  the  dangers  arising 
from  pauperism.  We  have  in  that  connection  referred  to  the  bloody  riots 
of  1863,  in  which  our  rowdies  showed  themselves  in  their  most  savage 
character.  What  happened  then  may  happen  again  upon  any  occasion, 
perhaps  on  a  still  larger  scale.  Rowdyism  is  like  a  mine  threatening  to 
destroy  the  foundations  of  our  society.  A  chance  spark  may  explode  this 
mine  at  any  time.  But  what  can  be  done  to  avert  the  danger  arising  from 
this  evil  ?  It  would  be  a  hopeless  task  to  try  to  reform  the  rowdies.  All 
that  society  can  do  against  it  is  to  assume  a  watchful  position,  and  to  keep 
them  as  much  as  possible  within  bounds,  by  the  police  club,  or,  in  extreme 
cases,  by  the  bullets  and  bayonets  of  the  militia.  The  true  reform  must 
be  directed  to  the  root  of  the  evil,  pauperism,  and  its  immediate  out- 
growth, the  street  children.  The  reformer  should  pay  particular  attention 
to  the  street  children,  so  long  as  their  youthful  minds  have  not  been  hard- 
ened by  crime.  We  must  try  to  bend  the  tree  wThile  it  is  young  and 
supple.  It  is  not  only  more  humane,  but  also  cheaper,  to  prevent  crimes 
than  to  punish  them,  and  crime  is  most  easily  prevented  by  stopping  our 
destitute  children  from  becoming  criminals.  But  the  law  is  satisfied  to 
punish  and  intimidate  the  existing  rowdyism,  and  little  thinks  of  bettering 
the  abnormal  conditions  which  are  at  the  bottom  of  it.  But,  in  this 
respect,  further  contemplation  would  lead  us  to  a  field  which  we  have 
already  touched  in  the  chapters  on  pauperism,  street  children,  and 
tenement-houses.  The  rowdyism  in  our  city  is  a  product  of  these  three 
factors,  and  is  greatly  favored  by  gambling,  prostitution,  a  certain  class 
of  bar-rooms  and  theatres,  and  political  corruption.  It  will  decrease  only 
as  we  succeed  in  abolishing  the  above-named  evils. 


PRIZE-FIGHTERS. 

If  any  one  desired  to  study  the  faces  of  different  men,  he  can  see  on 
.-street  corners,  or  in  the  neighborhood  of  suspicious  groggeries,  persons 
whose  appearance  unconsciously  reminds  him  of  that  of  the  bulldog.  A 
round,  knotty  head,  with  the  hair  cropped  close,  low  forehead,  broad 
shouldered,  and  thick-set — in  short,  all  the  outward  signs  of  brute  strength 


rRIZE-FIGHTERS.  C21 

are  found  in  all  these  forms  in  a  very  high  degree.  But  in  vain  do  we 
look  for  those  higher  attributes,  which  raise  the  human  being  far  above 
the  criminal.  We  would  not  advise  any  one  to  make  such  studies 
too  closely,  for  bulldog  appearance  is  no  empty  show  with  these  creatures, 
and,  before  the  student  of  human  nature  could  hinder  it,  a  broken  nose  or  a. 
few  teeth  knocked  out  would  have  taught  him  that  the  bulldog  head  belonged 
to  one  of  that  class  of  rowdies  termed  "  pri  »*  ighters." 

The  rowdy,  as  we  have  seen,  is  in  himselt  a  dangerous  creature,  and 
the  prize-fighter  is  all  the  more  dangerous,  as  in  him  the  consciousness  of 
a  formidable  strength  is  added  to  the  savageness  of  the  rowdy.  As  the 
prize-fighter  is  only  a  separate  class  of  rowdy,  we  need  not  waste  many 
words  on  his  general  character.  What  we  intend  to  do  here  is  to 
acquaint  ourselves  with  that  peculiarity  which  distinguishes  him  from  the 
rowdy. 

Every  prize-fighter  is  a  rowdy.  But  the  reverse  of  this  is  not  the  case, 
for  not  every  rowdy  is  a  prize-fighter,  happy  as  he  would  be  to  gain  that 
distinction.  The  prize-fighter  needs  a  certain  degree  of  physical  strength, 
with  which  nature  has,  fortunately  for  the  rest  of  mankind,  not  endowed 
everybody.  The  rowdy,  therefore,  who  is  particularly  favored  with  phy- 
sical strength,  does  not  fail  to  become  accomplished  in  the  "  manly  art  of 
self-defense,"  as  the  trade  of  the  prize-fighter  is  sometimes  called.  He 
then  belongs  to  the  craft  of  prize-fighters,  and  has  a  good  opportunity  to- 
be  some  day  counted  among  the  great  men  of  the  country.  The  papers 
faithfully  report  when,  where,  and  with  whom  he  intends  to  fight  accord- 
ing to  the  rules  of  the  prize-ring,  and,  when  the  affair  has  taken  place,  it 
brings  long  descriptions  in  which  the  victors,  as  well  as  the  vanquished^ 
are  the  lions  of  the  day. 

A  regular  prize-fight  is  always  preceded  by  several  weeks'  preparation,. 
a  so-called  "  training,"  which  is  undergone  by  each  of  the  contestants, 
under  the  care  of  some  well-known  authority  in  such  matters.  The  dis- 
cipline during  this  time  is  excessively  strict,  both  in  regard  to  food  and 
drink,  as  well  as  to  bodily  exercise.  For  in  it  not  only  is  the  honor  of 
the  prize-fighter  at  stake,  but  also  thousands  of  dollars  which  have  been 
bet  by  his  friends  on  the  fight.  When  such  a  prize-fight  has  been 
arranged,  a  so-called  "  sparring  match  "  is  given  beforehand  by  the  friends 
of  the  opponents.  The  money  raised  by  such  an  affair  belongs  to  the  two 
contestants  preparing  for  the  real  prize-fight.  Such  a  sparring  match  is 
always  an  event  for  all  the  loafers  and  rowdies,  as  well  as  the  members 
of  the  fashionable  sporting  circles,  who  are  not  much  better  than  the 
former  with  respect  to  their  morality,  aud  is  therefore  always  very  pro- 
fitable for  the  prize-fighters.  In  former  years  Mozart  Hall,  on  Broadway, 
was  generally  the  place  where  such  sparring  matches  were  held.  For 
some  time,  however,  this  distinction  has  been  awarded  to  halls  on  less 
pretentious  streets.     The  boxing  scene  is  generally  the  most  prominent 


£22  THE   DARK   SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK   LIFE. 

feature  of  a  sparring  match,  and  the  most  prominent  members  of  the 
prize-ring  take  part  in  it.  The  rest  of  the  time  is  taken  up  with  perform- 
ances with  Indian  clubs,  songs,  dances,  recitations,  etc. 

As  prize-fights  are  forbidden  by  law  in  New  York  State,  everything  is 
done  to  deceive  the  police  as  to  the  time  and  place  of  such  an  encounter, 
and  in  most  cases  the  leaders  are  successful.  Generally  the  police  only 
make  their  appearance  after  the  brutal  affair  is  over,  and  the  parties  have 
dispersed.  Very  often  the  scene  of  action  is  laid  a  great  distance  from 
here,  say  in  Canada  or  some  Western  State,  and  so  intense  is  the  interest 
taken  in  it  by  the  rowdies  and  sporting  men,  that  the  distance  in  no  way 
diminishes  the  number  of  spectators.  This  of  course  is  only  the  case 
with  celebrated  members  of  the  prize-riug.  The  large  number  of  more 
obscure  members  of  the  fraternity  hold  their  exhibitions  in  some  deserted 
spot  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  city,  or  in  some  low  groggery  in  the  city 
itself.  These  prize-fights  are  often  gotten  up  on  the  spur  of  the  moment, 
and  pic-nics  and  other  excursions  often  become  the  scene  of  such  disgust- 
ing encounters.  The  notoriety  which  such  members  of  the  ring  enjoy  is 
the  reason  why  prize-fighters  in  general  form  a  kind  of  aristocracy  among 
the  rowdies,  and  the  weight  of  their  fists  alone  is  sufficient  to  gain  the 
respect  of  that  crowd  with  which  brute  strength  is  the  highest  authoritjr. 
"We  can  easily  imagine  that  the  prize-fighter  does  not  reserve  his  strength 
for  sparring  matches  or  prize-fights  alone.  He  is  always  ready  to  knock 
down  any  person  who  may  incur  his  displeasure  ;  and  nothing  is  more 
difficult  than  not  to  incur  the  displeasure  of  such  a  rowdy. 

Their  highest  ambition  is  to  be  feared  by  every  one.  Whoever  shows 
no  fear  of  such  a  rowdy  is  his  enemy,  and  is  sure  to  feel  the  weight  of 
his  fists  the  first  opportunity  that  offers.  The  desire  to  'be  recognized  as 
the  strongest  and  best  fighter  often  leads  to  quarrels  with  colleagues  who 
will  not  recognize  this  assumptiou.  The  friends  of  each  then  take  up  the 
matter,  large  sums  are  bet  on  both,  and  at  last  a  prize-fight  is  arranged 
to  determine  which  of  the  two  is  the  best  man.  With  more  obscure 
Towdies  the  excitement  that  precedes  such  a  prize-fight  is  confined  to  the 
different  circles  of  the  rowdy  and  sporting  world.  When,  however,  the 
two  contestants  are  well-known  celebrities  of  the  prize-ring,  the  excite, 
ment  is  also  shared  by  the  public  in  general,  and,  if  one  of  the  rowdies 
belongs  to  a  foreign  country,  seems  to  attach  to  it  a  national  importance 
and  interest. 

We  would  only  recall,  in  this  respect,  the  excitement  prevailing  in  the 
city  when  Heenan  went  to  England  to  fight  Sayers,  and  to  determine 
which  was  the  "  better  man "  of  the  two,  and,  as  they  both  considered 
themselves  the  "best  (?)  man"  in  the  world,  who  was  the  "  best  man" 
in  the  world.  When  in  later  years  the  fate  of  the  Union  depended  on 
the  battles  of  Antietam  and  Gettysburg,  the  reports  of  the  battles  were 
expected  with  no  greater  eagerness  and  suspense  by  the  public,  and  the 


PRIZE-FIGHTERS.  f>23 

papers  published  accounts  of  these  great  military  contests  which  were  in 
no  way  more  detailed  than  the  minute  reports  of  the  prize-fight  between 
Heeuan  and  Savers. 

The  disgusting  brutality  of  such  a  prize-fight  can  hardly  be  described 
in  words.  As  the  aim  of  the  heavy  strokes  is  always  the  face  of  the 
opponent,  the  head  of  the  contestant  is  in  most  cases  within  a  very  short 
time  a  swollen  and  unshapely  mass.  But  the  fight  is  continued,  even 
when  both  of  the  contestants  are  unable  to  see  out  of  the  swollen  eyes. 
If  both  become  weak  and  exhausted,  their  friends  are  ready  to  wash 
them,  and  to  do  everything  to  continue  the  fight  as  long  as  possible.  Not 
tinfrequently  does  it  happen  that  one  of  the  two  is  knocked  senseless  by  a 
blow  of  his  opponent.  But  by  no  means  can  he  give  up  the  fiirht  on  that  * 
account.  As  long  as  he  has  strength  enough  left  to  stagger  into  the 
middle  of  the  ring,  he  must  expose  himself  to  the  blows  of  his  opponent, 
who  is  perhaps  not  much  stronger. 

The  final  scene  of  such  a  fight  is  particularly  savage,  when  the  two 
have  pounded  each  other  out  of  all  human  shape,  and  the  wild  passions 
of  the  beastly  audience  have  reached  the  highest  pitch.  The  two  oppo- 
nents can  hardly  be  recognized,  and  the  spectators  who  crowd  around  the 
ring  seem  to  be  transformed  into  demons.  Thousands  of  dollars  have 
been  staked  on  the  result,  and,  as  victory  now  seems  to  rest  with  one  and 
then  the  other,  the  betters  give  vent  to  their  feelings  by  cries  and  howls 
.and  curses  in  the  most  disgusting  manner.  A  prize-fighter  would  fare  ill 
if  he  should  give  up  the  fight  before  his  "  friends"  consider  it  advisable. 
These  friends  would  fall  upon  him  wTith  the  ferocity  of  wild  beasts,  and 
without  much  ado  beat  out  of  him  the  little  life  left  by  his  now  victorious 
opponent. 

Not  unfrequently  does  the  excitement  rise  so  high  that  the  ring  is 
broken.  The  scene  then  becomes  very  lively  and  "  interesting."  Tae 
wTild  crew  tackle  and  pound  each  other  with  clubs  most  pitilessly.  Un- 
fortunately the  police  arrive  about  this  time.  "  Unfortunately  !"  Why? 
Because  without  their  interference  a  dozen  heads  wrould  in  all  probability 
have  been  broken,  and  the  world  would  have  been  rid  of  a  dozen  or  so  of 
its  worst  characters  more  effectively  than  prison  and  the  gallows  could 
have  done  it. 

We  have  already  remarked  that  our  prize-fighters  form  a  kind  of 
nobility  among  the  rowdies.  Their  influence  with  these  fellows,  who  are 
necessary  to  the  ward  politicians,  is  very  great,  and  this  influence  again 
gives  them  a  political  importance.  This  importance  explains  very  many 
things  which  would  otherwise  be  unintelligible.  It  explains  why  our 
prize-fighters  are  treated  with  such  extraordinary  tenderness  by  our 
authorities,  and  are  very  seldom  disturbed  in  their  little  amusements  of 
breaking  noses,  &c.  It  explains  how  it  is  possible  that  a  prize-fighter 
could  be  elected  alderman,  and  another  even  a  representative  in  Congress. 


624  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK   LIFE. 

These  honors,  however,  are  not  only  due  to  the  profession  of  these  gen- 
tlemen as  prize-fighters.  Without  money  to  aid  them,  they  would  never 
have  risen  so  high.  The  business  of  a  prize-fighter  pays  very  poorly  in 
general,  |  The  only  thing  that  he  is  sure  to  keep  when  he  settles  down  is 
a  broken  nose.  He  does  not  work,  and  that  is  his  chief  pleasure.  The 
money  that  comes  to  him  from  a  successful  prize-tight,  or  from  some  of 
those  sources  which  we  have  already  indicated  in  the  chapter  on  rowdies 
and  loafers,  just  suffices  to  satisty  the  aristocratic  demands  of  his  stomach. 
The  prize-fighter,  therefore,  who  has  an  eye  to  the  future,  opens  in  time 
a  rum-bole,  a  dance-house,  or  a  gambling  hell.  John  Morrissey,  for 
example,  has,  both  in  riches  and  political  honors,  far  surpassed  any  of  his 
colleagues  of  the  prize-ring.  He  advanced  from  the  occupation  of  prize- 
fighter and  proprietor  of  one  of  the  lowest  groggeries  in  Troy,  to  that  of 
the  proprietor  of  one  of  the  most  fashionable  gambling  dens  in  the  country. 
To-day  he  is  a  millionaire,  and,  having  served  his  term  in  Congress,  he 
now  has  the  privilege  of  prefixing  "  Honorable"  to  his  name. 

Harry  Hill,  whom  we  have  mentioned  already  in  the  chapter  on  dance- 
houses,  has  also  come  out  of  the  prize-ring,  and  has  known  how  to  open 
a  source  of  wealth  in  his  dance-house.  Joe  Coburn,  Varley  (better 
known  as  "  Reddy  the  Blacksmith  "),  Izzy  Lazarus,  etc.,  are  all  prize 
fighters,  who  have  retired  from  the  "arduous  duties"  of  the  ring  to  the 
more  easy  life  of  saloon-keeper.  It  is  very  natural  that  these  saloons  of 
former  prize-fighters  should  not  exactly  be  frequented  by  the  better  classes 
of  society.  Such  retired  members  of  the  ring  generally  act  as  "  arrangers  " 
of  prize-fights,  stake-holders,  trainers,  referees,  and  at  similar  "  posts  of 
honor."  The  large  mass  of  rowdies,  however,  never  attain  this  emi- 
nence. 

Taken  as  a  class,  the  prize-fighters  are  probably  even  more  dangerous 
than  the  common  rowdies.  The  savageness  of  the  rowdy  repels,  while  the 
prize-fighter  is  regarded  by  a  corrupt  taste  as  a  kind  of  hero,  whose  deeds 
are  glorified  ia  the  daily  papers  by  minute  and  sensational  descriptions. 
No  daily  paper,  even  the  most  respectable,  would  dare  to  ignore  a  prize- 
fight of  notorious  rowdies.  The  development  and  exercise  of  our  physical 
powers  is  very  well  in  itself;  but  we  must  not  forget  that  it  is  not  the 
physical  powers  alone  which  give  man  his  exalted  position  among  the 
other  living  beings.  If  we  look  at  our  prize-fighters,  we  will  not  exactly 
be  inclined  to  consider  them  noble  types  of  humanity.  Their  gorilla-like 
appearance,  on  the  contrary,  is  only  too  apt  to  gain  new  adherents  to 
Darwin's  theory  of  the  descent  of  man. 


DOG    AND    COCK    FIGHTS.  625 

DOG  AND  COCK  FIGHTS. 

From  the  prize-ring  our  wanderings  bring  us  to  those  dens  in  which 
the  same  company  with  whom  we  have  become  acquainted  in  the  preced- 
ing chapter,  amuse  themselves  at  cock  and  dog  fights.  In  the  prize-ring 
we  saw  that  the  spectators  and  contestants  occupied  about  the  same  grade. 
In  the  dog  and  cock  fights  the  contestants  are  undoubtedly  the  better  part 
of  the  crowd.  That  is  the  only  difference  we  can  find  between  the  prize- 
ring  and  cock  and  dog  pits.  Fortunately,  this  barbarous  amusement  has 
begun  to  grow  scarcer  within  the  city  limits.  But  these  fights  are  by  no 
means  exterminated  as  yet.  They  are  either  held  in  some  country  town, 
with  no  police  at  all,  or  a  very  sleepy  one  if  any,  on  some  farm  in  the 
neighborhood  of  the  city,  or  in  some  groggery  fitted  up  for  that  purpose 
in  the  city. 

The  sporting  and  rowdy  element  of  our  city  never  fails  to  be  fully  rep- 
resented on  such  occasions.  It  is  known  in  these  circles  for  weeks  ahead 
when  such  a  fight  is  planned,  and  it  is  discussed  and  bets  are  made  on 
the  different  animals.  In  short,  the  affair  is  a  sensation  of  the  day  ;  but, 
strange  to  say,  the  police  seem  to  hear  very  exceptionally  of  such  fights, 
and  very  seldom  prevent  them.  It  is  still  more  seldom  that  the  arrange- 
ments are  arrested.  The  fact  that  dog  and  cock  fights  occur  less  fre- 
quently at  present  than  in  former  years,  is  not  so  much  to  be  credited  to 
the  police  as  to  the  general  progress  in  the  tastes  of  the  people,  so 
that  it  no  longer  takes  an  interest  in  these  barbarous  exhibitions. 

The  cock-fights  are  more  frequent.  They  are  among  the  more  aristo- 
cratic amusements,  while  the  cocks  are  expressly  trained  for  these  fights 
by  persons  who  make  a  business  of  it.  Besides  being  patronized  by 
loafers  and  rowdies,  they  are  particularly  favored  by  the  sporting  men. 
These  sporting  men  are  persons  whose  chief  object  in  life  is  to  get 
through  with  a  large  fortune  which  they  have  very  seldom  earned  them- 
selves, and  to  do  it  as  quickly  as  possible  by  frequenting  horse  races, 
gambling  dens,  and  the  company  of  low  women.  Dog-fights,  however, 
are  amusements  in  which  only  the  lowest  class  of  our  inhabitants  take 
part.  The  animals,  mostly  ferocious-looking  bulldogs,  are  generally  the 
property  of  some  rowdies  who  delight  in  having  their  dogs  as  fierce  and 
as  much  feared  as  their  masters.  Disputes  as  to  the  qualities  of  different 
dogs  are,  then,  generally  the  occasion  for  arranging  a  dog-fight.  Such  a 
contest  generally  takes  place  immediately,  or  with  considerable  prepara- 
tion, in  the  "  ring"  of  some  low  saloon.  A  dog  who  has  defeated  all  his 
opponents  is  the  pride  of  his  master,  who  in  mental  qualities  is  not  far 
above  him.  Bonner  or  Vanderbilt  cannot  be  more  proud  of  their  racers 
than  such  a  rowdy  of  a  fierce  dog.  Such  a  dog,  like  his  master,  is  easily 
recognized  to  be  a  fierce  brute.  No  "  Beware  of  the  dog  "  is  necessary 
to  cause  a  pedestrian  to  go  a  few  steps  out  of  his  way  for  safety. 

40 


626  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

But  let  us  first  turn  to  a  cock-fight,  as  the  less  beastly  exhibition  of  the 
two.  We  have  already  spoken  of  the  places  in  which  they  take  place. 
The  audience  is  generally  very  much  mixed,  and  varies  according  to  the 
getters-up  of  the  fight  and  the  quality  of  the  cocks.  Very  often,  when 
the  getters-up  live  in  different  cities,  and  are  the  proprietors  of  well-known 
fighters,  an  interest  attaches  to  the  contest  which  extends  beyond  the  two 
cities.  The  cocks  seem  to  represent  the  honor  of  their  cities  in  such 
cases,  and  the  excitement  is  proportionately  great.  Articles  of  agreement 
are  drawn  up  in  writing,  the  stakes  are  deposited,  and  bets  are  made 
amounting  to  thousands  of  dollars.  From  these  alone  we  can  judge  of 
the  quality  of  the  guests.  It  is  nothing  unusual  that  some  one  present 
should  bet  $500,  or  even  $1,000,  on  a  cock.  At  the  same  time,  cham- 
page  bottles  are  opened,  whose  contents  help  to  raise  the  enthusiasm 
which  such  a  bloody  spectacle  never  fails  to  excite  in  uncultivated  and 
hardened  men. 

At  less  important  occasions,  however,  the  rowdy  element  predominates* 
and  the  bets  that  are  then  made  are  much  less  in  amount.  These  smaller 
cock-fights  generally  take  place  in  the  city,  while  the  more  aristocratic  go 
somewhere  outside,  where  they  are  not  so  liable  to  be  interfered  with  by 
the  police.  We  will  here  give  an  account  of  a  cock-fight  which  took 
place  some  time  ago  in  the  Seventeenth  ward,  near  Avenue  A.  The  place 
is  a  gin-mill  mostly  visited  by  Irishmen.  The  proprietor,  a  former  prize- 
fighter by  the  name  of  "  Mike,"  besides  his  gin-mill  has  also  turned  his 
attention  to  politics,  and  has  even  held  an  office  under  the  city  govern, 
ment.  He  is  therefore  an  important  personage.  The  bar-room  is  the 
present  meeting-place  of  the  very  suspicious-looking  crowd.  The  loud 
and  noisy  conversation  is  of  course  about  the  coming  fight.  But  we  will 
give  the  words  of  the  witness  who  reported  it : 

Eight  o'clock  was  the  time  set  for  the  commencement  of  the  show. 
A  few  minutes  were  still  wanting,  and  curses  were  uttered  here  and  there 
on  the  slowness  with  which  the  small  clock  back  of  the  bar  was  moving. 
Suspicious-looking  characters  continue  to  pour  into  the  room,  if  possible 
still  more  wretched  and  soaked  with  whisky  than  those  present.  At  last 
the  clock  strikes  eight.  Mike,  the  proprietor  of  the  saloon,  takes  a  key 
from  a  nail  and  a  match  from  the  bar  and  disappears  through  the  back 
door.  Thereupon  the  crowd  rushes  impatiently  to  this  door,  but  readily 
gives  way  as  two  boys  with  bundles  under  their  arms  enter.  Soon  the 
crowing  of  cocks  is  heard.  But  it  is  not  the  crowing  which  greets  us 
every  morning  in  the  country ;  it  is  the  hard,  metallic  call  of  the  cock 
trained  to  fight.  The  door  then  opens,  and  the  impatient  crowd  pushes 
forward  into  the  ring.  The  place  where  we  now  find  ourselves  is  the 
back-yard  of  the  gin-mill,  which  has  been  turned  into  a  ring  in  the  cheap- 
est manner  possible.  Miserable  lithographs  of  celebrated  cocks  and  bull 
dogs   cover  the  walls.      Benches   roughly  nailed  together  surround  the 


D0(.     AM>    COCK    FIGHTS.  027 

ring,  and  ascending,  serve  more  as  standing-places  than  as  seats  when  the 
fight  has  once  begun,  and  the  spectators  have  arisen  and  are  swaying 
about  in  their  excitement. 

The  "ring"  is  partitioned  off  from  the  audience  by  a  wooden  parti- 
tion. The  grouud  is  thickly  covered  with  tanbark.  An  impatient  stamp- 
ing among  the  audience  is  a  sign  not  to  be  mistaken.  Mike  gives  a  sign 
to  one  of  the  bovs,  who  opens  his  bundle,  when  a  small  cock,  spotted 
black  and  white,  jumps  out  and  enters  the  ring.  He  shakes  and  then 
stretches  himself  to  his  full  height,  crowing  loudly  the  while.  His  red 
comb  has  been  cut  close  to  his  head,  and  his  feathers  have  been  clipped  in 
such  a  manner  that  the  poor  fellow  almost  seems  ashamed  of  what  has 
been  left  to  him  as  a  tail.  On  his  right  foot  a  sharp  spur  of  polished 
steel  glitters — a  murderous  little  bayonet.  His  small  eyes  are  glowing 
with  desire  to  fight. 

Mike  takes  the  "  feathered  gladiator"  into  his  hands.  He  then  leans 
and  stoops  forward,  with  his  elbows  on  his  knees,  and  motions  to  the 
other  boy,  who  releases  a  perfectly  red  cock,  which  immediately  shows 
fight.  The  boy  does  not  let  him  enter  the  ring,  however,  but  holds  him 
opposite  to  the  one  in  Mike's  hands.  The  two  cocks  measure  each  other 
with  eager  looks.  Their  eyes  seem  to  shine  like  fire.  Their  necks  turn 
and  twist  like  the  body  of  a  snake  before  it  seizes  the  bird  which  has  been 
spellbound  by  its  charm.  The  audience  presses  forward,  and  all  necks 
seem  to  have  grown  longer.  The  front  row  only  too  willingly  gives  way 
to  the  pressure  from  behind,  and  allows  itself  to  be  pushed  into  the  ring, 
from  which  Mike,  in  spite  of  all  cursing  and  pointing  to  the  regulations, 
cannot  push  them  back.  The  space  limited  to  the  fight  is  therefore  a  very 
small  one.  The  cocks  are  now  let  loose.  A  short  fluttering,  an  almost 
human  cry,  and  the  two  contestants  have  closed  with  each  other  ;  the 
duel  has  begun.  The  two  cocks  seem  to  be  pretty  equally  matched,  both 
with  regard  to  size  and  strength.  They  ward  off  the  blows  aimed  for 
them,  jump  at  each  other,  and  run  around  each  other,  trying  to  discover 
their  weak  points,  exactly  in  the  same  manner  as  do  their  human  fellows 
of  the  prize-ring. 

But  a  long  deliberation  does  not  seem  to  be  of  any  use,  and  the  feathers 
and  tanbark  begin  to  fly  through  the  air  in  a  most  alarming  manner,  while 
the  steel  spurs  can  be  seen  gleaming  through  the  dust.  The  cocks  jump 
upon  each  other,  and  each  buries  his  spurs  and  beak  deep  iuto  the  body  of 
his  opponent.  Hate  towards  each  other  seems  to  animate  them  and 
increase  their  fierceness,  and  every  minute  the  fight  grows  wilder  and 
wilder.  The  spectacle  has  now  completely  absorbed  the  eutire  attention 
of  the  rough  crowd.  They  hardly  dare  breathe,  and  the  cruel  blood 
seems  to  have  stopped  in  their  cold  hearts.  Their  faces  are  pale,  and 
their  eyes,  almost  starting  from  their  sockets,  have  a  cold,  hard  glitter  in 
them.     It  seems  as  if  all  the  passions  in  their  breasts  have  been  concen- 


628  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW   YORK   LIFE. 

trated  in  one  or  the  other  of  the  contestants.  Then  a  sudden  pause 
occurs.  The  sharp  spur  of  one  of  the  cocks  has  struck  the  heart  of  his 
opponent.  A  short,  shrill  cry,  and  the  brave  animal  sinks  down  dying  in 
the  ring.  "Was  that  a  cry  ?  A  cry  so  deep  and  cold  and  wild  as  the 
sharp  steel  entered  the  warm  heart !  It  must  have  been  felt  by  every 
heart,  if  there  were  any  hearts  in  that  place.  It  could  hardly  have  been 
believed  that  so  small  a  creature  could  have  parted  from  life  with  such  a 
cry.  But  the  dead  "gladiator"  found  no  compassion  in  a  crowd  which 
let  it  die  for  their  pleasure.  A  kick  sends  its  warm  body  into  a  corner, 
while  a  terrible  noise  greets  the  victor. 

But  is  the  crowd  satisfied  with  the  laurels  won  by  the  victor?  By  no 
means !  His  work  is  not  yet  done,  and  the  bloodthirsty  crowd  desires 
still  more  victims.  Soon  a  new  antagonist  is  brought  out  and  placed 
against  him.  The  poor  animal,  so  exhausted  that  he  can  hardly  withstand 
the  attack  of  his  antagonist,  makes  a  suddeu  attack,  in  which  he  concen- 
trates all  his  remaining  strength,  and  again  kills  his  adversary.  This 
victory  was  quite  unexpected  for  the  majority  of  the  audience.  It  had 
not  been  deemed  possible  that  the  cock,  which  had  been  so  exhausted  in 
the  first  fight,  could  be  able  to  defeat  a  fresh  enemy.  Heavy  odds  had 
therefore  been  taken  against  him,  and  the  losers  gave  vent  to  their  feel- 
ings in  loud  curses.  But  soon  they  united  in  shouts  of  admiration  for 
the  double  victor,  who,  still  ready  for  a  new  attack,  was  standing  in  a 
fighting  position  before  his  dead  enemy.  The  owner  of  the  victor,  in  his 
joy,  went  so  far  as  to  take  him  to  his  arms  and  caress  him,  while  his 
warm  blood  flowed  on  his  shirt  bosom.  But  the  rough  caresses  are  of  no 
use  for  the  poor  bird.  The  lustre  of  his  eyes  begins  to  grow  dim,  and 
his  neck  gradually  falls  down  on  his  body.  The  brave  cock  will  never 
again  fight.  He  is  dead.  His  tender  master  hurls  him  with  a  curse  into 
the  corner  where  the  other  two  are,  and  the  cruel  game  is  continued  with 
fresh  victims. 

Thus  it  goes  on  until  all  the  cocks  present  have  been  produced.  Some- 
times the  fights  continue  until  three  and  four  o'clock  in  the  morning,  and 
are  witnessed  with  undiminished  interest  by  the  public.  A  cock  that  will 
not  fight,  or  that  tries  to  escape  after  a  short  fight,  finds  no  mercy  in  the 
eyes  of  his  judges.  Short  work  is  made  of  him  ;  he  is  killed  and  thrown 
among  the  others  that  have  died  while  fighting.  The  duration  of  the 
many  contests  varies  considerably.  Sometimes  a  cock  will  be  killed  in 
the  first  onset;  such  quick  terminations  are  caused  by  the  sharp,  steel 
spurs.  At  other  times,  however,  such  fights  will  continue  ten  or  fifteen 
minutes.  Such  long  and  bitterly-contested  fights  especially  interest  the 
brutal  lookers-on.  Then  the  excitement  rises  to  such  a  pitch,  that  it  al- 
most seems  as  if  the  fate  of  all  those  present  depended  on  the  victory  of 
this  or  that  cock. 

The  dog-fights,  however,  are  much  wilder  and  much  more  disgusting. 


DOG    AND    COCK    FIGHTS.  029 

If  the  fight  does  not  take  place  in  the  open  air,  without  any  further  pre- 
paration, the  ring  where  it  does  take  place  is  arranged  in  a  similar  man- 
ner as  for  a  cock-fight.  In  the  ring  there  are,  besides  the  dogs,  two 
persons  who  are  either  the  owners  of  the  dogs,  or  persons  to  whom  they 
have  been  entrusted  for  the  time  being.  These  persons  are  called 
"  handlers."  They  stand  behind  their  respective  dogs,  and  encourage 
them  to  fight  by  cries,  stamping  of  feet,  and  other  means.  The  rules, 
however,  forbid  them  to  touch  either  dog.  As  the  fights  sometimes  con- 
tinue for  hours,  these  fellows  necessarily  become  tired.  They  then  sit 
down  on  the  ground  and  crawl  after  their  beasts  on  all  fours.  Sometimes 
some  celebrated  dog  is  brought  into  the  ring.  In  such  cases  the  sensa- 
tion is  of  course  very  great,  and  our  entire  rowdy  and  prize-fighting 
aristocracy  are  in  a  fever  of  excitement. 

This  was  the  case,  for  example,  when,  a  few  winters  ago,  a  dog  by  the 
name  of  "Foss"  was  brought  from  England  to  our  city.  "Foss"  had 
whipped  four  of  the  largest  dogs  in  London,  and  this  had  gained  for  him 
such  a  name  that  no  one  was  willing  to  match  his  dog  against  the  "  king 
of  the  ring."  "Foss"  was  therefore  the  champion  of  England,  and  his 
happy  possessor  resolved  to  conquer  America  also.  But  this  could  not 
be  done  without  a  hard  fight.  Mr.  Moore,  the  proprietor  of  "Foss," 
had  hardly  proclaimed  him  the  dog  of  all  dogs  in  New  York,  when  he 
was  told  by  a  "highminded"  citizen  of  this  republic  named  Rogers,  that 
his  do?  "  Crib  "  could  whip  "Foss"  or  anv  other  do?  in  England,  and 
turn  him  into  mince-pie  in  ten  minutes.  Moore  immediately  took  up  the 
gauntlet  in  the  name  of  "  Foss."  The  preliminaries  were  soon  arranged, 
and,  after  the  stakes  of  $500  a  side  had  been  deposited  in  due  form,  the 
time  and  place  were  designated  as  the  4th  of  February  in  an  out-of-the- 
way  shanty  in  Brooklyn.  The  question  to  be  settled  had  an  "interna- 
tional importance,"  as  will  readily  be  seen.  The  interest  taken  in  it  was 
therefore  a  correspondingly  large  one.  When  the  day  had  arrived  for 
the  fight,  the  amount  of  all  bets  made  on  it  exceeded  $10,000.  The 
shanty  was  filled  to  overflowing  with  spectators,  each  one  of  whom  would 
have  been  a  fit  Subject  for  the  "  Rogues'  gallery." 

At  two  o'clock  the  sign  was  given  by  the  judges,  and  "  Crib  "  and 
""Foss"  wrere  let  loose  by  their  handlers.  Fiercely  gnashing  their  teeth, 
the  two  dogs  stood  opposite  to  each  other.  Every  one  of  their  muscleg 
swelled,  and  every  hair  seemed  to  stand  on  end.  A  dull  dark,  and  the 
two  caught  hold  of  each  other.  They  fight  quietly,  more  like  machines 
than  living  creatures.  Only  now  and  then  a  low  growl  betrays  the  pain 
suppressed  by  the  desire  to  fight.  The  quieter  the  dogs  were,  the  noisier 
were  the  handlers,  who  sought  to  keep  up  the  fighting  ardor  of  the  two 
contestants  by  all  possible  means.  They  acted  like  lunatics,  as  did  the 
majority  of  the  spectators,  who  accompany  the  fight  with  cries  of  joy  or 
curses,  as  the  fortunes  of  war  changes. 


630  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

"  Crib  "  seemed  in  the  beginning  to  be  the  better  dog.  But  hardly  a 
half  hour  had  passed  when  the  aspects  of  the  case  became  entirely 
changed.  "  Foss "  showed  that  his  powers  were  more  enduring  than 
"  Crib's."  "  Crib,"  however,  held  his  own,  and  the  fight  continued  una- 
bated, although  both  dogs  were  considerably  bruised  and  wounded.  After 
an  hour's  hard  fighting,  it  was  plain  to  every  one  that  "  Crib's  "  chances 
of  victory  were  very  slim  indeed.  He  began  to  whine  and  moan  pite- 
ously,  and  his  handler  had  to  exert  himself  to  his  utmost  to  keep  him 
from  running  away.  Thus  the  disgusting  scene  continued  for  two  and  a 
half  hours.  "  Foss  "  was  completely  master  of  the  situation,  and  seemed 
to  deliberate  how  he  could  settle  "  Crib"  most  quickly.  Then  suddenly  a 
peculiar  noise  was  heard  outside  the  shanty.  Every  one  listened.  Even 
"  Crib  "  casts  side  glances  to  the  door,  whence  the  noise  proceeds.  Sud- 
denly a  low  whistle  was  heard,  which  caused  the  spectators  to  rush  to  the 
doors  as  if  bewitched.  Even  "Foss"  and  "Crib,"  forgetting  the  ques- 
tion pending  between  thein,  seemed  to  be  affected  by  the  general  panic, 
and  took  part  in  the  stampede,  which  moved  over  a  cemetery  to  some 
adjoining  bushes.  This  sudden  panic  was  caused  by  the  arrival  of  the 
Brooklyn  police.  The  guardians  of  the  peace  just  arrived  in  the  shanty 
in  time  to  see  the  last  stragglers  disappearing  in  the  friendly  bushes. 
They  therefore  returned  home  in  the  pleasant  consciousness  of  having 
done  their  duty. 

The  following  day  a  meeting  of  the  judges  was  held,  at  which  it  was 
decided  that  the  disturbed  fight  should  be  renewed  at  some  future  time* 
For,  as  "  Crib"  had  not  yet  given  way  to  "Foss,"  the  fight  could  not  be 
declared  at  an  end.  A  day  was  therefore  decided  upon  when  England 
and  America,  by  their  representatives,  "  Foss  "  and  "  Crib,"  should  again 
meet  in  the  ring.  If  either  one  of  the  combatants  should  fail  to  make 
his  appearance,  he  should  be  regarded  as  the  vanquished.  The  important 
contest  has  certainly  taken  place  by  this  time  ;  but,  as  we  have  not  paid 
sufficient  attention  to  this  branch  of  the  history  of  the  day,  we  are  una- 
ble to  tell  whether  or  not  "Crib"  has  saved  the  honor  of  our  glorious 
republic,  and,  what  is  of  more  importance,  the  810,000  bet  on  him.  But 
this  we  can  and  do  say,  that  such  dog  and  cock-fights  must  be  regarded 
as  training-schools  for  rowdies  and  loafers,  for  nothing  tends  to  brutalize 
a  man  more  than  cruelty  to  animals  ;  and  can  there  be  a  greater  cruelty 
than  that  which  lets  animals  tear  themselves  to  pieces  to  give  pleasure  to 
the  eye  ?  Particularly  in  the  Irish  districts  in  Avenue  A,  do  we  find  that 
men  and  boys  assemble  in  the  back-yards  of  tenement-houses,  or  in  low 
groggeries,  to  witness  cock  and  dog-fights.  It  was  in  these  districts  that 
those  scenes  occurred  in  July,  1863,  which  almost  reminded  one  of  the 
savafieness  of  Indians.  There  it  was  where  women  killed  the  negroes 
jying  helpless  in  the  streets,  by  breaking  their  heads  with  stones.  There 
it  was  where  the  crowds  were  formed  which  set  fire  to  the  colored  orphan 


MATRIMONIAL   OFFICES.  031 

asylum,  ami  -were  only  with  the  greatest  difficulty  prevented  from  throw- 
ing the  affrighted  children  into  the  flames.  There  also  this  fire  is  still 
slumbering,  and  may  break  forth  at  anytime,  and  there  the  crowds  which 
are  particularly  characterized  by  brutality  and  savageness,  receive  their 
largest  contributions.  Such  cruel  spectacles  instill  into  the  mind  that  sav- 
ageness and  bloodthirstiuess  which  will  use  the  knife  or  the  revolver  for 
the  least  possible  cause,  and  will  kill  a  man  with  the  same  coolness  as  it 
would  step  on  a  worm. 

Much  has  been  done  in  forcing  such  contests  into  remoteness,  so  that 
they  no  longer  exist  as  a  public  nuisance.  But  they  must  also  be  sought 
out  in  these  corners  and  exterminated  altogether.  The  police,  whose 
duty  it  is  to  see  to  this,  have  been  very  backward  in  this  respect.  For 
some  years  back,  however,  the  "  Society  for  the  prevention  of  cruelty  to 
animals,"  under  the  well-known  humanitarian,  Henry  Bergh,  has  inclu- 
ded this  in  its  sphere  of  action,  and  has  done  much  good.  The  efforts  of 
this  society,  because  in  its  commendable  work  it  has  sometimes  gone  into 
extreme?,  have  been  often  ridiculed.  But  it  does  not  deserve  such  treat- 
ment. It  has  also  been  said  that  Mr.  Bergh  should  first  use  his  iufluence 
to  prevent  cruelty  to  men.  But  not  until  man  will  learn  that  he  has  no 
right  to  be  cruel  to  his  most  humble  servants,  and  will  feel  pity  at  their 
sufferings — not  until  then  will  he  learn  to  treat  his  fellow-men  with 
charity  and  kindness.  In  this  sense,  then,  the  society  would  also  become 
a  "  Society  for  the  prevention  of  cruelty  to  men." 


MATRIMONIAL  OFFICES. 

In  speaking  of  "matrimonial"  offices,  we  do  not  have  reference  to  the 
office  of  the  county  clerk,  in  which  the  marriage  licenses  are  made  out, 
and  which  would  therefore  not  improperly  be  termed  a  matrimonial 
office.  There  are,  however,  offices  in  our  city — and  their  number  is  not 
small — whose  operations  have  already  done  considerable  harm,  and  which 
have  taken  the  name  of  "  Matrimonial  Offices."  Their  pretended  object 
is  to  act  as  mediators  between  persons  of  both  sexes  who  are  desirous  of 
marrying.  This  in  itself  is  not  bad.  But,  as  we  have  said  before,  it  is 
only  a  pretended  object,  a  covering  for  a  disgusting  business,  which  on 
the  one  hand  leuds  no  little  aid  to  swindling,  and  on   the  other  to  prosti- 


632  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

tution.  These  matrimonial  offices  are  an  excresence  of  our  so-called  civ- 
ilization. We  have  imported  them  from  Europe,  where  they  flourish 
extensively,  especially  in  France.  Their  French  origin  is  easily  noticed? 
for  a  majority  of  these  offices  are  conducted  by  Frenchmen.  It  is  a 
noticeable  fact  that  these  offices  are  generally  located  in  those  parts  of  the 
city  which  form  the  headquarters  of  prostitution.  This  is  by  no  means 
accidental,  but,  as  we  will  see  further  on,  is  done  with  a  purpose.  The 
proprietor  of  a  matrimonial  office  rents,  in  such  a  neighborhood,  one  or 
two  floors  in  a  quiet  and  respectable  looking  house.  A  room  on  the 
second  floor  is  then  fitted  up  as  the  "office,"  in  which  the  business  part  of 
the  affair  is  done.  In  connection  with  this  office  there  is  a  kind  of  pri- 
vate post-office — that  is,  rows  of  locked  boxes,  which  are  rented  out  at 
from  fifty  cents  to  one  dollar  per  month.  The  office  itself  is  elegantly 
fitted  up,  and  has  a  decided  business  air  about  it.  The  remaining  rooms 
on  that  floor,  or,  in  larger  establishments,  on  the  upper  floor,  are  so-called 
M  reception  parlors,"  in  which  the  couples  brought  together  by  the  office 
can  enjoy  a  confidential  talk.  These  parlors  are  generally  fitted  up  with 
the  greatest  luxury,  which  on  the  one  hand  indicates  that  the  business 
must  be  a  paying  one,  and  on  the  other  distinctly  calls  to  mind  the  par- 
lors of  houses  of  assignation. 

The  inmates  of  these  houses  are  generally  very  strange  persons  ;  they 
are  mostly  Frenchmen  whose  past  history  is  surrounded  with  a  very  mys- 
terious veil,  but  whose  present  career,  however,  is  of  a  nature  to  place  their 
character  in  a  very  unfavorable  light.  In  a  word,  they  are  exactly  fit  for 
the  business  which  they  follow.  When  we  have  seen  this  business  in  its 
true  light,  we  shall  also  have  become  acquainted  with  the  character  of 
those  who  have  chosen  it  for  their  occupation.  We  begin  with  a  case 
which  will  give  the  reader  an  insight  into  the  business  of  such  an  office. 
The  following  advertisement  appeared  some  time  ago  in  one  of  our  most 
widely-circulated  papers : 

The  most  beautiful  young  lady,  26  years  old,  of  the  highest  respectability,  and  the  possessor  of 
$20,000,  wishes  to  marry  an  elderly  gentleman  of  means.  Apply  to  the  Matrimonial  Offi  ce,  No.  29 
street. 

This  advertisement  induced  a  reporter  of  the  New  York  Sun  to  visit 
the  agency.  Upon  arriving  at  the  house,  he  was  astonished  to  find  it  so 
quiet,  although  "  the  most  beautiful  lady,"  with  $20,000  cash,  was  to  be 
had  in  it.  He  thought  that  at  least  one-half  of  the  unmarried  men  of 
New  York  over  twenty-one  years  would  be  assembled  in  front  of  the 
house,  and  would  fight  for  the  preference  in  entering.  As  no  other  sign 
was  to  be  seen  on  the  house  than  a  small  tin  plate  with  "  U.  S.  Agency  " 
on  it,  he  thought  that  there  must  be  some  mistake  in  the  number.  To 
satisfy  himself,  he  hurried  up  the  steps  and  rang  the  bell.  The  door  being 
opened,  he  asked  for  the  matrimonial  office,  and  was  told  to  enter.  It 
was  then  indeed  the  right  house  !     In  a  short  time  he  was  ushered  into 


MATRIMONIAL    OFFICES. 


6$8 


the  office  of  the  agent.  The  agent,  in  his  appearance  and  in  his  deport- 
ment, a  true  Frenchman,  dressed  as  if  he  was  going  to  a  ball,  sat  at  his 
elegant  writing-desk,  and  invited  the  reporter  to  take  a  seat.  He  did  so, 
and  then  stated  that  he  had  come  to  see  about  the  advertised  "  most  beau- 
tiful lady."  Prof.  Marquet  (that  was  the  name  of  the  agent)  opened  an 
immense  account-book,  and  looked  into  it. 

"  Ah,  here  she  is  !"  he  cried  out ;  "  the  most  beautiful  lady,  twenty-six 
years  old,  very  well  educated,  a  perfect  lady  !  She  will  receive  $20,000 
from  her  uncle  upon  her  marriage  !  She  lives  with  her  uacle,  as  her  pa- 
rents are  dead.  If  you  have  any  serious  intentions,  I  will  try  and  obtain 
an  introduction  for  you.  The  lady  wishes  to  marry  ;  but  she  is  very  par- 
ticular, and  I  do  not  know  whether  you  will  suit  her.  But  I  will  describe 
you  to  her,  and  we  will  then  see  whether  she  expresses  the  wish  to  see 
you.  She  wants  an  educated  man,  one  of  good  manners,  and  he  must 
not  be  without  money.  She  does  not  look  for  great  wealth,  but  expects 
that  her  husband  shall  contribute  something  towards  defraying  the  house- 
hold expenses." 

Upou  asking  for  the  name  of  the  lady,  the  Professor  seemed  to  be  per- 
fectly thunderstruck  at  such  an  assumption. 

"  What  do  you  think  of  me?"  he  cried  out,  pointing  to  the  door,  where 
a  sign  read,  "All  communications  strictly  confidential."  "  How  can  you 
think  that  I  would  give  you  the  name  of  the  lady  without  being  author- 
ized by  her?  I  am  the  soul  of  honor,  sir,  and  your  name  also  is  under 
the  protection  of  this  honor.  What  is  your  name,  if  you  please,  so  that 
I  may  enter  it  on  my  book  ?" 

The  reporter  gave  some  fictitious  name  and  address,  which  were  entered 
with  a  flourish  on  the  big  book.  The  same  was  done  with  all  his  great 
stories  about  his  monetary  and  family  affairs.  The  proprietor  excused 
his  questions  with  the  statement  that  he  had  to  give  the  lady  full  details 
about  him  (the  reporter).  He  also  said  that  he  would  see  the  lady  that 
day,  and  would  be  able  to  give  an  answer  the  day  after.  The  interview 
thus  seemed  to  be  at  an  end.  The  reporter  rose  to  leave.  The  Professor 
also  arose,  and  said  he  must  ask  for  two  dollars,  as  the  introduction  fee, 
which  must  invariably  be  paid  in  advance.  But  if  this  introduction  should 
have  no  result,  an  introduction  with  another  lady  would  be  arranged,  and 
so  on,  until  he  was  married.  For  he  only  made  his  real  profit  when  the 
marriage  was  brought  about,  by  a  percentage  on  the  bride's  money.  But 
even  then  he  charged  much  less  than  was  customary  in  France,  where 
b  per  cent,  was  the  regular  tax. 

The  reporter  paid  the  two  dollars,  with  the  sure  promise  of  seeing  the 
lady  the  next  day.  But  this  was  not  to  be.  He  did  not  hear  from  Prof. 
Marquet  until  two  days  after,  when  the  latter  wrote  to  him,  asking  him 
about  his  property.  The  letter  was  of  course  immediately  answered.  In 
his  next  letter  Prof.  Marquet  was  sorry  he  could  arrange  no  interview 


Od4  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

with  the  twenty-thousand-dollar  lady,  as  she  had  just  gone  to  Long; 
Branch.  But  this  was  of  no  account ;  and  the  Professor  requested  the 
applicant  to  call  upon  him  the  next  morning,  when  he  would  introduce 
him  to  a  beautiful  young  English  lady,  twenty  years  of  age,  and  worth 
$50,000.  The  reporter  did  not  fail  to  be  there  on  time.  Prof.  Marquet 
praised  the  young  English  lady,  who  was  even  more  beautiful  than  "  the 
most  beautiful  lady."  But  that  was  all.  The  introduction  was  again 
put  off  until  the  next  day,  and  the  hour  fixed.  The  .Professor  then  began 
to  speak  of  his  commission.  Although  the  property  of  the  young  Eng- 
lish lady  was  more  than  twiee  as  large  as  that  of  u  the  most  beautiful," 
he  would  not  charge  more  than  $500,  which  was  as  much  as  two-and-a- 
half  per  cent,  of  $20,000.  Even  this  sum  he  would  reduce  one  half,  "  if 
Monsieur  would  be  willing  to  pay  it  cash  down."  If  the  wedding  did  not 
take  place,  the  money  would  of  course  be  returned. 

"  Monsieur,"  however,  preferred  rather  to  pay  $500  after  the  wedding 
had  been  arranged,  than  $250  before  it.  The  Professor  of  course  had  to 
be  contented  with  this.  He  then  produced  the  following  document,  which 
he  asked  the  candidate  for  matrimony  to  sign  : 

"  I  hereby  agree  to  pay  Louis  Marquet  the  sum  of  two-and-a-half  per 
cent,  of  the  money  of  such  a  woman  as  he  may  aid  me  to  marry.  I  make 
this  agreement  of  my  own  free  will,  and  with  the  conviction  that  the 
above  is  only  a  fair  remuneration  for  services  rendered  me." 

The  reporter  signed  the  document,  and  the  Professor  showed  him  a 
bundle  of  papers,  and  said  that  they  were  all  similar  agreements.  One 
of  these  documents,  he  said,  was  signed  by  a  lady  for  whom  he  had  pro- 
cured a  husband  worth  $200,000. 

"  They  will  probably  marry,"  said  the  Professor,  "  and  that  alone  will 
give  me  a  commission  of  $50,000." 

The  reporter  started  to  go,  but  the  Professor  again  took  up  the  subject 
of  fees. 

"  It  is  customary  in  France,"  he  said,  "  to  pay  one-half  the  fees  be- 
fore the  introduction.  I  do  not  demand  it,  but  still  the  introduction  is 
not  possible  wiihout  some  retainer." 

Upon  being  asked  how  much  this  retainer  was,  the  Professor  declared  that 
that  was  immaterial,  as  he  would  give  a  receipt  for  it,  and  would  after- 
wards deduct  it  from  the  commission.  He  only  insisted  upon  it  to  observe 
an  old  business  custom  of  his,  and  he  would  therefore  be  satisfied  with 
$25  in  this  case. 

Who  would  not  gladly  pay  $25  for  $50,000,  even  supposing  that  he  did 
not  get  a  young  and  pretty  wife  into  the  bargain?  The  reporter  seemed 
to  be  one  of  these  strange  beings,  for  he  did  not  even  put  his  hand  into 
his  pocket.  Perhaps  he  did  not  have  the  money  with  him.  The  Pro- 
fessor seemed  to  be  of  this  opinion,  for  he  said  to  him,  after  reflecting  a 
minute : 


MATRIMONIAL    OFFICES.  OJi> 

* 

"  Well,  it  makes  do  difference  ;  you  can  bring  the  few  dollars  along 
to-morrow,  when  I  introduce  you  to  the  lady." 

This  was  the  end  of  the  whole  affair,  for  the  miserly  reporter  did  not 
come  again,  and  dispelled  all  hopes  the  Professor  might  have  had  of  get- 
ting $25.  But  why  did  the  reporter  not  come?  Because  he  was  initiated 
into  the  mysteries  of  the  matrimonial  agencies,  and  well  knew  that  the 
$20,000  and  $50,000  ladies  of  the  Professor  were  only  used  as  bait  to 
swindle  the  simple-minded  out  of  their  money.  There  are  many,  how- 
ever, who  do  not  know  this  yet.  They  are  so  simple-minded  as  to  believe 
that  rich,  pretty,  and  educated  young  ladies  apply  by  dozens  to  suspicious 
agencies  to  procure  husbands  for  them. 

"  It  must  be  so,"  such  simple-minded  people  say,  "  for  how  could  it- 
otherwise  be  possible  that  such  agencies  not  only  exist,  but  also  do  a  splendid 
business?" 

It  is  very  true  that  these  agencies  do  a  splendid  business,  but  not  in  the 
manner  their  name  would  lead  us  to  suppose.  If  marriages  are  brought 
about  by  them,  they  are  of  a  very  peculiar  character,  and  even  these  are 
cases  on  which  the  agencies  do  not  reckon. 

As  we  have  already  remarked,  such  agencies  do  a  considerable  busi" 
ness  by  publishing  matrimonial  advertisements,  which,  like  the  one  we 
have  given  above,  are  very  enticing  for  persons  who  have  learned  to  read 
but  not  to  think.  Such  advertisements,  therefore,  do  not  fail  to  attract  to 
the  office  a  large  number  of  persons  of  both  sexes  who  are  matrimonially 
inclined.  Every  such  customer  is  worth  at  least  two  dollars,  as  the  intro- 
duction fees  are  paid  in  advance.  If  possible,  the  agents  try  to  get  more 
out  of  their  victims.  But,  even  if  they  do  not  succeed  in  this,  two  dol- 
lars is  a  very  good  price  for  an  introduction  to  a  lady  from  a  neighboring 
"  Ladies'  boarding-house,"  or  from  a  concert-saloon.  For  these  are 
generally  the  "ladies"  who  are  selected  by  the  agencies  to  play  the  part 
of  young  widows  or  other  interesting  characters.  These  women  play 
their  parts  very  well,  and,  as  those  who  apply  to  these  offices  do  not  pos- 
sess a  large  amount  of  common  sense,  such  a  supposed  lady  sometimes 
succeeds  in  making  a  conquest  of  the  applicant,  and  an  unfortunate  mar- 
riage may  be  the  result. 

Such  a  case  happened  some  few  years  ago.  A  wealthy  farmer  wished 
to  marry  a  city  lady.  An  advertisement  called  his  attention  to  a  matri- 
monial agency,  and  he  decided  to  apply  to  it.  After  he  had  paid  as  much 
as  twenty  dollars,  he  was  introduced  to  a  young  lady,  whose  beauty 
modesty,  and  good  manners  quickly  captivated  him.  lie  was  told  that 
she  was  an  orphan,  without  any  property  at  present,  but  with  great  expec 
Rations  from  relatives  living  in  California.  The  farmer,  who  was  welL 
off,  considered  her  beauty  and  her  loving  disposition  a  sufficient  dowry > 
and  was  determined  to  marry  the  young  lady  immediately.  She  of  course- 
hesitated,  tor  the  farmer  was  a  perfect  stranger  to  her,  and  the  men  can- 


636  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF   NEW    YORK   LIFE. 

not  be  trusted  in  these  days.  She  dropped  a  few  hints  about  references 
as  to  character,  property,  &c.  This  the  farmer  found  to  be  quite  natural, 
and  mentioned  a  large  business  house,  which  was  acquainted  with  all  his 
business  and  family  affairs.  The  simple-minded  fellow  never  thought  of 
asking  for  references  in  return,  not  thinking  perhaps  that  a  pretty  face 
and  good  manners  were  not  sufficient  guarantees  for  the  character  of  a 
lady  whom  he  had  met  for  the  first  time  in  his  lfe,  and  under  such  pecu- 
liar circumstances. 

The  references  must  have  been  satisfactory  to  the  lady,  for  she  concluded 
to  carry  out  the  joke,  and  to  try  a  marriage  for  a  change  by  which 
she  could  only  gain.  The  farmer  was  overjoyed  when  his  fair  one  at 
last  consented  to  become  his  wife.  In  his  happiness  he  readily  paid  the 
fifty  dollars  which  the  agent  demanded  as  compensation,  and  a  week  after 
their  first  meeting  they  were  married. 

The  farmer  installed  his  pretty  young  wife  in  his  home,  and  everything 
went  well  for  a  while.  But  at  last  the  neighbors  began  to  talk,  and  even 
*he  farmer  was  not  pleased  that  his  wife,  who  was  an  orphan,  and  whose 
relatives  lived  in  California,  should  have  so  many  affectionate  cousins, 
-who  came  to  see  her  quite  often.  He  now  saw  more  than  he  cared  to. 
He  was  still  deliberating  what  to  do  in  this  case,  when  the  woman  left 
the  house  in  company  with  her  "  cousins,'*  while  the  husband  was  absent 
on  business.  When  he  returned,  he  found  that  his  wife  had  taken  with 
her  money  and  valuables  amounting  to  several  thousand  dollars.  One  of 
his  friends,  to  console  him,  told  him  that  he  had  known  the  woman  as  an 
Inmate  of  a  disorderly  hous3  in  New  York,  and  had  been  very  much 
astonished  to  see  him  married  to  this  person.  He  had  kept  this  know- 
ledge to  himself,  as  it  was  too  late  then  to  do  any  good,  and  had  only  told 
him  now  to  congratulate  him  upon  his  happy  release  from  her.  The  farmer 
now  gave  up  all  idea  of  pursuing  the  fugitives,  and  sued  for  a  divorce. 
Thi3  of  course  was  granted  him,  and  thus  the  folly  he  had  committed  by 
visiting  a  matrimonial  agency  ended.  But  he  had  paid  very  dearly  for 
his  experience. 

It  is  strange,  indeed,  how  far  the  thoughtlessness  of  some  persons  goes 
in  this  respect.  The  police  have  cases  on  record  where  wealthy  men 
have  paid  as  high  as  $250  for  introductions  to  ladies  in  these  agencies —  . 
introductions  which  they  could  have  had  for  the  price  of  a  glass  of  beer 
in  a  Broadway  concert-saloon  any  evening.  Of  course,  in  a  concert- 
saloon  these  "  ladies  "  are  simply  "  pretty  waiter-girls."  In  the  parlors 
of  these  agencies,  however,  they  are  the  beautiful  widows  or  daughters 
of  rich  Southern  planters,  who  are  passing  the  warm  season  in  the  North, 
or  other  persons  of  this  kind. 

The  least  part  of  the  male  customers  of  these  agencies  are  matrimo- 
nially inclined.  Many  go  there  to  amuse  themselves  at  the  expense  of 
.some  female  candidate  for  matrimony.     They  intend  to  cheat,  but  only 


MATRIMONIAL    OFFICES.  637 

too  often  get  cheated  themselves.  A  "joke"  of  this  kind  was  played  by 
a  merchant  of  New  Orleans  in  1871,  who  paid  twenty  dollars  for  an 
introduction  to  a  "  rich  young  widow "  from  Louisiana,  in  a  Bleecker 
street  agency. 

The  lady  kindly  permitted  him  to  visit  her  at  her  residence  in  Crosby 
street.  The  end  of  the  whole  affair  was  that  the  infatuated  Southerner 
was  robbed  of  §1,G00  by  means  of  the  panel  game.  This  was  all  the 
money  he  had  with  him,  and  three-fourths  of  it  he  had  intended  to  pay 
away  for  goods  the  following  day.  He  made  complaint  to  the  police, 
who,  however,  were  unable  to  get  on  the  track  of  either  the  woman  or 
her  "  badger."  The  money  was  lost,  and  the  merchant  from  the  Cres- 
cent City  will  probably  not  again  enter  a  matrimonial  bureau  in  search 
of  adventures. 

The  female  sex  also  contains  a  large  number  who  know  matrimonial  agen- 
cies only  by  their  name,  and  apply  to  them  full  of  confidence.  For  this  class 
of  customers  the  agencies  are  also  well  prepared.  The  proprietor  of  the 
agency  likes  to  see  such  customers,  especially  if  they  are  young  and 
pretty.  The  pretty  young  widow  or  girl,  as  it  may  be,  is  promised  a  speedy 
and  rich  marriage.  The  applicant  is  thus  filled  with  great  hopes,  and 
readily  pays  the  introduction  fee.  In  the  meantime  the  proprietor  has 
arranged  the  matter.  Some  rich  rascal,  who  has  seen  the  applicant  from 
a  hiding-place,  pays  a  high  price  to  have  the  girl  brought  to  him.  The 
agent  then  tells  the  girl  that  a  rich  young  Englishman  has  applied  to  him  : 
that  he  lives  in  the  Grand  Central  Hotel,  and  that  he  wishes  to  make  the 
acquaintance  of  an  American  lady.  The  Englishman  has  read  so  much 
of  the  beauty  of  American  women,  that  he  has  come  over  from  England 
for  the  express  purpose  of  getting  a  wife.  He  promises  the  the  girl  that 
she  shall  be  the  first  one  whom  he  will  introduce  to  the  Englishman,  and 
he  actually  keeps  his  word.  The  girl  is  of  an  unsuspecting  character, 
the  stranger  a  rake  of  the  first  wrater,  and  the  end  of  this  story  can  there- 
fore be  easily  imagined.  If  the  girl,  however,  is  not  very  pretty,  the 
agency  has  constantly  a  number  of  loafers  on  hand,  dresse  1  according  to 
the  latest  style,  who  play  the  part  of  candidates  for  matrimony,  and  thus 
enable  the  agency  to  demand  the  introduction  fee. 

The  above  gives  a  fair  idea  of  the  manner  in  which  matrimonial  agen- 
cies conduct  their  business  and  make  their  money.  From  this  they  could 
be  classed  as  a  branch  of  prostitution,  or  classed  as  a  separate  branch  of 
swindling. 

One  of  these  agencies  has  even  the  impudence  to  call  itself  a  "Per- 
sonal Bureau'"     It  says  in  its  circular  : 

11  We  do  not  announce  our  office  as  a  matrimonial  agency,  for  such  are 
only  humbugs.  We  furnish  our  patrons  with  addresses  and  letters  of 
introduction.  It  remains  with  them  whether  they  wish  to  continue  the 
acquaintance." 


638  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK   LIFE. 

Another  part  of  this  circular  is  still  plainer,  and  more  to  the  point : 

"Gentlemen  who  wish  to  have  ladies  for  compar'ons  or  private  friends* 
will  please  send  the  age  and  mental  and  bodily  qualities  of  the  ladies 
desired.  Single  addresses,  with  letters  of  introduction,  50  cents.  Three 
addresses,  $1.00." 

Only  fifty  cents  for  an  introduction  to  a  "young,  pretty,  amiable,  and 
rich  lady !"     That  is  certainly  very  cheap. 

But  another  establishment,  which  styles  itself  "  Matrimonial  and  Cor- 
responding Bureau,"  is  still  cheaper,  as  it  offers  two  addresses  for  fifty 
cents  ;  that  is,  only  twenty-five  cents  apiece.  But  the  ladies  who  apply 
to  this  agency  are  still  more  favored,  as  will  be  seen  by  the  following 
extract  from  its  circular  : 

"  Ladies  who  wish  to  be  registered  upon  our  book  will  please  send  50 
cents,  together  with  an  accurate  description  of  themselves.  Ladies  reg- 
istered in  such  a  manner  are  entitled  to  as  many  introductions  as  they 
may  desire." 

All  this  speaks  so  plainly  for  the  character  of  the  agencies,  their  custo- 
mers and  proprietors,  that  hardly  any  further  comment  is  necessary. 
Even  those  which  call  themselves  "  Matrimonial  Agencies,"  indicate  their 
true  character  pretty  plainly.     Thus  one  says  : 

"  This  circular  applies  to  ladies  and  gentlemen  who  desire  friends,  com- 
panions, or  correspondents  of  the  other  sex,  either  for  amusement,  social 
intercourse,  mutual  improvement,  or  marriage." 

Marriage,  therefore,  is  not  even  the  chief  nor  the  only  object  of  the 
agency,  as  we  might  be  led  to  believe  from  its  name. 

The  most  suspicious  characters  generally  make  use  of  these  agencies 
for  unhallowed  and  even  criminal  purposes.  Thoughtless  frivolity  or 
good-natured  simplicity,  which  only  too  often  bite  at  the  bait  laid  for 
them,  are  always  sure  to  become  victims  of  these  criminal  intentions. 
"  Procurers'  Bureau  "  would  therefore  be  a  more  appropriate  name,  and 
would  at  the  same  time  indicate  all  the  dangers  respectable  women  and 
girls  incur  in  applying  to  them.  The  only  proper  matrimonial  can- 
didates are  those  miserable  wrecks  who  will  sell  themselves  to  any  woman 
whose  money  will  save  them  from  the  terrible  predicament  of  working. 
The  side-pieces  are  "  ladies  "  who,  by  sacrificing  their  characters,  have 
made  considerable  money,  and,  after  having  failed  in  obtaining  respecta- 
ble husbands,  are  brougnt  in  the  market  as  decoys  by  the  matrimonial 
bureaux. 

Many  of  these  bureaux,  which  speculate  especially  on  customers  from 
the  country,  are  only  swindling  concerns.  They  promise  their  customers 
rich  husbands  or  wives  by  means  of  correspondence.  In  answer  to  their 
inquiries,  they  are  told  that  they  must  pay  two  dollars  in  advance.  This 
amount  is  generally  sent.  The  proprietor  of  the  agency  pockets  the 
money,  and  that  generally  puts  an  end  to  the  business  so  far  as  he  is  con- 


630  THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE 

cerned.  The  correspondent  hears  no  more  of  him.  If  he  should  ever 
oomc  to  the  city  to  interview  the  agent,  it  would  be  a  very  difficult  matter 
for  him  to  find  him. 

We  have  not  vet  finished  with  these  agencies.  It  may  be  safely  said 
that  they  have  already  dissolved  more  families  than  they  have  brought 
together.  For  it  is  a  well-known  fact  that  many  of  them  are  in  connec- 
tion with  agents  and  runners  of  divorce  lawyers.  These  agents  and  run- 
ners make  it  their  business  to  dog  the  footsteps  of  persons  calling  in  these 
agencies,  and  to  discover  their  names,  addresses,  and  the  state  of  their 
property.  As  we  have  already  remarked,  these  agencies  are  much  used 
to  carry  on  love  intrigues,  and,  strange  to  say,  married  men  and  women 
are  the  most  frequent  visitors  to  them.  If  a  visitor  of  this  character  is 
rich,  and  his  partner  in  life  only  the  least  bit  inclined  to  jealousy,  it  may 
be  safely  assumed  that  the  runner  will  bring  about  a  divorce  suit  for  the 
lawyer  employing  him.  The  matrimonial  agencies  of  course  receive 
their  share  of  the  profits. 

Very  similar  to  the  matrimonial  agencies  are  the  matrimonial  adver- 
tisements, as  they  may  still  be  found  in  the  columns  of  our  papers.  They 
are  even  more  dangerous,  because  many  who  do  not  have  the  courage  to 
apply  to  an  agency,  do  not  hesitate  to  answer  some  harmless-looking  ad- 
vertisement, or  to  insert  one  themselves.  And  yet  in  so  doing  they  incur 
all  the  dangers  which  we  have  mentioned  in  connection  with  the  agencies. 
Besides  the  dangers  which  threaten  their  characters,  they  also  incur  the 
danger  of  ridicule.  For  many  of  the  advertisements,  and  the  answers  to 
them,  are  only  malicious  traps  set  for  the  simple-minded.  The  more 
serious  aspect  of  these  advertisements  we  will  notice  further  on.  The 
criminal  aspect  we  will  illustrate  by  the  following  example,  which  is  one 
of  many. 

A  young  man,  Charles  W.,  advertised  himself  in  one  of  our  dailies  as 
.a  candidate  for  matrimonial  honors.  He  was  quite  in  earnest,  and  was 
happy  when  he  found  his  advertisement  answered  by  four  different  per- 
sons. He  decided  to  answer  one  which  suited  him  most,  and  which  was 
dated  Toronto,  Canada.  The  correspondence  was  continued,  and  Mr.  W« 
found  out  that  his  fair  unknown's  name  was  Helen  Christopher,  an  or- 
phan, with  large  expectations.  The  correspondence  did  not  last  long,  for 
Mr.  W.  made  the  acquaintance  of  a  young  lady  in  the  city,  and  thereby 
lost  all  interest  in  her  whom  he  had  only  known  by  her  letters.  He 
dropped  the  correspondence,  and  soon  married  his  new  acquaintance. 
This  was  an  act  not  quite  right,  it  is  true,  but  very  wise.  The  pretty 
orphan  of  Toronto  was  a  lawyer  of  that  city,  who  had  answered  the 
advertisement,  and  had  kept  up  the  correspondence  for  a  joke.  This 
joke,  however,  was  not  to  end  here.  "NV.'s  father,  a  minister  in  Vermont, 
who  had  come  to  his  son's  wedding,  saw  "Helen's"  letters,  and  found 
them  so  interesting  and  pleasant,  that  he  immediately  fell  in  love  with  the 


MATRIMONIAL    OFFICES.  640 

writer.  He  was  a  widower,  and  desired  just  such  a  companion  for  life 
as  "  Helen  "  seemed  to  be.  Having  arrived  at  home,  he  proposed  to  her 
by  letter  without  any  further  ado,  describing  his  personal  appearance  and 
financial  affairs  very  minutely. 

"Helen"  at  first  seemed  angered,  and,  referring  to  the  fickleness  of 
the  son,  did  not  seem  to  have  much  confidence  in  the  father.  Rev.  W.,. 
however,  removed  these  scruples,  and  soon  seemed  to  be  within  reach  of 
the  fulfillment  of  his  desires.  He  sent  to  his  "  adored  "  his  photograph, 
and  was  overjoyed  upon  receiving  hers  in  return.  It  was  all  that  ho 
could  wish.  Fortunately  he  did  not  know  that  it  was  the  picture  of  an 
actress  who  was  celebrated  for  her  beauty.  The  sight  of  so  much  beauty 
caused  him  to  bring  the  matter  to  a  quick  termination,  and  he  informed 
his  "  Helen  "  of  his  determination  to  call  upon  her.  So  far  the  joker, 
however,  did  not  wish  to  carry  the  matter.  He  tried  to  dissuade  the 
minister  by  having  a  threatening  letter  sent  to  him.  The  letter  was  from 
a  supposed  rival  in  "  Helen's "  affections,  who  promised  him  a  sound 
thrashing  if  he  came  to  Toronto.  But  it  was  of  no  use.  The  lover  sent 
the  letter  to  his  "  Helen,"  and  assured  her  that  he  would  brave  even 
greater  dangers  than  a  sound  thrashing  for  her  sake. 

"  Helen "  at  last  declared  herself  satisfied.     Rev.  W.  started  on  his 
journey,   and  arrived  safely   in  Toronto.     A  perfumed  letter  informed 
"Helen"  of  his  arrival,  and  asked  for  an  interview.     This  was  granted, 
and,  at  the  appointed  time,  the  suitor  set  out  dressed  in  his  best.     For  a 
long  time  he  stood  on  the  corner  where  "  Helen  "  had  promised  to  meet 
him  with  a  friend.     He   stared  at  all  ladies  that  passed  him,  but  the 
pretty  face  which  he  supposed  to  belong  to  "  Helen  "  did  not  appear.  But 
instead,  however,  he  met  a  large  number  of  young  men,  who  seemed  to 
take  a  particular  interest  in  him,  many  of  whom  even  laughed  outright 
in  his  face.     After  tarrying  at  the  corner  hours  after  the  appointed  time, 
and  the  laughing  and  smiling  of  the  persons  about  him  became  more  em- 
barrassing, he  decided  to  inquire  at  the  address  to  which  he  had  sent  his 
letters.     That,  however,  was  a  boarding-house  entirely  inhabited  by  young 
men.     His  inquiry  for  "  Helen  Christopher  "  was  answered  with  a  roar 
of  laughter.     He  now  began  to  suspect  the  trick.     He  immediately  re- 
turned to  his  hotel,  preparatory  to  taking  the  next  train  for  home.  As  the 
train  slowly  moved  out  of  the  depot,  and  the  unfortunate  reverend  looked 
out  of  the  window  for  the  last  time,  he  saw  a  crowd  of  young  men,  who, 
upon  seeing  him,  gave  three  cheers  for   "  Rev.  W.  and  Helen   Christo- 
pher."    Fortunately  he  had  not  told  his  friends  anything  about  the  real 
object  of  his  visit  to  Toronto.     He  simply  told  them  that  pressing  private 
business  had  called  him  away  for  a  few  days.     This  3aved  him  from  the 
ridicule  of  his  friends. 

The  matrimonial  agencies,  as  we  have  said  before,  are  an  importation 
from  France,  where  the  ideas  of  marriage  are  looser  than  with  any  other 


THE    DARK    MDK    OF    NF.W    YORK    LIFE.  G-4 1 

civilized  nation  in  the  world.  That  such  establishments  could  be  im- 
ported here,  plainly  shows  that  our  ideas  of  marriage  do  not  differ  much 
from  those  in  France.  How  would  it  otherwise  be  possible  that  over  a 
dozen  of  these  institutions  could  exist  here?  Thus  it  is  that  to-day  mar- 
riages are  looked  upon  simply  as  business  contracts,  in  which  the  mone? 
tary  part  is  the  chief  consideration.  With  such  business-like  views  of 
marriage,  our  matrimonial  agencies  would  do  very  well.  The  originals 
of  such  agencies  have  existed  for  centuries  in  the  cabinets  of  European 
monarchs,  who  also  trade  off  their  sons,  daughters,  etc.,  in  marriage 
with  a  view  to  their  interest.  The  uatural  fruit  of  this  system,  however, 
were  the  mistresses,  whose  influence,  emanating  from  the  courts,  espe- 
cially from  that  of  France,  was  the  principal  cause  of  the  loosening  of 
family  ties.  And  our  matrimonial  agencies  do  not  even  have  the  object 
of  bringing  about  conventional  marriages.  They  are,  as  we  have  seeu, 
more  the  promoters  of  unbounded  frivolity,  in  which  vice  can  lay  its 
snares  for  the  unwary.  That  such  establishments,  in  which  swindlers 
and  procuresses  so  openly  join  hands,  are  not  suppressed  by  the  police, 
can  only  be  explained  by  the  same  laxity  which  makes  the  laws  against 
swindling  and  prostitution  dead  letters.  We  will  turn  to  the  customers 
of  these  agencies  in  another  chapter.  Before  closiug  this  chapter,  we 
would  only  give  this  good  advice  to  all,  that  the  man  who  cannot  find  & 
■wife,  and  the  woman  who  cannot  find  a  husband,  in  the  usual  manner, 
had  better  give  up  the  search  than  to  endanger  their  reputation  by  an 
application  to  a  matrimonial  agency. 


BLACK-MAIL. 

The  highwayman  who  steps  up  to  an  unsuspecting  promeuader  with  a 
revolver,  and  demands  his  money,  watch,  etc.,  is  an  equally  dangerous 
and  contemptible  person  ;  but  there  are  robbers  who  are  no  less  danger- 
ous, but  far  more  contemptible  than  the  common  highwaymen.  This  one 
does  not  hesitate  to  risk  the  State  Prison,  and  pretends  to  be  no  better 
than  he  really  is.  The  robbers  whom  we  have  reference  to,  however,  are 
persons  who,  by  some  means,  have  gained  information  of  a  crime  com- 
mitted by  some  other  person,  and  then  make  use  of  their  knowledge  to 
extort  "  hush-money  "   from  their  victims.     Such  extortion  of  money  by 

41 

■ 


642  BLACK-MAIL. 

means  of  threats  is  in  itself  not  a  whit  better  than  common  robbery.  The 
robber  uses  in  this  case,  as  his  weapon,  the  secret  in  his  possession,  which 
is  often^nuch  more  effectual  in  frightening  the  victim  than  the  knife  or 
revolver  of  the  robber.  For  it  is  nothing  unusual  that  a  person  attacked 
by  highwaymen  resists,  and  sometimes  receives  timely  aid.  Very  few, 
however,  have  the  courage  to  resist  those  villains  who  threaten  to  reveal 
some  disagreeable  secret. 

The  highwayman  would  indeed  fare  ill  if  he  should  attack  his  victim 
in  broad  daylight,  in  the  latter's  residence,  or  in  his  private  office.  This, 
however,  is  the  modus  operandi  of  his  more  contemptible  colleague.  The 
victim  even  takes  pains  to  conciliate  tue  robber,  and  asks  him  very  po- 
litely into  his  private  office,  so  that  no  one  shall  know  of  his  loss. 

The  crime  of  extortion  of  money,  commonly  termed  "  black-mail," 
is  therefore  connected  with  as  little  danger  as  it  is  mean  and  cowardly. 
We  can  only  wonder  that  it  is  not  carried  on  more  extensively.  The 
reason  for  this  is  difficult  to  find.  Maybe  the  mean  and  contemptible 
character  which  is  necessary  to  carry  on  black  mail,  is  very  seldom  found 
even  among  the  lowest  criminals.  But  we  should  be  very  much  mistaken 
if  we  should  look  for  the  black-mailers  among  the  criminals  only.  Even 
those  who  occupy  an  apparently  honorable  position  in  society,  but  who 
care  very  little  for  the  means  they  employ  in  making  money,  do  not  hesi- 
tate to  make  use  of  black-mail  if  an  opportunity  is  offered  them. 

The  victims  of  black-mail  are  principally  persons  of  high  standing  and 
Wealth,  who  have  committed  some  act  which  they  do  not  wish  to  have 
known.  The  wealthier  a  victim  of  biack-maii  is,  and  the  more  the  dis- 
closure of  the  secret  endangers  his  standing  in  society,  the  more  cruelly 
does  the  black-mailer  proceed  against  him.  It  is  strange  indeed  to  what 
steps  the  fear  of  disclosure  may  drive  any  man.  To  cover  the  conse- 
quences of  such  missteps,  the  victims  of  such  extortion  have  often  been 
led  into  actual  crime  in  order  to  be  able  to  accede  to  the  demands  of  their 
tormentors.  Many  have  been  even  led  to  suicide,  or  to  leave  their  homes 
forever,  so  as  to  rid  themselves  of  these  vampires.  Rich  men  have  been 
impoverished,  and  the  prospects  in  life  of  many  rising  young  men  have 
been  destroyed  forever.  Iu  short,  so  much  misery  has  been  caused  by 
them,  that  we  must  regard  the  black-mailers  as  among  the  most  danger- 
ous of  our  criminals. 

Black-mail,  either  by  personal  threats  or  by  letters,  is  a  well-paying 
business".  In  one  of  our  aristocratic  streets  there  is  a  palace,  which  is 
exceeded  by  very  few  in  beauty  and  elegance.  It  has  been  built  by 
money  made  from  black-mail.  The  proprietress  of  this  house  formerly 
kept  a  private  lying-in  asylum  for  the  wealthy  class  of  our  inhabitants. 
The  daughters  of  our  most  aristocratic  families  sought  this  asylum,  or 
rich  rascals  brought  the  girls  there  whom  they  had  seduced,  there  to 
await  the  consequences  of  forbidden  intercourse.     The  woman  gave  these 


THE    DARK    8ID1  ORE     LIFB. 


648 


jirls  the  best  care  and  attention,  and  did  everything  to  gain  their  confi- 
dence. She  was  of  course  paid  well  for  these  services,  hut  this  was  not 
the  cause  of  her  tenderness.  She  counted  upon  a  further  remuneration, 
burger  than  the  one  already  paid.  For  this  purpose,  after  having  gained 
a  girl's  confidence,  the  woman  tried  to  obtain  the  name  and  position  of 
her  seducer.  Every  statement  obtained  from  the  unfortunate  girls  at  such 
times  was  carefully  noted  down.  When  the  child  was  born,  it  was  given 
into  the  hands  of  another  woman,  so  that  it  could  be  produced  at  any- 
time. The  young  woman,  after  her  recovery,  would  return  home,  and  the 
facts  of  her  fall  would  never  become  known.  Months  and  years  pass 
away,  and  the  seducer  hardly  remembers  the  affair,  of  which  he  believes 
nobody  knows  anything.  But  his  name  is  on  the  books  of  Madame,  and 
she  does  not  forget  him.  Ooe  day  an  elegant  carriage  stops  in  front  of 
his  office,  from  which  an  elegant  lady  alights  who  wishes  to  see  Mr.  N. 
Mr.  X.  immediately  steps  up.  Madame  mentions  a  woman's  name, 
which  causes  Mr.  N.  to  ask  her  into  his  private  office.  There  he  sees 
into  whose  hands  the  disagreeable  secret  has  fallen.  He  is  at  last  even 
much  relieved  when  the  lady  asks  him  for  the  loan  of  $500  or  $1,000, 
which  he  gives  her  all  the  more  readily  as  he  wishes  to  rid  himself  of  his 
disagreeable  visitor.  The  visitor  does  leave,  but  from  time  to  time  brief 
letters  arrive,  which  contain  requests  for  new  loans,  and  always  close 
with  the  expressed  belief  of  the  writer  that  Mr.  N.  Avould  certainly  save 
her  the  trouble  of  calling  personally.  These  requests  are  always  granted. 
The  lady  has  in  this  manner  obtained  a  great  number  of  friends,  who  are 
always  willing  to  help  her  out  with  a  loan. 

This  woman  must  certainly  be  regarded  as  the  queen  of  black-mailers, 
and  is  a  disgusting  example  of  how  one  can  live  by  the  most  contempti- 
ble crime,  without  coming  under  the  ban  of  the  law.  The  female  sex 
particularly  excels  in  the  crime  of  black-mail.  For  the  male  victims  are 
generally  caught  by  love  adventures.  Many  a  wealthy  stranger  who, 
upon  his  visit  to  the  city,  has  tasted  of  the  forbidden  fruit,  has  had  some 
very  sad  experiences.     Upon  arriving   at   home,  he   would   receive  some 

_  v-scented  letters,  asking  for  larger  or  smaller  amounts  of  money. 
These  letters  resemble  anything  else  than  business  communications,  and 
are  only  too  apt  to  arouse  suspicions  in  the  heart  of  the  lady  of  the  house. 
Pater  familias,  therefore,  immediately  seuds  the  money  to  avoid  further 
dunnin-r  letters.  He  knows  that  the  letter  comes  from  the  ulady"  in 
New  York,  in  whose  company  he  spent  such  pleasant  hours.  But  to 
make  sure,  he  requests  the  lady,  in  the  accompanying  letter,  not  to  write 
to  him  again.  But  that  has  only  made  matters  worse,  as  he  has  given  a 
well  known  female  sharper  written  proofs  against  himself,  which  she 
will  make  use  of  at  some  future  time.  For  the  business  of  this  lady  is 
nothing  else  than  to  draw  strangers  in  the  hotels  into  her  meshes,  and 
then  extort  money  from  them. 


644  BLACK-MAIL. 

It  was  in  all  probability  such  a  lady  who  played  the  chief  part  in  the 
following  true  story : 

A  pich  widower  of  fifty  had  come  to  New  York,  and  had  taken  lodg  • 
ings  in  a  fashionable  boarding-house.  He  there  made  the  acquaintanc  s 
of  a  lady,  who  was  supposed  to  be  a  widow  from  California,  and  whos^ 
pleasant  manners  made  a  powerful  impression  on  his  still  youthful  heart.. 
The  widow  was  also  very  much  charmed  by  him,  and  they  became  more 
intimate  every  day.  To  avoid  the  talk  of  his  fellow-boarders,  the  tender 
widower  rented  an  elegant  residence,  furnished  in  the  richest  style,  and 
then  moved  into  it  with  his  "  friend."  But  his  happiness  was  destined 
to  be  of  short  duration.  Upon  entering  his  house  one  day  he  found,  to 
his  astonishment,  a  rabid-looking  man,  who  seemed  to  be  as  much  at  ease 
as  if  he  were  at  home  there.  He  was  about  to  ask  an  explanation  of  the 
stranger,  when  the  latter  arose  and  declared  himself  to  be  the  husband  of 
the  supposed  widow.  He  then  began  to  rave  about  his  dishonor,  and  de- 
clared, with  a  curse,  that  blood  only  could  wipe  out  the  stain.  The  wid- 
ower was  not  a  very  courageous  man,  and  the  stranger's  bloodthirsty  con- 
duct, together  with  his  martial  appearance,  caused  the  former  to  quake 
with  fear.  The  more  he  tried  to  conciliate  the  angry  man,  the  more  did 
he  rave.  He  begged  and  begged,  and  declared  himself  ready  for  anj- 
thing  that  would  settle  the  matter,  even  pecuniary  consideration,  that  a 
scandal  might  be  avoided.  At  last  the  outraged  husband  consented  t£> 
accept  a  pretty  high  sum,  on  condition  that  the  widower  would  immedi- 
ately pack  his  trunks,  and  never  again  show  himself  in  the  house.  The 
widower  reluctantly  made  out  a  check,  and  still  more  reluctantly  packed 
his  trunks,  and  moved  to  a  hotel  as  far  from  his  former  paradise  as  poss  <* 
ble.  But  this  was  only  the  beginning  of  his  troubles.  He  was  almosi 
driven  to  desperation  by  regularly  repeated  extortions.  The  threat  of  a 
public  exposure  was  able  to  wring  from  him  any  amount.  The  advei  - 
ture  with  the  California  widow  cost  the  unfortunate  man  more  than  half 
his  entire  property. 

An  occasion  much  used  by  female  black-mailers  is  the  wedding  of  a 
rich  young  man,  whose  former  life  has  been  somewhat  loose.  The  prepa- 
rations for  the  wedding  are  all  made.  Only  one  day,  and  the  happy  pair 
will  be  united  for  life.  The  bridegroom  is  full  of  happiness,  and  does 
not  dream  of  any  impending  danger.  And  yet  there  is  danger  very  near. 
Among  his  former  loose  companions  there  is  a  young  lady  who  levies 
black-mail,  and  who  has  not  lost  sight  of  him  since  he  began  to  reform. 
She  also  knows  of  his  marriage  with  the  daughter  of  the  head  of  a  rich 
and  prominent  family,  and  thinks  the  time  has  now  arrived  to  make  pro- 
fitable use  of  her  former  acquaintance.  She  therefore  makes  her  appear- 
ance at  the  place  of  business  of  the  young  man,  and  requests  to  see  him. 
She  must  have -an  interview,  as  her  business  is  very  important.  All  his 
former  sins  recur  to  him  as  he  sees  her  there.     He  grows  pale,  and  is  all 


THE    DAUK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK     III  I. 

the  more  embarrassed  the  more  familiar  she  becomes,  and  the  broader 
her  hints  re<jardin£  their  former  connections.  What  shall  he  TO?  Turn 
her  off,  aud  risk  a  public  scandal  which  might  destroy  all  his  hopes  in  a 
certain  quarter?  lie  dare  not  do  it.  He  knows  what  her  object  is,  and 
asks  whether  he  can  do  anything  for  her.  That  is  what  she  wanted,  and 
she  now  asks  for  a  loan  of  §50,  $100,  or  more,  according  to  the  circum- 
stances of  her  victim.  But  as  high  as  the  price  may  be,  it  is  very  seldom 
refused. 

Sometimes  the  woman  waits  until  the  night  of  the  wedding.  A  hard 
pull  at  the  bell  announces  that  an  important  visitor  is  outside.  Soon  a 
servant  tells  the  astonished  bridegroom  that  a  lady  wishes  to  see  him  at 
the  door.  "Who  can  the  lady  be  who  choses  this  inopportune  hour  for  her 
vi:>it?  The  affair  creates  a  profound  sensation  among  the  company,  and 
a  shadow  settles  ou  the  happy  face  of  the  bride.  The  bridegroom  sends 
his  father,  brother,  or  somebody  else  to  see  what  the  lady  wishes.  But 
she  insists  upon  seeing  him  personally,  and  lays  particular  stress  upon  the 
fact  that  he  is  bound  to  come,  and  if  he  does  not  there  will  be  a  row. 
The  result  of  the  interview  is  reported  to  the  bridegroom,  and  he  at  last 
consents  to  see  her.  Then  it  turns  out  that  it  is  nothing  but  a  plan  to 
extort  money  from  him,  and  he  has  the  choice  between  a  row  that  will 
set  the  whole  block  in  an  uproar,  or  paying  a  considerable  sum  of  money. 
Whether  the  bridegroom  had  actually  committed  some  sin  against  his 
visitor  in  former  years,  is  immaterial.  lie  can  only  avoid  a  scaudal  by 
paying,  and  he  is  generally  compelled  to  do  so  to  rid  himself  of  the  un- 
welcome visitor. 

Besides  those  who  make  a  regular  business  of  black-mail,  there  are 
also  amateurs  in  this  "Hue  art."  There  are  people  who  carry  on  a  re- 
spectable business  only  by  chance,  but  are  no  better  than  the  lowest  crim- 
inal with  regard  to  want  of  principle  or  moral  depravity.  The  following 
true  story  may  serve  as  an  example  of  this  : 

A  young  butcher  one  day  noticed,  in  a  disreputable  street,  an  old  man 
who  seemed  to  be  waiting  for  some  one.  The  appearance  of  the  man 
indicated  a  person  of  wealth  and  high  standing,  and  attracted  the  atten- 
tion of  the  butcher.  He  would,  however,  soon  have  forgotten  this  man, 
if  he  had  not  seen  him  again  during  the  following  days.  This  seemed 
strange  to  him  at  first,  but  it  soon  occurred  to  him  that  the  old  man  was 
walking  in  "  ways  that  are  dark."  The  old  gentleman  must  be  rich,  aud 
the  speculative  brain  of  the  butcher  soon  found  that  he  could  make  money 
more  easily  here  than  at  his  business.  lie  therefore  left  his  business  to 
his  employers,  and  set  himself  to  his  work  with  the  paiieuce  of  a  dog. 
For  a  few  days  this  was  in  vain,  but  at  last  he  met  his  man  again  at  his 
usual  post.  The  butcher  stepped  into  the  shadow  of  a  neighboring  door, 
and  patiently  waited.  Soon  a  closely-veiled  lady  came  down  the  street, 
and  the  old  man  greeted  her  with  great  friendliness,  and  arm-in-arm  they 


646  BLACK-MAIL. 

passed  along.  The  butcher  followed  them  at  a  respectable  distance,  and 
soon  saw  them  enter  a  house  of  assignation. 

When  they  left  it,  the  butcher  was  on  their  track  again.  After  part- 
ing, he  followed  the  gentleman  to  his  residence,  where  he  discovered  his 
name.  In  a  few  days  he  had  also  discovered  the  name  and  station  of 
the  lady,  and  his  supposition  that  they  both  belonged  to  rich  and  prom- 
inent families  was  correct. 

He  now  wrote  a  letter  to  the  gentleman,  speaking  of  his  meeting  with 
Mrs.  N.  in  a  certain  street,  and  demanding  an  interview.  Frightened  at 
the  discovery,  the  gentleman  granted  the  desired  interview.  The  butcher 
immediately  stated  his  business,  and  a&ked  $1,000  as  the  price  of  his 
silence  in  the  delicate  matter. 

The  amount  was  high,  but  Mr.  F.  was  the  head  of  a  family,  and  a 
thousand  other  considerations  induced  him  to  pay  the  money.  The  ras- 
cal laughingly  pocketed  the  money,  and  went  to  the  residence  of  the  lady. 
He  asked  to  see  her  on  pressing  business.  She  almost  fainted  as  he  began 
to  recount  the  circumstances  of  her  interview  with  Mr.  F.  on  a  certain 
street.  She  begged  him  to  keep  quiet,  and  to  save  her  reputation.  He 
asked  her  whether  she  considered  her  reputation  worth  $500.  She  now 
saw  that  it  was  simply  a  black-mailing  visit,  and  paid  the  desired 
amount.     She  was  not  troubled  again. 

Mr.  F.  did  not  escape  so  easily.  To  him  the  rascal  applied  with  al- 
ways greater  demands.  Mr.  F.  was  weak  enough,  in  consideration  of 
his  family  and  the  lady,  to  submit  to  these  extortions.  "With  this  plia- 
bility the  impudence  of  the  rascal  grew,  and  hardly  two  years  had  passed 
when  he  had  extorted  more  than  $10,000  from  the  gentleman.  Mr.  F. 
felt  himself  completely  in  the  power  of  this  man,  who  stuck  to  him  like 
a  leech,  and  could  not  be  induced  to  be  content  with  a  reasonable 
sum.  To  escape  his  tormentor  he  at  last  adopted  the  desperate  expe- 
dient of  selling  his  business,  and  building  up  a  new  home  in  the  west. 
The  rascally  butcher,  however,  boasted  of  his  success  in  this  case,  and 
openly  declared  his  intention  to  bring  the  same  method  into  operation  if 
he  had  another  chance. 

Very  often  it  also  happens  that  black-mailers  lead  rich  and  prominent 
persons,  who,  by  their  mode  of  life,  are  invulnerable  against  such  attacks, 
into  well-arranged  traps.  The  appearance  is  then  against  their  victims^ 
and  that  suffices  for  the  purpose  of  the  rascals.  In  this  manner  the  rec- 
tor of  a  prominent  church  on  Broadway  was  completely  ruined  a  few 
years  ago. 

Under  the  pretence  that  a  sick  woman  wished  to  see  him,  he  was  one 
evening  called  to  a  house  of  ill-fame.  Everything  was  arranged  in  such 
a  manner  that  he  was  seen  by  different  parties,  both  upon  entering  and 
leaving  the  house.  Upon  arriving  at  the  house,  he  was  coolly  informed 
of  the  state  of  affairs,  and  was  told  that,  as  the  appearances  were  against 


TI1K    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK     III  I  .  047 

him,  it'  lie  would  not  pay  $1,000  they  would  sot  a  grand  public  scandal 
into  play.  The  rector  saw  the  trap  into  which  he  had  fallen,  and  did  not 
have  the  courage  to  resist  the  attempt  at  extortion.  lie  signed  a  draft, 
payable  at  sight,  for  the  amount,  and  left  the  house.  But  with  this  draft 
he  had  by  no  means  bought  his  liberty.  He  continually  received  by  letter 
and  personally  the  most  impudent  demands.  Rich  as  he  was,  he  clearly 
saw  that  these  continued  extortions  would  soon  ruin  him.  It  also  be* 
came  known  that  rowdies  and  women  of  ill-fame  commanded  his  purse 
to  a  greater  extent  than  seemed  necessary  for  the  purposes  of  charity. 
All  this  drove  him  to  desperatiou.  One  morning  he  had  disappeared,  and 
a  letter,  dated  a  few  days  later,  from  Sandy  Hook,  contained  his  resigna* 
tion,  and  his  intention  to  visit  Europe. 

After  some  time  he  returned  from  Europe,  and  became  pastor  of  a 
small  country  community  in  Massachusetts.  But  his  residence  here  was 
discovered  by  the  black-mailers,  and  he  again  received  threatening  letters. 
He  began  to  suffer  intensely  under  these  tortures  of  the  mind,  until,  too 
late  for  him,  relief  came.  At  the  descent  of  the  police  upon  a  thieves' 
resort  in  New  York,  letters  were  found  showing  that  he  was  the  victim 
of  the  machinations  of  a  black-mailing  gang.  The  rector,  who  in  his 
time  was  one  of  the  most  popular  as  well  as  the  richest  ministers  of  the 
city,  is  to-day  both  mentally  and  bodily  prostrated,  serving  in  a  remote 
Canadian  settlement,  having  been  driven  from  his  home  by  the  rascality 
of  a  black-mailing  gang. 

This  is  sad  indeed  !  But  why,  many  of  our  readers  will  ask,  do  such, 
victims  submit  to  these  extortions,  instead  of  throwing  the  black-mailer 
out  of  doors,  or  handing  him  over  to  the  police?  This  question  is  easier 
put  than  answered.  We  fear  that  the  questioner  would,  in  most  cases, 
not  act  a  bit  different  from  the  course  of  action  of  the  victims  lie  criti- 
cises. Many  have  the  courage  to  do  a  wrong  action,  or  do  not  blush  at 
some  weakness  to  which  they  have  given  way.  But  very  few  have  the 
courage  to  confess  a  wrong  action  or  a  weakness,  even  if  this  is  neces- 
sary to  save  them  from  becoming  the  victims  of  the  criminal  propensities 
of  others.  The  simplest  and  most  natural  protection  against  black-mail, 
to  apply  to  the  police,  is  generally  not  thought  of  by  the  victim,  until  he 
is  almost  ruined.  Thus  the  case  of  the  widower  is  a  prominent  example 
of  this  fact.  For,  when  he  saw  that  the  continued  extortions  would  soon 
beggar  him,  he  told  the  police  of  his  weakness,  and  the  consequences  re* 
suiting  therefrom.  This  saved  him.  The  police  soon  discovered  that 
the  supposed  California  widow  was  nothing  more  than  a  common  adven- 
turess, and  that  her  supposed  husband  was  only  an  accomplice,  and  that 
he  had  a  wife  and  family  living  in  Boston.  The  husband  was  thereupon 
arrested.  He  protested  that  he  was  married  to  the  California  widow,  and 
that  he  therefore  had  a  perfect  right  to  settle  with  the  man  who  had 
dishonored  him,  according  to  his  own  judgment,  by  an  intrigue  with   his 


648  BLACK-MAIL. 

wife.  He  was  then  told  with  reference  to  his  Boston  wife,  and  was  in- 
formed that  he  had  accused  himself  of  bigamy,  and  that  he  would  be  held 
to  answer  this  grave  charge. 

But  before  the  trial  came  off  much  more  serious  charges  were  made 
against  the  rascal,  which  sent  him  to  the  penitentiary  for  a  number  of 
years.  The  money  extorted  from  the  widower,  as  well  as  the  costly  furni" 
ture,  was  lost.  The  latter  was  never  troubled  again,  and  could  regard 
his  loss  as  a  penalty  for  not  making  use,  in  the  beginning,  of  the  safest 
means  for  protection. 

We  could  mention  still  more  examples  in  which  victims  of  extortion, 
to  whom  suicide  seemed  the  only  way  out  of  their  troubles,  were  saved 
at  last  by  the  interference  of  the  police.  Besides  the  police,  there  is  a 
still  more  sure  and  effective  protection  against  black-mailers,  and  that  is 
— a  clear  conscience.  Cases  in  which  black-mailers  have  selected  really 
respectable  men  for  their  victims,  are  exceedingly  scarce.  He  who  is 
conscious  of  always  having  done  right,  according  to  his  best  knowledge, 
Will  not  hesitate  to  have  his  character  examined,  if  it  should  be  necessary 
to  do  so  to  stamp  any  suspicion  raised  against  him  as  an  attempt  at 
extortion.  ^ 

Wo  cannot  close  this  chapter  without  referring  to  a  system  of  official 
black-mail.  This  consists  of  the  "  voluntary  contributions  "  which  are 
expected  from  the  officers  in  the  various  departments  of  the  city,  State, 
and  National  governments  for  party  purposes.  The  expression,  "  party 
purposes,"  is  a  very  vague  one,  and  generally  reduces  itself  to  mean  the 
advancement  of  the  private  interests  of  some  prominent  political  wire- 
puller. But,  even  if  the  object  was  a  good  one,  it  never  could  justify  so 
contemptible  means  as  raising  forced  contributions  from  public  officers, 
and  call  it  a  voluntary  one.  It  is  true,  nobody  compels  the  different  offi- 
cers to  contribute  anything,  but  let  one  of  them  refuse,  and  the  conse- 
quence would  be  that  soon  after  he  would  receive  notice  that  his  services 
were  no  longer  required.  Probably  a  trumped-up  charge  would  be 
brought  against  him  in  justification  of  his  dismissal.  At  all  events,  the 
true  reason  is  never  given. 

The  common  black-mail  only  injures  individuals.  But  it  is  far  differ- 
ent with  the  political  extortion.  This  is  one  of  the  chief  sources  of  the 
corruption  of  our  public  officers,  and  therefore  reacts  very  injuriously  on 
society  in  general.  The  value  and  fitness  of  an  officer  are  measured, 
under  this  blackmail  system,  according  to  the  amount  of  his  contribu- 
tions, and  tae  willingness  with  which  he  gives  them,  while  their  business 
qualifications  do  not  come  at  all  into  consideration.  The  average  sala- 
ries of  officers  are  generally  very  low.  If,  therefore,  the  political  black- 
mail takes  a  large  part  of  this  every  year,  it  gives  the  victim  the  silent  per- 
mission to  make  good  his  loss  from  the  public  treasury,  or  in  some  other 
way.    Whether  by  direct  robbery  or  neglect  of  duty,  the  loss  always  comes 


TIIE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    TORK    LIFE.  0  1  ) 

from  the  pocket  of  the  citizen,  who  has  to  make  good  the  amount  of  the 
political  blackmail.  All  the  means  which  can  be  effectively  used  against 
private  black-mail,  are  of  no  use  with  that  of  the  political.  To  suppress  it, 
a  complete  revolution  in  the  public  feeling  would  be  absolutely  necessary 
one  that  would  apply  the  ideas  of  morality  and  honesty,  which  we  use  in 
private  life,  to  public  life  also. 


PRIVATE  POST-OFFICES. 

Among  the  establishments  which,  in  spite  of  their  apparently  harmless 
character,  develop  a  very  pernicious  influence,  the  private  post-offices 
occupy  a  prominent  place.  We  have  already  had  occasion,  several  times 
before,  to  refer  to  them,  and  the  company  in  which  we  have  seen  them. 
44  Swindlers"  and  "  Matrimonial  Agencies"  did  not  show  them  in  a  very 
favorable  aspect.  A  little  reflection  will  present  them  in  a  very  discred- 
itable light. 

The  public  mail-service  in  our  city  is  so  well  organized,  that  it  suffices 
for  all  ordinary  purposes.  This  is  a  well-known  fact.  How  can  the 
existence,  then,  of  private  post-offices  be  possible  or  justifiable?  We 
would  here  remark  in  the  beginning,  that  no  justification  is  possible,  and 
will  therefore  only  inquire  into  the  causes  which  have  brought  the  private 
post-offices  into  existence,  and  have  made  their  business  a  very  lucrative 
one. 

These  offices  are  either  devoted  exclusively  to  the  delivery  or  letters,  or 
they  are  simply  parts  of  other  establishments.  In  the  former  case  they 
are  not  very  inviting,  mostly  small  offices  in  a  top  floor,  without  any 
other  iurniture  than  is  absolutely  necessary  to  give  them  the  appearance 
of  a  post-office.  They  are  generally  in  one  of  the  principal  streets,  es- 
pecially Broadway,  as  a  Broadway  address  is  geuerally  a  recommenda- 
tion by  itself.  For  an  artless  reader  iu  the  country  who  peruses  an  ad- 
vertisement, with  the  address,  No.  —  Broadway,  New  York,  generally 
supposes  it  to  be  one  of  those  big  firms  of  which  he  has  heard  so  much. 
He  therefore  has  confidence  iu  the  advertisement,  which  would  ccrtaiuly 
not  be  the  case  if  he  could  see  the  den  serviug  as  an  office  in  some  corner 
of  a  tumbledown  house. 

The  customers  of  the  private  post-offices  are   either  persons  for  whom 


650  PRIVATE    POST-OFFICES. 

the  United  States  Mail  is  not  available,  or  whose  business  is  of  such  a 
nature  that  it  would  be  endangered  if  carried  on  by  the  regular  mail. 
For  the  reader  already  knows  that  postmasters  are  authorized  to  keep 
back  the  correspondence  of  notorious  swindlers,  quacks,  and  others  who 
use  the  mails  for  an  illegitimate  purpose.  A  conscientious  postmaster 
can  easily  discover  such  persons  within  range  of  his  post-office,  and  can 
then  return  the  letters  arriving  for  them  to  the  writers.  Thus  the  busi- 
ness of  such  swindlers  is  generally  nipped  in  the  bud,  and  to  remedy  this 
private  post-offices  have  been  organized.  The  proprietors  of  these 
offices  are  well  aware  of  this  object,  and  are  therefore  no  better  than  the 
swindlers  who  patronize  them.  These  offices  also  explain  the  fact  how 
so  many  swindling  concerns  can  advertise  their  business  at  the  same 
address.  The  house  number  of  each,  however,  is  only  that  of  a  private 
pobt-office,  where  the  different  swindlers  have  boxes,  and  where  their 
letters  are' generally  sent.  The  swindlers  themselves  live  in  some  out-of- 
the-way  place,  and  the  office  where  they  keep  their  sawdust  is  in  some 
remote  attic. 

It  is  of  course  a  very  difficult  job,  in  this  respect,  for  the  police  to  reach 
the  swindlers.  If  a  swindler  finds  that  the  post-office  officials  are  begin, 
ning  to  suspect  the  nature  of  his  business,  and  can  possibly  keep  back  the 
letters  addressed  to  him,  he  immediately  advertises  under  a  new  name. 
If  the  private  post-office  has  become  so  suspicious  that  the  postmaster  has 
placed  it  on  the  list  of  the  swindling-offices,  and  delivers  no  more  letters 
to  it,  it  is  an  easy  matter  for  the  proprietor  to  pack  up  his  things,  and 
to  begin  again  under  a  new  name  somewhere  else.  The  different  swin- 
dlers cannot  be  considered  as  actual  customers  of  these  private  post- 
offices.  >  The  latter  are,  on  the  contrary,  rather  the  allies  and  partners  of 
the  swindlers,  and  receive  their  share  of  the  gains.  This,  however,  does 
not  present  their  accepting  any  profitable  business  from  some  other 
source.  They  therefore  rent  boxes  to  any  one  who  applies  to  them,  with- 
out troubling  their  customers  with  annoying  questions.  The  tax  is  of 
course  higher  than  in  the  regular  post-offices,  and  varies  from  fifty  cents 
to  one  dollar  per  month.  These  persons  are  also  customers  who,  for 
some  particular  reason,  wish  to  avoid  the  regular  post-office.  The  hus- 
band or  wife  who,  behind  the  backs  of  their  partners  for  life,  or  the  daugh- 
ter who,  behind  the  backs  of  her  parents,  keeps  up  a  secret  correspond- 
ence, can  certainly  not  have  their  letters  sent  to  the  house.  Such  private 
post-offices  are  to  them  an  easy  way  out  of  the  dilemma,  without  being 
compelled  to  confide  in  any  one. 

Sometimes  it  occurs  that  the  owner  of  such  a  box  waits  in  vain  for  let- 
ters, although  he  knows  that  such  letters  have  been  sent.  In  such  cases 
the  office  no  longer  receives  any  letters  from  the  post-office,  having  be- 
come known  as  a  swindiing-office.  The  officexloes  not  tell  its  customers 
a  word  of  this,  but  lets  them  pay  their  dues  until  they  get  tired  of  it.    But 


THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    TORS    LOT.  C5I 

the  matter  is  also  not  entirely  without  danger.  A  sign  in  the  office  tells 
us,  "All  letter-business  strictly  confidential. "  But  this  is  a  very  poor 
guarantee  for  the  inviolability  of  the  letters.  A  certain  gentleman,  Mr. 
D.,  who  had  a  very  jealous  wife,  kept  up  a  secret  correspondence  with  a 
tody,  also  married.  For  a  while  all  went  well.  Mr.  D.'s  letters  were 
written  in  a  manner  to  show  that  he  had  forgotten  his  marriage 
vows.  This  the  private  postman  discovered,  in  spite  of  the  "strictly  con- 
fidential "  notice,  and  decided  to  make  some  money  out  of  his  secret. 
With  Mr.  D.'s  last  letter  in  his  hand,  he  called  at  that  gentleman's  office, 
and,  to  his  terror,  asked  him  whether  he  would  be  willing  to  buy  it  back 
for  S"200.  Mr.  D.  tried  to  intimidate  the  rascal  by  an  appearance  of 
firmness,  and  said  he  would  not  give  two  cents  for  it,  and  threatened  to 
call  in  the  police.  But  the  rascal  was  not  in  the  least  intimidated.  On 
the  contrary,  he  said  that  he  would  surprise  Mr.  D.'s  wife  by  giving  her 
the  letter.  This  had  the  desired  effect.  After  considerable  parleying, 
Mr.  D.  saw  no  escape  but  to  pay  the  money,  and  felt  relieved  upon  see_ 
mg  the  letter  burned. 

These  offices,  then,  if  not  intended  for  actual  criminal  purposes,  yet 
serve  such  persons  as  wish,  for  some  reason  or  other,  to  avoid  broad 
daylight.  These  persons  should  therefore  not  complain  if  they  are  judged 
by  the  company  in  which  they  are  found  in  such  places.  These  offices 
are  agencies  which  present  to  the  professional  swindler,  as  well  as  to  the 
heartless  seducer,  a  wide  field  in  which  to  set  their  traps  for  inexperienced 
youth.  Everything  that  must  avoid  a  plain,  open  correspondence  applies 
to  them.  They  bear  the  same  relation  to  the  regular  post-office  as  the 
private  detectives  bear  to  the  official  secret-service.  They  are  a  poison- 
ous degeneration  of  one  of  the  most  beneficial  and  most  important  public 
institutions,  and  it  is  only  to  be  regretted  that  they  are  so  difficult  to 
reach,  if  at  all,  by  the  police.  They  are  very  closely  related  to  the 
"  personals"  and  swiudling  advertisements  which  many  of  our  dailies 
admit  into  prominent  places  in  their  columns  every  day.  ^Y^s  therefore 
do  not  go  into  the  full  details  of  this  nefarious  business  here,  as  Ave  shall 
treat  of  it  at  length  in  the  chapter  on  t;  Personal  and  Swindling  Adver- 
tisements." 


652  OBSCENE    LITERATURE. 

OBSCENE   LITERATURE. 

Obscene  literature  has  not  unjustly  been  styled  moral  poison,  and  pa- 
rents and  guardians  might  just  as  well  place  arsenic,  strychnine,  or  some 
other  dangerous  poison  into  the  hands  of  their  children,  as  allow  the  low 
and  vulgar  productions,  in  the  form  of  obscene  books,  papers,  etc.,  to 
reach  them.  It  is  a  strange  fact  that  the  sale  of  poisons,  as  they  come 
from  the  chemical  works,  is  more  strictly  watched  than  the  sale  and  dis- 
tribution of  the  moral  poisons  in  the  form  of  obscene  productions  of  the 
press.  The  consequences  of  this  inconsistency  of  the  law  are  of  the 
most  serious  character.  It  has  caused  the  business  in  obscene  literature 
to  assume  alarming  dimensions,  and  there  are  firms  in  this  city  who  do  a 
business  in  indecent  publications  that  is  hardly  exceeded  by  very  few  of 
our  legitimate  publishing  houses.  It  will  hardly  be  believed,  but  it  is  a 
terrible  fact,  that  the  total  number  of  obscene  books  sold  annually  in  our 
city  amounted  to  over  100,000.  The  matter  becomes  still  worse  when 
we  add  to  this  number  the  obscene  pictures,  photographs,  and  stereosco- 
pic views,  lithographs,  the  so-called  playing-cards,  etc.  They  belong  to 
the  same  class  of  moral  poisons,  and  are  probably  even  more  dangerous 
than  books,  for  by  a  single  look  they  are  able  to  corrupt  the  youthful 
mind.  The  business  in  these  obscene  works  is  also  very  large,  a  half 
million  being  the  number,  according  to  the  estimates  of  the  police,  that  is 
annually  brought  into  circulation.  The  demand  for  these  poisons  seems 
to  be  on  the  increase,  rather  than  anything  else.  Until  1846  the  import- 
ations from  England  and  France  sufficed  to  supply  the  American  market 
with  these  disgraceful  publications.  This  importation,  however,  was 
such  a  risky  thing  that  the  number  of  obscene  books  was  necessarily  very 
small,  and  the  prices  very  high.  Obscene  books  and  pictures  were  there- 
fore until  then  very  rare.  But  the  taste  for  them  had  already  been  de. 
veloped,  and  the  demand,  in  spite  of  the  high  price,  was  considerably 
greater  than  the  supply.  This  induced  an  Irishman,  who  had  until  then 
imported  obscene  books,  to  try  the  publication  of  these  works.  The 
name  of  this  man,  "NV.  Haines,  deserves  to  be  held  up  to  public  disgrace 
forevermore,  in  the  annals  of  our  Republic,  as  the  first  man  who  natural- 
ized obscene  literature  in  our  country.  He  began  on  a  small  scale,  but 
he  thoroughly  understood  his  business,  and  was  soon  a  rich  man.  Up  to 
the  year  1871  he  had  published  not  less  than  320  different  works  (bound 
books)  of  the  most  obscene  character,  which  have  all  had  an  extmsive 
circulation,  and  have  paid  exceedingly  well.  Besides  these  books,  Haines 
also  manufactures  the  so-called  French  or  fancy  playing-cards,  in  which 
branch  of  business  he  has,  in  a  certain  Geo.  Akman,  the  only  competi- 
tor in  the  country.  This  Akman,  besides  manufacturing  the  cards,  also 
does  a  large  business  in  the  cheaper  class  of  obscene  literature,"in  which 
he  is  only  exceeded  by  Haines. 


TIIE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE. 

With  regard  to  the  photographic  part  of  the  business,  there  are  fai 
more  persons  who  prostitute  their  art  by  the  manufacture  of  obscene  pic- 
tures than  would  be  supposed.  A  certain  G.  Gompert  has  the  honor  ot 
beiug  the  most  extensive  dealer  in  this  class  of  merchandise.  For  a 
time  this  fellow  carried  on  the  business  with  the  greatest  boldness.  This 
at  last  brought  him  into  contact  with  the  authorities.  He  was  arrested, 
and  his  publications  were  confiscated.  Fortunately  for  him,  but  unfor- 
tunately for  public  morality  and  justice,  Gompert  had  already  become 
rich  in  his  disgraceful  business,  and  money  is  the  best  lawyer.  Gom- 
pert, to  the  astonishment  of  all  respectable  citizens,  was  discharged,  and 
in  a  short  time  was  again  at  his  old  business — more  secretly,  but  on  a 
much  larger  scale. 

These  three  men  are  responsible  for  the  greater  part  of  that  moral 
poison  which,  in  the  form  of  obscene  books  and  pictures,  circulates  among 
all  classes  of  the  population.  There  are,  of  course,  in  other  cities  just 
as  depraved  persons,  who  also  contribute  their  share  of  obscene  books, 
pamphlets,  songs,  etc.  The  importation  of  these  works  also  continues.. 
and  has  rather  increased  than  decreased.  We  have  already  given  an 
idea  of  the  extensive  business  of  these  rascals.  It  is  not  too  much  to- 
say  that  the  country  is  perfectly  flooded  with  their  productions.  Thus  a 
single  private  citizen,  Mr.  A.  J.  Comstock,  who  plays  a  similar  part  in 
the  field  of  obscene  literature  to  that  of  Mr.  Bergh  in  cruelty  to  animals, 
has  succeeded,  in  the  course  of  a  few  years,  in  confiscating  and  destroying 
over  thirteen  tons  of  this  class  of  publications.  That  this  amount  de- 
stroyed only  represents  a  small  fraction  of  the  books  is  self-evident,  and 
we  can  only  wonder  that  a  business  in  forbidden  articles,  which  is  so  com- 
plicated and  requires  so  many  different  branches,  can  be  carried  on  so 
openly  under  the  very  eyes  of  the  authorities.  Many  of  our  readers 
will  ask  where  these  works  are  printed.  Some  will  thiuk  of  printing- 
offices  hidden  in  deep  cellars,  or  will  let  them  be  manufactured  in  the  same 
manner  as  counterfeiters  make  bank-notes. 

But  far  from  it !  The  reader  must  not  forget  that  the  business  in  ob- 
scene literature  is  a  very  lucrative  one.  The  publisher  is  therefore  able 
to  pay  much  higher  prices  for  his  work  than  are  paid  for  respectable  pro- 
ductions. We  see  that  the  publishers  of  our  rich  dailies  take  the  most 
disgusting  advertisements  into  their  papers  for  no  other  reason  than  that 
they  are  better  paid  for  than  the  common  advertisements.  If  the  price 
paid  for  the  work  is  only  higher  than  usual,  there  is  no  book,  however 
disgusting,  that  cannot  be  printed  in  our  city.  The  place  of  printing  is 
not  mentioned  on  the  title  page,  for  if  would  damage  the  reputation  of 
the  highly  respectable  firm.  That  alone  does  the  firm  wish  to  avoid. 
The  consciousness  of  having  aided  in  giving  to  the  world  an  obscene 
book  generally  disappears  in  the  much  more  pleasaut  consciousness  of 
having  made  a   good   trade.     As  easily  as   the   publishers  find  priming- 


(j,34  OBSCENE    LITERATURE. 

offices  to  do  their  work,  will  they  find  book-binding  establishments  to  do 
the  same,  so  long  as  they  can  satisfy  any  conscientious  scruples  with  dol- 
lars' and  cents.  Aye,  even  more  !  Many  of  our  large  publishing  houses 
began  their  business  as  dealers  in  obscene  literature.  In  this  manner  they 
laid  the  foundation  of  those  large  fortunes  with  which  they  built  up  their 
present  large  establishments,  and  then  forever  left  their  former  disgraceful 
business. 

From  these  printers  and  publishers,  we  turn  our  attention  to  the  dealers 
in  obscene  literature.  New  York  alone  has  not  less  than  thirty  of  these, 
who  carry  on  their  disgraceful  business  under  the  name  of  book  and  sta- 
tionery stores,  newspaper-stands,  etc.  In  general,  the  outward  appear- 
ance of  these  stores  is  so  far  respectable,  that  an  uninitiated  person  would 
not  easily  suspect  their  true  character.  And  yet  this  harmless  appear- 
ance generally  covers  the  most  disgusting  obscenity.     In  street 

such  a  book  and  picture  shop  existed  some  years,  and  was  conducted 
under  the  firm  name  of  Evans  &  Co.  For  some  reason,  as  some  say 
because  the  firm  had  omitted  to  pay  the  usual  tribute,  the  police  made  a 
descent  upon  this  den,  and  the  consequences  were  that  a  whole  wagon- 
load  of  the  most  disgusting  books  and  pictures  were  confiscated.  By 
some  means,  as  some  say  because  the  usual  tribute  was  immediately  paid, 
Evans  &  Co.  were  free  again  in  a  short  time.  It  was  said  that  it  was  im- 
possible to  obtain  any  proof  against  them.  The  same  firm  are  in  busi- 
ness to-day,  in  the  very  same  place,  only  that  they  are  wise  enough  to 
carry  it  on  under  a  new  name. 

All  these  dealers,  who  very  often  only  use  cellars  and  dirty  little  stores 
for  their  offices,  do  an  excellent  business.  They  obtain  their  stock  from 
the  publishers,  and  sell  their  goods  very  rapidly.  One  of  the  worst  ol 
the  whole  lot  was  a  certain  John  N.  Willis,  of  the  firm  of  Willis  &  Co., 
in  which  J.  H.  Reeves,  already  mentioned  in  another  chapter,  played  a 
prominent  part.  This  Willis  had  cast  his  eye  especially  upon  youn| 
girls,  and  proceeded  in  the  following  ingenious  way : 

He  inserted  an  advertisement  in  sensational  weeklies,  offering  to  seni 
to  any  woman  the  picture  of  her  future  husband  for  fifty  cents. 
Thousands  of  letters  came  in  answer  to  these  advertisements,  in  which 
the  fair  writers  desired  to  see  their  intended  husbands,  some  in  earnest, 
and  some  only  in  joke.  The  swindler  might  have  been  satisfied  with  the 
business  he  did  in  three-cent  photographs  at  fifty  cents  apiece.  But  that 
was  only  a  secondary  consideration.  To  the  picture  of  the  future  hus- 
band he  added  a  circular  which  contained  a  price-list  of  obscene  books, 
pictures,  instruments,  medicines,  etc.  Thet-e  articles  thus  came  to  the 
notice  of  thousands  of  young  girls  who  perhaps  until  then  had  no  idea  of 
their  existence.  The  rascal  felt  entirely  secure.  None  of  the  women  or 
girls  could  complain  of  the  insult  of  having  such  obscene  stuff  sent  to 
them,  without  acknowledging  that  they  had  applied  to  him  for  the  picture 


THE    DABS    BIDS    of    HEW    YORK    LIFE.  Oj.: 

of  their  future  husband.  On  the  other  hand,  he  knew  full  well  what  a 
charm  forbidden  things  have  on  weak  characters,  however  pure  they  may 
be  ;  and  he  also  expected  that,  however  the  price-list  was  received,  it 
would  not  be  destroyed  until  it  had  been  circulated  among  and  shown  to 
all  the  friends  of  the  receiver.  In  these  calculations  the  rascal  was 
not  deceived,  for  the  applications  for  obscene  books,  which  soon  began  to 
pour  in,  far  exceeded  those  for  the  future  husband. 

Besides  working  with  circulars,  which  are  distributed  in  many  different 
ways,  these  dealers  also  act  as  peddlers,  and  develop,  particularly  in  the 
country,  an  activity  very  dangerous  to  our  youth.  There  are  even  a 
number  of  women  who  make  it  their  busiuess  to  peddle  obscene  articles. 
Their  sphere  of  action  is  principally  amoug  the  female  sex,  where  they 
alone  are  able  to  obtain  sale  for  such  merchandise.  These  dealers  and 
agents  are  those  who,  from  time  to  time,  are  visited  by  the  police,  and 
who  lose  their  stock  by  confiscation,  which  until  recently  was  the  only 
penalty  imposed  upon  them.  This  penalty,  however,  is  not  very  severe. 
Very  soon  their  stock  is  again  completed,  and  their  destructive  work  con- 
tinues. To  reach  the  publishers  themselves  would  be  a  very  difficult 
matter,  even  supposing  an  earnest  desire  on  the  part  of  the  authorities  to 
do  so.  In  their  business  offices,  where  they  receive  their  letters  and 
orders,  there  is  nothing  that  could  bring  them  in  contact  with  the  law. 
Their  stock  is  generally  in  some  remote  quarter  of  the  city,  whence  the 
orders  are  filled,  and  the  goods  are  sent  off  in  cases  and  boxes  in  such  a 
quiet  manner,  that  no  one  would  suspect  the  true  nature  of  the  business. 
These  publishers  do  not  omit  to  be  on  good  terms  with  the  police.  It  is 
well  known  that  there  are  means  to  make  the  sight  of  the  sharpest  detec- 
tive grow  dim.  These  means  are  possessed  by  the  publishers  of  obscene 
books,  and  are  liberally  applied  by  them.  Thus  the  above-mentioned  W. 
Haines  is  said  to  have  expended  over  $20,000  in  this  way  in  the  course 
of  ten  years. 

A  large  part  of  the  business  in  obscene  literature,  both  by  publishers 
and  by  dealers,  is  done  by  means  of  advertisements.  Here  also  we  see 
a  large  part  of  our  periodica1  press  lending  a  helping  hand  to  criminals 
of  the  lowest  kind  for  the  sake  of  gain.  Especially  before  the  war,  ob- 
scene weeklies  were  openly  published  and  sold.  They  paid  exceedingly 
well,  and  were  forced  to  stop  publication,  not  on  account  of  the  prompt 
and  voluntary  action  of  the  police,  but  on  account  of  the  pressure  brought 
to  bear  on  the  authorities  by  an  outraged  public  opinion.  But  even  to- 
day there  are  papers  which,  with  regard  to  reading  matter  and  illustra- 
tions, fully  deserve  the  epithet  of  obscene.  But  they  very  wisely  keep 
within  the  Hue  which  the  law  has  laid  down.  They  coufine  themselves 
to  hinting,  by  pictures  and  by  reading,  what  they  would  so  very  gladly 
express  openly.  At  the  same  time,  they  excite  the  imagination  of  their 
readers,  and  prepare  them  for   the   much   spicier  reading  of  the  obscene 


356 


OBSCENE    LITERATURE. 


books.  These  represent  the  real  concentrated  moral  poison,  while  many 
of  our  illustrated  sensational  papers  are  only  weakers  forms  of  the  same 
poisons. 

A  special  class  of  dealers  in  obscene  literature  are  certain  doctors,  or 
rather  quacks,  who  very  often  publish  and  sell  books  on  certain  diseases, 
whose  contents,  however,  are  only  the  most  revolting  obscenity.  The 
swindlers  have  also  not  forgotten  to  use  the  business  of  obscene  litera- 
ture for  their  purposes.  They  advertise  books,  pictures,  etc,  under  titles 
which  appear  very  enticing  to  lovers  of  obscenities.  Such  a  bait  gen- 
erally has  the  desired  effect.  Letters  with  the  price  of  the  book  arrive 
in  large  numbers.  The  swindlers  pocket  the  money,  but  never  think  of 
sending  the  books.  If  another  letter  comes,  asking  for  the  cause  of  the 
delay,  the  writer  is  informed  that  his  money  has  not  been  received.  The 
money  is  then  in  some  cases  sent  a  second  time,  and  of  course  with  the 
same  result. 

If  we  consider  how  many  victims  lose  faith  in  the  bona  fido  obscene 
advertisements  by  these  swindlers,  we  may  almost  reconcile  ourselves  to 
this  class  of  swindle.  For  it  not  only  punishes  an  unclean  desire,  which 
seeks  forbidden,  poisonous  fruits,  but  it  also  damages  the  business  in 
obscene  literature  much  more  than  a  thousand  warnings  could  do.  Sim- 
ilar to  these  swindlers  are  small  second-hand  book-stores,  which  adver- 
tise old  medical  works  which  are  read  no  more,  in  a  manner  which  leads 
a  person  to  suppose  that  their  contents  are  obscene.  This  low  trick  also 
succeeds  very  well.  Numerous  orders  come  in  from  all  sides,  and  the 
speculative  bookseller  does  a  considerable  business  in  this  old  trash  at 
prices  which  often  exceed  the  original  value  of  the  articles.  His  end  is 
attained,  and  he  no  longer  cares  for  the  fools  he  has  used  to  accomplish 
his  purpose.  That  also  is  a  swindle,  and,  as  in  the  former  case,  there  is 
no  help  for  the  victim.  For  in  the  latter  case  there  is  no  evidence  of  a 
swindle,  as  the  buyer  has  received  the  book  he  asked  for.  The  former 
case  is  plain  and  open  swindling.  But  its  victims  do  not  dream  of  prose- 
cuting the  swindlers,  as  they  wrould  therefore  represent  themselves  as 
buyers  of  obscene  books  or  pictures.  This  kind  of  swindle  is  therefore 
very  extensively  carried  on. 

But  let  us  now  turn  to  the  customers,  who  are  the  real  supporters  of 
the  trade  in  obscene  literature.  They  are  very  numerous,  far  more  so 
than  we  can  acknowledge  without  blushing  for  mankind.  They  are 
found  in  all  classes  of  society,  and  in  both  sexes.  But  the  so-called 
better  classes  furnish  the  largest  number  of  buyers  of  obscene  works. 
Very  curious  facts  in  this  respect  were  brought  to  light  some  years  ago. 
An  obscene  weekly  paper,  of  the  most  disgusting  kind,  was  visited  by 
the  police,  its  office  in  Nassau  street  closed,  and  its  books,  papers,  stock, 
etc.,  confiscated.  The  list  of  subscribers  was  also  taken  by  the  police* 
and  was  the  most   interesting  part  of  the  whole   concern.     It  contained- 


T1IK    DARK    BIDS    ui     M.W     fORK    LIFE. 

more  than  ten  thousaud  names.  And  what  names?  Promiuent  mer- 
chants  and  bankers,  well-known  divines  of  all  denominations,  women  of 
the  most  prominent  families,  girls  in  the  most  promiuent  educational  in- 
stitutions, were  found  in  large  numbers,  and  particularly  were  the  rich 
and  so-called  educated  classes  represented  in  this  list  in  large  numbers, 
Great  political  influence,  as  well  as  large  sums  of  money,  were  brought 
into  play  to  suppress  this  list.  Aud  as  it  was  with  this  paper,  so  it  is 
with  the  books,  photographs,  stereoscopic  and  other  pictures,  etc.,  of  an 
obscene  character.  They  also  circulate  chiefly  among  the  rich  class, 
The  poorer  classes  seem  to  have,  in  their  struggle  for  their  daily  bread, 
an  effective  protection  from  this  moral  poison. 

With  regard  to  the  obscene  photographic  pictures,  the  delicate  question 
arises,  Who  are  the  female  models  who  serve  as  origiuals?  The  suppo- 
sition that  they  are  without  exception  taken  from  prostitutes,  or  that  the 
heads  and  bodies  are  taken  from  two  different  persons,  are  declared  by 
detectives,  who  are  considered  authorities  in  this  respect,  to  be  simply 
fables  and  nothing  else.  It  appears,  therefore,  that  the  fact  stated  some 
time  ago,  by  the  New  York  Herald,  that  beautiful,  and,  to  all  appear- 
ances, wealthy  women  allow  themselves  to  be  used  as  models  in  the 
"Academy  of  Design,"  may  equally  well  apply  to  the  dens  of  those  pho% 
tographers  who  manufacture  obscene  pictures. 

The  ruin  caused  by  such  books  and  pictures,  in  the  hands  of  boys  Q 
nir Is,  some  of  whom  have  just  entered  upon  their  teens  may  easily  be 
imagined.  The  youthful  mind,  until  then  pure,  receives,  in  this  manner, 
a  pestilential  matter  which  is  able  to  briug  to  nought  the  most  careful 
education,  and  which  gives  to  the  youthful  imagination  a  turn  which 
leads  it  directly  to  vice  and  crime.  Nothing  ruins  the  strength  of  mind 
and  body  more  than  a  sensually-excited  imagination,  and  nothing  does 
this  more  than  obscene  literature  or  pictures.  The  evil  is  all  the  worse, 
as  it  works  in  the  dark.  Parents  and  guardians  very  seldom  have  an 
idea  that  a  fiend  in  human  form  has  sown  such  poisonous  matter  in  the 
minds  of  their  children.  They  only  notice  it  when  it  is  too  late  to  apply 
a  remedy. 

It  wTill  hardly  be  necessary  to  give  more  than  a  passing  notice  to  any 
further  customers  of  obscene  literature.  That  houses  of  prostitution, 
concert-saloons,  and  dance-houses  are  good  customers  for  obscene  books, 
may  be  easily  imagined.  In  such  places  this  kind  of  literature  is  at 
home,  and  can  do  no  further  injury.  It  may  also  be  considered  perfectly 
harmless  in  the  hands  of  old  rakes,  who  are  also  among  the  principal 
customers  of  obscene  literature. 

What  has  been  done  until  now  to  limit  a  business  so  dangerous  to 
public  morality?  Very  little  indeed.  But  recently  it  seems  as  if  it  was 
to  become  better  so  far  as  legislation  in  this  respect  is  concerned,  for  in 
Albany  and  Washington  laws  have  been  enacted  which   take  hold  of  the 

42 


g58  OBSCENE    LITERATURE. 

evil  very  seriously.  The  laws  at  least  make  the  impression  that  they 
are  well  meant,  and  have  such  a  decided  wording  that  there  is  no  back 
door  through  which  the  criminal  can  escape.  The  new  State  law  has, 
among  other  provisions,  the  following : 

"Any  person  who  shall  manufacture,  or  cause  to  be  manufactured,  or 
have  in  his  possession,  or  give  away,  or  causes  others  to  manufacture 
and  sell,  any  obscene  books,  or  pictures,  or  medicines  (or  the  purpose  of 
bringing  about  an  abortion,  or  who  shall  publish  advertisements  having 
reference  to  such  articles,  shall,  if  over  twenty-one  years  of  age,  be  sen- 
tenced to  hard  labor  for  a  term  not  less  than  three  months,  and  not  ex- 
ceeding two  years,  and  a  fine  ranging  from  $100  to  $5,000,  and,  if  less 
than  twenty-one  years  of  age,  to  three  months'  imprisonment,  and  a  fine 
not  exceeding  $500.  The  fines  shall,  in  the  city  of  New  York,  be  divided 
equally  between  the  Female  Protective  Union  and  the  Prison  Associa- 
tion. 

A  very  far-reaching  part  of  the  law  says  that  all  machines,  raw  mate- 
rials, etc.,  used  in  the  manufacture  of  obscene  articles,  shall  be  confis- 
cated. This  threatens  the  printers  and  book-binders  who  do  not  hesitate 
to  aid  in  the  publication  of  these  disgusting  books,  so  long  as  they  are 
well  paid  for  it. 

Congress  has  also  shown  an  equally  praiseworthy  spirit.  The  law 
passed  by  it,  and  signed  by  the  President,  says  that  any  one  sending 
obscene  articles,  publications,  or  advertisements  shall  be  guilty  of  a  misde- 
meanor. The  penalty  fixed  for  this  offense  is  a  tine  ranging  frcm  $100 
to  $5,000,  or  an  imprisonment  at  hard  labor  ranging  from  one  to  ten 
years.  The  law  allows  the  court  to  use  its  own  discretion  in  dictating 
either  or  both  penalties,  which  is  a  very  wise  provision,  and  further  de- 
clares any  one  guilty  of  the  same  offense,  who  receives  the  articles 
from  th3  mail  writh  the  intention  of  giving  away,  selling,  or  in  any  man- 
ner circulating  the  same.  These  laws  are  very  severe,  and  their  partial 
enforcement  even  will  have  a  salutary  effect.  We  can  see  no  loop-holes 
in  them  for  the  escape  of  the  rascals  engaged  in  this  infamous  and  de- 
moralizing business. 

We  see  that,  besides  attacking  obscene  literature,  both  these  laws  also 
contain  very  plain  and  significant  hints  with  regard  to  obscena  and  so- 
called  medical  anvertisements.  In  the  Territories  Congress  has  als0 
strictly  forbidden  the  sale  and  manufacture  of  obscene  literature  under 
penalties.  Thus  it  seems  as  if  this  nefarious  business  had  already 
reached  its  cHmax,  with  some  hopes  of  its  being  brought  to  an  end. 
Several  cases  that  were  brought  into  court  some  time  ago,  plainly  show 
that,  so  far  as  the  Federal  courts  are  concerned,  the  law  is  not  to  be  a  dead- 
letter.  Thus  in  May,  1873,  a  certain  James  Sullivan  was  found  guilty 
of  violating  its  provisions,  and  was  sentenced  to  an  imprisonment  of  one 
year  and  a  fine  of  $500.     Such  examples  are  well  calculated  to  act  as  a 


TH1    DABS    BIDE   OK   NKW    TOSS    LIFE.  059 

warning  for  these  rascals,  and   to   prevent   others   from   euter-ing  upon  a 
career  of  crime  in  this  direction. 

The  laws  ,*i  e  very  well  adapted  to  break  np  this  disgusting  business. 
]>ut  what  is  needed  is  an  unapproachable  judiciary  to  execute  the  laws. 
Theu,  if  these  laws  were  properly  brought  into  execution,  obscene  books 
and  pictures,  if  they  would  not  entirely  disappear,  would  still  cease  to  be 
the  serious  danger  they  are  to  society  at  present. 


# 

PROFESSIONAL  STREET-BEGGARS. 

In  the  Bible  House,  the  large  building  opposite  to  the  Cooper  Institute, 
a  charitable  society  has  its  office,  whose  object  is  fully  explained  by  its 
name,  "Association  for  Improving  the  Condition  of  the  Poor."  For  this 
purpose  the  society  has  divided  the  city  into  small  districts,  and  has  ap- 
pointed for  each  district  one  of  its  members  as  a  visitor.  It  is  the  duty 
of  these  visitors  to  hunt  up  all  cases  of  poverty  and  misery  in  their  re- 
spective districts,  and  to  furnish  suitable  help.  Many  of  our  readers  wil* 
think  of  the  multitude  of  beggars  in  our  streets,  and  that  these  visitors 
do  not  properly  attend  to  their  duties.  These  beggars  do  not  even  have 
to  be  sought  out.  They  show  their  misery  plainly  in  the  open  street,  and 
only  too  often  even  come  into  the  houses  to  ask  for  aid.  If,  then,  the 
visitors  could  overlook  these  poor,  how  must  it  be  with  those  who  do  not 
show  their  wretchedness  and  poverty,  but  hide  it  in  the  back  lanes  and 
alleys? 

The  reader  who  reasons  in  this  manner  is  very  much  mistaken,  how- 
ever. Iu  large  cities  like  ours,  where  the  extremes  of  wealth  and  poverty 
meet,  it  is  nevertheless  the  case  that  the  real  poverty  always  hides  itself, 
and  must  actually  be  sought  out,  while  those  who  show  their  poverty  on 
the  street,  in  open  daylight,  are  seldom,  if  ever,  in  actual  want.  They 
live  on  the  bounty  of  others,  because  to  them  it  is  the  easiest  way  of 
living.  For  them  it  is  only  a  regular  business,  with  the  profits  of  which 
they  lead  an  easy  life.  For  them  begging  is  not  as  it  is  with  other  poor, 
a  necessity  brought  forth  by  the  most  abject  misery,  the  last  means  of 
saving  themselves  or  some  loved  ones  from  starvation.  In  a  word,  the 
Urge  majority  of  the  beggars  in  the  streets  are  not  in  want  of  aid.  The 
authorities  do  not  class  them  among  those  poor  who   are  in  want  of  aid* 


660  PROFESSIONAL    STREET-BEGGARS. 

while  they  themselves  never  lay  claim  to  that  help  which  our  numerous 
charitable  institutions  afford  to  every  one  who  is  in  actual  need.  We 
therefore  call  them  professional  beggars,  which  name  is  all  the  more 
appropriate  as  it  excludes  from  this  class  those  unfortunates  who  are 
occasionally  driven,  by  actual  want,  to  beg  for  charity  from  strangers. 

The  saddest  form  of  professional  begging  in  the  streets  is  that  in  which 
children  of  both  sexes  are  engaged.  These  children  are  either  poor 
homeless  creatures,  who  carry  on  begging  on  their  own  account,  and  who 
prefer  the  roving  life  connected  with  it,  to  a  charitable  institution  where 
they  would  be  housed  and  fed,  and  would  learn  some  useful  trade ;  or 
J  they  are  the  children  of  beastly  parents,  who  send  them  out  begging.  In 
both  cases  these  children  quickly  learn  the  part  they  have  to  play,  and  to 
adapt  their  expression  and  clothing  to  it.  They  also  relate  their  misfor- 
tunes with  a  natural  expression,  which  very  seldom  fails  to  produce  the 
desired  effect.  They  only  fall  into  the  habit  of  extreme  exaggeration,  and 
hurt  tffemselves  more  in  that  way  than  they  benefit  themselves.  Thus  in 
the  neighborhood  of  Fourteenth  street  and  Fifth  avenue,  a  little  girl  has 
been  seen  for  the  past  two  years,  who  tells  every  passer  by,  with  saddest 
face  imaginable,  that  her  mother  has  just  died,  and  that  she  and  her  seven 
brothers  and  sisters  have  nothing  to  eat. 

The  perseverance  with  which  these  children  defy  the  weather,  particu- 
larly in  winter,  is  ofteu  to  be  wondered  at.  They  frequently  stand  half 
naked,  in  the  most  severe  cold,  to  excite  the  pity  of  the  passers-by.  An 
officer  of  the  Board  of  Public  Charities  made  the  following  experience 
during  a  past  winter  : 

On  a  bitter  cold  day  he  saw  two  girls  begging  on  Broadway,  of  whom 
the  oldest  one  particularly  attracted  his  attention.  The  child  seemed  the 
very  image  of  want,  as  a  light,  faded  dress  and  a  ragged  shawl  formed 
her  only  protection  against  the  cold.  What  seemed  the  most  terrible  of 
all  was  that  she  was  without  stockings  or  shoes,  but  went  barefoot  on  the 
ice-covered  pavement.  This  last  fact  particularly  aroused  the  pity  of  the 
passers-by,  of  whom  almost  all  gave  the  child  something.  Mr.  H.,  how- 
ever, suspected  that  the  bare  feet  were  only  a  rather  suspicious  exhibi- 
tion. He  therefore  determined  to  find  out  whether  the  girls  were  the 
tools  of  heartless  parents,  or  whether  they  led  the  lives  of  vagabonds  of 
their  own  free  will.  He  asked  them  where  they  lived.  "  In  Fifty-third 
street,  near  the  North  River,"  was  the  answer  of  the  barefoot  girl.  That 
was  far,  it  is  true,  but  Mr.  H.,  determined  to  solve  this  riddle,  declared 
he  would  see  what  could  be  done  for  them,  and  that  they  should  take  him 
to  their  home.  This  unexpected  proposition  did  not  seem  very  pleasant 
to  the  two,  and  they  tried  all  possible  means  to  escape.  But  Mr.  FI.  was 
not  to  be  repulsed  so  easily,  and  they  were  compelled  to  start  with  him. 
They  had  already  gone  a  considerable  distance  up  town,  when  the  younger 
girl  suddenly  burst  out  with  : 


THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE.  GOl 

"It  is  all  nonsense  for  us  to  go  up  there.  Jenny  lives  down  in 
Twelfth  street.  She  might  as  well  put  on  the  shoes  and  stockings  now, 
which  she  has  hid  under  her  shawl !" 

This  was  enough  for  Mr.  II.  Upon  his  peremptory  order,  the  girl 
pulled  out  warm  shoes  and  stockings  Irom  under  her  shawl,  and  put  them 
on.  Mr.  II.  then  brought  her  before  a  justice,  who  sent  her  to  the 
House  for  Destitute  Children. 

It  is  unnecessary  to  say  that  the  sweeping  of  crossiugs  in  the  winter  is 
only  another  variety  of  begging.  Unfortunately  the  inexcusable  negli- 
gence of  our  Street  Commissioners  furnishes  a  plausible  pretext  for  this 
begging,  and  it  cannot  be  denied  that,  without  these  children,  these  cross- 
ings would  often  be  in  a  filthy  condiiion,  and  impassable  for  pedestrians 
in  winter. 

The  grown  up  beggars  are  a  very  mixed  crowd.  Some  are  blind, 
some  are  lame,  and  others  again  are  mutilated  in  some  way,  or  at  least 
seem  to  be  so.  For  nowhere  are  appearances  more  deceptive  than  with 
our  professional  beggar.  He  not  only  considers  begging  a  profession,  but 
very  often  even  as  an  art,  and  is  himself  a  master  in  this  art.  Many 
persons  who  are  induced  to  give  a  few  cents  to  a  blind,  lame,  or  one- 
armed  beggar,  would  hardly  recognize  the  object  of  their  charity  if  they 
should  see  him  at  home  iu  an  evening.  There  the  blind  man  sees,  the 
lame  one  dances,  and  the  wife  of  the  one-armed  man  loosens  the  well 
arm,  which  has  been  tightly  strapped  to  his  body  during  the  day.  The 
greater  the  appearance  of  physical  prostration  the  more  easily  is  the 
charity  of  the  passers-by  excited.  No  wonder,  then,  if  he  brings  into 
play  all  his  powers  of  acting  to  simulate  such  diseases,  during  his  busi. 
ness  hours,  as  will  most  readily  enlist  the  charity  of  pedestrians.  This  is 
done  to  such  an  extent  that,  according  to  the  statements  of  the  police, 
the  large  majority  of  the  beggars  who  show  some  disease  are  in  perfect 
bodily  health. 

Begging  women,  if  they  do  not  have  children  themselves,  do  an  excel- 
lent business  by  borrowing  and  taking  them  on  their  begging  expeditions. 
The  mother  who  lends  her  children  for  this  purpose  receives  a  share  of 
the  profits.  Crippled  children,  or  such  as  present  a  pitiable  appearance 
from  any  other  reason,  are  in  good  demand  for  the  begging  business,  and 
are  therefore  a  capital  to  their  parents,  who  make  a  business  of  lending 
them  out.  Not  un frequently  such  a  begging  woman  can  be  seen  sitting 
in  a  crowded  thoroughfare,  with  a  baby  on  her  arm,  and  two  other  chil- 
dren on  each  side.  The  face  of  such  a  woman  presents  a  really  tragic 
appearance,  and  the  half-naked  children  lean  for  hours  iu  the  same  effec. 
tive  position.  This  seems  strange,  but  is  quite  natural.  The  children 
are  intended  to  appear  sick,  and  no  well  child  would  remain  for  teu  min- 
utes iu  such  a  model  position.  A  good  dose  of  laudanum  produces  that 
state  of  insensibility  which  is   necessary  for   the   stability  of  the  group, 


662  PROFESSIONAL    STREET-BEGGARS. 

while  at  the  same  time  it  gives  to  the  children  that  morbid  and  swollen 
appearance  which  makes  such  a  favorable  impression  on  the  charity  of 
the  passers-by.  The  poor  children  are  of  course  ruined  mentally  and 
bodily  by  this  continual  dosing  with  narcotics ;  but  that  is  not  takea  into 
consideration  by  the  parents,  as  they  receive  so  many  more  charitable 
gifts,  the  sicklier  the  children  look. 

Another  and  the  most  impudent  class  of  professional  beggars  are  those 
■who  enter  boldly  into  residences,  offices,  hotels,  etc.,  and  then  claim  assist- 
ance by  telling  some  particularly  heartrending  tale  of  misery.  They  are 
mostly  women  whose  husbands  have  been  ailing  for  years,  or  men  who 
would  like  to  work,  but  are  prevented  from  so  doing  because  they  are 
paralyzed,  or  from  some  other  reason.  More  frequently,  however,  they 
are  young  men  who  are  out  of  work  (and  perhaps  have  never  seen  real 
work.)  A  characteristic  of  this  class  is  the  impudence  and  boldness 
with  which  they  carry  on  their  begging,  and  which  plainly  shows  that 
they  are  perfectly  at  home  in  it.  The  members  of  this  profession  are  in 
constant  communication  with  each  other.  For  it  is  a  strange  fact  how 
soon  a  house  will  be  overrun  by  them  when  one  of  their  number  has  dis- 
covered a  liberal-minded  person  in  it.  On  the  other  hand,  a  positive 
refusal  to  the  first  one  of  these  beggars  suffices  to  keep  off  all  the  rest. 
They  keep  accurate  lists  of  the  houses  where  a  begging  visit  pays,  and, 
as  the  city  is  very  large,  the  visits  of  one  and  the  same  beggar  do  not 
occur  so  very  often,  although  he  is  on  the  tramp  all  the  time.  There  are 
also  persons  among  them  who  could  justly  be  styled  "  beggar  brokers/* 
We  had  the  pleasure  of  making  the  acquaintance  of  one  of  them.  Some 
time  ago  a  respectable  but  very  poor-looking  man  entered  our  office  and ' 
asked  for  help.  ..  The  story  which  he  told  us  of  misfortune  in  his  family 
and  inability  sounded  quite  natural,  and  whenever  he  called  after  that 
we  always  gave  him  something.  A  friend,  who  had  seen  the  man  in  our 
office,  warned  us  that  he  was  nothing  but  a  common  professional  beggar. 
We  did  not  pay  any  particular  attention  to  this  warning,  but  found  that 
the  visits  of  beggars  became  more  frequent.  One  day,  in  passing  through 
the  street,  we  saw  our  man  on  a  corner,  tho  centre  of  a  group  of  misera- 
ble looking  fellows,  to  whom  he  seemed  to  be  giving  some  advice  in  a 
business-like  manner.  We  now  remembered  our  friend's  warning,  and 
took  a  good  look  at  the  group.  The  very  same  day  we  were  surprised 
by  the  visit  of  two  of  that  group  as  beggars,  and  we  decided  to  gain 
some  information  as  to  the  character  of  that  corner  assembly,  and  as  to 
its  central  figure. 

We  therefore  entered  into  a  conversation  with  the  second  beggar,  and 
at  last  turned  it  to  the  group  on  the  corner.  That  aroused  the  suspi- 
cions of  the  beggar.  A  twenty-five  cent  piece,  and  the  assurance  that 
we  only  cared  for  information  about  the  chief  person,  quieted  him,  and 
immediately  set  him  to  talking  again.     We  learned  from  him  that  the 


'I'll-.    DABS    BIDE    0]     Mw    yoi:k    mil.  <5fi3 

respectable-looking  man  did  a  very  good  business  as  beggar,  and  that  his 
extensive  experience  enabled  him  to  communicate  to  "  less  experienced 
beggars  the  addresses  of  liberal-minded  persons,  and  thus  save  them 
many  useless  tramps.  The  tax  paid  him  varied  according  to  the  number 
of  addresses  communicated,  but  the  broker  business  of  this  man  seemed 
to  be  considered  a  very  profitable  one  among  the  beggars.  We  had 
heard  enough,  and  need  hardly  remark  that  the  next  visit  of  the  respecta* 
ble-lookiug  man  was  his  last  one. 

A  systematic  division  of  their  visits  is  necessary,  so  that  they  shall  not 
hurt  their  character  by  overrunning  a  certain  house.  For  this  class  of 
beggars  lay  claim  to  character,  and  always  make  it  appear  as  if  it  cost 
them  a  great  effort  to  beg.  They  are  particularly  insolent  in  sparsely* 
settled  districts  in  the  upper  part  of  the  city.  With  the  impudence  with 
which  they  demand  admittance,  and  their  outward  appearance  indicating 
almost  anything  but  a  beggar,  many  a  door  is  opened  to  them  which 
would  remain  closed  them  under  other  circumstances.  In  houses  which 
stand  aloue,  where  the  husband  leaves  home  for  business  early  in  the 
morning,  and  where  only  women  and  children  are  in  the  house,  the  visits 

are  not  entirely  without  danger.     The  fears  which  the. use  is  of  great 

advantage  to  the  beggars.  The  timid  housewife  generally  haa  I 
intruder  something  to  get  rid  of  him  as  quickly  as  possible.  Many  a 
good-hearted  woman,  who  makes  a  rule  of  not  refusing  a  beg?-  ;r  a  piece 
of  bread  if  he  asks  for  it,  has  been  sadly  disappointed  by  finding  the 
bread  where  the  beggar  has  thrown  it  after  leaving  the  house.  Other 
professional  beggars,  mostly  children  and  women,  are  more  speculative  than 
this.  They  know  very  well  that  only  a  very  few  would  refuse  a  hungry 
beggar  something  to  eat.  Therefore,  if  they  do  not  obtain  money,  they 
will  take  provisions  of  any  kind.  For  this  purpose  they  carry  a  basket 
with  them,  in  which  they  stow  away  all  the  provisions  they  receive  on 
their  tour.  This  basket  a  woman  either  carries  herself,  or  a  child  waits 
with  it  in  the  neighborhood  to  receive  whatever  the  woman  may  get.  In 
the  latter  case,  the  woman  has  the  advantage  that  she  can  go  to  every 
house  empty-handed,  and  can  therefore  beg  more  effectively.  The  best  of 
what  has  been  thus  begged  together  the  woman  picks  out  for  her  own 
use,  while  she  sells  the  rest  to  cheap  boarding-houses  or  similar  places. 
The  money  thus  made,  as  well  as  that  obtained  by  begging,  then  goes 
into  the  gin-mills. 

Another  favorite  form  of  begging  is  the  following:  Avery  bashful 
looking  person  enters  the  house  or  oiHce,  and  hands  you  a  folded  paper 
with  a  very  impressive  silence.  Uncertain  as  to  the  meaning  of  all  this, 
you  open  the  paper  and  find  therein  the  heartrendiug  account  of  some 
conflagration,  shipwreck,  or  other  misfortune,  of  which  the  person  who 
hands  you  tie  paper  has  been  the  victim.  The  end  of  this  heartrending 
story  is  an  urgent  appeal  to  all  friends  of  humanity  to  assist  a  deserving 


064  PROFESSIONAL    STREET-BEGGARS. 

unfortunate  by  kind  gifts.     Well-known  names,  like  "Jones,  Smith,  and 
Brown  guarantee  the  truth  of  the  story. 

Such  papers  frequently  cause  very  comical  misunderstandings.  Many 
of  the  be^o-ars  who  make  use  of  these  certificates  are  unable  to  read,  and 
very  often  even  do  not  know  the  contents.  They  only  know  that,  by 
showing  them,  they  will  receive  presents,  and  that  suffices  for  them. 
Thus  it  once  happened  that  an  old  beggar  bought  a  certificate  from  an 
old  woman,  who  had  done  a  splendid  business  with  it  as  the  widow  of  a 
fireman  who  had  perished  in  a  conflagration,  and  had  left  her  with  eight 
small  children,  etc.  For  him  of  course  this  paper  was  a  bad  investment. 
Some  simply  kicked  him  out  of  doors,  and  others  threw  it  back  at  him, 
laughing  at  the  comical  figure  he  cut,  until  at  last  he  offered  it  to  a  gen- 
tleman who  called  a  policeman  in,  and  he  was  arrested  as  a  swindler. 
When  he  arrived  at  the  police  station,  he  was  told  what  he  had  repre- 
sented himself  to  be,  according  to  the  certificate,  and  how  he  had  stamped 
himself  as  a  swindler. 

This  kind  of  begging  is  closely  related  to  that  which  is  carried  on  by 
letter,  in  which  the  beggar  contents  himself  with  writing  a  letter  and 
awaiting  the  result.  Rich  persons  who  are  well  known  for  their  liber- 
ality, are  generally  the  victims  of  such  beggars.  But  the  reputation  of 
great  riches  alone  suffices  to  secure  the  attention  of  this  class  of  mendi- 
cants. Wm.  B.  Astor,  A.  T.  Stewart,  and  others  rather  noted  for  their 
wealth  than  for  their  liberality,  generally  find  twelve  or  fifteen  letters  in 
their  daily  mail,  from  persons  who  have  been  forced,  "by  the  most  abject 
misery  only,"  to  apply  to  the  well-kuown  charity  of  Mr.  Astor,  Stewart, 
or  anybody  else.  All  such  letters  of  course  go  into  the  waste-basket. 
And  in  ninety-nine  out  of  one  hundred  cases  it  is  not  to  be  regretted,  as 
most  of  these  applicatians  originate  from  swindlers  or  professional  beg- 
gars. 

We  by  no  means  go  so  far  as  to  class  our  street  musicians  among  the 
professional  beggars.  They  work  hard  in  their  way,  and  are  a  source  of 
considerable  amusement  to  our  children,  who  in  the  poorer  quarters  of  the 
city  would,  without  the  street  musicians,  not  know  the  meaning  of  music. 
But  occasionally  especially  in  .the  case  of  organ-grinders,  the  music  be- 
comes so  much  a  secondary,  and  begging  the  primary,  consideration,  that 
the  organ  must  in,  such  cases,  be  regarded  as  a  covering  for  begging.  A 
prominent  example  of  this  kind  could  be  seen,  day  after  day,  in  the  Bow- 
ery. The  man,  au  Italian,  used  to  sit  on  the  pavement,  behind  an  organ. 
A  white  rag  was  wound  round  his  head,  and,  with  his  face  turned  up- 
ward and  his  eyes  closed,  and  the  most  melancholy  expression  on  his 
countenance,  he  slowly  ground  his  organ,  whose  shrill  tones  attracted  the 
attention  of  the  passers-by.  If  we  should  look  in  the  direction  from 
whence  these  miserable  sounds  came,  we  would  see  the  organ-grinder 
with  his  organ  as  the  central  figure  of  a   very   touching   group.     To  the 


THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW     YORK    LIKE.  MS 

right  of  the  organ  a  woman  cowered  down  with  a  baby  in  her  arms,  and 
on  the  left  a  small  boy,  while  in  front  of  the  organ  another  boy,  with  a 
tincup  in  his  hand,  solicited  pennies  from  the  passers-by.  As  a  varia- 
tion, the  man  would  occasionally  take  the  baby  himself,  when  one  of  the 
boys,  as  if  suffering  from  hunger,  would  lie  in  the  woman's  lap.  This 
fjroup  aroused  general  pity,  and  five  and  ten-cent  pieces  were  showerod 
into  the  tin  box.  But  still  it  never  showed  more  than  two  or  three  single 
pennies,  as  the  little  cashier  was  instructed  to  keep  the  box  as  em] 
possible.  The  police,  who  are  generally  well  informed  with  regard  to 
such  street  characters,  considered  them  simple  vagabonds.  A  similar 
group,  in  which,  however,  the  woman  plays  the  organ,  has  been  seen  for 
some  time  past  in  the  streets,  and  we  understand  meets  with  the  same 
success. 

In  this  connection,  it  is  strange  to  notice  how  that  article  which  is 
termed  humbug,  is  no  less  powerful  with  respect  to  charity  than  in  any 
other  respect.  A  poor  widow,  for  example,  who  silently  bears  poverty 
and  destitution,  and  who  does  not  dare  to  ask  for  anything  else  than 
work,  may  succumb  to  her  troubles  and  wants  without  fiuding  a  single 
hand  held  out  to  help  her.  A  false  charity,  however,  gives  to  the  pro- 
fessional beggar,  who  only  knows  actual  want  and  suffering  from  its  imi- 
tation, with  which  he  surrounds  himself,  such  gifts  as  would  help  many 
actually  poor  persons. 

For  some  time  during  the  years  preceding  the  war,  a  begcrar,  neither 
old  nor  crippled,  could  be  seen  with  a  slate  bearing  the  inscription,  aI 
am  starving,"  on  his  breast.  In  front  of  him  there  was  a  box,  into 
which  those  who  wished  to  save  the  starving  man,  could  put  their  gifts — 
and  their  gifts  came  in  pretty  liberally.  In  face  and  appearance  the 
beggar  appeared  starving,  but  it  seemed  rather  strange  to  those  charitably 
inclined,  that  the  box  contained  more  than  enough  to  pay  for  a  hearty 
meal,  while  the  starving  man  did  not  seem  to  be  in  a  hurry  to  make  use 
of  jt.  Thus  this  swindler  presented  himself  day  after  day,  and  year 
after  year,  and  actually  did  a  better  business  with  his  starving  than  many 
people  do  by  hard  labor. 

The  charity  which  is  deceived  by  such  humbug  does  all  honor  to  the 
donor's  heart,  but  not  to  his  common  seuse.  As  long  as  charity  is  de- 
ceived by  apparent  poverty,  and  ignores  the  true  poverty  which  will  not 
come  out  from  its  hiding-place,  so  long  will  idlers  take  to  professional 
begging  to  the  detriment  of  true  poverty.  Examples  are  not  warning  in 
which  professional  beggars  have  scraped  together  a  fortune  which  could 
have  enabled  them  to  pass  the  rest  of  their  days  in  ease,  This  was  an 
approximate  idea  of  the  profits  of  a  methodically  conducted  begging 
business. 

Such  cases,  however,  are  only  exceptional.  Generally  the  beggar 
thinks  neither  of  saving  nor  of  the  future.     His  chief  object  is  to  keep  the 


666  PROFESSIONAL    STREET-BEGGARS. 

necessity  of  working  as  far  away  as  possible  from  him.  If  he  also  has 
his  daily  whiskey  ration,  he  has  reached  the  height  of  contentment.  He 
lives  in  some  den  which  costs  him  very  little  rent,  or  he  has  settled  in 
some  hut  as  "  squatter,"  and  thus  pays  no  rent  at  all.  We  have  seen 
how  easily  food  is  obtained  by  begging,  and  it  is  well  known  that  the 
same  is  the  case  with  clothing.  In  general,  he  delights  in  his  filth  and  in 
his  rags,  which  for  him  are  only  a  kind  of  working  material.  If  he  has 
children,  they  do  not  trouble  him,  for  he  knows  that  nothing  appeals  to 
charity  more  than  a  begging  child,  or  a  crying  baby  in  the  arms  of  its 
begging  mother.  As  he  feels  quite  at  ease  in  his  mode  of  living,  the 
thought  that  he  is  bringing  his  children  up  to  a  similar  fortune  does  not 
trouble  his  conscience  in  the  least. 

Of  such  a  character,  then,  are  that  class  which  we  have  termed  pro- 
fessional beggars,  and  which  therefore  cannot  be  taken  as  representatives 
of  decent -poverty.  Hard  times,  a  juncture  of  unfortunate  circumstances, 
and  particularly  diseases,  may  throw  persons  in  good  circumstances  sud- 
denly into  the  greatest  poverty,  and  even  put  them  in  danger  of  starving. 
Everything  that  can  be  spared,  and  even  the  most  necessary  things,  are 
sold  only  to  keep  up  life  until  the  sickness  has  passed,  or  until  work  has 
been  found.  But  neither  the  one  nor  the  other  hope  is  fulfilled.  Misery 
has  reached  its  highest  point,  and  starvation,  that  most  terrible  of  all 
guests,  makes  its  appearance.  To  starve  or  to  beg  is  a  terrible  choice. 
Many  prefer  the  former ;  and  be  it  said,  to  the  everlasting  disgrace  of 
our  society,  that  cases  of  starvation  do  not  occur  so  seldom  in  our  city  as 
is  generally  supposed  by  the  public,  although  starvation  is  not  mentioned 
as  the  cause  of  death  in  the  mortality  lists.  But  "  general  debility," 
"  marasmus,"  and  diseases  with  similar  medical  terms,  also  include  those 
who  have  died  of  starvation,  although  the  terrible  cause,  hunger,  has 
been  omitted,  and  the  less  objectionable  name  of  a  disease  resulting 
therefrom  has  been  given  instead. 

But  not  every  one  is  so  strong  as  to  hide  his  hunger  to  such  an  extreme. 
Hunger  is  a  terrible  thing,  but  it  is  a  still  more  terrible  thing  to  see  loved 
friends  and  relatives  slowly  dying  of  hunger.  They  at  last  extend  their 
hands  for  help,  but  very  seldom  in  the  proper  direction.  They  could 
apply  to  the  Commissioners  of  Public  Charity,  but  for  some  reason  or 
other  they  do  not  do  this.  They  also  delay  the  last  extreme  measure 
until  they  must  have  immediate  help,  and  official  charity  employs  too 
much  formality  in  distributing  its  gifts  to  our  poverty-stricken  people. 
They  are  thus  compelled  to  take  to  the  street,  and  are  then  only  what 
the  most  bitter  want  and  misery  could  make  them — beggars.  But  they 
do  not  therefore  remain  beggars.  A  few  cents  or  a  crust  of  bread  has 
already  helped  many  a  poor  unfortunate  over  a  momentary  crisis.  Then 
he  finds  what  he  has  been  been  looking  for  from  the  start — work,  work 
of  any  kind — hard  but  honest  work,  and  he  takes  to  it  with  the  zest  born 


THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YOUK    LIFE.  667 

of  industrious  habits.  Diligence  and  perseverance  sooner  or  later  raise 
Lira  up,  aud  when,  in  after  years,  he  becomes  well-off,  or  even  rich,  he 
thinks  of  that  step  of  dire  necessity  as  the  most  terrible  moment  of  his 
life.  A  professional  beggar  has  probably  never  starved,  although  many 
would  perhaps  do  so  rather  than  take  to  honest  labor  as  a  means 
of  support. 

The  professional  beggars  are  mostly  foreign  born,  and,  if  we  except 
the  children  of  these,  who  have  beeu  brought  up  to  beg,  there  are  few 
that  are  native  born  among  them.  For  it  is  a  well-known  and  lamenta- 
ble fact  that  many  European  governments  do  not  hesitate  to  smuggle  their 
poor  to  New  York.  These  governments  pay  their  passage,  and  of  course, 
when  once  arrived,  they  remain  here  and  continue  their  former  life  of  the 
beggar  and  vagabond.  From  this  source  also,  in  spite  of  all  protests, 
our  hordes  of  beggars  constantly  receive  fresh  recruits,  and  from  this 
cause  New  York  is  compelled  to  support  more  professional  beggars 
than  all  the  other  cities  of  the  Union  combined. 

It  is  very  plain,  from  what  has  been  said,  that  the  children  of  profes- 
sional beggars  grow  up  only  to  swell  the  rauks  of  dangerous  criminals^ 
Our  laws  seem  indeed  to  recognize  some  relationship  between  begging  in, 
the  streets  and  crime,  as  an  ordinance  of  the  city  makes  begging  in  the 
streets  punishable  by  light  terms  of  imprisonment.  The  ordinance  stales, 
as  the  reason  for  this  policy,  that  the  city  provides  for  the  necessities  of 
its  poor,  and  that  begging  in  the  streets  is  only  an  easy  way  for  vaga- 
bonds and  idlers  to  gain  subsistance,  and  is  an  imposition  upon  honest 
labor.  But  it  will  be  seen,  from  the  constantly-increasing  number  of 
professional  beggars  in  our  streets,  that  this  ordinance,  so  far  as  its 
enforcement  is  coucerued,  is  not  much  better  than  a  dead-letter.  In  the 
few  cases  where  any  attempt  is  made  to  enforce  it,  it  mostly  consists  of 
the  arrest  of  children,  generally  girls,  who  are  found  soliciting  alms  from 
the  visitors  to  our  fashionable  theatres.  They  are  brought  to  the  station- 
house;,  and  there  kjpt  among  thieves,  drunken  persons,  prostitutes,  and 
similar  vicious  company  until  the  next  day,  when  they  are  brought  before 
the  judge  aud  disposed  of. 

"Why  the  authorities  execute  this  ordinance  in  such  a  loose  manner,  it 
is  difficult  to  say.  Profitable  as  the  business  of  professional  beggars  may 
be,  it  would  still  be  assuming  a  great  deal  to  say  that  the  influence  of 
money  is  also  at  the  bottom  of  this  riddle.  Occasionally  the  periodically 
aroused  sense  of  duty  of  our  police  is  also  felt  by  these  street  beggars, 
and  the  streets  are  suddenly  cleared  of  all  stationary  and  wandering 
members  of  the  corps  of  beggars.  Bat  in  a  very  short  time  everything 
is  as  it  was  before. 

The  prevalence  of  street-beggiug  in  our  city  is  a  plain  aud  visible  evil. 
It  makes  a  very  unfavorable  impression  on  the  visitors  coming  here  from 
all  parts  of  the  Union,  aud  almost  teuds  to  prove  the  well-known   fact  a, 


6G8  FOUNDLINGS. 

lie,  that  New  York  is  richer  in  private  and  public  charitable  institutions 
than  any  other  city  in  the  world.  But  if  our  authorities  would  wage  a 
war  against  feigned  poverty  with  the  energy  that  our  charitable  societies 
display  in  aiding  true  poverty,  New  York  would  soon  be  relieved  of  the 
shadow  which  its  horde  of  professional  beggars  casts  upon  its  fair  name. 


FOUNDLINGS. 

Man,  who  calls  himself  the  King  of  Creation,  enters  upon  his  king- 
dom weaker  and  more  helpless  than  the  meanest  of  his  fellow-creatures. 
All  the  influences  surrounding  him  are  inimical  to  his  existence,  and  he 
would  miserably  perish  if  nature  had  not  provided  a  friend  and  protec- 
tor for  him.  This  friend  and  protector  is  the  holy  instinct  of  a  parent's, 
and  particularly  a  mother's,  love.  This  instinct  is  found  in  the  whole 
animal  kingdom,  and  is  that  which  guarantees  their  existence.  It  is  this 
mother's  love  that  tenderly  receives  the  coming  citizen  upon  his  arrival 
|n  this  world.  Thus  it  is  in  general,  but  unfortunately  not  always. 
Man,  who  is  able  by  his  will  to  withdraw  himself  more  or  less  from  the 
influence  of  his  feeling-,  not  unfrequently  rebels  against  this  most  noble 
impulse,  and,  deaf  against  the  voice  of  nature,  heartlessly  casts  off  the 
poor  creature  to  which  he  has  given  life,  and  which  therefore  has  a  right 
to  his  protection.  It  is  this  fact  which  involuntarily  makes  us  blush  for 
human  nature,  but  which  recurs  more  and  more  in  the  so-called  higher 
stages  of  civilization. 

Such  poor  creatures  cast  upon  the  world  at  their  entrance  into  life  are 
called  "  foundlings  " — L  e.,  new-born  children  who  are  found  unprotected 
and  unknown,  and  whose  mothers  have  evidently  deserted  them.  It  has 
occurred  in  all  ages  that  new  born  children,  whose  parents  wished  to  get 
rid  of  them  for  some  particular  reason,  have  been  abandoned  in  some 
remote  localiiy,  where  they  have  either  perished  or  have  been  picked  up 
by  strangers.  This  inhuman  custom  of  casting  off  new-born  children 
was  so  common  among  the  ancient  Romans,  that  it  was  hardly  regarded 
as  anything  objectionable.  There  were  even  certain  public  places  which, 
by  custom,  came  into  fashion,  if  we  may  use  this  expression,  for  aban- 
doning infants. 

The  fate  of  these  poor  innocents  was  generally  a  terrible  one.     Many 


THE    DABS    »il>E    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE.  6C0 

perished  miserably,  without  exciting  the  pity  of  any  one.  For  many 
there  was  eveo  a  more  terrible  fate  in  store.  Beggars  picked  them  up  : 
but  for  what  purpose  ?  They  crippled  and  mutilated  the  helpless  crea- 
tures most  cruelly,  but  always  took  good  care  to  keep  the  little  ones  alive. 
that  they  might  arouse  the  pity  of  the  public  by  their  crippled  condition, 
and  thus  receive  liberal  alms.  There  were  even  people  who  made  a  bus- 
iness of  cripplinu  such  children,  and  were  enabled  by  long  practice  to 
briDg  about  the  most  terrible  mutilations  of  the  human  form.  "Witches  " 
and  "sorcerers"  took  such  children  to  prepare  their  mixtures,  in  which 
the  blood,  heart,  and  other  parts  of  the  new-born  iufants  were  used. 
Strong  and  healthy-looking  boys  were  received  by  slave-dealers,  and 
pretty  girls  by  people  who  brought  them  up  for  brothels.  Very  excep- 
tionally did  it  occur  that  some  kind  persons  took  up  such  children  and 
brought  them  up  in  their  families.  This  inhuman  custom  of  abandon- 
ing infants  increased  to  an  alarming  extent  during  the  decline  of  the  Ro- 
man Republic  and  during  the  Empire.  A  reaction  began  to  gain  ground 
only  when,  after  the  advent  of  Christianity,  a  higher  idea  of  humanity 
was  infused  among  the  people. 

It  is  a  strange  fact  that,  among  these  foundlings  of  the  ancients,  by  far 
the  smallest  part  were  illegitimate  children.  This  was  plainly  shown 
during  the  reign  of  Trajan,  when  the  tirst  public  institution  for  the  recep- 
tion of  abandoned  infants  was  organized,  where  it  was  found  that,  for 
every  legitimate  child,  there  were  at  least  a  hundred  illegitimate  chil- 
dren received. 

Christianity,  however,  was  only  able  to  abolish  the  abandoning  of 
infants  as  a  popular  custom,  and  in  having  it  declared  a  crime  in  the  eyes 
of  the  law.  But  as  a  crime  we  find  it  in  all  eyes,  and  even  now  it  forms  a 
spot  of  shame  on  our  civilization.  It  is  to  the  present  time  an  everyday 
occurrence  that  new-born  infants  are  found  in  vacant  lots,  on  door-steps, 
or  in  some  other  place,  and  even  the  delivery  of  a  child  to  a  foundlina 
asylum  must  be  regarded  as  an  abandonment,  although  in  a  much  milder 
form.  It  is  a  very  characteristic  fact,  in  this  connection,  that  since  the 
establishment  of  the  foundling  asylum  in  our  city,  the  abandonment  of 
children  has  greatly  decreased. 

A  mother  who  can  separate  herself  from  her  child,  is  either  very  un- 
fortunate or  very  heartless  :  and  this  was  also  the  case  with  those  mothers 
m  ancient  times,  who  made  use  of  this  terrible  means  of  abandonment. 
Misfortune  and  heartlessness  then  are  the  agents  which  cast  off  the  thou- 
sands of  our  foundlings  every  year.  Heartlessness,  however,  comes  into 
play  more  often  than  actual  misfortune.  It  is  certainly  a  great  misfor- 
tune if  a  girl  believes  the  assurances  of  a  heartless  seducer  more  than 
would  seem  justified  by  honor  and  prudence.  It  is  a  misfortune  if  she 
is  then  wronged  and  stands  alone  in  the  world,  and.  besides  the  bitter 
consciousness  of  the  crime  committed  on  her,  is  also  to   bear   the  scorn 


670  FOUNDLINGS. 

and  contempt  which  the  world  only  too  easily  heaps  on  the  faults  of  others, 
that  it  may  cover  up  its  own  threadbare  virtue.  But  it  also  requires  a 
large  "amount  of  heartlessness,  if  such  a  mother  seeks  safety  from  the 
consequences  of  her  misstep,  by  casting  the  unfortunate  creature,  to  whom 
she  has  given  life,  upon  the  charity  of  the  world. 

The  cases  in  which  women,  in  consequence  of  a  life  of  shame,  or  in  a 
weak  moment,  are  forced  to  leave  their  children  upon  the  street,  or  in  the 
foundling  asylum,  are  by  far  the  most  frequent.  But  married  mothers 
also  sometimes  resort  to  this  means  of  relieving  themselves  of  the  care 
and  responsibility  of  bringing  up  their  children.  Poverty  is  often  given 
as  the  reason  for  such  an  unnatural  course.  There  may  be  cases  in 
which  the  new-born  infant  is  better  off  in  the  foundling  asylum,  or  in  the 
hands  of  strangers,  than  with  its  parents.  But  these  are  only  exceptional 
cases.  Much  more  frequently  the  true  reason  is  avarice,  which  hides 
itself  behind  poverty.  The  mother,  for  example,  who  sends  her  child  to 
the  foundling  asylum,  that  she  may  hire  herself  out  as  a  wet-nurse,  does 
not,  as  a  rule,  belong  to  the  poorest  class,  and  it  is  only  a  low  desire  for 
gain  which  will  impel  her  to  give  her  own  child  to  strangers,  and  trans- 
fer her  maternal  duties  to  a  strange  one. 

In  former  years,  before  the  establishment  of  foundling  asylums,  the 
abandoning  of  children  was  the  easiest  method  in  which  unnatural 
mothers  could  rid  themselves  of  their  offspring.  From  the  manner  in 
which  this  abandonment  was  effected,  it  was  easy  to  form  an  estimate  of 
the  character  of  those  who  brought  it  about.  Not  unfrequently  were 
these  poor  children  found  in  vacant  lots,  covered  only  by  a  few  rags,  so 
that  their  discovery  was  only  a  matter  of  chance.  The  only  object  which 
seems  to  have  prompted  the  perpetrators  of  this  unnatural  crime,  was  to 
rid  themselves  of  the  children  without  caring  much  whether  they  were 
discovered  and  taken  care  of  or  not.  Others  again  were  found  carefully 
packed  in  boxes  or  baskets,  which  were  placed  where  they  would  soon  be 
discovered.  Not  unfrequently  also  they  were  placed,  early  in  the  morn- 
ing or  late  at  night,  on  the  doorstep  of  some  citizen  who  was  known  tor 
his  wealth  and  his  charity.  A  strong  pull  at  the  bell  ca'led  out  the  in- 
mates of  the  house,  when  they  would  fin'l  the  little  stranger  present, 
while  the  donor  had  suddenly  disappeared  in  the  darkness.  This  kind 
of  abandonment  has  in  its  favor  that  the  mothers  at  least  make  an 
attempt  to  obtain  for  their  infants  a  good  home. 

The  large  majority  of  foundlings,  as  may  be  readily  imagined,  are  ille- 
gitimate children,  and  their  number  therefore  stands  in  a  certain  relation 
to  the  illegitimate  births.  For  this  reason  it  wou'd  be  of  interest  to  take 
a  look  at  the  relation  of  the  legitimate  to  the  illegitimate  births  in  our 
city.  In  European  countries,  where  accurate  birth-'ists  are  kept  by  the 
authorities,  it  is  an  easy  matter  to  determine  this  relation.  In  Sardinia, 
for  example,  the  illegitimate  do  not  form  more  than  2  per  cent,  of  all  the 


THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW     YOKE     LIFE.  671 

births  ;  in  Sweden,  6£  per  cent.  ;  in  England,  about  6 J  per  cent.  ;  in 
France,  a  trifle  over  7  ;  in  Denmark,  9£  ;  in  Austria,  11  \  ;  in  Bavaria, 
20£  per  cent.,  etc. 

In  large  cities  this  proportion  is  of  course  much  more  unfavorable,  and 
reaches — in  Genoa,  8  per  cent, ;  in  Berlin,  14  ;  in  St.  Petersburg,  18  ; 
aud  in  Vienna  even  40  per  cent.  Twelve  per  cent,  is  generally  assumed 
as  the  average  for  Europe.  Owing  to  the  absence  of  birth-lists,  it  is  im- 
possible to  give  a  reliable  percentage  for  America.  Even  for  New  York 
it  is  very  difficult  even  to  give  an  approximate  number  of  these  illegiti- 
mate births. 

Yet  it  has  been  assumed  that  our  illegitimate  births  do  not  exceed  4 
per  cent.  This  is  a  number  which  certainly  places  our  city  in  a  very 
favorable  light.  But  it  must  not  be  forgotten  that  of  the  7  per  cent,  of 
still-born  children,  the  large  majority  are  illegitimate,  and  that  the  dan- 
gerous activity  of  our  abortionists  prevents  a  large  number  of  illegitimate 
births.  But  this  cannot  be  taken  into  account  here.  We  only  deal  with 
living  children,  who  are  the  result  of  illicit  intercourse,  and  who  form 
the  greater  portion  of  the  foundlings.  Many  of  these  illegitimate  chil- 
dren are  kept  by  their  mothers,  while,  as  we  have  seen  above,  it  occa- 
sionally happens  that  legitimate  children  are  abandoned,  for  some  reason 
or  other,  by  their  parents,  and  then  come  under  the  head  of  foundlings. 
But,  as  the  number  of  illegitimate  children,  so  also  does  the  number  of  found- 
lings seem  comparatively  small  for  a  city  of  such  dimensions  as  ours.  And 
we  must  further  take  into  consideration  that  many  foundlings  are  not 
only  brought  from  the  country,  but  also  from  other  States,  to  our  found- 
ling asylums,  and  thus  the  number  of  infants  abandoned  by  persons  living 
in  the  city  becomes  considerably  less.  Only  the  number  of  infants  aban- 
doned in  the  streets  and  public  places  can,  with  very  few  exceptions,  be 
exclusively  placed  to  the  account  of  the  city. 

The  police  reports  gave  the  number  of  this  class  of  foundlings,  from 
1864  to  April,  1872,  at  1,004,  which  were  distributed  as  follows  duriug 
the  different  years  : 

Year,  Foundlings.  Year.  Foundlings, 

1864  48  1869  90 

1865  153  Nov.  1,  1869,  to  April  5,  1870,*  28 

1866  149  1871  161 

1867  176  .  1872            37 

1868  162 

If  we  regard  the  above  figures,  we  see  at  a  glance  how  much  the  num- 
ber of  foundlings  left  in  the  open  air  has  diminished  since  the  establish- 
ment of  the  foundling  asylums.  Even  if  this  number  rose  to  161  in  the 
year  1871,  a  comparison  of  the  three  years  from  1871,  with  226,  with 
the  three  years  preceding  1870,  with  428  abandoned  children,  is  so  favor" 

•The  former  annual  report*  always  closed  wi  h  Nov.  1,  while  those  following  dose  with  April  i. 


672  FOUNDLINGS. 

able  that  it  gives  rise  to  hopes  for  the  future.  We  thus  see  in  the  found- 
ling asylums  a  much  more  effective  check  to  the  barbarism  of  abandon- 
ing children,  a  far  better  friend  of  the  unfortunate  foundlings,  than  in  the 
most  stringent  legislation.  In  view  of  these  advantages,  it  seems  incom- 
prehensible that  their  existence  in  the  United  States  does  not  date  back 
farther  than  four  years.  The  cause  for  this  was  that  many  of  our  most 
prominent  men  feared  that,  by  opening  a  foundling  asylum,  public  mo- 
rality would  be  completely  destroyed.  For  said  they  foundling  asy- 
lums are  only  promoters  of  licentiousness,  and  illegitimate  children  would 
occur  the  more  frequently,  the  easier  it  would  be  for  parents  to  rid  them- 
selves of  these  children  in  a  lawful  manner.  But  these  gentlemen  did 
not  see,  or  perhaps  did  not  wish  to  see,  what  an  alarming  extent  child- 
murder  and  abortion  had  assumed  among  us,  and  how  hundreds  of  inno- 
cent children  have  ended  their  short  lives  in  vacant  lots  or  dark  alleys, 
for  no  other  reason  than  that  our  legislators  saw,  in  the  introduction  of 
foundling  asylums,  a  promoter  of  this  evil.  But  fortunately  the  opposi- 
tion from  this  side  has  been  overcome,  although  it  still  continues  to 
preach  against  foundling  asylums.  These  latter  must  now  be  regarded 
as  permanent  institutions  in  our  city,  and  do  not  only  enjoy  the  liberal 
aid  of  the  State,  but  of  all  friends  of  true  humanity  throughout  our  large 
city. 

In  October,  1869,  the  first  foundling  asylum  in  the  United  States  was 
founded  by  the  Sisters  of  Mercy  in  No.  3  Washington  Square.  The 
name  of  this  institution  is  "  Foundling  Asylum  of  the  Sisters  of  Charity 
in  the  City  of  New  York,"  and  in  its  arrangements  it  is-  an  imitation  of 
the  celebrated  foundling  asylum  of  Paris,  also  under  the  control  of  the 
Sisters  of  Charity.  It  supplies  a  greatly-felt  want  in  our  city.  It  is  the 
pioneer  of  a  new  era,  and  has  paved  the  way  for  a  similar  Protestant 
foundling  asylum,  which  was  founded  two  years  later.  The  asylum  of 
the  Sisters  of  Charity,  however,  is  not  only*  the  largest  and  the  one  en- 
dowed with  the  greatest  means,  but  is  probably  the  only  one  which  fully 
meets  all  the  requirements  of  a  foundling  asylum.  It  has  received  since 
its  opening  over  4,00D  foundlings  and  orphans,  and  the  number  of  chil- 
dren received  during  the  period  from  October  1,  1871,  to  October  1,  1872, 
was  not  less  than  1,392. 

The  characteristic  feature  of  this  institution  is  the  receiving-basket  or 
"  crib./"  It  is  in  the  form  of  a  cradle,  and  stands  at  the  entrance  of  the 
basement.  Every  one  is  free  to  put  a  child  into  this  crib.  The  door  is 
never  locked,  and  during  the  night  the  hall  is  lighted  by  a  lamp.  No- 
body watches  the  unfortunate  mother  who  makes  use  of  this  sad  privi- 
lege. She  simply  puts  the  child  into  the  crib,  rings  the  door-bell,  and 
departs.  A  sister  then  makes  her  appearance,  who  takes  charge  of  the 
little  stranger,  so  that  the  crib  may  be  always  ready  for  another.  Many 
of  these  children  are  thrown  into  the  crib  with  almost  incredible  heart- 


THE    DARE    BID!     OR    Nl-.W     rORK    int. 

lessoeM     With  others,  again, heartrending  scenes  oceur  before  (he  mother 
parts  with  her  child. 

Som<  tin*  ago  a  young  girl  came  to  the  door,  late  in  the  evening,  with 
a  three  weeks'  old  baby  in  her  arms.  Her  eyes  were  red  with  weeping 
and  her  features  expressed  great  agony  of  mind.  She  kissed  and  hugged 
her  child,  and  at  last  laid  it  in  the  crib.  She  rang  the  bell,  aud  left  the 
hall.  In  answer  to  the  signal,  a  sister  made  her  appearance  to  take 
charge  of  the  child.  But  before  she  could  take  it,  the  mother  rushed 
back  with  a  cry  of  terror,  seized  her  babe  and  tied  into  the  darkness.  In 
a  short  time,  however,  she  returned,  and  stood  at  the  crib  with  the  same 
hesitation  as  before.  Three  times  she  put  the  little  one  into  the  crib,  and 
three  times  she  seized  it  and  tied  upon  the  appearauce  of  a  sister.  She 
was  only  at  last  induced  to  part  with  her  child  upon  the  kind  rep' 
resentations  of  the  sisters,  who  had  assembled  in  the  hall,  and  who  were 
witnesses  of  the  mother's  agony. 

The  foundlings  are  either  brought  to  the  crib  by  the  mothers  then> 
selves,  or  by  a  third  person.  Not  unfrequently  do  the  sisters  find  newv 
born  children  in  the  ci  ib,  whcee  fine  and  costly  embroidered  linen  plainly 
speaks  for  the  wealth  of  those  who  have  given  them  life.  Such  children 
very  often  have  pieces  of  paper  attached  to  their  clothing,  with  the  re* 
quest  that  some  object  left  with  the  child  might  be  kept  for  its  future 
identification.  Single  ear-rings,  broken  rings,  torn  letters,  or  even  a  piece 
of  cloth  of  a  peculiar  pattern,  are  objects  generally  given  with  such  chil* 
dren.  The  mother  or  parents  who  may  wish  to  reclaim  such  a  child 
then  have  in  the  other  ear-ring,  or  in  the  other  half  of  the  ring,  letter,  or 
cloth  the  safest  and  surest  means  of  proving  their  right  to  it.  Every 
child  arriving  in  the  house  receives  a  name  and  a  number,  which,  to- 
gether with  the  day  of  its  reception  and  other  particulars,  are  entered  in 
a  book.  Any  object  that  may  lead  to  future  identification  by  its  parents 
or  friends,  is  carefully  put  away  in  a  safe  for  future  use. 

Many  of  the  children  are  put  in  the  crib  in  a  truly  pitiable  condition^ 
and  it  is  nothing  unusual  that  all  the  sisters  can  do  for  such  children  is  to 
give  them  a  decent  burial.  As  a  rule,  the  children,  upon  their  arrival  at 
the  foundling  asylum,  are  not  in  a  very  healthy  condition,  the  percentage 
of  the  healthy  ones  being  about  35,  at  most  45  per  cent,  of  the  whole. 
This  alone  explains  the  great  mortality  among  them.  01  the  1,392  chil- 
dren received  from  October  1,  1871,  to  October  1,  1872,  not  less  than 
765  died — that  is,  about  40  per  cent.  Ouly  548  were  found  to  be  healthy 
upon  their  arrival,  while  the  rest  were  either  not  yet  ful'y  developed 
(144),  or  were  diseased  in  some  other  way.  Sixty-three  were  received 
in  a  dying  condition. 

The  last  annual  report  of  the  institution  makes  the  following  statement 
as  to  the  age  of  the  children  received  :  Uuder  G  hours,  38  ;  6  to  12 
hours,  58  ;   12  to  24  hours,  178  ;   1  to  7  days,  244  ;  7  to   15  days,  318  ; 

43 


674 


FOUNDLINGS. 


15  days  to  1   month,  316  ;   1    to  2   months,  106  ;  2    to   6   months,  97  ;  G 
to  12  months,  28  ;  over  12  months,  9. 

These  figures  speak  plainly  enough.  Very  few  children  are  brought 
to  the  foundling  asylum  immediately  after  birth.  In  the  few  cases  in 
Which  this  has  been  done  within  twelve  hours  after  birth,  everything  has 
been  in  readiness  for  it.  In  general,  however,  the  condition  of  the  mother 
occupies  the  attention  of  her  surroundings  in  such  a  degree  that  no 
thought  is  given  to  the  disposition  of  the  child.  The  largest  number  of 
the  arrivals  are  over  seven  days  old  ;  that  is,  when  the  mothers  are  able 
to  bring  the  children  to  the  foundling  asylum  themselves.  After  one 
month,  the  number  again  falls  off,  probably  because,  as  the  mother  has 
had  the  child  for  so  long  a  time,  she  has  learnt  to  love  it  so  much  that,  if 
she  is  not  of  an  exceedingly  depraved  character,  or  she  is  not  forced  by 
circumstances,  she  will  very  rarely  part  with  it. 

Of  the  children  received  during  the  year  1872,  there  were  556  still 
alive  on  October  1,  1872,  while  71  had  been  reclaimed  by  parents  or 
friends.  As  always  one  nurse  is  wanted  for  every  two  babies,  it  is  per- 
fectly plain  that  not  all  of  these  556  children  can  remain  in  the  asylum. 
The  number  of  those  remaining  in  the  house  on  October  1,  1872,  was 
not  over  57,  while  the  other  499  were  put  out  at  board  with  different 
parties  in  the  city  and  country.  The  foundling  asylum  pays  such  persons 
ior  every  child  taken  in  board,  $10  per  month,  and  has,  during  the  year 
1872,  paid  out  the  sum  of  880,000. 

Unfortunately,  the  foundlings  are  worse  off  with  such  people  people 
than  in  the  institution  itself.  Although  those  persons  who  board  found 
lings  must  give  good  reference  as  to  their  character,  and  although  only 
the  healthiest  children  are  given  out,  the  mortality  among  them  is  fully 
10  per  cent,  more  than  among  those  in  the  institution.  The  wealthier 
among  our  farmers  do  not  seem  inclined  to  board  foundlings,  and  it  is 
therefore  always  the  poorer  classes,  who  think  more  of  the  ten  dollars 
per  month  than  of  the  duties  which  they  have  taken  upon  themselves* 
The  institution  knows  full  well  that  it  must  not  lose  sight. of  its  little 
ones.  For  this  purpose  a  detective  has  been  placed  at  its  disposal  by  the 
police  department,  whose  sole  duty  it  is  to  watch  over  the  city  as  well  as 
country  boarders.  If  he  finds  that  a  child  is  neglected  or  begins  to  ail, 
it  is  immediately  called  in  by  the  institution,  and,  if  necessary,  a  fresh 
nurse  is  provided.  How  strict  this  supervision  is,  can  be  seen  from  the 
fact  that  a  certain  child  changed  its  home  six  times  during  one  year,  un- 
til at  the  seventh  house  it  began  at  last  to  improve. 

Wherever  it  is  possible,  the  sisters  try  to  induce  the  mothers  to  enter 
the  institution  and  nurse  their  own  children.  The  only  additional  service 
demanded  for  the  board  and  lodging  thus  afforded,  is  that  they  are  re- 
quired to  nurse  another  child  besides  their  own.  In  such  a  manner  the 
child  keeps  its  mother,  and  gets  on  all  the  better,  while  the  institution 


THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    I.TFE.  075 

gains  a  nurse,  and  offers  to  the  mother  a  retreat  in  which  hhc  can  per- 
form her  maternal  duties  without  laying  herself  open  to  the  eyes  of  the 
world.  The  majority  of  these  mothers  arc  girls  from  fifteen  to  eighteen 
years  of  age,  and  mostly  from  highly  respectable  families.  When  their 
children  are  weaned,  the  young  mothers  can  return  to  their  families  or 
friends,  while  their  children,  who  have  passed  the  most  difficult  period  of 
their  lives,  remain  in  the  institution. 

Although  provided  and  conducted  by  a  Catholic  order,  the  foundling 
asylum  of  the  Sisters  of  Charity  does  not  inquire  into  the  religion  of  the 
mothers  who  perchance  may  seek  a  home  in  their  house,  and  goes  no  far- 
ther in  gaining  converts  than  to  baptize  the  foundlings  according  to  the 
ritual  of  the  Catholic  Church.  Whether  any  one  can  be  found  who  will 
blame  the  institution  for  receiving  colored  foundlings,  we  do  not  know. 
On  New  Year's  night,  1872,  the  sisters  received,  as  an  interesting  New 
Year's  gift,  a  healthy  colored  boy,  and  now  the  institution  can  show  a 
perfect  "  sample  card  "  of  babies,  from  coal-black  to  the  lightest  olive- 
brown.  The  black  babies  receive  the  same  care  as  the  white  ones.  In 
spite  of  all  care,  however,  they  do  not  appear  to  prosper,  and  appear  to 
miss  their  mothers'  breasts  more  than  the  white  ones.  Even  colored 
nurses  do  not  seem  to  benefit  them,  and  the  mortality  among  them  far 
exceeds  that  among  the  white  foundlings.  As  the  institution  was  only 
founded  in  1869,  the  sisters  have  no  definite  plan  as  yet  as  to  what  they 
will  do  with  their  foundlings  after  they  have  grown  up.  Until  now,  none 
of  the  children  received  since  the  fall  of  1869,  and  of  whom  there  are 
at  present  96  in  the  building,  are  over  four  years  old. 

It  is  not  the  object  of  this  chapter  to  give  a  minute  description  of  the 
arrangement  and  administration  of  this  truly  charitable  institution,  but 
we  must  say  that  the  value  of  its  services  has  been  fully  recognized  from 
many  sides.  The  sisters  receive  from  the  city  for  every  foundling  only 
SI. 50  per  week,  while  the  care  of  the  children  costs  them  just  double 
that  sum.  It  is  readily  seen  from  this  that  there  must  be  a  considerable 
deficit  every  month.  But  nevertheless  their  activity  has  increased  year 
by  year,  as  will  be  seen  from  their  annual  expenses,  which  in  1870 
amounted  to  $44,848;  in  1871,807,798;  in  1872,  $115,000.  These 
means  were  raised  by  large  subscriptions  from  all  classes  of  the  people. 
The  State  also  in  1871  gave  to  the  asylum  $100,000  to  build  a  new 
house,  on  the  condition  that  the  institution  raise  an  equal  amount.  In 
the  same  clause  the  city  was  authorized  to  give  to  the  institution  the 
ground  necessary  for  this  purpose.  These  $100,000  were  then  raised  in 
the  course  of  a  few  weeks  by  a  grand  bazaar,  aud  now  the  principal  part 
of  the  new  building,  situated  on  the  grand  square  between  Lexington  and 
Third  avenues,  and  Sixty-eighth  and  Sixty-ninth  streets,  is  so  far  finished 
that  the  removal  to  it  will  soon  take  place.  It  is  only  to  be  hoped  that 
the  sympathy  of  the  public,  which  has  so  liberally  aided  it  until  now,  will 


676  FOUNDLINGS. 

continue  to  do  so.  For  unfortunately  the  present  financial  condition  of 
the  institution  is  said  not  to  be  very  bright,  as  the  new  building  has  so 
exhausted  its  treasury  that  it  is  questionable  whether  the  crib  can  be  re- 
tained. 

And  yet  this  crib  has  just  made  the  institution  a  true  foundling  asy- 
lum, as  all  restrictions  in  the  reception,  by  conditions  or  previous  exam- 
inations of  the  mother  or  child,  in  their  injurious  effects  always  fall  back 
on  the  latter.  The  mother  who  brings  her  child  to  the  foundling  asylum 
thus  clearly  indicates  her  resolution  to  get  rid  of  it.  If  her  child  is  re- 
fused admission,  then  the  chances  are  ten  to  one  that  she  will  get  rid  of 
the  poor  creature  by  abandoning  it  in  the  streets,  if  not  by  murder.  Even 
the  fear  of  an  examination  is  very  often  sufficient  to  prevent  an  unfortu- 
nate mother  from  bringing  her  child  to  the  foundling  asylum.  As  the 
rapidly-decreasing  number  of  foundlings  in  the  streets  since  the  year 
1869  shows,  the  crib  of  the  foundling  asylum  has  received  many  of  those 
poor  creatures,  who  would  otherwise  have  perished  miserably.  The  fear 
is  therefore  not  without  foundation,  that,  with  the  disappearance  of  the 
crib,  the  former  prevalence  of  abandoning  children  in  the  streets  and 
other  places  will  again  return. 

Since  the  opening  of  the  foundling  hospital  of  the  sisters,  the  Chil- 
dren's Hospital,  on  Randall's  Island,  has  almost  entirely  ceased  to  serve 
as  a  foundling  asylum.  The  new-born  children  found  in  the  streets,  who 
were  formerly  brought  to  Randall's  Island,  are  now  all  sent  to  the  asylum 
of  the  sisters.  No  one  who  is  acquainted  with  the  terrible  maladminis- 
tration existing  on  Randall's  Island,  until  within  a  few  years  past,  will 
regret  this.  For  the  poor,  disowned  foundlings  are  human  beings,  and 
our  feelings  revolt  when  we  read  in  the  report  for  1871,  that  female  con- 
victs from  Randall's  Island  are  taken  and  employed  as  wet-nurses  and 
waitresses. 

The  other  institutions  existing  in  the  city  of  New  York  for  the  recep- 
tion of  children  cannot  properly  be  termed  foundling  asylums.  They 
are,  more  properly  speaking,  orphan  asylums,  lying-in  hospitals,  and  sin> 
llar  institutions. 

The  New  York  Infant  Asylum,  or  as  it  is  more  briefly  called,  the 
"Protestant  Asylum,"  founded  in  the  fall  of  1871,  and  situated  at  No- 
24  Clinton  Place,  is  not  in  the  strict  sense  of  the  word  a  foundling  asylum, 
but  deserves  to  be  mentioned  in  the  first  rank  among  charitable  institu. 
tions  of  a  similar  character.  It  generally  only  receives  new-born  infants, 
if  the  mothers  engage  to  become  inmates  of  the  house,  and  to  nurse  their 
children.  By  this  means  the  institution  wishes  to  prevent  the  mother 
from  ridding  herself  of  the  child  and  then  continuing  on  in  her  loose 
ways.  Children  without  mothers,  the  real  foundlings,  are  only  received 
in  exceptional  cases,  and  the  institution  reserves  to  itself  the  right  to  re. 
ccive  or  reject  any  mother  and   child.     Another  peculiarity  of  this  insti- , 


tiik   puck    -^ r r > f:   of   NEW    TORK    life. 

anion  i?  that  it  reserves  to  itself  the  full  control  of  all  children  red  ired 
until  their  eighteenth  year.  Children  of  a  weak  constitution,  or  who  arp 
aillicted  with  contagions  diseases,  are  not  admitted,  as  the  Chi  dren's 
Hospital  is,  in  the  ideas  of  the  Infant  Asylum,  a  more  fitting  place  for 
such  cases.  Here  also  no  definite  plan  as  to  the  future  of  the  children 
has  been  adopted.  But  the  board  of  directors  think  of  placing  them  in 
respectable  families  for  adoption.  Starting  with  the  opinion  that  the^ 
fresh  country  air  is  far  more  beneficial  for  these  children  than  the  city 
air,  this  institution  intends  making  arrangements  to  have  cottages  or 
branch  establishments  in  Westchester  county.  If  a  mother  wishes  to  take 
her  child  with  her  upon  leaving  the  institution,  she  is  permitted  to  do  so 
only  when  she  furnishes  to  the  board  of  directors  satisfactory  evidence 
that  she  is  able  and  willing  to  support  and  educate  the  little  one  properly. 

The  "Protestant  Half-Orphan  Asylum,"  at  No.  C7  West  Tenth  street, 
which  has  existed  since  1835,  receives  no  children  under  four  years  of 
a^e.  and  charges  fifty  cents  per  week  for  their  board.  This  institution 
also  has  exerted  a  beneficial  influence  in  its  way,  and  from  its  formation 
until  December,  1872,  it  has  received  and  fostered  not  less  than  3,196 
children. 

The  subject  of  foundlings  and  foundling  asylums  naturally  brings  us  to 
those  women  who  for  good  pay  receive  children  of  any  age.  They  care 
for  these  children  in  such  a  manner  that  the  poor  little  ones  soon  go  to 
their  long  home.  These  women  are  often  connected  with  private  lying-in 
asylums,  in  which  the  mothers  no  longer  care  for  their  children,  as  the 
asylums  undertake  to  board  out  any  such  as  may  make  their  appearance- 
The  children  are  then  given  to  these  women,  who  also  know  that  they 
receive  with  them  the  silent  order  to  get  rid  of  them  as  soon  as  possible. 
The  majoritv  of  the  victims  of  these  women  are  of  course  illegitimate 
children.  But  enough  legitimate  children  also  fall  into  their  hands* 
Many  poor  mothers  or  fathers,  who  must  work  hard  during  the 
day,  are  forced  to  board  their  children  out  cheaply.  Such  cheap 
board  they  then  find  with  women  who  make  a  business  of  boarding 
strange  children.  There  are  indeed  among  these  women  some  whose 
hearts  are  human,  and  who  give  to  the  little  ones  entrusted  to  their  care 
a  truly  motherly  attention.  But  these  never  take  more  children  than  they 
are  able  to  attend  to  properly.  The  other  women,  however,  are  not  so 
particular  as  to  the  number,  and  a  dozen  is  not  a  very  unusual  number. 
Many  children,  as  before  mentioned,  are  given  into  the  hands  of  these 
women  to  get  rid  of  them  as  soon  as  possible.  But  the  women  treat  all 
their  boarders  alike.  The  poor  little  ones  cannot  speak,  it  is  true,  but 
their  pitiable  appearance  speaks  louder  of  heartless  abuses,  hunger,  etc., 
than  any  words  could  do.  As  a  case  of  this  kind  has  recently  come  up 
before  one  of  our  city  courts,  we  will  give  it  as  the  best  illustration  of 
the  subject : 


0/0  FOUNDLINGS. 

The  name  of  the  prisoner  was  Ellen  Roberts.  This  woman  had,  dur- 
ing the  period  from  June  1  to  September  15,  besides  her  own  five  chil- 
dren, not  less  than  thirty  other  babies  in  board,  whom  she  treated  with 
the  most  heartless  cruelty.  Of  these  thirty  children,  six  died  of  starva- 
tion and  neglect  within  the  above-named  period.  One  woman  testified 
that  this  woman  Roberts  left  the  house  at  ten  o'clock  in  the  morning,  and 
often  did  not  return  until  five  in  the  evening.  During  this  period  the 
children  lay  in  their  cribs,  with  a  bottle  of  milk  as  their  food,  during  the 
whole  day.  This  was  well  enough  for  those  who  were  old  enough  to 
help  themselves,  but  for  the  majority  of  them  the  milk-bottle  was  entirely 
useless.  The  prisoner  was  also  addicted  to  drink,  and  was  at  one  time 
seen  in  a  state  of  intoxication  to  throw  the  children  like  logs  on  the  beds, 
so  that  two  of  them  fell  upon  their  faces  and  would  have  suffocated  if  the 
witness  had  not  stepped  in.  Two  other  witnesses  stated  that  over  thirty 
children  had  died  in  her  house  in  the  course  of  the  year  1872.  An  un- 
dertaker used  to  call  for  the  babies  during  the  night,  and  until  their  re- 
moval to  the  cemetery,  used  to  keep  them  in  his  cellar. 

But  cases  like  these  do  not  stand  alone.  Some  time  ago  such  a  woman 
was  sentenced  to  the  penitentiary  for  six  months,  because  she  took  her 
boarders  into  the  yard  and  let  them  lie  there  in  the  hot  July  sun,  without 
any  protection. 

Of  another  the  following  is  related:  She  had  twelve  children,  almost, 
all  under  one  year  of  age.  With  the  advent  of  summer,  diarrhoea  be- 
gan to  make  its  appearance,  and  much  work  and  care  loomed  up  in  the 
future  in  consequence,  She  made  it  a  rule  not  to  clean  them  more  than 
once  a  day.  The  children  were  then  undressed,  placed  in  a  big  wash- 
tub,  the  hydrant  opened  over  them,  and  then,  one  after  another,  they 
were  washed  like  a  piece  of  clothing.  That  such  a  washing  sent  many 
of  these  children  to  their  long  rest  is  easily  understood. 

In  all  our  institutions  for  the  care  of  children,  whether  they  are  called 
foundling  asylums  or  orphan  asylums,  it  is  customary  to  board  the  chil- 
dren out,  either  in  the  city  or  country,  more  frequently  in  the  latter.  The 
different  institutions  pay  a  certain  sum  for  board,  and,  if  these  people  do 
their  duty,  the  children  get  along  better  than  they  would  in  an  over- 
crowded instiiution.  But,  as  we  have  before  remarked,  very  few  do  their 
their  duty  in  sueh  cases.  The  sisters  have  had  the  sad  experience  that 
their  little  ones  who  are  boarded  out,  in  spite  of  the  country  air  and  all 
other  favorable  circumstances,  die  more  rapidly  than  those  in  the  institu. 
tion.  The  cause  of  this  is  that  the  people  who  board  such  children,  wan 
to  make  as  much  as  possible  at  this  business,  and  carry  their  saving  s<> 
far  that  they  are  not  much  better  than  the  women  we  have  just  described. 
And  all  this  ill  usage  can  take  place  under  the  eyes  of  a  detective,  who 
is  supposed  to  play  the  part  of  a  guardian  angel  over  these  children. 
Need  we  wonder  then  at  the  crimes   committed   by  the  above-described 


TH1     DARK    SIl>K    OF    NKW    YORK    LIFE.  G79 

women  upon   those  poor  children   over  whom   no   detective  watches  and 
looks  after? 

The  above  should  be  sufficient  to  teach  those  better  who  believe  that 
the  system  of  4k  farming  out,"  as  above  described,  conhl  entirely  replace 
the  fouudling  asylums.  It  is  indeed  true  that  the  asylum  of  the  sisters 
has  sent  most  of  its  children  out  into  the  country.  But  even  if  this  sys- 
tem were  still  more  used,  the  foundling  asylum  could  not  be  dispensed 
with.  It  would  always  be  needed  as  the  place  of  reception  for  aban- 
doned children,  where  they  could  be  cared  for  until  a  place  could  be 
found  to  board  them,  or  where  they  can  be  recalled  to  if  they  are  ill, 
treated  in  the  boarding-place.  Where  finally  could  crippled  or  diseased 
foundlings  be  received,  if  not  in  a  foundling  asylum? 

In  one  respect  the  opposition  to  foundling  asylums  is  difficult  to  under- 
stand. In  all  cases  it  injures  the  foundlings  most,  those  poor  creatures 
who  are  more  in  need  of  help  and  pity  than  any  other  human  being, 
The  time  has  long  passed  when  a  poor  girl,  for  the  sin  committed  in  a 
brief  moment  of  weakness,  was  compelled  to  do  penance  at  the  church 
door.  It  may  be  true  that  foundling  asylums  increase  the  number  of  ille- 
gitimate children.  But  that  gives  their  opponents  no  right  to  say  that 
they  lower  morality.  The  larger  number  of  illegitimate  children  is  more 
than  overbalanced  by  the  decreased  number  of  child-murders,  which 
must  also  be  regarded  as  the  fruit  of  foundling  asylums.  How  many 
unfortunate  girls  have  been  kept  from  having  their  unborn  children,  and 
even  themselves  sometimes,  murdered  in  the  dens  of  the  abortionists,  by 
the  foundling  asylum  !  There  have  been,  and  will  be,  foundlings  in  all 
ages,  and  their  number  will  not  be  decreased  if  they  are  to  be  made  the 
scapegoats  for  the  loose  morals  of  our  society.  This  would  also  be  an 
act  of  cruelty  against  which  humanity  and  our  moral  feeling  revolts  in  an 
equal  degree.  Let  the  number  of  illegitimate  births  increase  a  trifle, 
the  world  will  nevertheless  greet  it  as  the  sign  of  a  new  era  if  it  sees 
that  the  murder  and  abandonment  of  children  decrease,  and  the  abortion* 
ists,  instead  of  building  palaces,  complain  of  bad  times. 


680  INCENDIARIES. 


INCENDIARIES. 

According  to  the  annual  reports  of  the  police,  125  of  the  4,156  confla- 
grations which  have  occurred  in  our  city  since  November   1,  1868,  have 
been  caused  by  incendiaries.     This  fact  shows  us  the  existence  of  an  ele- 
ment in  our  city  which  makes  use  of  the  torch  for  the  purpose  of  criminal 
avarice.     We  meau  by  this  those  incendiaries  who,  although  they  do   not 
belong   to    the    professional   criminals,  must   still   be   classed  among  the 
most    degraded    and    dangerous   individuals  who    threaten    the  life    and 
property  of  a   community.     The   crime   of  the  thief,  the  robber,  or  the 
murderer  is  only  restricted  to  one  person.     But  it  is  quite  different  with 
the  incendiary.     If  he  has  once  set  his  fire   going,  the   consequences  of 
the  deed  are   beyond   his   control.     The   flame   may  be   restricted  to  the 
house   for  which    it  was   intended,  or   it  may  equally  well  lay  the  whole 
city   in    ashes.     Baltimore,  Boston,  and   especially   Chicago,   are  recent 
examples  of  the  destructive  power  of  fire,  and  how  it  depends  upon  a 
thousand  little   things  how  and  where  the   flame,  once   started,   can  be 
restricted.     In  this  respect,  the   incendiary  displays   a  recklessness  with 
regard  to  the  life  and  property  of  his  fellow-men,  like  no   other  criminal. 
To  obtain  a  small  advantage,  he  does  not  hesitate  to  ruin  hundreds  and 
thousands  forever,  and  thus  pay  a  price  for  the  fruit  of  his  crime  which 
even  the  most  cold-blooded  murderer  would  consider  too  high.     We  have 
already  remarked   that   incendiaries  are  not,  properly  speaking,  profes- 
sional criminals.     It  very  seldom  occurs  that  thieves  set  fire  to   a   house 
in  order  to   steal   and  pillage   in   the    ensuing   confusion,  although  they 
make  good  use  of  conflagrations  to  ply  their  trade.     But  what  can  induce 
men  who  follow  an  honest  profession  to  commit  such  a  heartless  crime  as 
incendiarism?     Two   motives   chiefly  come   into  play  here,  revenge  and 
desire  for  gain.     Cases  in  which  hate  and  a  desire  for  revenge  make  use 
of  the  torch  are  so   exceptional  that  we   can   omit  them   here.     On  the 
other  hand,  a  low  desire  for  gain   is   more   frequently  the   cause  than  is 
generally  supposed.     How  often  incendiarism  is  made  use  of  to  obtain  a 
high  insurance  for  the  goods  or  building,  is   known   to   every  one.     The 
fire  insurance  companies  also  know  this  full  well,  and  it  is   only  owing  to 
jheir  vigilance  that  cases   of  incendiarism  do  not  occur  more  frequently 
than  they  actually  do.     Many  who  wish  to  cheat  their  creditors  by  means 
of  fraudulent  bankruptcy  or  other  means,  let  a  fire  destroy  their  books 
and  goods,  thus  furnishing  at  the  same  time  a  plausible  pretext  for   going 
Into  bankruptcy. 

In  the  year  ending  with  April  4,  1872,  twenty  conflagrations  were 
proven  by  the  Fire  Marshal  to  be  the  work  of  incendiaries,  and  almost 
all  were  caused  by  such  attempts  at  swindling  insurance  companies  or 
creditors.     This    number   may  not   seem   very   large   to   some,  but  it  is- 


rrrr.    DARK    BIDE    01    NEW    TOKK    LIFE.  681 

increased  in  weight  if  we  remember  that  the  incendiaries  have,  by  theae 
attempts,  twenty  times  brought  the  city  into  danger  of  suffering  the  same 
fate  as  Chicago.  This  is  by  no  means  exaggerated.  For  after  the  ex- 
amples of  Chicago,  Boston,  and  Baltimore,  where,  in  spite  of  the  best  fire 
departments,  the  finest  parts  of  the  city  were  burned  down,  we  must 
rather  count  upon  chance  than  upon  the  fire  departments  in  subduing  the 
tire  king. 

As  dangerous  as  the  crime  ot  incendiarism  is,  particularly  in  the  ove  - 
crowded  tenement-house  regions,  for  the  lives  and  property  of  the  inhabi" 
tauts  of  the  city,  so  little  dangerous  is  it  for  the  incendiary  himself.  In 
comparatively  very  few  cases  can  he  be  legally  convicted  of  his  crime. 
The  fire  generally  destroys  all  traces  which  might  be  used  as  evidence  'of 
an  intentional  incendiarism.  In  cases  where  it  can  be  proven  as  suchi 
evidence  is  again  wanting  to  discover  and  convict  the  criminal.  In  the 
period  from  January  1,  1864,  to  April  4,  1872,  301  persons  were  arrested 
on  the  charge  of  being  incendiaries.  Of  this  number  only  nine  were 
convicted  and  punished. 

But  it  must  not  be  supposed  that  the  number  of  incendiaries  men- 
tioned in  the  police  reports  is  a  complete  one.  From  November,  1868, 
to  April,  1872,  only  125  of  the  4,156  conflagrations  in  our  city  were 
classed  as  cases  of  incendiarism.  But  the  same  reports  mention  over 
400  conflagrations  of  which  the  causes  were  unknown.  Besides  there 
were  a  large  number  mentioned  as  having  been  caused  by  accident.  Both 
these  classes  include  those  cases  where  the  unknown  eause  was  an  incen- 
diary, or  where  the  accident  had  been  caused  by  criminal  intention.  It 
is  pleasant  to  see,  however,  that,  although  the  number  of  conflagrations 
is  continually  increasing,  the  number  of  causes  of  incendiarism,  and  fire* 
of  which  the  causes  were  unknown,  is  decreasing  year  by  year.  A 
glance  into  the  police  reports  for  the  years  1870,  1871,  and  1872  will 
plainly  show  this  : 

Incendiarism.  Cause  unknown. 

55  201 

40  131 

20  33 

The  number  of  arrests  made  during  these  three  years  was  about  equal 
to  that  of  cases  of  incendiarism.  In  1870,  53  ;  in  1871,  40,  and  in  1872 
25  persons  were  arrested  on  suspicion  of  being  incendiaries.  Unfortu- 
nately the  efforts  of  the  authoritiesto  punish  the  criminals  failed  in  an  al- 
most astonishing  manner.  Of  the  number  arrested  in  1870  only  three,  and 
of  those  arrested  in  the  following  two  years  only  one  in  each,  were  con. 
victed.  This  does  not  look  very  hopeful.  But  it  is  excused  by  the 
praiseworthy  endeavors  of  the  authorities  to  let  ten  guilty  ones  escape 
rather  than  have  one  iunocent  person  suffer.  It  is  only  to  be  regretted 
that  the  law  does  not  inflict  heavier  penalties  on  this  crime  than  it  ao 


Year. 

Conflagrations. 

1870 

913 

1871 

1041 

1872 

1380 

682  THE    PUBLIC    CONVEYANCES. 

tually  does.     The  highest  punishment  served  out  to  one  of  these  crimi 
uals  was  seven  years  in  the  State  Prison,  while  the  others  escaped  with 
terms  down  to  one  year. 

In  olden  times  it  was  customary  to  throw  the  incendiaries  into  their 
own  fires,  and  to  the  present  day,  in  cases  where  the  incendiary  is  caught 
in  the  act,  but  little  mercy  is  shown  them.  The  law  of  course  canno1 
take  such  lynch  law  as  a  sample.  But  still  it  is  to  be  hoped  that  incen- 
diarism as  a  crime  will  be  threatened  with  much  more  severe  penalties 
than  our  laws  at  present  afford. 

The  incendiary  does  not  take  the  possible  consequences  of  his  deed  into 
consideration  ;  he  fans  the  flame,  not  caring  whether  it  lays  his  store  only 
in  ashes,  or  destroys  a  whole  city  ;  it  is  entirely  immaterial  to  him  how 
many  lives  are  lost  by  his  act,  or  how  many  are  utterly  ruined  by  it* 
Why  then  does  the  law  consider  it  in  his  favor  if  no  lives  have  been  lost' 
or  very  little  damage  done  to  property,  something  that  is  only  to  be  attri- 
buted to  chance?  Incendiarism  is  a  crime  which,  as  is  very  well  known, 
can  but  seldom  be  traced  home  to  its  author.  This  is  an  encouraging 
fact  to  those  persons  who  believe  that  stealing  is  excusable,  but  not  the 
•  being  caught."  It  is  a  disadvantage  of  our  criminal  law  not  to  be 
avoided,  but  which  should  be  equalized  by  a  corresponding  severity  in  the 
punishment  of  those  who  are  convicted. 


THE  PUBLIC  CONVEYANCES. 

New  York  is  a  city  of  great  length,  without  any  real  breadth.  Situated 
between  a  mighty  river  and  a  somewhat  smaller  one,  both  until  now 
without  bridges,  it  can  only  expand  in  the  one  direction,  which  removes 
its  increasing  population  more  and  more  from  the  business  centre.  This 
causes  a  daily  flood  of  its  population,  which,  with  the  regularity  of  a  nat- 
ural phenomenon,  flows  from  up  town  to  down  town  in  the  morning,  and 
from  down  town  to  up  town  in  the  evening.  With  the  distance  increas- 
ing every  year,  a  want  of  means  of  conveyance  was  soon  felt.  In  con- 
sequence of  this  the  stages  were  first  introduced.  Every  one  knows  these 
conveyances  with  their  antediluvian  appearance,  rattling  along  the  streets 
with  the  portliness  of  the  Knickerbockers.  They  sufficed  as  long  as 
Twenty-third    and    Twenty-fourth    streets    were    up  town,   and    Harlem 


•mi     DARE    BIDI    mi     HEW    FORI    LIFE.  BBS 

formed  a  kind  of  M  Far  West "'  lor  New  York.  But  that  time  has  long 
passed.  Then  the  horse-cars  made  their  appearance,  and  all  trouble 
as  to  travel  seemed  to  be  at  an  end  forever.  But  this  "  forever"  did  not 
last  long.  Our  street-cars  suffice  to-day  as  little  as  did  the  stage-coaches 
twenty  years  ago.  In  spite  of  their  large  number,  they  do  not  suffice  for 
the  transportation  of  passengers,  nor  for  the  di.-tance  to  be  traveled.  Be- 
sides stages  and  horse-cars,  there  are  also  a  large  number  of  "  hacks  "  at 
the  service  of  the  public,  and  vet  they  all  do  not  supply  the  general  want 
for  means  of  transportation,  either  in  quality  or  in  quantity.  No  one 
will  therefore  be  astonished  if  we  consider  our  public  conveyances  a  fit 
theme  for  our  book. 

We  will  begin  with  the  hacks,  which  have  their  stations  in  various 
parts  of  the  city,  and  particularly  bring  strangers  from  the  docks  or  de- 
pots to  the  hotels  and  other  places.  For  the  wealthier  class  of  strangers 
stopping  at  hotels,  these  hacks  are  the  most  common  and  easiest  mode  of 
conveyance.  The  principal  customers  of  the  hacks  are  therefore  partic- 
ularly strangers,  while  funerals,  weddings,  balls,  and  similar  events  are 
the  only  occasions  when  they  are  made  use  of  by  the  inhabitants  of  the 
city. 

The  principal  sin  of  the  hack-drivers  is  an  inveterate  propensity  to  get 
the  best  of  their  customers.  They  are  bound  by  law  to  certain  prices, 
but  they  care  very  little  for  this.  The  hack-driver  is  a  pretty  good  judge 
of  character,  and  knows  very  well  which  passenger  is  "  green  "  and  rich 
enough  to  pay  double  or  even  treble  fare  without  creating  trouble  or 
calling  on  the  police. 

This  is  only  regarded  among  this  class  as  smartness.  If  there  are 
some  who  keep  their  smartness  within  the  bounds  of  honesty,  there  are 
also  others  with  whom  it  is  necessary  to  be  on  one's  guard.  Cases  have 
come  to  the  notice  of  the  police  in  which  hack-drivers  have  acted  as 
runners  for  swindling  hotels,  houses  of  prostitution,  and  have  even  some- 
times been  the  confederates  of  thieves.  How  dangerous  it  is  for  single 
ladies  or  girls  to  trust  themselves  with  hack-drivers,  has  been  shown  in  a 
previous  chapter.  The  following  case  may  serve  as  a  warning  example 
to  those  who  are  inclined  to  leave  the  choice  of  their  hotel  to  their  hack- 
driver  : 

A  Mr.  8.  did  this,  as  we  will  shortly  see,  with  not  very  great  success. 
Upon  arriving  at  the  depot,  he  allowed  himself  to  be  taken  charge  of  by 
the  first  hack-driver  he  met,  and  told  him  to  go  to  a  good  but  not  too  dear 
hotel.  He  entered  the  carriage,  the  door  was  closed,  and  the  hack  rat- 
tled on  through  the  dark  streets.  At  last  it  stopped,  and  upon  alighting 
Mr.  S.  found  himself  in  a  not  very  fine-looking  street  (Greenwich),  and 
in  front  of  a  house  still  less  inviting.  Mr.  S.  immediately  saw  that  he 
had  acted  foolishly.  But  it  was  late,  he  was  tired,  and  he  had  not  so 
much    mouey    that   he   could    undertake    pleasure-trips    in    a    hack.      He 


684  THE    PDBLIC    CONVEYANCES. 

therefore  resigned  himself  to  his  fate,  paid  the  driver  the  two  dollars 
he  asked  for,  and  entered  the  hotel  with  his  carpet-bag. 

This  house  looked  still  more  suspicious  inside  than  it  did  outside,  and 
the  guests  whom  he  saw  leaning  around  the  tables  drinking  and  playing 
caused  him  to  ask  for  his  room  immediately.  He  was  shown  there. 
This  room  was  nothing  but  a  little  attic,  furnished  with  a  rotten  bedstead 
and  a  washstand,  and  Mr.  S.  laid  himself  down  to  sleep  with  the  firm 
conviction  that  this  certainly  could  not  be  a  dear  hotel.  His  sleep,  in 
spije  of  his  tiredness,  was  not  very  sound.  He  soon  found  that  he  had  a 
number  of  companions,  who  seemed  to  have  been  looking  for  such  a  vvs- 
tor  for  some  time.  Therefore,  as  soon  as  the  first  signs  of  life  were 
noticeable  down  stairs,  he  arose  from  his  bed  of  torture,  dressed  himself, 
and  demanded  his  bill  at  the  bar.  This  was  given  him,  and  Mr.  8. 
hardly  believed  his  eyes  when  he  saw  that  it  amounted  to  $11.75. 

"  There  must  be  some  mistake  here,"  said  he  ;  "I  only  slept  in  the 
house." 

"  There  is  no  mistake,  sir,"  the  man  at  the  bar  returned  ;  "  we  never 
make  mistakes.     There,  see  for  yourself." 

He  took  a  pencil,  and  before  the  astonished  eyes  of  Mr.  S.  put  down 
the  following  figures :  "  Hack,  $2  ;  supper,  S3  ;  room,  $3  ;  breakfast, 
$3.75;  total,  $11.75." 

"  But  I  have  had  neither  breakfast  nor  supper,  and  paid  the  hack" 
man  myself !" 

"  I  don't  know  whether  you  paid  for  the  hack  or  not.  If  you  did,  al* 
the  worse  for  you,  as  we  always  pay  the  hack-hire.  With  regard  to  sup" 
per  and  breakfast,  supper  was  ready  for  you  last  night,  as  breakfast  is 
now.     It  is  not  our  fault  if  you  don't  eat." 

The  stranger  now  saw  into  the  character  of  the  hotel.  He  saw  the 
dangerous-looking  characters  assembling  around  him  during  the  conver- 
sation. He  paid  the  bill,  and  considered  himself  lucky  when  he  was 
safely  away  from  the  hotel. 

Very  often  the  hack-drivers  are  in  connection  with  "  dragsmen." 
These  are  thieves  who  have  a  horse  and  wagon,  drive  about  the  streets 
during  the  day,  stealing  bundles  and  packages  from  other  wagons,  and  in 
the  evening  getting  behind  hacks  and  cutting  the  straps  which  hold  the 
trunks,  etc.,  on  the  back  of  the  carriage.  Of  course,  when  the  theft  is 
discovered  upon  the  arrival  at  the  hotel,  thj  hackman  knows  nothing 
about  it.  Sometimes  the  hack-driver  even  tries  his  hand  at  picking 
pockets,  although  they  are  exceptional  cases  in  which  a  hack-driver  com- 
mits a  criminal  act.  But  the  hack-driver  who  could  solemnly  swear  that 
he  had  never  got  the  best  of  a  passenger,  and  neVer  would,  belongs  either 
to  some  mythical  past  or  some  distant  future.  Our  age  cannot  produce 
such  strange  creatures. 

With  regard  to  the  stages,  their  dark  sides  are  the  pickpockets,  and  the 


THE    r>AKK    BU  I     "f     HI  H     FOBS     l.lt'K. 

absolute  want  of  all  comfort  fer  passengers.  A  person  upon  entering 
and  leaving  them  endangers  his  limbs,  and  while  when  they  are  overcrowded 
they  form  a  profitable  field  for  pickpockets.  The  fares  are  just  twice  as 
much  as  those  in  the  horse-cars,  and  they  are  therefore  only  used  for 
short  distances  by  those  who  wish  to  avoid  the  filth  aud  the  crowding  iu 
the  cars. 

And  then  the  street  cars  !  They  must  be  regarded  as  the  true  public 
conveyances  of  our  city,  and  are  therefore  of  the  greatest  importance' 
Little  as  they  suflice,  they  are  still  a  necessity  for  hundreds  of  thousands. 
Every  one  confesses  that  they  are  necessary,  and  every  one  who  is  com- 
pelled to  use  them  also  agrees  in  the  fact  that  they  are  necessary  evils. 
Not  one  of  the  many  companies  has  that  number  of  cars  which  would 
seem  to  be  necessary  for  the  convenience  of  the  public.  The  cars  are 
calculated  to  afford  sitting  room  for  twenty  four  persons  at  most,  a  num- 
ber which  is  only  exceptional.  When  these  twenty-four  seats  are  occu- 
pied, the  rest  of  the  passengers  must  be  satisfied  with  standing  room. 
This  is  the  fate  of  the  majority  of  the  passengers,  who  in  winter  or  iu 
bad  weather  consider  themselves  fortunate  if  they  can  find  at  least  a  bit 
of  standing  room. 

How  many  persons  such  a  horse-car  will  contain  seems  to  be  beyond 
all  calculation.  Eighty  or  ninety  persons  is  nothing  unusual  in  one  car 
of  an  evening,  just  after  the  close  of  business  hours.  And  even  if  the 
passengers  inside  are  packed  together  like  herrings,  and  the  two  platforms 
are  crowded  too,  the  conductor  will  always  be  sure  to  hail  you  with. 
4<  Plenty  of  room  inside?"  It  needs  no  further  remarks  to  couvince  our 
readers  that  such  a  trip  is  no  pleasure.  The  exhalations  of  so  many 
pressed  together  in  so  small  a  space,  many  of  them  filthy  in  body  as  well 
a3  clothing,  and  often  soaked  by  snow  or  rain,  occasionally  a  drunken 
man  or  a  rowdy  makes  the  return  home  every  evening  after  the  day's 
work  a  real  torture. 

It  has  not  been  unjustly  remarked  that,  by  the  packing  together  of  so 
many  persons,  the  street  cars  could  be  regarded  as  promoters  and  con- 
ductors of  all  kinds  of  contagious  diseases.  We  need  not  be  even  very 
prudish  to  pronounce  the  packing  together  of  male  and  female  passen- 
gers, in  the  manner  in  which  it  is  sometimes  done,  highly  improper.  It 
is  nothing  unusual  that  ladies  and  girls  are  insulted  by  rude  fellows,  not 
to  speak  of  the  indecent  jests  and  remarks  poured  out  in  the  hearing  of 
female  ears.  If  we  furthermore  take  into  account  the  occasional  visits  of 
pickpockets,  who  find  a  very  profitable  field  in  overcrowded  cars,  we  have 
about  a  fair  idea  of  a  ride  from  City  Hall  between  six  and  seven  o'clock 
in  the  evening.  Hundreds  of  women  aud  children  arc  compelled  to 
stand  on  snow  and  ice  covered  corners  until  a  car  comes  into  which  they 
can  squeeze  themselves  without  very  serious  danger  to  their  clothing  01 
persons. 


686  THE    PUBLIC    CONVEYANCES. 

The  companies  could  easily  remedy  these  evils,  if  they  would  only 
double  the  number  of  their  cars.  But  this  would  require  larger  expenses, 
without  increasing  the  receipts.  They  know  that,  with  double  the  num- 
ber of  cars,  they  would  carry  no  more  passengers  than  they  do  at  present. 
It  would  only  afford  the  public  a  little  more  comfort.  The  comfort  of 
the  public,  however,  is  not  taken  into  consideration  by  these  companies, 
but  rather  the  amount  of  their  dividends,  which,  with  some  companies, 
are  as  high  as  35  per  cent.  Of  most  of  these  companies  the  shares  are 
not  to  be  bought,  and,  if  by  chance  they  sometimes  come  into  the  market, 
they  are  rapidly  bought  up.  This  alone  proves  the  assertions  of  the  com- 
panies to  be  untrue,  when  they  say  that  their  respective  lines  pay  very 
poorly.  The  companies  always  retreat  behind  these  lies  when  the  pa- 
tience of  the  long-suffering  public  becomes  a  little  restive,  and  shows 
signs  of  giving  way. 

The  companies  have  as  little  regard  for  their  employees  as  they  have 
for  their  passengers.  The  conductors  are  paid  on  an  average,  for  fifteen 
hours'  work,  two  dollars,  and  never  more  than  two  and  a  half.  By  this 
means  the  passengers  have  to  suffer  much  from  rowdies  who  are  occa- 
sionally engaged  as  conductors.  The  well-known  case  of  the  "  Car-hook 
Murder "  is  a  prominent  example  of  this.  This  terrible  murder  would 
probably  never  have  been  committed  if  the  conductor  had  done  his  whole 
duty. 

During  the  year  1872  not  less  than  eighteen  persons  were  brought  to 
Bellevue  Hospital  who  were  injured  while  stepping  on  or  off  the  street 
cars.  The  nature  of  these  injuries  will  be  seen  from  the  fact  that  six  of 
them  resulted  in  death.  The  majority  of  these  persons  were  children  or 
intoxicated  individuals,  and  were  injured  while  trying  to  enter  or  leave 
the  car  by  the  front  platform.  The  street  cars  are,  however,  no  place 
for  intoxicated  persons,  and,  although  they  may  be  alone  to  blame  for 
their  accident,  the  responsibility  clearly  lies  with  the  company,  who,  in 
order  that  it  may  not  lose  five  or  six  cents,  admits  persons  into  the  cars 
who  are  barely  able  to  stand  on  their  feet. 

Sometimes  it  also  happens  that  persons  are  pushed  from  the  crowded 
platform,  something  that  is  all  the  more  serious  if  it  happens  to  be  the 
front  one.  A  printed  notice,  put  up  in  the  interior  of  the  car,  warns 
passengers  from  getting  on  or  off  the  front  platform.  But  this  notice  is 
only  an  empty  form.  Every  one  gets  on  or  off  wherever  he  pleases* 
The  companies  think  all  the  less  of  closing  their  front  platforms  by  gates 
or  other  means,  as  too  much  room  for  passengers  woidd  be  lost  in  that 
way.  What  if  a  dozen  or  more  persons  are  injured  every  year,  it  costs 
them  nothing.  They  have  doue  their  duty  by  warning  the  public.  They 
are  also  rich,  and  do  not  fear  the  courts  or  the  law,  even  if  a  coroner's 
jury  should,  in  any  case  of  accident,  hold  them  responsible  for  the  inju- 
ries received. 


THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    TORK    LIFE.  0*7 

Thus  the  abuses  in  this  direction  continue  without  any  hope  for  the 
better  than  the  mythical  "  Quick  transit."  Everybody  speaks  of  it 
.  wrvbody  hopes  for  it.  Some  see  it  in  the  "Viaduct  Railroad,"  others 
in  the  u Arcade  Railroad,"  still  others  in  the  "Pneumatic  Tunnel,"  and 
similar  plans  which  dazzle  us  by  their  splendor,  but  of  which  we  do  not 
know  whether  or  not  this  splendor  will  be  an  obstacle  to  their  realization. 
The  one-horse  elevated  railway,  also  a-  product  of  the  desire  for  rapid 
transit,  has  not  proceeded  any  further  as  yet  than  Thirtieth  street,  and 
has  not  made  very  great  progress  in  the  favor  of  the  public.  The  ques- 
tion of  rapid  transit,  above  or  below  ground,  must  be  solved.  That  is 
<lear.  In  which  particular  manner,  is  a  question  which  can  be  answered 
rather  in  the  future  by  the  different  results  of  various  experiments,  than 
at  present  by  plans. 

In  speaking  of  the  dark  sides  of  our  public  conveyances,  we  must  not 
omit  one  which  is  felt  by  the  pedestrian  rather  than  the  pa-sender.  It  is 
the  blocking  up  of  business  streets  by  conveyances  of  all  kinds,  and  the 
difficulty  resulting  to  pedestrians  therefrom.  The  lower  part  of  Broad- 
way particularly  has  a  bad  name  in  this  respect.  Stages,  trucks,  car- 
riages, and  other  conveyances  of  all  kinds,  moving  up  on  one  side  and 
down  on  the  other,  form  a  continual  stream,  which  only  shows  an  occa- 
sional break  here  and  there.  A  boatman  who  attempts  to  cross  a  river 
full  of  ice  in  his  small  rowboat,  is  in  no  greater  danger  than  a  pedestrian 
who  attempts  to  squeeze  through  such  a  momentary  opening.  For 
hardly  has  he  reached  the  middle  of  the  street,  wThen  the  vehicles  close 
round  him,  and  he  is  cut  off  all  sides.  Then  he  must  keep  cool,  and,  by 
diving  under  horses'  heads,  climbing  over  trucks,  and  various  other  de- 
vices, he  may  extricate  himself  from  this  labyrinth.  If  in  addition  the 
street  is  wet  and  slippery,  this  feat  becomes  still  more  dangerous,  and 
very  often  even  imperils  life  and  limb.  Occasionally  somebody  loses  his 
presence  of  mind  in  this  sea  of  horses  and  wagons,  and  then  makes  some 
attempts  to  extricate  himself,  which  only  lead  him  into  greater  dansrer 
than  before.  The  sight  is  very  often  ludicrous.  But  in  such  cases  the 
huge  form  of  a  Broadway  policeman  makes  its  appearance,  who  takes 
hold  of  such  uufortunate  pedestriaus  and  brings  them  safely  to  the  side- 
walk. 

"Without  the  aid  of  these  Broadway  policemen,  that  much-traveled 
thoroughfare  would  in  fact  in  many  places  be  impassable,  especially  for 
ladies,  children,  and  aged  persons.  If  a  group  of  ladies  stand  on  a 
corner  looking  anxiously  into  the  street,  a  polite  officer  steps  up  to  them 
and  safely  escorts  them  across.  The  official  blue  coat  seems  to  have  a 
magical  effect  on  the  drivers,  and  even  the  most  reckless  ones  are  careful 
to  keep  their  horses  at  a  safe  distance  from  it. 

The  endless  stream  of  wagons  on  Broadway  has  often  been  shown 
with  pride  as  an  evidence  of  our  extensive  business.     That  it   is  indeed ; 


t>O0  THE    TAMMANY    RING. 

but  in  the  above  we  have  only  spoken  of  the  danger  for  foot-travelers? 
considering  that  it  may  be  appropriately  described  as  one  of  the  dark 
side/3  of  our  city.  This  evil  clamors  for  some  kind  of  relief,  and  this 
must  be  furnished  in  such  a  manner  that  the  extensive  business  of  the 
city  shall  not  be  felt,  as  it  is  at  present,  to  be  a  public  danger. 


THE  TAMMANY  RING. 

A  look  into  the  annual  reports  of  the  Comptroller  of  the  City  of  New 
York  will  show  us  the  following  figures  : 

Year.  County  debt.  City  debt.         Total  city  and  county  debt, 

Dec.  1,  18G6,     $11,816,300       $33,371,475  $45,187,775 

Dec.  1,  1867,       13,551,700         33,525,774  47,077,574 

Dec.  1,  1868,       15,882,800         34,746,030  50,628,830 

Dec.  1,  1869.     No  report  published. 
Dec.  1,  1870,       32,867,530         61,617,896  94,485,830 

Even  the  most  careless  reader  will  pause  when  he  sees  these  figures* 
Our  city  government  had  never  been  famed  for  honesty,  and  had  alwaye 
been  conducted  more  in  thi  interest  of  the  office-holders  than  of  the  citi- 
zens. In  spite  of  the  enormous  taxes,  it  had  therefore  come  to  be  ex. 
pected  that  every  annual  report  should  show  a  continual  increase  of  the 
city  and  county  debts.  This  increase,  however,  had  always  remained 
within  moderate  bounds.  Thus  it  continued  until  1868,  when  the  city 
and  county  debts  together  amounted  to  more  than  $50,000,000.  Strange 
to  say,  no  report  was  made  in  1869.  But  the  report  for  1870  contained 
a  very  strange  surprise.  Judging  from  the  former  additions  to  the  debt, 
it  was  expected  that  the  debt  would  amount  to  about  $56,000,000.  But 
it  came  otherwise.  The  debt  had  risen,  during  the  short  space  of  two 
years  to  almost  $95,000,000 — that  is,  nearly  double  the  amount  for  the 
year  1868  ! 

In  view  of  these  facts,  we  are  forced  to  ask  ourselves  what  the  cause 
of  this  rapid  rise  could  be,  and  how  it  could  be  possible  that,  even  with  the 
most  reckless  administration,  such  an  enormous  debt  could  be  contracted? 
The  answer  to  this  question  is  found  in  that  political  gang  of  thieves 
which  in  1867  took  hold  of  the  reins  of  government,  and  which,  under 
the   name    of  the   "  Tammany  Ring,"   became   identical  with   boundless 


ihk    dakk    BUM    ok    \h\v     rOEK    L1KK.  «38iJ  j 

corruption.  It  is  tlicrefore  the  corruption  prevailing  in  all  parties  of 
which  we  will  treat,  as  the  Tammany  Ring  is  a  thing  of  the  past.  It 
was  broken  by  the  united  efforts  of  an  outraged  and  iudignant  people^ 
and  will  not  be  able  to  form  itself  again  in  the  same  shape.  But  the 
shnpe  is  of  no  account.  Whether  the  scum  of  this  or  that  party  forms 
itself  iuto  one  or  another  gang  of  thieves,  or  whether  it  assumes  this  or 
that  name,  is  immaterial.  It  is  the  corruption  that  must  be  laid  bare  ia 
the  Tammany  Ring,  that  a  shameful  past  may  serve  as  a  warning  for  the 
present  and  future. 

It  is  a  past  full  of  shame,  especially  the  time  from  18G7  till  the  middle 
of  1871.  For  such  a  degree  of  corruption  as  was  produced  by  the  Tam- 
many Ring  was  not  possible  without  a  very  low  standard  of  public  mo- 
rality  and  sense  of  right  of  the  citizens  in  geueral.  Only  a  sad  want  of 
true  public  spirit  could  keep  the  most  important  city  of  this  Republic  for 
years  in  the  hands  of  a  gang  of  thieves.  In  this  respect  the  citizens  of 
New  York  are  not  entirely  free  from  guilt.  If  there  is  anything  that 
lets  this  guilt  appear  in  a  milder  light,  it  is  the  system  by  which  the 
leaders  of  the  ring  not  only  gathered  the  lowest  and  most  criminal  classes 
under  their  flag,  but  also  organized  with  their  aid  a  despotism  which 
stands  alone  in  the  annals  of  our  Republic,  and  we  hope  will  stand  alone 
forever. 

We  by  no  means  intend  to  undertake  the  unpleasant  task  of  writing  <\ 
detailed  history  of  the  Tammany  Ring  and  the  different  persons  con^ 
nected  with  it.  This  would  lead  us  far  beyond  the  space  allotted  to  this 
chapter.  We  will  therefore  give  a  short  sketch  of  the  disgraceful  sys? 
tem  on  which  the  ring  supported  itself  so  successfully.  The  persons 
whom  we  mention  in  its  connection  will  be  taken  into  consideration  only  so 
far  as  is  necessary  so  to  do  in  explaining  the  workings  of  this  gigantic 
traud. 

The  corruption  developed  by  the  ring  had  for  a  long  time  already 
formed  a  prominent  feature  of  our  party  politics.  It  received  fresh  fuel 
during  the  Rebellion.  After  the  war  had  come  to  a  close,  speculation^ 
which  had  come  to  an  end  in  the  way  of  army  contracts,  blockade  run- 
ning, etc.,  was  forced  to  seek  fresh  fields,  and  concentrated  its  whole 
energies  upon  politics.  New  York  of  course  received  the  liou's  share  of 
the  swindlers  put  out  of  office  by  the  closing  of  the  war.  Without  any 
political  principles,  or  in  fact  any  principles  at  all,  they  were  on'y  led  by 
a  desire  to  grow  rich  as  soon  as  possible,  and  were  ready  to  join  any 
party  that  would  offer  the  best  chances  for  letting  their  thievish  propensi* 
ties  have  full  play.  This  was  the  case  at  that  time  in  that  faction  of  the 
Democratic  party  known  as  Tammany,  whose  leaders  had  inaugurated  a 
system  of  public  plunder  in  which  they  had  shown  great  euer^y  and  urn 
exampled  recklessness  in  the  selection   of  the  means  of  bringing  about 

their  ends. 

44 


m 


THE    TAMMANY    RING. 


Soon  a  clique  of  men  was  formed  who  held  the  whole  administration 
of  the  city  in  their  hands.  A.  Oakey  Hall,  Mayor;  Richard  B.  Con- 
nolly,'the  Comptroller;  Peter  B.  Sweeney,  the  City  Chamberlain  ;  Wil- 
liam M.  Tweed,  State  Senator,  President  of  the  Bureau  of  Public 
Works,  etc.,  were  the  real  heads  of  this  clique,  which  was  known  as  the 
14  Tammany  Ring."  They  were  by  no  means  persons  standiug  forth 
prominently  either  by  their  character  or  personal  accomplishments.  That 
they  could  obtain  power  at  all  is  only  explained  by  supposing  that,  after 
the  long  war,  a  political  enervation  took  place,  which  gave  to  unclean 
political  elements  a  wider  field  for  action  than  was  well  for  the  city.  But 
they  had  obtained  influence  and  power,  and  did  not  hesitate  to  make 
use  of  both.  Their  interests  also  demanded  that  they  should  gaiu  more 
adherents  for  their  further  plans.  This  they  did  by  offering  chances  to 
others  to  enrich  themselves  at  the  cost  of  their  own  honesty  and  the 
public  treasury. 

The  desire  for  gain  is  unfortunately  a  weakness  which  had  already 
caused  the  ruin  of  many.  It  was  this  weakness  which  caused  many  men 
of  all  parties,  who  had  until  then  had  an  unblemished  reputation,  to 
prostitute  their  good  name  in  the  service  of  the  ring.  Ten  thousand  dol- 
lars per  year  often  caused  such  men  to  overlook  tire  conditions  under 
which  they  received  their  situations  from  the  ring.  For  this  price  they 
not  only  became  the  defenders  of  these  thieves,  but  lent  to  the  ring  by 
their  own  names,  until  then  spotless,  an  appearance  of  respectability  which 
its  true  leaders  were  not  able  to  give  it.  Thus  theft  and  fraud  in  office 
became  quite  common,  and  whoever  held  a  public  trust  was  considered 
to  be  on  the  direct  road  to  wealth.  The  ring  was  considered  the  source 
of  all  wealth,  and  therefore  found  thousands  of  willing  tools  for  all  its 
plans.  And  never  were  tools  used  more  systematically  for  criminal  pur- 
poses than  by  the  ring.  Thus  it  used  over  a  million  dollars  in  passing 
its  celebrated  Charter  of  1870,  in  the  State  legislature.  This  charter 
gave  to  the  ring  the  power  of  appointing  the  heads  of  departments 
for  terms  ranging  from  four  to  eight  years.  It  is  unnecessary  to 
mention  that  these  chiefs  were  blind  tools  of  the  ring,  and  in  their  turn 
selected  for  subordinates  a  class  of  people  who  knew  only  to  obey  its  die" 
tates. 

But  this  far-reaching  appointing  power  did  not  suffice.  The  charter  at 
the  same  time  gave  power  to  the  ring  to  remove  their  subordinates  at  any 
time,  and  thus  forced  them  to  obey  its  dictates  if  they  wished  to  retain 
their  offices.  The  ring  also  bribed  the  legislature  to  pass  such  special 
laws  as  would  throw  almost  insurmountable  obstacles  in  the  way  of  any 
one  attempting  to  break  up  their  power.  The  ring  controlled  the  public 
finances,  distributed  the  public  works,  appointed  the  police,  watched  over 
the  elections,  and  even  had  its  creatures  on  the  bench.  This  particularly 
secured  to  the  ring  the  assistance  of  the  rowdy  and  criminal  elements  in 


THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE.  <*>91 

our  city.  The  ring  remembers  all  services  rendered  to  it,  and  the  crimi- 
nal who  was  under  the  protection  of  Tammany  had  little  to  fear  from  the 
courts. 

Thus  crime  grew  to  immense  proportions  under  the  rule  of  the  ring, 
because  it  possessed  valuable  assistants  in  the  rowdies  and  criminals  for 
manipulating  the  elections.  With  such  a  well-arranged  system  of  cor- 
ruption it  almost  seemed  impossible  to  put  a  stop  to  the  ruinous  proceed- 
ings of  the  ring  by  means  of  the  law.  The  big  thieves  laughed  at  the 
orcasioual  eilbrts  of  influential  and,  at  the  same  time,  influential  men  to 
awaken  the  public,  and  to  arouse  them  to  throw  ofF  the  hateful  yoke* 
Tiic  treasury  continued  to  be  plundered  with  an  impudence  which  was 
only  surpassed  by  the  indifference  of  the  citizens. 

As  an  example  of  the  impudence  with  which  the  ring  conducted  its 
thefts,  we  will  only  mention  the  new  court-house  in  the  rear  of  the  City 
Hall.  This  building,  begun  in  1863,  and  which,  according  to  the  orig- 
inal plans,  should  not  have  cost  over  two  millions,  is  still  unfinished,  aL 
though  over  twelve  millions  have  been  spent  on  it.  All  work  on  the 
building  was  performed  by  the  creatures  of  the  ring,  and  their  bills  were 
always  paid  without  any  questions.  The  plastering  alone  cost  more 
than  the  building  should  have  cost.  Similar  swindles  wrere  committed  in 
ihe  repair  of  the  armories  for  the  militia.  In  some  of  these  armories 
the  repairs  of  the  furniture  cost  more  in  the  two  years,  1869  and  1870, 
than  the  entire  cost  of  the  buildings. 

It  also  happened  very  frequently  that,  if  anybody  presented  a  bill  for 
■  0,  he  was  only  paid  if  the  amount  was  charged  to  $5,000  or  $10,- 
.  It  was  then  paid  without  another  word.  The  balance  wTas  of 
course  charged  to  the  city.  Many  of  the  paid  bills  were  for  work  that 
had  never  been  done,  and  many  were  even  on  false  names.  In  such  a 
manner  two  favorites  of  the  ring  were  paid  in  the  course  of  two  years 
over  six  millious  of  dollars,  and  to  fourteen  different  parties  in  all  $15,- 
457,063. 

From  this  we  can  see  how  the  city  and  county  debt  could  be  doubled 
in  the  course  of  two  years.  We  must  only  wonder  that  this  debt  had 
not  become  greater  still.  It  would  fill  a  volume  in  itself  to  expose  all 
the  thefts  of  Tammany  in  their  whole  extent.  It  will  be  best  illustrated 
if  we  give  a  short  sketch  of  the  head  of  the  ring,  the  "  Hon."  William 
M.  Tweed,  or  as  he  was  familiarly  termed,  "Boss"  Tweed,  a  State  Sen- 
ator of  New  York  : 

Although  a  chairmaker  by  trade,  he  had  never  worked  at  the  business 
after  serving  his  apprenticeship  and  had  outgrown  the  control  of  his 
parents.  He  understood  the  art  of  living  without  work,  and  belonged  to 
the  hangers-on  of  the  old  Fire  Department,  and  had  been  fireman  of  the 
most  disreputable  company,  the  "  Big  Six,"  also  known  as  the  "  Old 
Tiger."     He  entered  vigorously  into  polities  as  the  easiest  way  to  make 


692  THE  TAMMANY   RING. 

money.  lie  was  favored  by  fortune,  and  worked  his  way  up,  atep  after 
step,  to  be  State  Senator  and  President  of  the  Department  of  Public 
Works.  When  he  entered  into  politics  he  was  head  over  ears  in  debt. 
Even  in  18G1  it  did  not  seem  very  profitable  for  him,  for  he  saw  fit  to 
become  a  bankrupt.  But  siuce  then  his  star  has  been  in  the  ascendant, 
as  in  1871  his  property  was  estimated  at  fifteen  or  twenty  millions.  How 
much  of  this  immeuse  fortune  came  from  the  court-house  it  is  impossible 
to  tell.  It  was  certainly  a  pretty  large  amount,  as  he  was  interested  in 
the  marble  furnished  for  the  building.  As  the  public  schools,  the  differ- 
ent department  offices,  the  charitable  and  other  institutions  needed  furni- 
ture, he  founded,  together  with  James  H.  Ingersoll,  a  furniture  factory y 
for  which  he  obtained  the  cusom  of  the  city.  He  also  bought  an  obscure 
paper,  the  Transcript,  and  had  it  declared  by  the  legislature  to  be  the 
official  organ  of  the  city  of  New  York.  By  this  means  the  paper  had  a 
revenue  of  over  a  miliiou  from  the  city  treasury,  with  comparatively  very 
few  expenses.  The  next  thing  iu  order  was  the  incorporation  of  the 
"  New  York  Printing  Company."  In  1870  this  company  received  from 
the  city  for  printing  of  receipts,  etc.,  the  euormous  sum  of  $2,800,000. 
Besides  it  had  the  printing  of  almost  all  insurauce  companies,  steamship 
companies,  and  other  simi'ar  rich  corporations,  who  paid  higher  prices 
there  than  they  did  in  other  printing  offices.  They  were  forced  to  do  this, 
or  the  "Boss"  would  have  some  of  their  valuable  privileges  revoked  by 
the  legislature.  As  an  accompaniment  to  the  "  Printing  Company," 
Tweed  also  started  a  "Manufacturing  Stationery  Company,"  to  furnish 
the  public  schools  and  the  different  departments  wi.h  all  kinds  of  paper 
and  other  writing  materials.  This  company  received  over  $3,000,000 
per  annum  from  the  city  during  the  rule  of  the  ring. 

The  following  incident  may  serve  as  an  example  of  the  manner  in 
which  these  companies  plundered  the  city:  In  1871  the  office  of  the 
couuty  clerk  received  from  the  Stationery  Company  fifteen  reams  of  writ- 
ing paper,  several  dozen  penholders,  four  bottles  of  ink,  together  with 
some  other  trifles.  The  whole  lot  would  not  have  cost  over  fifty  dollars* 
if  bought  in  any  ordinary  stationery  store  in  the  city.  The  bill  which 
was  handed  in  for  it,  however,  and  which  was  paid  without  a  murmur 
by  the  Mayor  and  Comptroller,  amounted  to  $10,000.  Tweed  at  last 
founded  a  compauy  for  the  manufacture  of  breech-loading  rifles.  This 
company,  however,  only  existed  in  name.  Tweed  bought  a  number  of 
breech-loaders  which  had  been  condemned  by  the  United  States  Govern* 
ment.  He  then  smuggled  a  bill  through  the  legislature  of  the  State, 
which  ordered  that  all  the  militiamen  of  the  State  of  New  York  should 
be  armed  with  these  rifles. 

It  is  well  known  what  a  suspicious  part  the  Teuth  National  Bank 
played  on  the  well-remembered  "  B'.ack  Friday,"  as  also  that  the  bank 
acted  as  the  agent  of  Tweed   and  hij  companions,  and  that  the  money 


THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    TOKK    LIFE.  C03 

which  was  used  by  the  bank  in  its  operations  belonged  to  the  city  treas- 
ury. But  this  will  suffice  to  show  the  terrible  state  of  affairs  which  existed 
in  New  York.  No  wonder  then  that  the  people  at  last  became  dissatis- 
fied. But  the  ring,  which  had  ruled  in  the  legislature  as  well  as  on  the 
bench,  was  invulnerable  from  without,  and  would  probably  have  been 
still  in  power  it  its  leaders  had  not  quarrelled  among  themselves.  This 
quarrel  took  place  in  July,  1871,  and  was  caused  by  the  division  of  the 
spoils.  One  of  the  principal  thieves  thought  that  Tweed  had  cheated 
him  out  of  the  nice  little  sum  of  6300,000.  This  affected  him  so 
strongly  that  he  determined  to  become  honest  in  revenge,  and  published 
copies  of  certain  bi!ls  from  the  books  of  tnc  Comptroller.  These  copi  s 
for  the  first  time  furnished  satisfactory  proof  that  millions  of  dollars  had 
been  expended  for  imaginary  work.  The  respectable  part  of  the  press, 
as  well  as  the  citizens,  urged  an  immediate  iuves  igation  on  the  basis  of 
these  proofs.  The  general  disgust  was  all  the  greater  as  the  glaring 
frauds  committed  were  found  to  be  even  larger  than  had  ever  been  ex- 
pected. 

These  disagreeable  disclosures  had  a  most  disastrous  effect  on  the 
members  of  the  ring.  In  spite  of  the  feigned  ca!muess  of  the  leaders, 
the  rank  and  file  became  demoralized,  and  when  it  appeared  at  last  that 
the  popular  indignation  was  p^rmaneut,  a  general  stampede  ensued.  It 
is  within  the  range  of  our  work  to  give  the  history  of  the  war  of  the  cit- 
izens against  these  thieves.  It  was  a  long  and  bitter  tight.  The  mil- 
lions stolen  from  the  city  treasury  were  a  powerlul  weapon  in  the  hands 
of  tl>e  thieves.  Nor  did  they  shrink  from  any  means,  however  low,  to 
further  their  bad  cause.  This  was  clearly  proven,  when  one  fine  morn- 
ing the  vouchers  for  more  than  $10,000,000  had  been  stolen  from  the 
office  of  the  Comptroller,  and  upon  looking  for  them  their  burnt  remains 
were  found  in  the  attic  of  the  new  court-house.  This  theft,  be  ides  in- 
tending to  remove  powerlul  proofs  of  the  fraud-,  also  had  the  object  of 
letting  Comptroller  Connolly  appear  as  the  priucipal  offender.  Connolly, 
however,  saw  through  this  smart  trick,  and,  without  any  regard  for  the 
others,  he  did  all  he  could  to  aid  the  Ciizens'  Investigating  Committee  in 
their  labors.  Mayor  Hall  aud  Sweeney  also  looked  to  their  safety  when 
they  saw  that  the  ring  was  coming  to  an  end,  so  that  at  last  Tweed  only 
remained  of  the  leaders,  who,  aided  by  his  immense  wealth  and  political 
connections,  still  continued  to  defy  public  opinion.  But  he  was  also  the 
only  one  of  the  leaders  who  was  punished  for  his  crime.  While 
Mayor  Hall  was  acquitted,  and  the  rest  took  themselves  of!  to  foreign 
countries,  Tweed  was,  toward  the  end  of  1873,  sentenced  to  twelve 
years'  imprisonment. 

A  though  the  Tammany  Ring  has  been  broken  since  the  people  gave 
in  their  verdict  in  the  fall  elections  of  1871,  the  corruption  still  remains, 
ready  to  form  a  similar  ring  at  any  time.     The  breaking  of  the  ring  will 


694  PERSONALS    AND    NEWSPAPER    ADVERTISEMENTS. 

be  of  no  use  as  long  as  political  corruption  has  not  been  exterminated. 
This,  however,  has  not  been  the  case  as  yet,  and  it  happens  every  day 
that  the  hungry  beggar  who  steals  a  loaf  of  bread  is  imprisoned  and 
branded  as  a  thief,  while  we  would  risk  a  libel  suit  if  we  should  call  the  offi- 
cer a  thief  who  used  hundreds  of  thousands  of  dollars  "  for  his  own  pur- 
poses." As  long  as  this  state  of  affairs  continues,  reform  is  nothing  but 
empty  talk,  and  only  the  political  password  of  those  who  talk  against 
stealing  in  office,  because  they  cannot  play  the  part  of  the  thief  them- 
selves. 

The  Tammany  Ring  has  shown  to  what  weight  and  with  what  danger 
corruption  can  develop  itself.  It  is  a  danger  which  threatens  not 
only  the  material  interest  of  every  individual,  but  also  the  liberty  of  all. 
The  loss  of  respect  for  those  persons  who  act  as  the  representatives  and 
executors  of  the  law,  is  only  too  frequently  accompanied  by  the  loss  of 
respect  for  the  law  itself,  and  for  that  morality  which  is  the  sure  basis  ot 
every  law.  We  have  in  former  chapters  frequently  referred  to  political 
corruption  as  the  source  and  promoter  of  many  of  the  evils  of  which  we 
have  spoken.  Under  the  rule  of  Tammany,  the  police  reports  showed  a 
terrible  increase  of  all  those  immoralities  which  either  emanate  from 
political  corruption  or  find  in  it  a  kind  protector.  That  the  crimes  agaiust 
property  did  not  increase  in  the  same  ratio  during  the  rule  of  the  ring,  is 
a  very  doubtful  merit.  It  is  explained  by  the  fact  that  a  large  part  of 
the  thieves  and  criminals  at  that  time  found  politics  a  very  profitable  em- 
ployment, in  which  they  could  enrich  themselves  rapidly  without  risking 
the  State  Prison* 


PERSONALS   AND    NEWSPAPER    ADVER- 
TISEMENTS. 

The  press  is  the  true  promoter  of  civilization  and  of  general  progress. 
This  is  the  unanimous  verdict  of  all  sensible  persons,  and,  in  spite  of  th& 
opposition  of  a  few  birds  of  darkness,  it  continues  to  develop  itself  mor 
and  more  every  year.  But  here,  where,  under  the  influence  of  liberty  ? 
it  has  developed  more  powerfully  than  anywhere,  it  needs  a  praise  muck 
less  than  anywhere  else. 

But  while  we  gladly  acknowledge  the  benefits  of  the  press,  we  inuJt 


THE    DAKK    SIDE    O*     NEW    YORK    LIFE.  60 J 

not  forget  that  its  power  is  not  always  used  for  good.  But  the  press  it- 
self can  be  held  no  more  responsible  for  this  than  the  steel  which  is  used 
for  a  burglar's  tool  or  a  murderer's  instrument.  This  supposed  dark  side 
of  the  press  has  been  wrought  for  it  by  its  above-mentioned  opponents. 
This,  however,  docs  not  make  us  opponents  of  the  press,  but  opponents 
of  those  who  would  make  the  power  of  the  press  subservient  to  low  pur* 
poses.  We  only  speak  against  those  who  do  not  hesitate  to  prostitute 
themselves  by  an  abuse  of  the  press,  and  have  done  so  already  in  the 
chapter  on  obscene  literature,  and  in  mauy  other  chapters.  In  the  pres* 
ent  chapter  we  have  only  to  do  with  the  daily  press,  which,  with  very 
few  exceptions,  has  a  spot  of  shame  on  it,  which,  both  in  the  iuterest  of 
the  public  as  well  as  the  public  welfare,  should  have  long  ago  disap, 
peared. 

The  whole  legion  of  our  public  press  is  divided,  according  to  its  con* 
tents,  into  an  "editorial"  and  an  "advertising"  or  "business"  part, 
lu  the  editorial  part  the  editor  expresses  his  own  convictions,  or  those 
of  others,  in  articles,  notices,  etc.  For  this  editorial  part  the  pub- 
lisher considers  himself  responsible,  and  will  therefore  not  admit  any- 
thing that  would  conflict  with  his  ideas  of  right  and  wrong.  Iu  the 
advertising  part  the  reader  finds  those  advertisements  and  notices  for 
which  the  parties  who  have  them  inserted  pay  a  certain  price.  For  this 
part  the  publisher,  according  to  a  very  strange  custom,  does  not  hold 
himself  responsible,  or  rather  he  limits  his  responsibility  so  far  that  he 
takes  good  care  not  to  come  in  contact  with  the  laws  by  the  admission  of 
some  particular  advertisement.  This  strange  peculiarity  of  our  periodi- 
cal press  often  brings  about  strange  contradictions  betweeu  the  editorial 
and  the  business  parts  of  the  papers,  so  that  the  latter  often  gives  the 
respectability  of  the  former  some  very  hard  knocks. 

But  it  is  certainly  very  strange  if  a  publisher  can  refuse  that  responsi- 
bility in  his  advertising  part  which  he  so  willingly  assumes  iu  the  edito- 
rial part.  But  thus  it  is,  and  the  publisher,  respected  iu  life,  who  bitterly 
denounces  swindling,  corruption,  immorality,  etc.,  in  the  editorial  part  ol 
his  paper,  admits  into  his  columns,  for  a  certain  number  of  dollars,  the 
advertisements  of  swindlers,  quacks,  abortionists,  etc.  The  respectable 
publisher  can  of  course  not  be  blamed  for  this,  as  it  is  only  business  to 
publish  those  advertisements,  and  everything  is  allowed  in  business  that 
is  not  directly  forbidden  by  law. 

The  reader  of  our  large  dailies  will  probably  have  seen  a  column  in 
some  of  them  which  is  distinguished  from  the  other  advertisements  by 
the  heading  "  Personal."  In  some  of  them  this  column  occupies  the 
most  prominent  place.  What  they  really  are  is  easily  seen.  Occasion, 
ally  we  find  a  call  for  persons,  whose  domicile  is  unknown,  to  correspond 
with  their  friends.  But  these  are  only  exceptional  cases.  The  large 
majority   are   of  a  very  suspicious,  and   in  many  cases  even  dangerous 


C96  PERSONALS    AND    NEWSPAPER   ADVERTISEMENTS. 

and  criminal,  character.  In  a  few  harmless  sounding  words,  seduc- 
'tfon  lays  its  snares  for  its  victim,  conjugal  infidelity  makes  its  appoint- 
ments, and  the  thief  communicates  with  his  companions  ;  in  short,  there 
is  no  undertaking  that  is  forced  to  shun  the  light  that  does  not  make  use 
of  this  " Personal"  column. 

These  advertisements  are  very  often  interesting  readiug  matter.  The 
following  are  fair  samples  of  this  class  of  advertisements,  as  seen  in  our 
principal  dailies  : 

"Green  Eyes.     Come  !     "Will  be  there  on  Thursday.     J.  P." 

"  Richard  the  Third.     Dick  has  just  arrived.     Come  !" 

"At  Moonshine,  Taylor's,  10." 

11  D's.     Monday  at  two  o'clock." 

"  Personals  "  of  this  class  are  not  very  difficult  to  understand.  They 
are  notices  to  meet  somebody,  which  are  only  understood,  however,  by 
those  for  whom  they  are  intended.  The  object  of  the  meeting  must, 
however,  in  all  cases  be  very  suspicious,  as  the  advertisers  choose  the 
personal  advertisements  in  preference  to  the  much  cheaper  and  more 
rapid  way  by  mail. 

"Third  avenue  car,  goin:r  down  town  yesterday  morning.  The  young 
lady  in  black,  who  answered  the  bow  of  the  gentleman  opposite,  on  leav- 
ing the  car,  will  confer  a  great  favor  by  addressing  "B.,"  Box  1,300,  in 
the  office  of  this  paper." 

"  Monday,  March  15,5  p.  m.  Fifth  avenue  stage.  Will  the  lady  who 
left  the  stage  at  Twenty-third  street,  and  to  whom  the  gentleman  oppo- 
site whispered  "  Personal,"  appoint  a  time  and  place  of  meeting  with 
'him?     If  so,  she  will  please  address  B.  M.  Q." 

"  The  yoir^g  lady  in  '  lue  silk  dress  and  white  hat,  who  smiled  at  the 
gentleman  opposite,  in  the  Bleecker  street  car,  will  confer  a  favor  by  ad- 
dressing K.  Z., Hote'." 

These  are  a  common  iorm  of  "  Personals,"  and  can  be  seen  every  day. 
They  contain  nothiug  but  low  insults  against  respectable  ladies,  whom 
some  rowdy  saw  in  the  street,  in  a  car,  or  in  a  stage,  and  whom  he  did 
not  have  the  courage  to  address  personally.  The  impudent  fellow  bowed 
to  her  when  she  left  the  car,  aud  she,  thinking  that  he  knew  her,  returned 
the  bow  ;  or  her  smiling  look  accidentally  passed  over  some  fop  sitting 
opposite,  and  he  thinks  he  has  already  made  a  conquest,  which  he  intends 
to  complete  by  means  of  "  Personals."  At  all  events,  any  favors  asked 
of  ladies  by  these  "Personals"  are  insults  to  them,  and  the  papers  de 
grade  themselves  by  conveying  these  insults  for  the  sake  of  the  few  dol. 
tars  gained  thereby. 

"Miss  Amanda  L.,  formerly  of  Bond  street,  will  be  happy  to  receive 
her  friends  in  No.  —  Lexington  avenue." 

"Charlie,  come  to  Lizzie  B.  in  No.  —  Amity  street.  Have  left  Mary 
T$.:  since  Saturday." 


THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    TOItK    LIFE.  ftt7 

These  "  Personals'*  have  nothing  objectionable  in  ihcmsclvcs.  Cut  all 
those  who  can  read  between  the  lines,  can  sec  that  one  of  the  largest 
aud  most  influential  papers  announces  to  its  readers  that  two  prostitutes 
have  changed  their  residence,  aud  that  in  future  their  fricuds  must  look 
for  them  at  their  new  address. 

If  the  publisher  of  a  paper  will  degrade  himself  so  far   as   to  becoi.. 
the  errand-boy  of  brothels  and  houses   of  assignation,  he  will  go   a  step 
farther.     The  following  will  give  an  idea  of  this  step: 

"Murderer's    Block.     Jordan    is   dead.      Matsell    and   Gardiner  live. 

Patrolmen    and   Shooflies  will   please   meet.     Crowe.     Van  B ■  and 

(A.  R.  Gus,  Jr.)" 

What  respectable  man  would  convey  a  message  with  such  an  air  of 
murder  aud  prison  about  it?  Yet  one  of  our  largest  dailies  looked  at  it 
only  in  the  light  of  business,  and  unhesitatingly  gave  it  a  place  in  its 
44  Personal"  column. 

"  Billy,  crack  nuts  to-night  at  12  o'clock  in street." 

For  the  general  reader  it  would  be  difficult  to  get  at  the  meaning  of 
these  lines,  but  a  detective  would  immediately  furnish  the  following  inter- 
pretation : 

"  Billy,  be  ready.     We  intend  to  commit  that  burglary  in   street 

to-night  at  12  o'clock." 

He  only  sees  in  this  the  announcement  of  a  large  crime,  and  the  only 
difficulty  is  to  find  out  where  it  is  to  be  committed.  Tlie  dash  may  either 
mean  Fifth  avenue,  Fifth  street,  or  any  street  the  name  of  which  is  of 
the  same  length. 

The  newspaper,  howrever,  which  gave  the  notice,  the  next  day  appears 
with  thundering  articles  against  the  increasing  frequency  of  crime,  the 
carelessness  of  the  police,  etc. 

The  cases  in  which  thieves  and  all  kinds  of  criminals  arriving  from 
prison,  give  notice  of  their  return  to  the  city  by  means  of  "  Personals," 
occur  not  unfrequently.  The  police  therefore  keep  a  watchful  eye  on 
this  newspaper  correspondence,  and  that  with  pcrtect  justice.  For,  in 
nine  cases  out  of  ten,  the  objects  of  the  "Personals"  are  very  suspicious 
if  not  criminal.  Some  years  ago  a  divorce  suit  created  great  excitemeut 
among  all  classses  of  the  population.  The  priucipal  actors  in  these  scenes 
belonged  to  the  richest  and  most  prominent  families.  The  divorce  was 
sought  by  the  husband,  because  his  wife  had  committed  adultery.  In 
the  eourse  of  the  suit  it  was  shown  that  the  guilty  wifo  and  her  para- 
mour had  appointed  their  meetings  in  houses  of  assignation  by  means  of 
"  Personals." 

But  the  beauties  of  our  advertising  system  are  by  no  means  exhausted 
with  the  "Personals."  If  we  look  through  the  real  advertisements  with 
'a  half  way  critical  eye,  we  will  discover  very  mauy  which  would  servo 
as  fitting  accompaniments  to  "  Personals."     Examples  of  these   have  al- 


698  PERSONL8    AND    NEWSPAPER    ADVERTISEMENTS. 

ready  been  given  in  the  chapters  on  Swindling,  Abortionists,  Quacks, 
Fortune-tellers  and  Mediums,  Lotteries,  and  Matrimonial  Agencies,  and 
to  them  we  refer  the  reader. 

Wherever  immorality  and  obscenity  can  be  hidden  in  the  advertise- 
ments in  such  a  manner  that  their  true  meaning  can  be  easily  understood, 
publishers  do  not  hesitate  to  admit  them  to  their  columns.  A  newspaper* 
for  example,  would  hesitate  to  publish  the  advertisement  of  some  aban- 
doned woman,  who  seeks  a  partner  for  keeping  a  disorderly  house.  But 
the  moral  feeling  of  a  newspaper  can  easily  help  itself  out  of  such  a  di- 
lemma, as  the  following  advertisement,  which  appeared  in  one  of  our 
dailies  a  short  time  ago,  will  show  : 

"A  widowed  lady,  who  is  about  renting  a  house  to  let  out  furnished 
rooms,  is  looking  for  a  gentleman  who  would  advance  part  of  the  rent  for 
a  room  in  the  house.     Address ." 

Or  is  ah  explanation  necessary  to  understand  the  shameless  offer* 
which  a  so-called  respectable  daily  paper  published  some  time  ago  ia  the 
following  advertisements : 

"A  young  widow,  twenty-five  years  of  age,  and  of  a  pretty  appear- 
ance, wishes  to  make  the  acquaintance  of  an  honorable  and  wealthy 
man,  who  would  be  willing  to  assist  her  pecuniarily.  Address  Lucy, 
office  of  ." 

"  A  young,  handsome,  and  pleasant  lady  can  find  good  and  pleasant 
board  under  very  favorable  conditions  by  addressing ." 

44 A  young  and  pretty  girl,  not  over  eighteen  years  of  age,  who  wishes- 
an  educated,  rich,  and  liberal  friend,  can  find  out  particulars  by  applying 
to ." 

Yet  what  else  than  depravity  and  fraud  can  be  expected  of  matrimo- 
nial advertisements?  Unfortunately  it  is  not  any  better  with  the  nomi- 
nally legitimate  advertisements,  and  in  fact  the  danger  is  even  much 
greater  with  the  latter.  He  who  answers  one  of  the  above  advertise, 
meats  knows  what  he  is  doing,  and  is  therefore  not  much  better  than  the* 
advertiser.  But  the  numerous  trap3  which  speak  of  employment,  etc.,  very 
frequently  bring  even  those  to  grief  who  never  thought  of  anything 
wrong.  Swindling  and  fraud  are  exhibited  to  such  a  degree  in  these 
advertisements,  that  they  greatly  diminish  the  confidence  in  advertise- 
ments in  general. 

In  another  chapter  we  have  already  spoken  of  the  danger  connected 
with  looking  for  "board  or  houses  by  means  of  advertisements.  But  it  if 
much  worse  with  the  advertisements  looking  for  partners,  offering  em- 
ployment, and  the  often  repeated  so-called  "  good  chances  to  make  money/* 
In  general,  such  oilers  are  the  more  suspicious  the  more  tempting  they 
are,  while  in  others  the  swindle  is  so  well  marked  that  it  is  very  difficult 
to  detect  it.  Particularly  young  men  in  the  country,  who  wish  to  better 
their   situations,  are  taken  in  by  such   swindling  advertisements.     We 


THE    DARK    SIDE    OP    NEW    YORK    LIFE.  G9£ 

will  give  the  experience  of  a  victim  or  such  swindling  advertisements  aa 
a  warning.  Several  years  back  the  following  advertisement  was  to  be 
found  in  one  of  the  city  papers  : 

UA  splendid  chance  for  a  young  man  :  A  young  man  is  sought  for  a 
valuable  art  collection,  shortly  to  be  put  on  exhibition,  to  wait  at  the 
entrance  and  show  visitors  around.  A  person  with  a  capital  of  $300, 
which  could  be  invested  in  the  business,  under  his  direction,  would  be 
preferable.  As  a  surety,  he  not  only  has  control  of  the  entire  collection, 
valued  at  $8,000,  but  has  charge  of  all  the  money  received.  Salary, 
$100  per  month  and  expenses;  or,  if  desirable,  a  part  in  the  business. 
Address  Smith  &  Co." 

Certainly  a  very  desirable  chance  !  $100  per  month  and  expenses,  to- 
gether with  a  good  security  for  the  capital  invested  !  How  many  young 
men,  with  or  without  the  $300,  aspired  to  the  position,  cannot  be  named. 
The  advertisement  was  kept  standing  a  long  time,  as  if  Smith  &  Co. 
could  not  succeed  in  finding  a  desirable  person.  AVe  would  here  relate, 
however,  the  story  of  Charles  E.,  who  was  determined  to  offer  his  ser- 
vices, inclusive  of  $300  in  cash.  Mr.  E.  was  brought  to  this  city  from 
Connecticut  by  the  advertisement,  and  applied  at  the  address.  He  there 
found  a  very  benignant  looking  gentleman,  who  spoke  to  him  with  a 
fatherly  air,  and  examined  him  as  to  his  capacities.  The  close  of  the 
examination  was  very  satisfactory  to  the  young  man.  For,  as  Smith 
told  him,  he  was  just  the  man  for  the  situation,  and  should  have  it  in 
preference  to  anybody  else.  Upon  inquiring  for  particulars,  he  only  re. 
ceived  evasive  answers,  and  was  referred  to  a  printed  circular,  which 
contained  a  programme  of  tne  exhibition.  Mr.  E.,  however,  was  not 
greeu  enough  to  rid  himself  of  his  money  until  he  had  seen  the  valuable 
objects  which  should  secure  his  investment.  Smith  had  half  a  dozen 
excuses  for  not  complying  with  the  wish  immediately,  but  he  had  still 
more  reasons  to  prove  how  desirable  it  would  be  for  the  young  man  to 
invest  his  $300  at  once.  But  when  all  this  was  in  vain,  he  declared 
himself  willing  to  show  at  least  part  of  the  articles.  He  brought  the 
possessor  of  the  much  coveted  $300  to  a  large  art  gallery,  and  showed 
him  about  a  dozen  of  the  pictures,  which  he  said  were  the  property  of 
the  firm.  The  hall  had  not  yet  been  completely  finished,  he  said,  and  he 
and  his  partners  had  therefore  preferred  to  leave  these  valuable  works  of 
art  in  the  gallery.  Upon  the  mention  of  the  hall,  Mr.  E.  expressed  the 
wish  of  seeing  it,  and  the  articles  already  brought  there/  Smith  at  first 
thought  he  had  not  so  much  time  to  spare  at  present,  but  noticing  the 
bad  impression  this  made  on  his  $300  man,  he  found  he  did  have  time* 
and  requested  him  to  follow.  They  passed  through  different  streets,  and 
stopped  at  last  in  front  of  a  house  that  appeared  to  be  uninhabited.  That, 
says  Smith,  is  the  house  rented  for  the  exhibition.  He  knocks  at  the 
door,  knocks  again  and   again,  but  nobody  answers  the  summons  ;  thet 


*I00  PERSONALS    AND    NEWSPAPER    ADVERTISEMENTS. 

house  seems  to  be  empty.  Smith  thinks  this  rather  strange,  but  at  last 
finds  an  exp'anation.  He  remembers  that  all  the  workmen  have  gone  to 
a  pic-nic  to-day,  and  he  has  left  the  keys  at  home.  He  gives,  however,  a 
splendid  description  of  the  objects  left  there.  During  this  description 
they  have  come  to  a  restaurant,  and  Smith  asked  his  companion  in  to 
dinner,  but  fouud  that  he  had  forgotten  his  pocketbook  when  it  came  to 
paying,  and  asked  Mr.  E.  to  pay  for  him.  The  latter,  who  feared  a  dis- 
agreeable scene,  paid  the  rather  high  bill,  but  said  that  he  did  not  care 
any  more  for  the  situation.  This,  however,  rouses  Smith's  temper.  He 
said  he  had  now  lost  a  whole  day,  which  was  worth  $100  to  him,  and  E. 
cou'd  not  leave  him  until  he  had  at  least  paid  him  $25  as  a  remuneration 
for  the  time.  An  apparent  stranger  now  stepped  up  and  said  that  he 
could  swear  to  having  heard  E.  bind  himself  to  enter  Smith's  business 
as  partner  with  $300.  Mr.  Smith  was  perfectly  right  in  demanding  a 
remuneration  for  his  time.  After  the  $25  had  been  put  down  to  $10, 
and  E.  still  refused  to  pay,  Smith's  companion,  the  apparent  stranger, 
ran  out  of  the  saloon  to  get  a  warrant  for  E.'s  arrest.  E.,  however,  in 
spite  ot  all  the  threats  of  Smith,  left  the  restaurant,  and  only  got  rid  of 
him  when  a  policeman  made  his  appearance,  and  he  threatened  to  call 
upon  him  for  assistance.  He  was  glad  that  he  still  had  his  $3J0,  and 
considered  his  traveling  expenses  and  the  money  paid  for  the  rascal's 
dinner  a  warning  for  the  future. 

E.'s  case  was  a  very  fortunate  one.  But  it  very  often  happens  that 
people  are  swindled  out  of  their  last  cent  by  means  of  such  advertise- 
ments, and  lrom  sheer  despair  have  become  drunkards  and  even  crimi- 
nals. It  is  true,  uo  paper  in  the  world  can  tell  at  a  glance  whether  a 
customer  intenls  to  do  an  honest  or  a  swindling  business  by  an  advertise- 
ment. But  that  is  not  the  poinf.  We  should  like  to  ask  our  publishers 
whether  they  can  make  it  agree  with  their  positions  as  the  "  moulders  of 
public  opinion,"  the  instructors  of  the  people,  to  continue  to  publish  for 
years  the  advertisements  of  notorious  quacks,  abortionists,  fortune-tellers, 
and  swindlers  ot  all  classes,  and  thus  consciously  to  become  the  agents  of 
these  people.  Not  only  their  agents,  but  even  their  accomplices !  For, 
as  the  thief  could  not  exL-t  wi.hout  the  receiver,  this  class  of  criminals 
would  prosper  very  poorly  if  the  papers  would  not  receive  their  adver- 
tisements, and  thus  help  them  in  obtaining  victims  from  all  parts  of  the 
country. 

It  is  well  known  that  abortionists,  swindlers,  and  quacks  pay  hundreds 
of  thousands  of  dollars  annually  for  advertisements,  which  sum  they  get 
back  teulohl  from  the  custom  these  papers  bring  them.  But  the  papers 
also  know  how  indispensable  they  are  for  this  class  of  customers.  They 
therclore  charge  for  their  advertisements  higher  prices  than  they  do  for 
legitimate  advertisements.  The  rates  of  advertising  are  even  graded 
-according  to  the  more  or  less  oflensive  matter  which  they  contain.     Thia 


T1TE    DARK    8IDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIPB.  701 

plainly  shows  that  they  know  the  disgusting  character  of  the  advertise 
ments  they  are  asked  to  publish. 

These  higher  rates  also  do  away  with  that  thin  wall  behind  which 
the  "  moral  non-responsibility "  for  advertisements  likes  to  hide  itself. 
This,  if  such  a  thought  could  be  entertained,  could  only  then  be  possible 
if  the  prices  of  all  advertisements  were  the  same  without  regard  to  their 
character.  The  higher  prices  for  objectionable  advertisements  are  the 
best  proof  that  a  small  portion  of  the  "  editorial  honor  "  also  extends  to 
the  business  part  of  the  paper,  but  that  this  honor  is  of  such  a  kind  that 
it  can  easily  be  done  away  with  for  a  few  paltry  dollars. 

It  is  strange,  indeed,  that  the  "  representatives  of  public  opinion"  have 
established  the  paradoxical  maxim,  that  in  one  part  of  their  business  the 
principles  of  right,  morality,  and  honor  cannot  be  taken  into  account. 
"Whatever  danger  may  arise  from  it  for  the  individual  or  for  the  state* 
the  publishers  do  not  hold  themselves  responsible  for  it.  Dishonorable 
and  filthy  as  the  swindles  and  crimes  may  be  which  they  promote  by  the 
advertisements,  and  very  often  even  make  possible,  they  are  not  to  be 
blamed,  for  they  are  paid,  and  their  advertisements  are  only  business 
matters.  Most  certainly  a  very  strange  course  of  reasoning.  With 
equal  justice,  the  prostitutes,  the  abortionists,  etc.,  could  claim  respecta- 
bility, as  they  are  "paid"  for  their  services,  and  these  services  arc  for 
them  nothing  more  nor  less  than  "business." 

But  there  are  other  advertisements  also,  of  which  the  following  is  a 
fair  sample : 

"  I  herewith  request  my  wife  (or  husband)  to  return  to  me  within 
three  days,  otherwise  I  shall  consider  myself  divorced." 

Such  advertisements  are  generally  inserted  by  some  poor  persons  who 
are  uot  acquainted  wTith  the  laws.  They  do  not  know  that  the  phrase, 
11  otherwise  I  shall  consider  myself  divorced,"  is  the  greatest  nonsense 
imaginable.  They  may  consider  themselves  divorced  ;  nobody  will  hin- 
der them.  But  the  law  still  considers  them  as  much  married  as  before. 
The  newspapers  are  well  aware  of  this  fact.  It  would  therefore  be  a 
matter  of  honor  with  them  to  inform  the  advertiser  of  it,  and  thus  in- 
duce he  or  she  to  save  their  money,  or  from  possibly  becoming  criminals. 
For  suppose  the  husband  did  not  return  within  three  days,  and  the  wife 
considered  herself  free.  She  acts  upon  this  supposition,  and  when  the 
faithless  husband  does  not  even  turn  up  for  months,  she  in  the  meanwhile 
marries  another.  The  first  husband  then  makes  his  appearance,  and 
claims  his  wife.  She  now  discovers,  to  her  terror,  that  she  is  guilty  of 
bigamy,  for  which  the  penalty  is  imprisonment  for  a  number  of  years. 
She  furthermore  discovers  that  she  cannot  divorce  herself  by  a  mere  ad- 
vertisement, and  that  ignorance  of  the  law  is  no  excuse.  The  newspa- 
per could  have  saved  her  from  all  this  trouble,  and  was  even  morally 
bound  to  do   so.     But,  according  to   a  very  useful   theorv,  a  publisher  is 


702  PERSONALS    AND    NEWSPAPER    ADVERTISEMENTS. 

not  morally  bound  to  anything  in  his  advertising  of  a  business.  Ho  sim- 
ply smiles  upon  reading  the  foolish  advertisement,  and  publishes  it  at  the 
risk,  of  not  only  depriving  the  woman  of  her  money,  but  also  of  her  fu- 
ture happiness. 

It  would  be  sad  indeed  if  we  were  to  transfer  the  ideas  of  respecta- 
bility prevailing  in  the  publishing  business  to  the  transactions  in  every- 
day life.  The  consequences  of  such  a  transfer  can  easily  be  imag- 
ined by  any  thinking  person,  as  right  and  morality  would  end  where 
monetary  transactions  begin. 

It  is  strange,  and  very  often  even  highly  ludicrous,  to  notice  how  the 
editorial  respectability  of  our  press  does  not  seem  to  know  anything  of 
the  filth  which  they  admit  to  their  advertising  columns.  In  the  summer 
of  1873, /for  example,  one  of  our  leading  dailies  brought  a  long  editorial 
on  the  "Sin  of  the  Age."  It  contained  a  terrible  tirade  against  the 
constantly-increasing  crime  of  abortion.  This  was  all  very  well  in  the 
editorial  department,  but  presented  a  strange  contrast  to  the  advertising 
columns  of  the  same  paper,  which  for  years  had  contained  numerous 
advertisements  of  both  male  and  female  abortionists.  It  must  seem  still 
more  strange  that  it  is  not  much  better  with  a  number  of  religious  papers- 
Advertisements  of  all  classes  of  swindlers,  aye,  even  of  the  most  dis- 
gusting quacks,  have  been  received  iuto  the  columns  of  these  papers,  and 
show  that  the  business  morality  of  their  publishers  is  not  above  the 
standard  of  their  more  worldly  colleagues. 

It  is  a  pleasant  fact  that  the  signs  of  a  beginning  reaction  are  not 
wanting.  The  American  Agriculturist  must  be  honorably  mentioned  in 
this  respect  as  preparing  the  way  for  a  better  era.  It  not  only  refuses 
all  objectionable  and  swindling  advertisements,  but  has  also  waged  a 
bitter  war  on  all  advertising  swindlers,  quacks,  abortionists,  etc.,  for  sev- 
eral years  back.  It  has  as  yet  fouud  no  imitators.  Some  of  the  larger 
papers,  it  is  true,  have  banished  the  advertisements  of  the  abortionists 
and  more  dangerous  quacks  from  their  columns,  but  are  by  no  means 
strict  enough  with  the  many  forms  of  swindling  advertisements.  But  it 
is  certainly  a  step  made  in  the  right  direction,  and  the  good  example  thus 
given  may  yet  exert  a  beneficial  influence  on  those  publishers  who,  in 
spite  of  their  great  wealth,  have  not  a  bit  of  respectability  to  spare  for 
their  advertising  columns.  And  even  this  respectability  is  rather  thread- 
bare, according  to  the  views  held  in  everyday  life,  as  it  shows,  even  in 
the  editorial  department,  many  shameful  gaps. 

We  by  no  means  refer  here  to  the  well-known  secret  that  many  of  our 
papers  are  the  bought  and  paid-for  organs  of  powerful  parties  and  corpo- 
rations, and  that  many  even  deny  the  existence  of  a  truly  independent 
paper.  How  many  of  the  editorials  are  nothing  but  advertisements  of 
certain  corporations,  advertisements  that  bring  higher  prices  than  ever 
was  dreamt  of  asking  from  others  !     It  is  well  known  that  the  Tammany 


THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE.  703 

Ring    spent    hundreds    of  thousands   of   dollars    on    newspapers,  to  buy 
either  their  aid  or  their  silence. 

This  editorial  venality  very  often  does  not  refuse  even  the  smallest 
amount,  as  can  be  seen  by  the  frequent  puffs  of  different  businesses* 
Somebody  advertises  in  a  paper,  and  wishes  the  editor  to  call  attention  to 
his  card.  If  the  editor  does  not  know  the  man,  this  is  a  very  risky 
thing,  for  he  may  equally  well  be  a  swindler  as  an  honest  man.  Truly 
respectable  newspapers,  therefore,  always  refuse  any  recommendation, 
and  at  most  only  call  attention  to  the  advertising  columns.  Others* 
however,  act  differently.  How  this  is  done  is  told  in  a  truly  comical 
manner  by  a  V  paper  : 

"A  gentleman  asked  us  what  we  charged  for  a  good  notice  of  his  bus- 
iness. We  gave  bim  this  answer:  A  woman  whose  husband  had  died, 
sent  to  the  priest  and  asked  him  what  he  would  charge  for  a  funeral 
sermon.  '  My  good  woman,  for  two  dollars  I  will  give  you  a  good  ser- 
mon, for  three  dollars  a  better  one,  but  I  should  advise  you  to  have  one 
for  four  dollars.'  We  do  not  wish  to  compare  our  editorial  notices  with 
funeral  sermons,  but  whoever  pays  the  highest  price,  gets  therein  the 
best  notice." 

Is  it  possible  that  editorial  venality  could  show  itself  more  plainly 
than  in  these  few  lines?  It  may  not  be  quite  as  bad  with  all  papers,  but 
it  > t i  1 1  remains  a  fact  that  many  papers  will  not  even  notice  the  most  use- 
ful undertakings  if  they  are  not  advertised  in  their  columns.  The  ardor 
with  which  they  are  then  recommended  varies  according  to  the  length  of 
the  advertisement  and  the  extra  fees.  Swindlers  sometimes  pay  very 
large  sums  to  receive  favorable  notices  in  the  editorial  columus  of  a 
paper.  They  carry  on  their  business  with  circulars,  which  they  send  to 
irt3  of  the  country.  One-half  of  these  circulars  are  usually  covered 
with  notices  of  the  pre3S. 

Many  readers  even  consider  it  a  favorable  circumstance  if  the  adver- 
tisement is  published  in  a  well-known  paper.  Our  honest  countrymen 
very  often  cannot  believe  that  a  paper  which  occasionally  has  flaming  edito- 
rials against  swindlers  can  receive  the  advertisements  of  such  persons. 
In  this  respect  the  publication  of  advertisements  of  swindlers  is  a  crime 
against  all  the  readers  of  the  paper.  The  reader  supposes  the  name  of 
the  publisher  to  warrant  the  respectability  of  the  advertisers.  In  their 
advertisements  the  papers  very  often  commit  grave  offenses  against  the 
confidence  of  their  readers.  He  cannot  consult  the  advertisements  with- 
out being  in  danger  of  falling  into  the  toils  of  a  swindler.  He  cannot 
let  his  family  read  them  without  the  risk  that  the  disgusting  advertise- 
ments of  quacks,  abortionists,  fortune-tellers,  and  others  of  the  same 
kind  will  leave  their  pernicious  influences. 

The  newspaper-reading  part  of  the  community  has  been  too  lenient  in 
this  respect  from  the  beginning,  aud  thus  it  has  been  that  this  advertising 


704  PERSONALS    AND    NEWSPAPER   ADVERTISEMENTS. 

dnsiness,  with  its  "Personal"  and  other  filthy  advertisements,  has  come; 
to  be  regarded  as  an  evil  not  to  be  separated  from  the  newspaper  busir 
ness.  But  this  leuicney  should  soon  take  an  end,  and  the  patience  stop* 
before  it  be  misused. 

It  is  of  course  impossible  to  keep  all  objectionable  and  suspicious  ad- 
vertisements out  of  a  paper.  The  rascals  will  always  lind  a  way  iuto  the 
advertising  columns  of  the  most  respectable  papers.  But  because  we 
cannot  perform  impossibilities,  we  should  try  everything  in  our  power  to 
do  what  is  within  the  range  of  possibilities.  Is  ihe  fact  that  a  paper 
has  in  one  instance  become  the  uuconscious  accomplice  of  some  criminals 
— is  that  an  excuse  that  it  should,  every  day  of  its  existence,  become  the 
willing  accomplice  of  notorious  criminals,  whose  actions  have  been  a  dis- 
grace to  our  ci;y  for  years  back? 

It  is  indeed  time  that  the  strange  difference  between  the  respectability 
in  the  editoiial,  and  the  total  want  of  principle  in  the  advertising,  col- 
umns of  ccrtaiu  papers  disappeared.     The  respectability  of  the  former  is 
not  one  iota  better  tlian  the  want   of  principle  of  the   latter ;  the  latter 
even  makes  the  former  appear  to  us  in  a  very  ambiguous  light.     As  long 
as  a  large  part  of  our  newspapers  publish  the  advertisements  of  notorious 
quacks,  abortionists,  cic,  so  long  do  they  knowingly,  and  of  their  own 
free  will,  further  the  di-graceful  business  of  the  former.     As  long  as  they 
do  this,  their  editorial  respectability  amounts  to  nothing  more  than  cow- 
ardly  hypocrisy.     It  they  really  meant  anything  by  those  phrases  with 
which  they  occasionally  thunder  against  rascals,  they  could  do  this  in  a 
much  more  practical  aud  effecive  manner.     They  could  do  what  no  law 
is  able  to  do,  aud  that  is — reduce  the  dangerous  activity  of  these  crimi- 
nals to  a  minimum.     This  would  be  done  if  all  of  our  respectable  papers 
would  follow  the  example  set  by  some  of  their  colleagues,  and  refuse  all 
advertisements  of  a  criiniual  or  immoral  character.     It  is  asking  no  more 
of  the  papers  than  what  any  respectable  business  man   does  when  he  re- 
fuses to   buy  of  a  well-known  thief.     The  same  sense  of  honor  which 
forbids  a  business  man  to  become  the  accomplice  of  such  a  person  by 
buying   of  him,  should  forbid  the  publishers   of  papers  to  become  the 
accomplices  of  quacks,  etc.,  by  publishing  their  advertisements. 

But  to  the  present  day  this  is  not  the  case.  The  evil  will  in  all  prob- 
ability continue  until  the  pubic  refuses  to  patronize  papers  which  do  not 
hesitate  to  become  the  distributors  of  criminal  and  immoral  business 
cards.  For  it  is  the  pecuuiary  interest  which  keeps  the  columns  of  our 
respectable  papers  open  to  this  class  of  advertisements.  They  bring  to. 
the  papers  thousands  of  dollars  annually,  and  it  may  be  that  the  pub- 
lishers cannot  sec  how  the  "  respectability "  of  their  papers,  or  even, 
themselves,  could  suffer  by  receiving  such  "respectable"  sums.  Only 
when  they  see  that  their  sales  are  becoming  smaller,  and  the  respectable 
business  man  docs  not  care  to  see   his  advertisement  side  by  side  with  - 


THE    DAJUS    BID!     01    NKW    FORK    LI  705 

those  of  the  notorious  swindler,  only  then  is  it  to  be  hoped  that  these 
gentlemen  will  accept  the  prevailing  ideas  of  respectability.  Then  also 
will  the  "  Personal "  and  other  immoral  advertisements  be  forced  to  seek 
other  papers  than  those  which  lay  claim  to  respectability,  and  their  hurt- 
ful influences  will  be  confined  to  such  circles  in  which  the  ruin  they  cause 
will  be  a  comparatively  small  one. 

With  regard  to  enterprise,  the  press  of  our  city  stands  forth  without  an 
equal  in  the  world.  What  a  pity,  then,  that  paltry  considerations  of 
money  should  be  able,  by  the  above-mentioned  advertisements,  to  throw 
a  shadow  on  their  repute. 


THE  POLICE  COURTS. 

The  best  laws  lose  their  value  if  they  are  not  executed  in  the  sense  in 
which  they  were  made.  This  sentence  cannot  be  illustrated  any  better 
than  by  the  police  courts  of  our  city,  at  least  as  they  have  existed  uutil 
very  recently.  There  are  five  of  these  courts  in  operation,  of  which  four 
have  two  judges  apiece,  who  change  off  every  week.  These  nine  men 
are  the  true  guardians  of  the  safety  of  person,  morality,  and  property. 
It  therefore  depends  on  the  character  of  these  judges,  and  on  their  know- 
ledge of  the  laws,  whether  every  person  brought  before  them  receives  his 
dues  or  not.  They  must  decide  whether  the  prisoner  is  actually  a  crimiv 
nal,  or  simply  the  victim  of  momentary  recklessness,  or  of  the  accidental 
coincidence  of  unfortunate  circumstances.  The  large  majority  of  offenses 
also  come  under  their  jurisdiction — for  example,  drunkenness,  disorderly 
conduct,  fighting,  vagabondage,  etc.,  which  in  the  year  ending  with  April, 
1872,  amounted  to  over  40,000.  These  are  cases  in  which  the  judge, 
according  to  circumstances,  should  exercise  either  severity  or  mildness, 
according  to  his  best  knowledge,  and  by  the  first  to  keep  habitual  sinners 
from  the  paths  of  vice,  and  by  the  second  lead  back  the  victim  of  a  mo- 
mentary error  to  the  path  of  duty. 

We  therefore  see  that  the  functions  of  our  police  courts  are  very  im- 
portant ones.  To  properly  fill  these  offices  and  administer  them  for  the 
best  interests  of  the  people,  requires  men  who  are  actuated  by  the  purest 
motives,  and  who  have,  by  their  previous  lives,  given  such  proofs  of  their 
ability  and  integrity  as  will  offer  a  certain   security  for  their  fitness  for 

45 


706 


THE    POLICE    COURTS. 


the  position.  But  those  men  were  not  of  this  character  who  until  re- 
cently were  elected  by  the  popular  choice.  Their  mode  of  election  alone 
was  such  that  not  much  good  could  be  expected  from  them.  The  police 
judges  were  elected  by  the  people  in  the  different  districts.  Of  course 
those  voters  who  came  most  frequently  into  contact  with  the  judges  took 
the  greatest  interest  in  their  election.  A  strict  and  impartial  judge  must 
naturally  appear  to  this  class  of  the  population  as  a  kind  of  national  ca- 
lamity. For  all  the  criminals  in  a  district,  the  thieves,  rowdies,  loafers, 
swindlers,  and  drunkards,  the  election  of  a  police  judge  was  of  the  great- 
est importance  the  respectable  part  of  the  voters  generally  overlooked  the 
fact  that,  in  not  taking  an  active  part  in  the  election  of  police  judges, 
they  endangered  their  lives  and  property.  They  saw  no  importance 
attached  to'  these  elections,  and  therefore  took  no  very  active  part  in 
them. 

On  the  other  hand,  he  who  was  a  candidate  for  the  office  of  police 
judge  must  have  no  qualities  which  could  fill  the  class  of  voters  mostly 
interested  with  fear  or  distrust.  If  he  looked  forward  to  a  re-election, 
he  must  not  wield  the  sword  of  justice  too  severely  against  those  of  his 
constituents  who  were  his  regular  customers.  He  must,  wherever  it  was 
possible,  close  an  eye  and  handle  the  criminal  as  gently  as  possible.  This 
the  police  judges  did  as  much  as  possible.  But  on  the  other  hand  they 
were  all  the  stricter  against  those  whom  some  accident  has  brought  within 
their  jurisdiction.  It  was  nothing  unusual  that  hardened  criminals  were 
dismissed  for  want  of  evidence,  while  children  and  young  men  who  had 
committed  some  minor  offense  in  a  moment  of  thoughtlessness,  were 
made  to  feel  the  full  severity  of  the  law. 

Thus  not  only  were  the  criminal  classes  encouraged,  but  many  have 
been  led  into  the  paths  of  crime,  who  would  otherwise  have  become  use- 
ful members  of  society,  if  the  judges  had  treated  them  humanely  at  their 
first  offense.  This  was  the  natural  consequence  of  the  modei  of  election, 
or  rather  of  the  negligence  of  the  citizens  in  the  use  of  the  elective  fran- 
chise.  This  negligence  enabled  the  lawless  elements  in  our  city  to  elect 
their  own  judges  as  they  might  desire. 

Now  let  us  take,  a  little  closer  look  at  the  doings  of  our  police  justices. 
In  the  year  ending  with  April,  1872,  84,574  arrests  were  made  in  this 
city,  and  the  offenders  brought  before  the  police  justices.  What  was 
done  with  the  prisoners  can  be  seen  from  the  reports.  27,781  were  held 
for  examination,  25,814  were  dismissed,  10,290  were  put  under  bail,  aud 
only  82  were  held  without  bail ;  725  were  turned  over  to  higher  courts 
for  trial,  2,316  to  the  Commissioners  of  Charities  and  Corrections,  1,014 
paid  fines,  about  300  were  sent  to  the  different  public  institutions  ;  4,541 
are  not  mentioned  in  the  reports  at  all ;  of  3,345  the  reports  speak  so  in- 
distinctly that  it  is  impossible  to  tell  what  has  become  of  them,  and  564 
were  disposed  of  in  an  unknown  manner.     That  is,  our  police  judges  are 


THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE.  707 

unable  to  give  any  account  whatever  of  8,.>70  arrests.  Surely  a  nice 
state  of  affairs  !  The  true  "  field  for  examination,"  which  was  the  fate 
of  over  27,000  prisoners,  is  also  a  very  indefinite  expression,  and  is  very 
often  nothing  but  a  hole  through  which  the  prisoner  may  escape.  The 
witness  may  be  present,  for  example,  when  the  judge  orders  the  prisoner 
to  be  held  for  examination,  but  it  is  a  question  whether  he  will  ever  come 
again,  and  very  few  witnesses  can  be  found  who  have  the  time  and  pa- 
tience to  hang  around  police  courts  until  the  justice  sees  fit  to  call  up  a 
particular  case.  But  if  the  case  is  called  up  in  a  week  or  so,  and  the 
witnesses  are  not  present,  the  prisoner  is  simply  discharged.  It  is  also 
very  plain  that  the  discretion  of  the  justice  has  a  large  field  of  action  in 
disposing  of  the  20,000  immediate  dismissals. 

The  turning  over  to  the  Commissioners  of  Charities  and  Corrections  is 
also  connected  with  peculiar  circumstances.  Fifty  and  sixty  per  day  are 
generally  sent  over  in  a  lot.  Xo  trial  takes  place,  either  by  the  police 
justice  or  the  officers  of  the  institution.  An  agent  of  the  institution  re- 
ceives the  lot  in  court,  sorts  them,  and  gives  each  one  of  them,  according 
to  his  discretion,  from  three  to  ten  days,  and  sometimes  even  six:  months, 
in  one  of  the  different  institutions.  This  action  looks  rather  arbitrary, 
although  it  happens  every  day  in  the  metropolis  of  our  great  Republic. 
How  many  hardened  and  dangerous  criminals  escape  in  this  manner,  and 
how  many  innocent  persons  are  thus  brought  into  bad  company,  and 
made  criminals  against  their  will,  it  is  of  course  impossible  to  tell.  But 
the  number  must  be  large. 

How  this  system  works  can  be  seen  from  the  fact  that  some  persons 
have  already  been  sent  over  a  hundred  times  in  this  manner  to  the  Island. 
Thousands  of  the  most  desperate  characters  are  well-known  guests  there. 
They  remain  there  a  few  days,  and  leave  the  institution  with  a  suit  of 
new  clothes.  They  then  take  up  their  former  life  as  vagabonds  or  crimi- 
nals, until  they  again  fall  into  the  hands  of  a  policeman,  or  until  when 
their  clothes  are  worn  out  or  pawned  they  let  themselves  be  sent  to  the 
Island  again.  Such  persons  are  great  friends  of  the  police  justices,  and 
the  justice  also  knows  that  he  is  sure  of  their  votes  at  the  next  election. 
No  wonder,  then,  that,  if  he  sees  them  befcre  his  bar,  he  never  fails  to 
do  his  best  for  them. 

A  strange  story  can  also  be  told  of  the  fines.  It  is  a  well-known  fact 
that  every  police  justice,  wherever  it  is  possible,  fines  a  drunken  man  ten 
dollars.  During  the  year  ending  April  1,  1872,  the  arrests  for  drunken- 
ness amounted  to  over  25,000.  Of  course  not  every  one  was  able  to  pay 
this  fine  ;  many  could  not  perhaps  pay  anything  at  all.  But  it  can  safely 
be  assumed  that  over  half  were  able  to  pay  fines  ranging  up  to  the  teu 
dollars.  According  to  law,  no  drunken  man  shall  be  fined  over  this 
amount.  It  is  also  self-evident  that  every  one  who  was  able  to  do  so, 
would  prefer  to  pay  a  fine  to  however  short  a  term  of  imprisonment.      In 


708  THE    POLICE    COUKTS. 

view  of  these  facts,  it  seems  rather  strange  that,  in  the  course  of  the- 
above-mentioned  year,  not  more  than  $3,624  were  collected  as  the  fines 
of  25,000  persons  arrested  for  drunkenness. 

If  we  now  turn  to  the  justices  themselves,  we  find  them  just  the  kind 
of  men  from  whom  such  an  administration  of  affairs  could  be  expected. 
They  are  almost  entirely  without  any  legal  knowledge,  and  know  no 
other  rule  in  their  administration  of  justice  than  their  own  discretion,  or 
rather  their  sovereign  will.  They  are  as  independent  as  Turkish  pashas, 
and  a  police  court  is  therefore  a  spectacle  which  is  not  calculated  to  in- 
spire any  one  with  admiration  for  the  administration  of  justice  in  our 
Republic.  They  are  no  great  friends  of  punctuality,  and  witnesses,  pris- 
oners, and  officers  are  often  compelled  to  wait  for  hours  until  his  honor 
pleases  to  make  his  appearance.  When  the  justice  has  taken  his  seat, 
matters  are  pushed  with  great  speed.  He  generally  does  not  use  on  an 
average  more  than  a  minute  to  settle  a  case.  Hardly  an  hour  has  passed, 
when  each  one  of  the  crowd  of  forty  or  fifty  sinners,  who  were  brought 
before  him,  has  received  his  sentence.  But  how  such  a  rapidity  can  be 
harmonized  with  the  demands  of  justice,  or  even  of  humanity,  is  a  diffr 
cult  question  to  answer. 

The  attendance  on  such  a  court  also  explains  the  strange  fact  that  five 
courts  could  settle  over  80,000  cases  in  one  year,  and  that  in  no  great 
hurry  eilher.  The  salary  of  a  police  justice  is  $10,000  per  annum.  But 
his  salary  by  no  means  constitutes  the  sum  total  of  his  receipts,  and  there 
are  certain  revenues  connected  with  such  an  office  which  swell  the  income 
of  a  police  justice  to  the  former  salary  of  the  President  of  the  United 
States,  if  not  more.  The  office,  as  we  see,  pays  very  well  for  the 
troubles  and  expenses  connected  with  it,  and  it  certainly  would  not  be  dif- 
ficult to  find  men  for  it  who  possessed,  not  only  the  capacity,  but  also  the 
independence  of  character  necessary  for  it.  The  fact,  however,  that  the 
better  class  of  citizens  take  almost  no  interest  at  all  in  the  election  of 
these  officers,  has  brought  it  about  that  our  city  is  no  better  off  for  police 
justices  than  a  prison  would  be  whose  inmates  elected  their  own  superin. 
tendents  and  jailors.  And  in  view  of  the  recent  mode  of  electing  our 
police  justices,  it  is  not  too  much  to  say  that  the  lawless  part  of  our  com- 
munity controlled  these  elections.  The  persons  elected  were  therefore 
professional  politicians  of  the  most  suspicious  kind,  who  in  their  past  life 
had  been  associated  with  those  men  whom  they  were  to  judge  now.  To 
gain  the  nomination  they  were  forced  to  obtain  the  assistance  of  all  the 
proprietors  of  gambling  hells,  disorderly  houses,  rum-holes,  dance-houses, 
concert- saloons,  etc.,  in  their  district,  and  the  votes  controlled  by  the 
above-named  individuals  elected  the  judges  to  their  offices.  If  they  then 
speculated  on  a  re-election,  they  were  compelled  to  try  to  retain  the  politi- 
cal influence  thus  obtained  by  their  acts  as  judges.  The  consequences 
were    that   the    most    dangerous    criminals  were    enabled    to  escape    the 


THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE.  70$ 

clutches  of  the  law,  while  a  great  parade  was  made  of  occasional  convic- 
tions of  subordinate  rascals.  Thus  were  the  eyes  of  the  not  over  keen- 
sighted  public  blinded. 

We  have  already  shown  how  easy  it  is  for  the  police  justice  to  permit 
a  criminal  to  escape  the  clutches  of  the  law.  He  holds  him  for  exami" 
nation,  for  example,  and  calls  up  his  case  when  there  are  no  witnesses 
present.  Or  he  puts  him  under  bail  till  the  examination  ;  but  when  the 
day  of  examination  comes,  neither  the  prisoner  nor  his  bondsman  are  to 
be  found.  Or  he  turns  over  a  prisoner  who  deserves  several  years'  im- 
prisonment to  the  Commissioners  of  Charities  and  Corrections,  and  the 
rascal  is  set  loose  again  upon  society  after  a  few  days  spent  in  one  of  the 
institutions  on  the  Island.  If  all  this  is  not  possible,  and  it  is  necessary 
to  bring  the  prisoner  before  another  court,  a  slight  error  is  made  in  the 
order,  which  suffices  to  procure  the  release  of  the  rascal.  That  such 
favors  are  rewarded  by  something  more  substantial  than  political  influ- 
ence is  shown  us  by  the  general  supposition  that  the  office  of  police  justice 
is  the  shortest  road  to  wealth. 

What  the  police  justices  omitted  in  the  case  of  rich  criminals,  they 
fully  made  up  with  such  unfortunates  who  had  neither  money  nor  influ- 
ence to  aid  them.  Who  has  not  noticed  how  often,  in  our  police  courts, 
ragged,  friendless  poverty  was  sent  to  prison,  while  gamblers  with  heavy 
gold  watch  chains,  or  the  proprietresses  of  disorderly  houses  clad  in  silks 
and  satins,  were  treated  with  the  greatest  consideration?  Not  nnfre- 
quently  does  it  happen  that  such  rich  sinners  quite  confidentially  address 
"  his  honor"  by  his  first  name.  Female  beauty  has  also  considerable 
advantages  over  others  in  a  police  court.  It  is  nothing  unusual  that  a 
charge  against  a  pretty  woman  was  dropped  after  an  interview  in  the 
judge's  private  office. 

In  the  chapter  on  Lunatic  Asylums  we  have  given  an  instance  show- 
ing now  a  police  justice  sent  a  man,  without  ever  having  seen  him,  upon 
the  request  of  a  perfect  stranger,  to  the  luuatic  asylum,  that  most  terri- 
ble of  all  prisons.  Some  time  ago  a  habeas  corpus  was  taken  out  in  the 
Supreme  Court  of  New  York  for  a  young  woman,  Anna  R.,  who  had 
been  sent  by  a  police  judge  to  an  institution  Blackwell's  Island  for  correc- 
tion. The  order  for  her  commitment  stated  that  Anna  R.  had  applied 
voluntarily  before  the  judge,  and  had  declared  herself  to  be  a  prostitute 
under  fifteen  years  of  age.  But,  as  her  friends  stated  before  the  Su_ 
preme  Court,  not  a  word  of  this  was  true,  but  it  was  simply  a  plan  laid 
for  the  ruin  of  the  young  woman.  She  was  not  a  prostitute,  nor  had 
she  ever  declared  herself  to  be  such  before  the  justice.  She  wa3  a  mar- 
ried woman  seventeen  years  old,  and  of  irreproachable  character,  whom 
several  villains  had  chosen  for  their  victim,  and  to  attain  their  object  had 
sent  her  to  the  House  of  Correction.  The  judge  in  this  case  played  a 
similar  part  to  the  one  played  by  the  justice  iu  the  above-mentioned  com- 


710  THE    POLICE    COURTS. 

mitment  to  the  lunatic  asylum.  Thus  it  will  be  seen  that  a  police  justice- 
will  lend  his  aid  to  a  very  base  purpose. 

A  similar  case  happened  in  November,  1871.  A  police  judge  had  a 
Mrs.  Cecilia  K.  arrested  and  brought  to  his  private  office.  There  she 
gave  her  right  name,  but  received  no  answer  when  she  asked  the  cause 
of  her  arrest.  Her  demand  to  be  put  under  bail  for  any  amount  what- 
ever, ar  at  least  to  be  allowed  a  counsellor,  was  fruitless,  and  in  fifteen 
minutes  after  she  was  on  her  way  to  Blackwell's  Island,  where  her  name 
was  given  as  Elizabeth  French.  Only  six  days  after  her  friends  suc- 
ceeded in  releasing  the  half-crazed  woman  by  means  of  a  writ  of  habeas 
corpus.  The  reason  for  this  act  of  brute  force  against  a  respectable  wo- 
could  never  be  ascertained. 

Cases  have  also  not  unfrequently  happened  in  which  police  justices 
have  degraded  themselves  so  far  as  to  put  dangerous  political  opponents, 
during  the :  progress  of  important  local  elections,  out  of  harm's  way 
by  arresting  them. 

In  a  word,  our  police  courts  were  a  disagreeable  farce,  and  everybody 
knew  it.  But  then  they  stood  as  the  excresence  of  a  corrupt  system,  of 
whose  machinery  they  formed  an  important  part,  and  in  whose  interest 
they  worked.  It  was  their  duty  to  hold  the  lawless  element  of  our  city 
bound  to  the  interest  of  certain  local  politicians,  and  in  this  respect  they 
were  invaluable.  The  destruction  of  the  Tammany  Ring  also  proved 
disastrous  to  the  police  justices,  and  reform  turned  its  eye  upon  this  dark 
side  in  our  community.  If  change  is  equivalent  to  reform,  then  a  reform 
has  actually  taken  place  in  our  police  courts.  For  in  the  last  legislature 
a  law  was  passed  of  which  the  following  are  the  most  important  and  in- 
vulnerable points : 

1.  The  elections  for  police  judges  in  the  city  of  New  York.  The  po- 
lice judges,  ten  in  number,  shall  henceforth  be  nominated  by  the  Mayor, 
and  must  be  confirmed  by  the  aldermen. 

2.  The  candidates  shall  not  have  passed  their  sixtieth  year. 

3.  The  term  of  the  police  judges  shall  be  for  the  first  two,  ten,  and  for 
each  succeeding  two,  nine,  eight,  seven,  and  six  years  respectively. 

4.  The  salary  of  a  police  judge  shall  be  $8,000  per  annum. 

5.  A  clerk  shall  be  appointed  for  each  of  the  five  courts  with  a  salary 
of  $4,000  per  annum,  who  shall  be  appointed  by  the  Board  of  Police 
Judges. 

After  numerous  nominations  by  the  Mayor,  and  rejections  by  the 
Board  of  Aldermen,  all  the  ten  judges  have  been  appointed  and  have  en- 
tered upon  their  duties. 

We  now  have  ten  police  justices  instead  of  nine.  Every  court  must 
hereafter  have  two  judges,  while  up  to  the  present  time  there  was  only 
one  justice  in  the  fifth  district  court.  The  salaries  have  been  reduced 
from  $10,000  to  $8,000,  and  each  court  shall  have  only  one  clerk  in  ftr 


THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE.  711 

turc.  The  most  important  change,  however,  which  the  law  provides,  is 
that  the  justices  are  no  longer  to  be  elected  by  the  people,  but  are  to  be 
appointed  by  the  Mayor.  Our  legislators,  in  so  doing,  proceeded  upon  a 
supposition  that  the  election  of  justices  should  be  taken  from  the  hands 
of  the  lawless  characters  in  which  it  had  until  then  rested.  This  cer- 
tainlv  is  an  improvement.  But  the  right  of  confirmation  by  the  alderv 
men  is  a  provision  which  unfortunately  puts  the  appointment  of  justices 
again  into  the  hands  of  corrupt  politicians.  As  is  well-known,  the 
ward  politicians  are  supported  by  those  masses  in  whose  hands  the  elec- 
tion of  police  justices  lay  until  very  recently.  As,  however,  the  respect- 
able part  of  the  citizens  d  d  not  take  a  proper  interest  in  the  election  of 
police  justices,  it  was  only  wise  in  the  legislature  that  it  relieved  those 
lawless  classes  of  a  suffrage  which  they  had  abused  in  such  a  ruinous 
manner. 

But  the  law  has  one  very  great  fault.  This  is  that  it  mentions  no  other 
qualification  than  one  requiring  that  the  judge  to  be  appointed  shall  not 
be  more  than  sixty  years  of  age.  It  is  true  indeed  that  thus  the  choice 
of  candidates  is  facilitated  more  than  if  the  law  had  restricted  it  to  a 
certain  profession.  But  goodwill  and  character  alone  do  not  suffice  to  make 
a  good  judge.  Even  the  word  "judge,"  derived  from  "justice,"  denotes 
the  necessity  of  a  knowledge  of  the  law.  Our  laws,  however,  are  so 
complicated  that  a  man  who  has  made  a  knowledge  of  them  his  profes- 
sion, would  run  the  risk  of  making  serious  and  frequent  mistakes  in  auy 
position  as  judge.  He  must  not  judge  according  to  what  is  right  or 
wrong,  but  to  that  which  is  denoted  as  wrong  according  to  the  wording 
of  the  law.  There  are,  besides,  a  number  of  legal  technicalities,  the 
knowledge  of  which  is  absolutely  necessary,  because  the  least  non-observ- 
ance of  one  of  them  would  enable  the  most  dangerous  criminal  to  escape 
the  law. 

How,  therefore,  a  clause  of  the  new  law  providing  that  the  police  just% 
ices  shall  be  lawyers  could  be  struck  out,  is  difficult  to  understand.  Can 
it  have  been  done  in  order  to  keep  a  door  open  for  some  politicians?  This 
is  frequently  the  case  in  the  most  important  departments,  at  the  heads  of 
which  there  are  frequently  men  who  know  little  more  than  nothing  of  the 
business.  The  chief  simply  lends  his  name  and  draws  the  big  pay,  while 
a  clerk  is  the  real  head  of  the  department,  and  manipulates  it  according 
fc>  his  pleasure. 

Our  former  police  courts  were  conducted  in  a  similar  manner,  in  which 
a  clerk  played  the  part  of  a  prompter  to  the  judge,  who  was  sadly  in  need 
of  such  an  aid. 

This  fear,  however,  may  be  groundless  with  regard  to  the  newly* 
appointed  judges.  But  every  law  should  have  a  wording  which  would 
prevent  its  possible  abuse.  But  the  law  is  in  force,  and,  in  spite  of  its 
defects,  has  made  a  change  for  the  better  possible.     Whether  this  change 


712  THE    CRIMINAL    COURTS. 

will  really  take  place  depends  very  much  upon  the  public  opinion,  as  it 
will  express  itself  in  the  future  elections,  If  the  people  henceforth  will 
condemn  at  the  polls  every  form  of  official  corruption,  and  will  teach  its 
servants  that  in  office,  as  well  as  in  private  life,  honesty  is  the  best  policy* 
then  the  law  will,  in  spite  of  its  defects,  have  a  beneficial  influence  upon 
our  administration  of  justice  and  the  public  safety.  But  if  the  people, 
in  their  indolence,  permit  official  corruption  and  political  trading  to  con" 
tinue,  then  it  will  make  little  difference  whether  the  police  justices  are 
elected  by  the  scum  of  the  police  districts  as  formerly,  or  are  appointed 
according  to  the  present  law  by  corrupt  official  rings. 


THE  CRIMINAL  COURTS. 

In  the  police  courts  we  have  become  acquainted  with  tribunals  which 
are  not  able  to  inspire  the  lawless  elements  of  our  city  with  much  respect 
for  the  law,  or  rather  have  not  been  able  to  do  so  until  very  recently. 
We  will  now  look  a  little  closer  at  the  higher  courts,  the  "  Criminal 
Courts,"  and  see  whether  we  can  find  food  with  them  for  more  pleasant 
reflections.  We  confess  in  the  beginning,  however,  that  this  is  not  the 
case.  With  them  also  there  is  much  room  for  improvement,  and  the 
fabric  of  the  law  resting  in  their  hands  shows  many  holes  through  which 
a  criminal  could  easily  escape. 

As  in  the  case  of  the  police  courts,  so  in  the  case  of  the  criminal 
courts,  we  shall  judge  them  by  their  own  reports.  We  take  the  following 
from  a  report  before  us  of  the  year  1868.  In  the  course  of  that  year  the 
following  convictions  were  effected  in  the  different  criminal  courts : 

Arson,  3  ;  bigamy,  1  ;  burglary,  154  ;  forgery,  24  ;  grand  larceny, 
347  ;  petty  larceny,  2,837  ;  receiving  stolen  goods,  3  ;  robbery,  11. 

These  numbers  in  themselves  do  not  say  very  much,  it  is  true,  but 
they  gain  in  importance  when  compared  with  the  number  of  arrests  dur- 
ing the  same  time  for  the  same  crimes.  We  then  receive  the  following 
startling  exhibit : 

Arsons — arrests  65,  convictions  3  ;  bigamy — arrests  13,  convictions  1 ; 
burglary — arrests  630,  convictions  154  ;  forgery — arrests  113,  convictions 
24  ;  grand  larceny — arrests  2,413,  convictions  347  ;  petty  larceny — ar- 
rests 3,927,  convictions  2,834;  robbery — arrests  130,  convictions  11. 


THE    DAKK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE.  713 

Judging  from  these  numbers,  either  our  police  arrest  more  innocent 
than  guilty  persons,  or  our  criminal  courts  allow  the  majority  of  crimi- 
nals to  go  free.  Judging,  however,  from  the  fact  that  the  prevalence  of 
crime  is  very  great,  and  that  our  criminal  courts,  io  spite  of  their  con- 
tinued activity,  send  comparatively  very  few  of  the  rascals  to  prison,  we 
should  rather  incline  to  the  supposition  that  something  is  out  of  gear  in 
the  criminal,  as  well  as  in  the  police  courts. 

The  fault  of  the  glaring  abuses  in  the  police  courts  we  have  found  to 
rest  almost  entirely  with  the  judges,  whose  corruption  and  arbitrariness 
were  to  be  regarded  as  the  source  of  all  these  abuses.  Iu  the  criminal 
courts,  however,  it  would  be  unjust  to  put  the  whole  blame  on  the  judges 
or  the  officers  of  the  court  iu  general.  They  are  certainly  not  free  from 
blame,  but  there  are  other  shoulders  to  help  in  carrying  the  responsi- 
bility. The  lawyers,  and  the  juries  who  must  decide  in  all  cases,  for  ex- 
ample, very  frequently  have  a  large  part  of  the  blame.  Nor  can  the 
laws  themselves  be  entirely  acquitted,  whose  indistinct  wording,  very  fre- 
quently contrary  to  all  common  sense,  opens  the  door  to  the  worst  abuses 
and  evils. 

All  the  above-mentioned  facts  tend  to  divest  the  criminal  law  of  that 
wholesome  awe  which  it  should  possess  for  all  transgressors.  Crime 
therefore  is  wanting  in  the  sense  of  running  any  risk,  and  it  is  perfectly 
aware  of  the  many  means  by  which  it  can  escape,  even  if  brought  in 
contact  with  the  law.  The  chances  of  avoiding  punishment  are  all  the 
greater,  the  stronger  the  pecuuiary  and  political  influences  are  which  the 
criminal  has  at  his  command.  A  poor  woman  in  rags  hardly  covering 
her  body,  stole  on  a  bitter  cold  day  a  shawl.  She  was  found  guilty  of 
grand  larceny,  and  sentenced  to  several  years'  imprisonment.  An  indus- 
trious man,  but  who  had  been  out  of  work  for  a  considerable  time,  who 
had  a  sick  wife  at  home,  and  could  neither  procure  medicine  for  her,  nor 
bread  for  his  starving  children,  in  his  despair  took  another's  property. 
He  was  caught  in  the  act,  and  the  "unrelenting  justice"  sent  him  to 
prison  for  years.  Cases  like  these,  in  which  the  criminals  without  any 
influence  are  quickly  and  severely  punished,  are  of  frequent  occurrence. 
Then  our  justice  puffs  itself  up,  and  in  every  conviction  pretends  to  have 
performed  a  wonderful  act. 

But  those  are  all  small  thieves  against  which  our  criminal  law  pro- 
ceeds so  unmercifully.  The  greater  the  thief  is,  the  tamer  and  more 
powerless  does  justice  become  towards  him.  The  cases  in  which  officers 
of  banks  or  similar  institutions  steal  hundreds  of  thousands  of  dollars, 
have  become  daily  occurrences  at  which  we  no  longer  wonder.  But 
when  do  we  ever  hear  that  one  of  these  rascals,  sustained  by  money  and 
political  influence,  had  ever  received  the  punishment  so  richly  merited? 
Thus  it  is  in  all  kinds  of  crime  up  to  murder.  A  drunken  bill-poster  be- 
gins to  quarrel  with  another  man  in  the  street.     Excited  by  whisky,  he 


714  THE    CRIMINAL    COURTS. 

draws  his  revolver  and  shoots  the  man  whom  he  has  never  seen  before 
He  is  arrested,  tried,  convicted,  and  executed,  all  in  rapid  succession. 
A  rich  rascal,  on  the  other  hand,  has  been  animated  for  a  long  time  by  a 
bitter  hatred  towards  a  personal  enemy.  He  tries  to  subdue  him  by  all 
lawful  means,  but  without  success.  At  last  he  determines  to  murder 
him,  and  executes  this  intention  in  a  manner  worthy  of  an  Italian  bandit. 
It  is  a  cold-blooded,  predetermined  murder,  and  one  which  caused  more 
excitement  in  the  city  than  any  other  murder  has  for  years  back.  The 
murderer  receives  three  trials.  In  the  second  he  is  found  guilty  of  murder 
in  the  first  degree,  is  sentenced  only  to  escape  in  the  third  trial  with  four 
years'  imprisoment. 

Where  is  justice  in  these  two  cases?  Or  can  we  speak  of  justice  at 
all,  where  what  is  justice  in  one  case  becomes  manifest  injustice  in  ano- 
ther? And  how  is  it  possible  for  our  criminal  courts  to  execute  the  law 
in  such  a  manner  that  it  becomes  such  a  bitter  mockery  of  the  simplest 
ideas  of  right  and  wrong?  The  cause  of  this  is  the  same  as  that  which 
has  made  our  police  courts  simply  a  satire  on  their  name. 

It  is  the  corruption  which  is  found  in  all  the  departments  of  our  adminis- 
tration, and  from  which  even  the  bench  has  not  been  able  to  preserve  it- 
self, since  the  office  of  judge  has  become  elective,  and? has  thus  been 
brought  into  the  range  of  party-  politics.  The  guilt  of  the  judges  in  this 
case  cannot  be  denied,  but  an  impartial  view  of  the  matter  will  show 
that  the  real  source  of  the  evil  is  to  be  sought  in  the  rotten  ideas  of  mo- 
rality prevailing  among  the  people  in  general. 

The  most  important  function  in  criminal  law  is  vested  in  the  jury, 
which  is  to  decide  as  to  the  guilt  or  innocence  of  the  defendant. 
This  jury  system,  however,  is  so  rotten  that  its  abolition  has  been  fre- 
quently demanded.  To  serve  as  a  juror  not  only  robs  a  person  of  much 
valuable  time,  but  is  also  connected  with  many  inconveniences.  It  is  for 
this  reason  that  those  citizens  who  are  best  fitted,  by  their  intelligence 
and  independence  of  character,  for  this  service,  try  their  best  to  escape  it 
as  much  as  possible.  There  are  others  again  who  seek  this  service  for 
the  sake  of  the  fees,  and  in  the  true  sense  of  the  word  monopolize  the 
jurors'  bench. 

In  the  most  important  cases,  as  trials  for  murder,  the  law  does  every- 
thing to  keep  the  intelligent  citizen  away.  For  it  has  the  rather  strange 
provision  that  nobody  can  serve  as  a  juror  iD  a  case  on  which  he  has  al- 
ready formed  an  opinion.  A  man  therefore  who,  in  our  era  of  newspa- 
pers, has  not  formed  some  opinion  on  some  subject  agitating  the  public 
mind,  evinces  a  singular  want  of  intelligence,  which  is  certainly  a  very 
poor  recommendation  for  him  as  a  juror.  In  cases  like  that  of  Stokes, 
it  is  indeed  a  wonder  that  a  dozen  such  ignorant  men  could  be  found, 
after  the  case  had  been  spoken  of  in  all  the  newspapers  for  several  years. 
To  such  a  jury,  then,  in  whose  selection  intelligence  has  been   excluded 


THE  DARK  81 DE  OF  NEW  YORK  LI  IE.  715 

as  much  as  possible,  it  is  left  to  put  together  all  the  evidence  offered,  and 
to  decide  upon  the  guilt  or  iunocence,  the  life  or  death,  of  the  prisoner. 
Such  jurors  can  be  easily  misled,  and  the  oratorical  powers  of  the  law- 
yers for  the  defense  and  the  prosecution  are  of  much  more  influence  on 
their  decision,  than  the  simple  fact  which  they  are  very  frequently  unable 
to  sift  out  from  the  mass  of  evidence. 

If  the  defendant  is  rich,  or  has  influential  friends,  everything  is  done 
to  corrupt  the  jury  in  his  favor.  Even  if  only  one  is  gained,  the  danger 
is  averted  from  the  prisoner  for  the  time  beiug.  His  trial  is  resumed 
with  another  jury,  and  in  trials  for  murder  such  delays  are  invaluable* 
In  the  Stokes  trial  everything  seems  to  point  to  the  fact  that  the  jury  was 
tampered  with.  Examples  are  not  wanting  in  which  the  panels  of  jurors 
for  a  certain  trial  are  drawn  in  such  a  manner  as  to  exclude  beyond  a 
doubt  the  possibility  of  an  unfavorable  sentence. 

In  the  trial  against  "  Boss  "  Tweed  this  is  said  to  have  been  the  case  in 
a  most  startling  manner.  The  drawing  of  panels  was  left  to  an  officer 
styled  "  Commissioner  of  Jurors."  This  office  was  filled  at  that  time  by 
Douglas  Taylor,  who  had  been  appointed  to  it  under  the  Tweed  charter. 
Mr.  Tremaine,  the  District  Attorney,  accused  this  officer  of  having  put 
only  the  names  of  those  persons  on  the  lists  of  jurors  for  the  Tweed  trial 
from  whom  a  favorable  verdict  was  to  be  expected.  Direct  proof  for 
this  charge  could  of  course  not  be  brought.  But  the  suspicion  seemed 
well  founded  upon  reading  the  names  of  the  twelve  persons  who  served  as . 
jurors  in  this  trial.  One  had  served  a  term  in  the  State  Prison  for  coun- 
terfeiting, anotheF  was  a  well-known  swindling  auctioneer,  another  was  a 
loafer  hanging  about  the  landing-places  without  any  visible  profession 
three  others  were  proprietors  of  gin-mills,  and  one  was  even  a  member 
of  the  Tweed  Club.  Those  officers,  whose  duty  it  is  to  see  that  the  ju- 
rors have  no  intercourse  with  the  outside  world,  are  also  very  negligent 
in  the  performance  of  their  duties.  This  seems  to  have  been  the  case  in 
the  Stokes  trial.  One  of  the  jurors  received  permission  from  the  judge 
to  attend  to  some  very  important  business  under  the  care  of  a  deputy 
sheriff.  But  this  pressing  business,  led  the  conscientious  juror  and  his 
guardian  to  the  most  disreputable  concert-saloons  and  dance-houses,  where 
a  little  more  was  imbibed  than  was  good  for  the  juror.  In  this  condition 
he  entered  upon  a  conversation  about  the  trial,  and  said  that  he,  for  his 
part,  would  not  let  Stokes  hang.  It  has  also  been  alleged  that  the  same 
juror  was  seen  alone  in  a  theatre. 

If  we  remember  how  important  it  is  to  keep  the  jury  out  of  the  way 
of  corrupt  influences,  and  particularly  in  cases  where  friends  of  the  pris- 
oner make  use  of  every  means  in  his  behalf  which  can  be  employed  by 
money  and  influence,  we  can  easily  estimate  the  guilt  of  the  deputy  sheriff 
in  this  case. 

Not  only  subordinate  officers  lose  sight   of  the   interests   of  justice  in 


716  THE    CRIMINAL    COURTS. 

criminal  cases,  when  corrupt  influences  are  brought  to  bear  upon  them. 
Under  the  Tweed  rule  it  was  nothing  unusual  for  a  judge  to  belong  to  a 
certain  party,  and  conduct  the  trials  in  such  a  manner  as  would  suit  his 
party.  If  a  sentence  had  been  pronounced  in  any  case,  or  an  arrest  had 
taken  place,  the  party  always  had  some  judge  on  hand  who  would  issue 
an  injunction  or  a  habeas  corpus  in  favor  of  the  prisoner.  Thus  the  law 
is  effectively  crippled,  and  degraded  to  a  miserable  farce.  Several  judges 
have  earned  a  pretty  hard  reputation  in  this  manner.  Judges  Cardoza, 
Barnard,  and  McCunn  were  impeached  for  malfeasance  in  office.  Ano- 
ther, Judge  Carter,  just  by  the  merest  chance  escaped  receiving  the  same 
sentence. 

The  desire  of  many  judges  to  please  a  powerful  party  induced  them, 
when  they  were  nominated  for  re-election,  to  actions  which,  although 
they  were  not  prompted  by  considerations  of  money,  were  nevertheless 
not  a  bit  less  contemptible  than  if  they  had  been  caused  by  direct  bribery- 
Only  recently  a  case  occurred  in  which  an  otherwise  respected  judge 
placed  himself  in  a  very  suspicious  light  by  one  of  his  sentences.  This 
was  Judge  Brady,  who  sentenced  an  Irish  rowdy,  Larkin,  to  ten  days' 
imprisonment  for  having  killed  a  German  barber,  HaberWoh,  without 
any  cause.  Larkin  pleaded  guilty  of  manslaughter  in  the  fourth  degree, 
and  Judge  Brady  accepted  the  plea.  The  deed  was  an  unjustifiable  mur- 
der, and  it  was  therefore  an  unjustifiable  leniency  in  the  judge  to  ac- 
cept this  confession  as  a  basis  for  his  sentence.  But  it  would  have  been 
no  more  than  right  to  inflict  the  highest  penalty  allowed  by  the  law,  which 
was  imprisonment  for  two  years.  Why  the  judge  selected  the  lowest 
penalty  allowed  by  the  law  in  this  case,  where  the  criminal  was  a  well" 
known  rowdy,  and  his  victim  a  person  who  had  never  done  anybody  any 
harm,  is  explained  by  the  fact  that  Larkin  possessed  influential  family 
connections. 

This  leads  us  to  an  evil  in  our  criminal  law  which  gives  to  the  judge 
a  discretion  which  is  abused  in  many  cases.  A  man  is  accused  of  murder 
or  highway  robbery.  The  evidence  against  the.  prisoner,  however,  is  of 
such  a  kind  as  to  insure  his  conviction.  In  such  cases  the  law  allows 
the  judge  to  dismiss  the  charge  if  the  criminal  pleads  guilty  of  a  lower 
grade  of  crime.  The  murderer,  for  example,  pleads  guilty  of  man- 
slaughter in  the  first,  second,  or  a  lower  degree  ;  or  the  highway  robber  of 
assault  and  battery.  The  judge  then  dismisses  the  charge  of  murder  or 
highway  robbery,  and  convicts  the  prisoner  of  the  crimes  of  which  he 
has  pleaded  guilty.  The  judge,  however,  only  accepts  such  a  confession 
in  cases  where  it  is  uncertain  that  the  criminal  can  be  convicted  of  the 
greater  crime  of  which  he  is  accused.  The  advantage  in  such  a  case  is 
always  on  the  side  of  the  prisoner,  who  escapes  with  an  easier  punish- 
ment. It  is  expected,  however,  that,  under  the  circumstances,  the  judge 
sentence  the  prisoner  to  the  lightest  punishment  provided  by  law  for  the 


THE    DABS    BIDE    OF    MW    FOBS    LIFE.  717 

particular  crime  which  he   acknowledges,  and   means   are   often  used  to 
iufluence  him  to  do  so. 

Generally  professional  criminals  make  use  of  this  privilege,  and, 
wherever  it  is  possible,  plead  guilty  of  a  lighter  crime  to  avoid  the  pen- 
alty placed  on  the  greater.  If  we  view  the  practice  in  its  true  light,  it 
is  simply  a  compromise  which  justice  makes  with  the  prisoner,  and  which 
does  much  to  lower. our  justice  in  the  eyes  of  the  criminals. 

It  is  true  many  criminals  would  escape  if  their  guilt  could  not  be 
proven  as  plainly  as  is  required  by  law.  But  what  is  gained  by  such 
dealings  with  criminals?  Does  it  injure  justice  more  if  a  guilty  person 
escapes  for  want  of  proof,  or  if  a  murderer  is  sentenced  to  ten  days' 
imprisonment  because  he  preferred  to  plead  guilty  of  manslaughter  in  the 
fourth  degree  ?  In  the  former  case  justice  has  been  done,  even  if  the 
ends  of  justice  have  not  been  attained.  The  latter  case,  however,  is  a 
mockery  of  justice,  and  an  open  encouragement  to  criminals. 

On  the  same  day  on  which  the  rowdy  Larkin  was  sentenced  to  ten 
days'  imprisonment  for  the  murder  of  Haberstroh,  a  sailor  named  Mc. 
Kenna,  who  had  stabbed  a  man  with  a  knife  in  a  fight,  in  consequence  of 
which  the  latter  died,  was  sentenced  to  imprisonment  for  life.  This  un- 
fortunate fellow  then  published  a  letter  in  which  he  described  his  deed  as 
an  act  of  self-defense,  and  his  sentence  as  a  consequence  of  his  poverty 
and  want  of  influence.  At  the  close  he  compared  his  sentence  with  that 
of  Larkin,  and  asked  the  question,  "  Is  that  justice?" 

Thus  many  thousands  ask  besides  him,  and  this  question  would  be  well 
calculated  to  embarrass  the  judges  who  passed  these  sentences.  The 
e\il  is  in  the  law,  and  the  law  which  makes  such  contradictions  and  ex- 
tremes possible  is  indeed  of  a  very  questionable  value. 

Another  weak  point  is  the  rather  queer  clause  that  no  one  shall  be 
punished  for  an  act  committed  while  his  mind  was  deranged.  This  is 
very  right  and  just,  only  unfortunately  the  law  says  nothing  of  what 
shalll  be  done  with  those  deranged  persons  whose  insanity  exhibits  itself 
in  a  desire  for  crime.  This  insane  theory  therefore  plays  a  prominent 
part  in  all  murder  trials.  Scarcely  no  "  respectable  "  murderer  can  be 
brought  before  the  bar  without  being  represented  by  his  lawyers  as  suf- 
fering from  temporary  insanity.  A  poor  criminal,  who  has  murdered  his 
victim  for  a  few  dollars,  very  seldom  suffers  from  temporary  insanity 
But  if  the  murderer  had  been  brought  up  in  luxury  and  wealth,  if  he 
had  received  a  good  education,  if  he  had  high  family  connections,  it  was 
quite  a  different  thing.  It  is  nothing  unnatural  that  a  common  murderer 
should  kill  a  person  to  obtain  his  Avatch  and  pocketbook.  But  that  a 
wealthy  and  well-educated  man  should  kill  his  enemy  on  account  of  some 
little  fancied  wrong,  is  something  so  unnatural  in  the  ideas  of  our  mod- 
ern lawyers,  that  it  can  only  be  explained  by  temporary  insanity.  The- 
respectable  murderer  appears  to  be  of  just  as  sound  a  mind  before  as  after 


718  THE    CRIMINAL    COURTS. 

the  murder ;  but  his  learned  lawyer  proves  to  an  intelligent  jury  that, 
just  at  the  moment  of  the  deed,  the  terrible  insanity  showed  itself,  and 
disappeared  immediately  after  the  deed  had  been  committed. 

This  theory  is  sometimes  pressed  iu  the  courts  in  a  manner  which 
makes  us  almost  suppose  that  the  lawyer  is  more  insane  than  the  client. 
It  nevertheless  plays  a  dangerous  part  in  our  courts,  and  has  already 
saved  many  a  criminal  from  the  gallows,  if  not  from  all  punishment. 
Examples  of  this  kind  are  not  wanting,  and  we  here  present  one  of  a 
glaring  character : 

Iu  1870  a  certain  Chambers  had  killed  a  man  by  the  name  of  Voor- 
hees  under  circumstances  which  made  the  deed  appear  as  a  premeditated 
murder.  The  circumstances  connected  with  the  deed  were  of  such  a 
kind  that  the  authorities  had  all  tbey  could  do  to  save  the  prisoner  from 
the  popular  indignation.  Nobody,  therefore,  thought  it  possible  that 
Chambers  could  escape  the  gallows,  or  that  even  a  defense  of  his  crime 
would  be  attempted.  The  defense,  however,  was  undertaken,  and  it  was 
u  temporary  insanity."  Chambers  was  then  examined  by  two  well-known 
physicians,  and  was  found  to  be  perfectly  sane.  This,  however,  did  not- 
trouble  his  lawyer  in  the  least.  He  was  one  of  the  smartest  of  his  kind, 
whose  particular  forte  was  to  confuse  and  ridicule  witnesses  by  cross- 
examinations.  This  he  did  with  the  two  physicians,  from  whom  he  a. 
last  obtained  the  statement  that  it  might  have  been  possible  that  the  pris_ 
oner  was  deranged  at  the  time  of  the  commission  of  the  crime.  This 
statement  in  itself  was  of  no  great  importance,  for  "no  physician  in  the 
world,  even  if  he  were  the  greatest,  could  swear  that  a  certain  man 
could  have  been  entirely  sane  at  a  certain  time.  What  he  can  do  is  to 
declare,  after  a  careful  examination,  that  there  are  no  visible  reasons 
why  he  should  have  been  otherwise  than  sane  at  any  previous  time. 

The  lawyer,  however,  understood  how  to  make  a  good  use  of  this  ad- 
mission of  a  possibility,  and  demonstrated  to  the  intelligent  jury  that 
it  was  their  duty  to  let  every  doubt  speak  in  favor  of  the  prisoner.  So 
Chambers  was  declared  's  Not  guilty."  He  had  sat,  during  the  entire 
proceedings,  with  a  bandaged  head,  and  his  fixed  look  and  suffering  ap. 
pearance  seemed  to  confirm  the  insanity  theory  of  his  lawyer.  But 
hardly  had  the  jurors  spoken  their  verdict  when  he  hurried  full  of  joy  to 
his  lawyers,  and  thanked  him  for  his-  services.  Then,  as  he  no  longer 
needed  to  appear  insane,  he  quietly  removed  the  plasters  and  bandages 
from  his  head,  and  left  the  court-room  in  triumph  with  his  friends. 

If  a  limit  is  not  put  to  the  insanity  theory,  it  is  feared  that  our  entire 
criminal  proceedings  will  be  made  ineffective  by  it.  For,  in  its  logical 
consequences,  it  leads  to  the  conclusion  that  no  sane  man  can  commit  a 
crime,  and  that  the  commission  of  a  crime  is  in  itself  proof  of  a  deranged 
mind.  The  beginning  to  this  has  already  been  made.  We  have  examples 
of  rich  and  respectable  ladies  who  "  appropriate  to  themselves  "  (or  steal) 


THE    DARK    SIDE    OE    NEW    YORK    LIFE.  719 

any  articles  of  value,  even  the  smallest  and  most  insignificant  obi 
If  they  are  caught,  the  matter  is  hushed  up  by  restoring  the  articles.  For 
the  "ladies"  are  uo  "thieves,"  localise  they  are  too  rich  and  respecta- 
ble. Why  should  they  steal,  when  they  can  easily  buy  the  articles? 
They  simply  have  the  misfortune  to  sutler  from  "  kleptomania,"  a  form 
of  insanity  which  manifests  itself  in  a  desire  to  appropriate  the  property 
of  other  people. 

This  kleptomania  seems  also  to  come  into  use  for  meu,  as  may  be  seen 
from  the  care  with  which  rich  bank  defaulters  are  guarded  from  the  legal 
penalty.  If  there  is  indeed  such  a  disease  as  kleptomania,  common  sense 
tells  us  that  it  cannot  be  restricted  to  one  class  ot  persons  ouly,  and  must. 
therefore  be  sought  wherever  its  symptom  (stealing)  shows  itself,  with 
the  ragged  thiol,  as  well  as  with  the  lady  walking  about  in  silks  and 
satins.  Then,  it'  there  is  an  iusauity  which  shows  itself  in  the  desire  to 
steal  or  murder,  what  can  prevent  us  from  supposing  that  variations  of 
this  insanity  will  show  itself  in  counterfeiting,  swindling,  rape,  and  all 
the  crimes  provided  for  by  our  laws?  Would  the  insane  person  who  mur- 
ders, steals,  swindles,  etc.,  be  less  dangerous  than  the  criminal  is  at  pres- 
ent? "Would  not  society  be  forced  to  protect  itself  in  the  same  manuer 
against  the  former,  as  it  does  against  the  latter  ? 

In  Indiana  this  view  of  the  matter  seems  to  have  been  taken  by  the 
people.  A  law  has  been  introduced  in  the  legislature,  which  provides 
that,  in  cases  in  which  the  prisoner  is  acquitted  on  account  of  insanity, 
he  shall  be  sent  to  the  lunatic  asylum  for  the  same  length  of  time  as  he 
would  have  had  to  go  to  prison  if  convicted.  The  murderer  would  have 
that  advantage  from  this  law  of  escaping  the  gallows,  bat  would  have  to 
pass  the  rest  of  his  life  in  a  lunatic  asylum.       , 

Such  a  law  would  greatly  injure  the  insanity  theory  in  our  courts,  as 
the  criminals  would  certainly  not  gain  anything  either  way,  by  choosing 
between  the  lunatic  asylum  and  State  Prison.  The  method  in  mode  uu- 
til  recently  of  simply  dismissing  murderers  who  had  been  acquitted  on 
account  of  insanity,  was  a  crime  agaiust  society,  even  if  they  had  beeu 
insane  at  the  time.  A  man  who  has  once  had  an  attack  of  insanity  in 
which  he  has  killed  some  other  man,  cannot  be  released  without  danger 
of  a  relapse.  That  it  is  nevertheless  done  proves  very  clearly  how  little 
the  law  believes  in  the  theory  by  which  it  allows  its  prisoners  to  escape 
and  go  free.  4 

Another  evil  which  very  frequently  shows  itself  in  our  courts  must  be 
laid  to  the  court  itself.  The  court  should  preserve  its  dignity  more  effec- 
tually than  to  allow  any  touching  scenes,  intended  for  effect,  to  be  enacted 
before  it.  The  prisoners'  beuch,  as  its  name  denotes,  is  intended  for  the 
prisoners.  There  is  his  place  in  the  court,  and  there  let  him  meet  his 
judges.  Whether  he  has  relatives,  or  who  they  are,  has  nothing  to  do 
with  the  court,  and  least  of  all  do  these  relatives  belong  on  the  prisoners' 


720  THE    CRIMINAL    COURTS. 

bench,  next  to  the  prisoner.  But  if  the  court  allows  such  relatives  to- 
take  their  place  beside  the  prisoner,  it  encourages  abuses  which  may  in- 
fluence, in  an  improper  manner,  its  proceedings.  If  a  weeping  wife,  with 
a  babe  at  her  breast,  afflicted  parents,  or  a  long  string  of  male  and  female 
friends,  take  their  seat  by  the  side  of  the  prisoner,  this  in  all  probability 
has  no  other  object  than  to  work  on  the  feelings  of  the  jurymen,  and  thus 
to  bring  other  considerations  to  bear  upon  their  decision,  than  those  of 
the  strictest  justice. 

Such  mute  exhibitions  are  very  frequently  not  all.  These  friends 
sometimes  seem  drilled  for  such  occasions,  and  know  how  to  assist  the 
pathetic  appeals  of  the  lawyer  by  bursts  of  tears,  continual  weeping,  and 
and  even  fainting.  We  can  sympathize  with  those  who  innocently  suffer 
through  the  criminal  acts  of  a  relative.  Their  pface,  however,  is  not  in 
the  court-room,  much  less  by  the  side  of  the  prisoner.  They  interfere 
with  the  proceedings  of  the  court  by  drawing  only  too  easily  the  atten- 
tion of  the  jurors  from  the  case  before  them.  Not  pity  for  the  family, 
relatives,  or  friends  of  the  prisoner  should  influence  the  jury  and  judge  in 
their  decision.  They  should  be  guided  by  much  higher  considerations  of 
justice  and  safety.  The  more  this  is  done,  the  more  will  criminals  see 
the  necessity  of  taking  pity  themselves  on  their  friends,  by  not  commit- 
ting unlawful  acts.  Such  scenes  are  particularly  enacted  by  "  distin- 
guished "  criminals  to  an  extent  which  considerably  injures  the  dignity  of 
the  court.  The  sooner  a  stop  is  put  to  these  proceedings,  the  better  will 
it  be  for  all  concerned. 

Another  and  more  serious  evil  in  connection  with  our  criminal  courts 
is  that  a  large  number  of  trials  are  never  brought  up.  The  indictments, 
for  some  reason,  remain  in  the  District  Attorney's  office  until  they 
are  forgotten,  and  the  criminals  of  course  are  not  punished.  Such  a 
thing  is  no  recommendation  of  our  criminal  process.  When  the  District 
Attorney,  A.  Oakey  Hall,  entered  upon  his  new  office  as  Mayor,  he  left 
not  less  than  18,000  indictments  for  one  particular  offense  unfinished  in 
his  office.  Many  very  serious  indictments  are  postponed  from  one  term 
to  another,  until  at  last,  when  public  attention  has  been  withdrawn  from 
them,  they  are  handed  over  to  oblivion  in  some  dark  corner  It  is  cer- 
tainly understood  that  impure  influences  are  brought  to  bear  in  such  cases, 
and  that  it  is  not  always  chance  which  forgets  these  indictments,  and  allows* 
the  criminal  to  escape.  * 

This  is  a  foul  spot  on  our  criminal  process,  which  clearly  points  to  ele- 
ments that  are  corrupt,  even  among  the  judges.  In  cases  that  are 
brought  before  the  courts,  and  in  which,  as  in  Larkin's  case,  where  the 
judge  is  not  guided  by  any  corrupt  motives,  it  is  very  frequently  shown, 
to  the  disadvantage  of  justice,  that  the  judge  does  not  possess  that  degree 
of  impartiality  which  seems  to  be  required  by  his  position.  It  is  he  who 
must  summarize  the  results  of  the  trial  in  his  charge   to  the  jury.     The 


THE    DARE    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK     l.I  I  i  .  721 

manner  in  which  this  is  done  is  very  frequently  of  great  influence  on  the 
verdict.  In  the  trial  of  Stokes,  for  example,  Judge  Davis  completely 
mi^uuderstood  his  position  when  he  mentioned,  in  his  instructions,  the 
"highly  respectable  relatives"  of  the  prisoner,  and  the  disagreeable  effect 
a  death  sentence  would  have  on  them.  These  are  phrases  which  are  en- 
tirely out  of  place  in  the  mouth  of  a  judge.  Their  place  is  with  the 
counsel  for  the  defense.  For  the  jury  must  only  take  into  consideration 
the  circumstances  brought  to  light  by  the  trial.  The  relatives,  whether 
"highly  respectable"  or  not,  should  not  exist  for  the  judge  or  the  jury. 
It  was  therefore  a  great  mistake  of  the  judge  when,  just  before  the  de- 
cision, he  brought  up  such  sentimental  considerations,  which,  as  experi- 
ence has  shown,  are  able  to  embarrass  the  most  conscientious  of  jurymen, 
especially  in  trials  for  murder. 

This  example  also  shows  the  power  which  a  judge  possesses  on  the 
result  of  a  trial,  if  he  takes  it  into  his  head  to  take  part,  either  pro  or  con. 
And  that  there  are  judges  who  have  a  price  for  taking  the  part  of  the 
prisoner,  can  hardly  be  doubted.  The  filth  of  party  politics  has  also  left 
its  mark  on  the  judicial  bench,  and  there  have  already  been  judges  in  New 
York  who  were  worse  than  the  worst  criminal  ever  brought  before  them. 
Mr.  Fowler,  Judge  of  the  Third  District  Court,  is  a  prominent  example 
of  this.  Before  his  election  to  this  place,  he  was  assistant  to  Judge  (x# 
J.  Tucker,  of  the  Probate  Court,  and  in  this  position  he  not  only  robbed 
widows  and  orphans  to  the  amount  of  $58,000,  but,  after  the  robbery  had 
been  discovered  and  he  had  been  kicked  out  of  the  office,  he  also  stole  all 
the  deposit  and  cash  books  he  could  lay  his  hands  on. 

This  Fowler  is  only  a  civil  judge,  but  the  case  clearly  shows  to  what 
elements  the  bench  is  opened  by  the  elections.  The  system  of  elections 
for  judges  of  the  higher  courts  has  shown  itself  to  be  no  better  than  it  is 
for  the  police  courts.  But  not  much  is  gained  by  the  appointment  of  the 
higher  judges,  as  long  as  this  appointment  is  made  for  a  certain  time. 
All  the  judges  are  more  or  less  dependent  upon  the  favor  of  parties, 
Emancipation  from  party  strife  is  the  chief  necessity  for  a  pure  judiciary. 
The  appointment  of  judges  for  so  long  a  time  as  they  properly  perform 
their  duties  is  the  safest  means  to  remove  corruption  from  the  bench,  and 
to  keep  it  away  forever. 

Much  as  we  may  be  wranting  in  our  courts,  it  cannot  be  denied  that 
our  criminal  courts  keep  much  more  aloof  from  corruption  than  the  civil 
courts,  and  that,  even  in  the  darkest  hours  of  the  Tammany  rule,  they 
showed  their  independence  by  several  examples  of  severity  which  were 
of  the  most  beneficial  effect  on  the  public  safety. 

The  lawyers  defending  the  prisoners  are,  as  is  well  known,  of  great 
influence  on  the  proceedings  of  criminal  trials.  It  is  no  more  than  just 
that  every  one,  even  if  accused  of  the  most  terrible  crime,  should  be 
afforded  every  opportunity  to  defend  himself,  to  prove  his  innocence,  or 

46 


722  THE    CRIMINAL    COURTS. 

to  alleviate  his  guilt.  This  is  the  duty  of  the  counsellor  for  the  defense. 
No  prisoner  is  refused  one.  If  the  prisoner  is  poor,  the  court  furnishes 
him  with  one.  To  what  extent,  and  how  frequently,  these  lawyers  cross 
the  ways  of  justice,  we  will  see  in  the  next  chapter. 

With  regard  to  the  courts  in  general,  we  must  not  forget  the  evils 
arising  from  the  unjust  system  of  detaining  witnesses,  as  well  as  the  de- 
grading and  coarse  treatment  of  witnesses  on  the  stand  by  the  bullying 
lawyers.  These  are  two  points  which  have  caused  a  not  unjust  desire 
with  many  of  avoiding,  by  all  means,  the  possibility  of  becoming  wit- 
nesses. It  is  therefore  difficult,  in  almost  all  cases,  to  procure  the  evi- 
dence for  a  conviction,  and  very  frequently  even  for  an  indictment.  A 
large  number  of  criminals  must  for  this  reason  be  discharged.  It  should 
be  the  duty  of  the  victim  of  a  crime  to  proceed  against  the  criminal. 
This  is  very  seldom  done.  Of  course  everybody  runs  to  the  police  if  he 
has  been  robbed,  and  the  police,  if  it  can,  arrests  the  thief.  The  priso- 
ner, however,  offers  to  restore  the  plunder  if  the  victim  will  not  appear 
against  him.  This  satisfies  the  victim,  for  he  only  made  the  charge  to 
get  back  his  property.  He  receives  it,  and  then  refuses  to  proceed  any 
further.  For  what  does  he  care  for  the  higher  demand  of  justice  and 
public  safety  ?  The  thief  is  let  loose  by  him,  and  can  continue  his  crim- 
inal career.  This  method  has  particularly  gained  ground  in  large  bond 
robberies,  and  the  banks,  in  almost  all  cases,  are  willing  to  leave  the 
thief  unmolested  if  he  returns  a  part  of  the  papers. 

A  large  part  of  the  faults  in  our  criminal  process  lies  with  the  desire 
of  the  public  for  sensations,  which  is  too  apt  to  transform  criminals  into 
heroes.  From  the  moment  that  some  obscure  person  has  committed 
some  horrid  crime,  he  becomes  a  kind  of  public  character,  and  attracts 
the  curiosity  of  the  populace.  For  it  is  interest,  and  not  disgust,  with 
which  the  perpetrator  of  a  crime  is  treated,  particularly  if  he  belongs  to 
the  so-called  better  classes.  When  the  trial  of  such  a  criminal  at  last 
begins,  this  interest  receives  fresh  food.  The  court-room  is  filled  to 
overflowing  with  a  dense  mass  of  human  beings,  and  anybody  who  has 
been  so  fortunate  as  to  catch  a  glimpse  of  the  prisoner,  can  read  in  the 
next  morning's  papers  how  he  dressed,  how  he  conducted  himself,  and 
what  he  said.  The  trial  is  for  the  mass  of  the  spectators  nothing  more 
than  a  prize-fight  between  the  prosecuting  attorney  and  the  attorney  for 
|  the  defense.  The  public  sympathy  is  generally  with  crime,  which  can  be 
seen  from  the  enthusiasm  with  which  the  defense  is  greeted  if  it  has  suc- 
ceeded in  cheating  the  gallows  of  its  dues. 

This  disgusting  desire  to  surround  criminals  and  crime  with  a  kind  of 
halo  of  glory  is  the  chief  cause  that  sensational  crimes  become  more 
frequent  every  year.  It  rests  on  a  confusion  of  moral  ideas,  which  is 
felt  more  or  less  in  all  our  courts,  and  which  has  enabled  the  lawyers  tq 
gain   such  triumphs  as  in  the    Sickles,  Richardson,  and  Stokes  cases. 


THE    DARE    BIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE.  723 

When  this  mixing  up  shall  have  disappeared,  when  furthermore  our  crim- 
inal courts  shall  look  more  to  the  crime  than  to  the  person  of  the  crimi- 
nal, when  judges  and  juries  shall  be  conscious  of  standing  under  the 
jurisdiction  of  a  refined  public  opinion — then,  and  only  then,  can  we  ex- 
pect an  improvement  in  the  administration  of  our  laws.  Then  also  will 
justice  mete  out  to  the  guilty  ones  the  full  measure  of  their  punishment, 
and  fill  that  place  which  it  should  always  occupy  as  the  protector  of  the 
righteous  and  the  terror  of  the  wicked.  This  position  it  by  no  means 
fills  to-day.  The  merciless  goddess  of  antiquity,  "  Justitia,"  has  become 
a  kind  of  machine  which  can  just  as  easily  be  used  against  the  righteous  as 
against  the  wicked. 


THE  LAWYERS. 

Many  of  our  readers  will  perhaps  disdainfully  turn  up  their  noses  that 
we  dare  to  place  the  lawyers  among  the  dark  sides  of  our  city.  But  we 
believe  they  will  fully  agree  with  us  in  the  sense  in  which  we  regard 
them  thus.  We  admit  that  in  no  other  country  in  the  world  would  the 
lawyers  be  missed  more  as  a  class  than  with  us,  where  the  legislation  is 
divided  into  National  and  State,  and  the  three  dozen  States  again  possess 
different,  and  very  often  even  conflicting,  laws.  Nowhere  in  the  world 
are  legal  formalities  necessary  for  more  actions  of  daily  life  than  with  us, 
and  even  in  those  cases  in  which  it  is  possible  to  supply  them  without  the 
aid  of  a  lawyer,  it  is  very  difficult  to  do  so.  No  country,  therefore,  sus- 
tains a  larger  number  of  lawyers  than  our  Republic.  In  our  city  alone 
over  three  thousand  lawyers  carry  on  their  business  under  various  names, 
as  lawyers,  advocates,  attorneys,  solicitors,  proctors,  counsellors,  etc. 
They  are  among  the  most  influential  classes,  and  from  their  ranks  are 
chosen  the  vast  majority  of  the  State  officers,  as  well  as  members  of 
State  legislatures  and  of  Congress.  Their  influence  as  a  class,  therefore, 
is  very  great. 

But  as  everything  has  its  two  sides,  this  also  is  the  case  with  our  law- 
yers. They  have  their  bright  and  dark  sides.  Many  lawyers  (those  on 
account  of  whom  we  give  a  place  to  the  lawyers  in  the  dark  sides)  do  not 
in  the  least  deserve  to  be  classed  among  the  others  of  their  profession,  as 
they  are  rather  breakers  than  expounders  of  the  law.     For  one  class,  the 


724  THE    LAWYERS. 

so-called  "  Shysters,"  this  is  the  plain  and  naked  truth.  They  are  a  curse- 
to  our  legal  institutions,  and  pitiless  leeches  to  those  who,  being  in  wan* 
of  legal  advice,  fall  into  their  clutches. 

On  the  other  hand,  there  are  among  our  lawyers  very  few  exceptions 
who  always  take  the  part  of  the  right,  and  do  not  prostitute  their  learn- 
ing in  helping  a  criminal  to  escape,  or  in  aiding  a  manifestly  wrong  cause. 
In  this  respect  we  find  among  the  lawyers*  certain  ideas  of  right  and 
honor,  which  form  fitting  accompaniments  to  the  respectability  of  the 
editorial  and  advertising  columns  of  certain  newspapers.  With  them, 
also  the  principle  has  full  force  that  they  give  their  services  to  those  par- 
ties who  are  able  and  willing  to  pay  for  them.  They  generally  do  not 
care  much  for  right  or  wrong.  This  is  for  the  lawyers,  as  certain  adver- 
tisements are  for  certain  publishers,  a  "  matter  of  business  "  only.  In 
fact,  it  is  considered  not  in  the  least  degrading  if  a  lawyer  takes  hold  of 
a  bad  case,  and  attempts  to  secure  for  his  client  all  those  advantages 
which  the  law  allows.  A  lawyer  would  do  a  very  poor  business,  indeed, 
if  he  should  take  charge  of  only  such  cases  as  had  the  right  in  their 
favor.  Even  the  criminal  is  a  human  being,  and  his  deed,  bad  as  it  may 
be,  may  have  something  in  its  favor  which  will  tend  to  mitigate  the  se- 
verity of  the  law. 

Why  should  any  lawyer  be  blamed  for  representing  some  guilty  person 
in  court,  and  trying  to  secure  for  him  all  the  favors  which  the  law  allows 
him.  Perhaps  no  one  would  think  of  blaming  a  lawyer  for  this.  But 
unfortunately  even  very  highly  respected  lawyers  do  not  confine  them- 
selves to  such  a  defense.  Several  of  the  recent  sensational  murder  trials 
furnish  plain  proof  of  this.  There  it  could  be  seen  how  little  the  defense 
thought  of  simply  refuting  an  unjust  accusation,  or  of  bringing  forth 
mitigating  circumstances  for  an  undeniable  guilt.  The  defense  went  far 
beyond  this  limit.  They  undertook  to  make  heartless,  cold-blooded  mur- 
derers appear  in  the  light  of  childlike  innocence,  and  their  deed,  the  pre- 
meditated murder,  as  an  act  of  self-defence,  and  even  to  deny  their  re- 
sponsibility for  the  act  upon  the  plea  of  temporary  insanity.  And  all 
this  while  they  were  as  much  convinced  of  the  guilt  of  their  clients,  as 
the  District  Attorney  and  the  large  majority  of  the  public. 

In  such  a  manner  the  humane  act  of  defending  a  criminal  turns  into  a 
a  defense  of  the  crime  itself.  It  thus  becomes  a  crime  against  public 
safety,  and  against  the  law  which  acts  as  the  guardian  of  this  safety. 
The  defense  of  a  criminal  should  not  lead  a  lawyer  so  far  as  to  try  and 
defeat  the  ends  of  justice  by  numerous  twistings  of  the  law.  The  privi- 
leges of  a  lawyer  go  no  further  than  the  privileges  accorded  to  the  crim- 
inal by  the  law.  Every  high-handed  act  in  favor  of  the  criminal  at  the 
expense  of  the  public,  must  be  regarded  as  unworthy  of  any  true  man. 
The  tricks  which  many  lawyers  make  use  of  to  confuse  witnesses  are, 
according  to  public  opinion,  also  unworthy  of  honorable  legal  practice. 


TIIK    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LITE,  725 

They  are  nevertheless  so  common   that   they  are  almost  regarded  as  in- 
separable from  trials. 

The  lawyer  who  acts  as  the  attorney  of  a  criminal  generally  thinks  that 
he  displays  his  legal  knowledge  in  the  same  degree  in  which  he  succeeds 
in  representing  wrong  as  right,  or  in  protecting  a  guilty  person  from  a 
well-deserved  punishment.  He  does  not  in  the  least  consider  how  much 
he  sins  against  society,  which  it  should  always  be  his  duty  to  protect  at 
the  bar.  Upon  congratulating  his  lawyer,  Stokes  cried  out,  "  Yes,  that 
was  a  great  victory !"  These  words  stamp  upon  the  success  of  the  law- 
yer its  true  value.  If  it  was  a  victory,  we  are  forced  to  ask  ourselves, 
Who  was  the  victor,  and  who  the  vanquished,  in  this  case?  Was  Stokes, 
in  the  opinion  of  his  lawyer,  no  murderer?  or  did  he  simply  act  in  self- 
defense,  or  during  an  attack  of  temporary  insanity  ?  Then  the  penalty 
of  four  years'  imprisonment  was  still  a  very  severe  one,  and  there  was  no 
cause  for  congratulation  on  a  victory  gained.  But  if  it  was  a  victory  in 
the  opinion  of  the  lawyer  for  the  defense,  then  it  was  a  victory  of  crime 
over  justice,  and  a  triumph  of  an  enemy  of  the  laws  over  society. 
Whether  that  was  anything  to  congratulate  a  man  on,  who  declares  him- 
self to  be  a  representative  of  the  law,  is  a  question 'which  can  properly 
be  answered  only  in  the  negative. 

Such  victories  of  lawyers  probably  do  justice  more  injury  than  the 
crimes  in  whose  interest  they  are  gained.  And  as  it  is  in  the  criminal 
courts,  so  it  is  also  in  the  civil  courts,  where  the  end  of  a  trial  also  de- 
pends less  on  the  merits  of  a  case,  but  rather  on  the  question  which  party 
has  the  smartest  lawyer,  or,  as  lawyers  do  not  work  for  nothing,  which 
party  can  hold  out  longest  with  good  lawyers? 

The  murderer  Nixon  was  poor.  The  lawyer  appointed  by  the  court  to 
defend  him  did  all  in  his  power,  but  he  was  convicted,  and,  not  being 
able  to  obtain  a  second  trial,  was  huug.  Foster  had  rich  relatives,  who 
did  all  in  their  power  to  avert  the  disgrace  of  having  a  member  of  their 
family  hung.  The  attempt,  it  is  said,  cost  over  870,000.  The  murderer 
received  two  trials,  but,  after  his  case  had  taken  up  over  two  years,  he 
was  hung.  Stokes,  sustained  by  still  greater  wealth  and  influence,  had 
even  three  trials,  and  was  then  sentenced  to  four  years'  imprisonment  in 
the  third. 

These  are  examples  of  the  way  the  influence  of  the  lawyers  makes 
itself  felt  in  our  courts.  The  antipathy  with  which  the  lawyers  are  re- 
garded among  the  masses  of  the  people  is  therefore  not  entirely  without 
foundation.  The  party  which  is  in  the  right  must  first  pay  dearly  before 
justice  is  done  to  it,  while  a  sense  of  right  by  no  means  warrants  a  vic- 
tory in  a  lawsuit.  The  opposite  party,  without  the  least  bit  of  justice  on 
its  side,  can  step  up  to  the  bar  as  long  as  it  has  money  enough  to  con- 
tinue its  suit,  with  the  aid  of  smart  lawyers.  The  supposition  that 
money,  and  money  only,  is  necessary  to  secure   success  in   a  lawsuit,  is 


726  THE    LAWYERS. 

found,  more  than  anywhere  else,  here  with  us,  where  civilization  has  ad- 
vanced so  far,  that  common  sense  no  longer  alone  suffices  to  distinguish 
between  right  and  wrong.  And  this  is  the  case  with  lawsuits  in  general, 
and  with  regard  to  respectable  lawyers. 

A  celebrated  lawyer  once  criticized  his  profession  in  the  following  man- 
ner :  "  If  any  one  demanded  my  coat,  on  the  penalty  of  suing  me,  I 
would  immediately  pull  off  my  coat  and  give  it  to  the  man.  It  would  of 
course  be  disagreeable,  but  I  would  avoid  incurring  the  risk  of  losing 
the  shirt  besides/'  These  were  certainly  very  significant  words  in  the 
mouth  of  a  highly  respected  lawyer.  They  confirm  the  popular  supposi- 
tion that  the  tricks  of  lawyers  in  a  court  are  able  to  bring  the  greatest 
confusion  in  the  ideas  of  right  and  wrong,  This  prevailing  distrust  in 
the  profession  is  also  increased  by  the  fact  that  often  respectable  lawyers 
take  just  the  opposite  grounds  in  one  trial  from  that  which  they  have  held 
in  some  preceding  one.  They  thus  come  in  contact  with  themselves,  and 
arouse  the  suspicion  that  it  is  immaterial  to  themselves  whether  they 
serve  the  one  or  the  other  party. 

A  singular  example  of  this  kind  was  furnished  in  the  Stokes  trial.  In 
the  first  trial  the  lawyer  Beach  defended  the  prisoner.  It  was  owing 
chiefly  to  his  exertions  that  Stokes  was  saved  for  a  short  time  by  the  dis- 
agreement of  the  jury,  and  that  a  second  trial  thus  became  necessary. 
The  second  trial  came  on,  and  the  same  Mr.  Beach  acted  as  an  assistant 
for  the  prosecution.  That  may  be  perfectly  in  accordance  with  the  usage 
of  lawyers,  but  it  by  no  means  tends  to  raise  them  in  the  estimation  of 
the  public.  Mr.  Beach  most  certainly  occupied  a  peculiar  position  in  the 
second  trial,  as  he  who  saved  the  prisoner  in  the  first  trial,  now  did  every- 
thing in  his  power  to  convict  him.  In  the  second  trial  Stokes,  as  is  well 
known,  was  sentenced  to  death.  If  Mr.  Beach  was  satisfied  of  Stokes' 
innocence,  how  could  he  act  for  the  prosecution  in  the  second  case  ?  But 
if  he  thought  him  guilty,  how  could  he  have  defended  him  so  well  in 
the  first  instance  ?  ^ 

Such  abnormities  have  been  sanctioned  by  custom,  so  that  lawyers  no 
longer  think  that  they  injure  their  character  by  changing  sides.  It  is  to 
be  regretted  that  it  is  so,  for,  as  we  have  seen,  those  who  ought  to  be  our 
guides  in  the  labyrinth  of  law,  lose  the  confidence  of  the  public,  and  give 
to  the  law  the  appearance  of  a  dangerous  trap.  Our  laws  cannot  be  ex- 
ecuted without  the  aid  of  lawyers-  Good  and  just  as  they  may  be  in  them- 
selves, they  are  judged  among  the  people  by  their  practical  results  only  ; 
and  if  it  is  found  that  the  clearest  right  can  be  turned  into  wrong  by 
lawyers'  tricks,  and  that  the  same  lawyer  to-day  defends  the  right,  and 
to-morrow  the  wrong,  with  equal  energy,  we  need  not  wonder  that  laws 
and  lawyers,  and  through  them  right  and  justice,  lose  in  respect  even 
among  the  people. 

To  this  is  added  another  circumstance,  which,  at  the  simple  mention  of  a 


TH1    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE.  727 

lawyer,  many  feel  a  terror  creeping  over  them.  This  is  the  existence  of 
a  class  of  persons  who  bear  the  name  of  lawyers,  but  who  use  their 
knowledge  of  the  law  only  to  swindle  inexperienced  clients.  It  is  noth« 
iug  unusual  for  one  of  this  class,  commonly  designated  by  the  name  of 
11  Shysters,"  to  receive  pay  from  both  parties,  and  in  the  end  swindle 
them  both.  They  make  make  it  a  business  to  induce  people  to  enter  into 
suits,  representing  to  them  bright  visions  of  immediate  success.  Woe  to 
the  artless  person  who  lets  himself  be  drawn  into  the  meshes  of  one  of 
these  vampires  !  He  is  squeezed  and  then  thrown  aside  like  a  lemon. 
Many  a  property  has  been  lost,  and  many  a  family  ruined  forever,  by 
lawsuits  which  have  been  begun  upon  the  false  representations  of  some 
"  Shyster."  Even  a  consultation  with  one  of  tnem  has  its  dangers. 
Many  of  them  advise  their  clients  to  try  illegal  means,  and  if  such  cli- 
ents are  weak  enough  to  follow  this  advice,  they  fall  helplessly  into  the 
hands  of  merciless  rascals.  The  least  they  will  have  to  suffer  will  be 
extraordinary  high  fees,  and  they  may  count  themselves  happy  if  their 
misstep  is  not  attended  by  any  more  serious  consequences  than  a  depleted 
pocketbook. 

Mr.  N.,  a  business  man  in  this  city,  who  was  on  the  verge  of  bank-* 
ruptcy,  applied  to  a  "  Shyster "  for  advice.  The  latter  advised  him  to 
transfer  as  much  of  'his  property  as  possible  iuto  other  hands,  and  thus 
to  provide  for  himself  to  the  detriment  of  his  creditors.  Mr.  N.,  ah 
though  he  saw  that  the  step  was  not  an  honest  one,  did  not  think  that  he 
would  commit  a  criminal  action  by  taking  this  advice.  He  listened  to 
the  tempter,  followed  his  recommendation,  and  cheated  his  creditors, 
But  he  was  destined  to  suffer  for  it.  He  cheated  his  creditors  only  to 
have  the  money  thus  gained  pass  into  the  hands  of  the  rascally  lawyer. 
To  begin  with,  the  latter  sent  him  a  bill  for  $400  for  consultation  fees, 
Mr.  N.  at  first  refused  this  extortionate  demand,  whereupon  the  lawyer 
threatened  to  sue  him.  This  threat  caused  Mr.  TsT.,  who  did  not  have  a 
very  clear  conscience,  to  come  to  terms,  and  he  paid  the  rascally  attorney 
the  amount  demanded. 

But  that  did  not  end  the  matter.  The  legal  swindler  caused  one  of 
his  colleagues  to  call  upon  Mr.  N.,  and  to  threaten  him  with  an  investi* 
gation  into  his  bankruptcy,  which  he  declared  to  be  a  fraudulent  one. 
Several  hints  which  the  stranger  threw  out  caused  the  frightened  mer* 
chant  to  seek  advice  from  the  "  Shyster  "  from  whom  he  had  received  it 
once  before.  The  latter  found  that  it  was  a  very  bad  business  indeed, 
and  advised  his  client  to  settle  with  the  man  by  all  means,  as  he  other- 
wise ran  the  risk  of  going  to  the  State  Prison.  This  settlement  was 
made  by  the  aid  of  the  "  Shyster,"  and  cost  Mr.  N.  the  nice  little  sum 
of  $1,200,  of  which  $200  were  for  the  lawyer's  services,  and  $1,000  for 
the  stranger.  It  is  of  course  unnecessary  to  mention  that  the  $1,000 
were  equally  divided  between  the  two. 


728  THE    LAWYERS. 

Every  one  knows  what  misery  is  caused  by  the  divorce  lawyers,  these 
most  contemptible  of  lawyers.  Such  fellows  make  divorces  their  sole 
business,  and  understand  it  so  well  that  the  husband  or  wife  only  finds  out 
that  a  suit  is  pending  against  him  or  her,  as  it  may  be,  when  the  divorce 
has  already  been  obtained,  and  further  steps  are  therefore  useless.  Others 
have  their  business  exclusively  with  thieves,  robbers,  abortionists,  and  in 
general  with  criminals  of  such  a  kind  that  a  respectable  lawyer  would 
have  nothing  to  do  with  their  defense. 

These  are  the  true  guardians  and  protectors  of  the  criminals,  and  do 
the  same  for  them  that  respectable  physicians  occasionally  do  for  crimi- 
nals, who  are  no  less  depraved,  but  who  occupy  a  better  position  in  so- 
ciety through  their  wealth  and  family  connections.  One  of  this  class  has 
has  already  gained  a  prominent  name  in  criminal  practice,  and  his  sharp- 
ness, together  with  judicial  corruption  and  the  well-known  intelligence  of 
juries,  has  already  snatched  numerous  victims  from  the  gallows  and  State 
Prison. 

We  can  easily  see  that  this  filthy  kind  of  practice  pays  very  well  from 
the  class  of  men  that  take  to  it.  Their  practice  is  simply  an  assistance 
to  crime.  To  aid  a  criminal  in  escaping  from  the  clutches  of  the  law, 
this  class  of  lawyers  will  make  use  of  every  means  that  offer.  They 
have  men  at  hand  who  will  swear  any  oath  for  a  pecuniary  considera- 
tion. They  are  always  ready  to  buy  up  important  witnesses,  and,  if  ne- 
cessary, to  remove  them  by  force,  or  to  do  any  other  not  less  disreputable 
acts  to  weaken  the  hands  of  justice. 

Another  disreputable  class  of  lawyers  are  .he  "  Shysters  "  of  the  po- 
lice courts.  It  is  a  disgrace  to  these  courts  that  they  allow  such  a  robber 
band  to  stay  in  their  halls.  They  are  as  leeches  to  those  who  have  the 
misfortune  to  fall  into  the  hands  of  the  police.  In  many  cases  their  pro- 
ceedings are  not  much  better  than  plain  robbery. 

In  October,  1873,  a  case  happened  which  shows  this  system  of  robbery 
of  the  "  Shysters  "  in  its  true  light.  A  prostitute  had  been  arrested  in 
the  streets,  and  had  been  conveyed  to  the  Tombs.  As  three  days  had 
elapsed,  and  she  had  not  been  brought  before  the  justice  of  the  police 
court,  she  gave  to  one  of  the  keepers  all  her  money,  three  dollars,  to  in- 
form her  friends  of  her  situation.  This  fellow  pocketed  the  money,  but) 
instead  of  apprising  her  friends  of  her  whereabouts,  he  sent  for  a  "  Shys- 
ter.'* This  rascal  had  the  poor  woman  brought  to  his  office,  and  there 
offered  to  procure  her  release.  This  was  just  what  the  prisoner  desired, 
but,  as  she  was  entirely  destitute  of  money,  the  "  Shyster"  refused  to  do 
anything  for  her.  In  deep  despair,  she  then  gave  the  rascal  her  gold  watch, 
which  he  accepted,  and  then  troubled  himself  no  further  about  his  poor 
client.  When  her  friends  accidentally  heard  of  her  situation  some  time 
afterwards,  she  was  at  last  released  by  another  lawyer  for  twenty-five 
dollars. 


THE    DARK   SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE.  729 

Similar  robberies  on  other  prisoners  are  everyday  occurrences,  and  in 
most  cases  go  unpunished,  because  the  swindling  lawyers  generally  ar- 
range the  matters  in  such  a  manner  that  their  victims  cannot  touch  them 
afterwards. 

Many  "  Shysters,"  as  may  be  seea  from  the  foregoing,  are  not  much 
better  than  the  accomplices  of  thieves.  The  following  is  a  good  example 
of  this : 

In  October,  1873,  the  house  of  an  actor,  in  Bleecker  street,  was  entered 
by  burglars,  and  valuable  papers  to  the  amount  of  $3,000  were  taken. 
Four  weeks  afterwards  a  lawyer  came  to  the  actor  to  ask  him  whether  a 
reward  had  been  offered  for  their  recovery.  This  was  not  the  case.  The 
latter,  however,  said  that  he  would  gladly  sacrifice  $250  if  he  could  thus 
recover  his  property.  The  lawyer  now  began  to  bargain,  and  at  last 
said  that  for  $600  he  would  be  able  to  restore  the  papers.  The  actor 
asked  for  time  to  think  over  the  matter,  but  had  the  lawyer  arrested  af- 
terwards. It  was  then  found  that  this  lawyer  had  acted  the  part  of  an 
agent  or  "  go-between  "  for  bond-thieves,  and  had  done  a  good  busiuess 
by  it. 

It  is  a  shame  that  "  Shysters "  are  at  all  allowed  to  practice  in  our 
courts.  They  have,  up  to  the  present  time,  monopolized  our  police 
courts,  as  respectable  lawyers  consider  it  beneath  their  dignity  to  mix 
with  them.  But  unfortunately  they  are  not  restricted  to  the  police  courts, 
but  are  met  with  in  the  higher  courts  also.  Their  manners  are  also  oc- 
casionally imitated  by  lawyers  who  lay  claim  to  respectability.  This  is 
especially  the  case  in  their  treatment  of  witnesses  on  the  stand.  Law- 
yers seem  to  have  the  privilege  of  treating  the  most  respectable  witnesses 
in  the  most  insulting  manner.  The  style  has  come  so  in  vogue  in  all  our 
courts,  that  it  is  diilicult  to  discern  between  the  respectable  lawyer  and 
the  "  Shyster." 

The  evils  mentioned  here  could  be  decreased  considerably  if  the  judges 
would  see  to  it  that  the  dignity  of  the  court  was  not  only  respected  by 
the  public,  but  also  by  the  lawyers.  The  regulations  governing  the  pro- 
ceedings of  our  courts  would  have  to  be  considerably  modified.  But  the 
evils  are  still  so  promiuent  that  an  energetic  application  of  reform  would 
be  in  every  way  of  great  good.  The  "  Shysters  n  could  be  easily  exter- 
minated if  a  standard  of  strict  honor  were  required  as  the  first  condition 
of  admission  to  the  bar,  and  if  every  lawyer  were  excluded  who  had 
committed  an  act  unworthy  of  his  profession.  We  have  more  than  |( 
enough  lawyers,  and  could  easily  spare  the  "  Shysters,"  who  are  a  prey 
upon  society. 

A  uniform  code  of  laws  for  all  the  States,  and  the  statement  of  the 
»aws  in  plain  language  intelligible  to  every  one,  instead  of  in  technical 
terms  understood  by  lawyers  only,  would  be  of  great  use  in  simplifying 
the  process  of  the  courts.     This,  however,  is  only  a  wish  the  fulfillment 


730  THE   TOMBS    AND    THE    OTHER    PRISONS. 

of  which  is  yet  in  the  dim  distance.  For  it  is  from  the  confusion  and 
obscurity  of  our  laws  that  the  lawyers  derive  their  ^greatest  benefit,  and 
as  long  as  lawyers  have  the  preference  at  elections  in  such  a  degree  as 
they  do  at  present,  by  means  of  which  they  are  able  to  form  the  majority 
in  the  legislatures,  as  well  as  in  Congress,  just  so  long  we  cannot  count 
upon  such  a  reform,  much  as  it  is  needed  by  the  people. 


THE  TOMBS  AND  THE   OTHER   PRISONS. 

It  can  be  easily  imagined  that  a  city  having  a  population  of  over  a 
million,  and  under  circumstances  which  favor  the  development  and  in- 
crease of  crime,  should  also  be  sufficiently  provided  with  prisons.  They 
are  a  sad  necessity,  and  it  is  all  the  more  sad  that  they  do  not  in  the 
least  conform  to  the  demands  of  humanity,  neither  in  their  number  nor 
in  their  administration. 

Our  prisons  therefore  form  a  sad  contrast  to  our  charitable  institutions, 
of  which  ours  possesses  more  than  any  other  city  in  the  world.  Of 
course  the  prisons  in  our  city  are  only  intended  to  serve  as  places  of  de- 
tention for  prisoners  awaiting  trial,  or  of  such  persons  as  have  only  to 
serve  short  terms  of  imprisonment.  Greater  criminals,  who  are  sen- 
tenced to  several  years'  imprisonment,  are  sent  to  the  State  Prisons  in 
Sing  Sing  and  Auburn. 

Every  one  of  the  five  police  districts  has  its  separate  prison.  The  best 
known  of  these  is  the  prison  of  the  First  district,  commonly  called  the 
<'  Tombs."  This  is  also  the  City  Prison,  of  which  the  prisons  of  the  po- 
lice districts  are  simply  branches.  It  is  also  the  safest  of  all,  and  in  it 
the  most  dangerous  criminals  are  confined  pending  and  during  their  trial, 
or  until  the  execution  of  their  sentence.  It  is  a  massive  granite  building 
of  the  Egyptian  style  of  architecture,  of  so  gloomy  and  forbidding  appear- 
ance that  it  fully  deserves  its  popular  name,  the  Tombs. 

As  this  name  has  gained  a  sad  reputation  in  all  parts  of  our  Republic, 
we  will  give  our  readers  a  more  explicit  description  of  this,  the  "  Bastile 
of  New  York."  The  building  occupies  a  full  square,  bounded  by  Centre, 
Elm,  Leonard,  and  Franklin  streets,  and  is  situated  on  the  site  of  what 
was  formerly  a  pond,  which  in  its  time  supplied  New  York  with  drinking 
water.     The  building  was  commenced  in   1835,  and  completed  in  1838, 


THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE.  731 

that  is,  at  a  time  when  the  population  of  the  city  was  scarcely  twice  as 
large  as  the  number  of  persons  confined  during  a  year  within  its 
gloomy  walla  at  the  present.  It  was  built  for  two  hundred  persons,  a 
calculation  which  has  given  rise  to  the  greatests  evils,  the  consequence  of 
overcrowding. 

From  without,  the  building  is  only  one  story  high,  with  high  and  nar- 
row windows  resembliug  port-holes.  The  chief  entrance,  on  Centre 
street,  is  formed  by  a  broad  stairway,  which  leads,  through  a  massive 
colonade  of  pillars,  into  the  interior,  which  seems  to  be  lost  in  darkness. 
One  look  up  this  stairway  is  sufficient  to  fill  the  spectator  with  a  feeling 
akin  to  horror,  and  we  should  not  wonder  if  we  should  see  Dante's  in- 
scription on  the  entrance  to  the  infernal  regions,  "  lie  who  enters  here 
leaves  hope  behind."  The  daylight  seems  to  draw  back  timidly  as  soon 
as  we  have  entered.  The  air  becomes  moist  and  damp,  as  if  we  were 
in  the  actual  tombs. 

When  we  have  entered  into  the  dark  hall,  and  we  again  see  daylight, 
we  find  that  the  building  visible  from  the  street  only  encloses  a  large 
court,  in  the  inside  of  which  there  is  another  large  building,  also  of  gran- 
ite. This  is  142  feet  long,  45  feet  deep,  and  contains,  in  three  stories  in 
all,  one  hundred  and  forty-eight  cells  for  the  reception  of  prisoners.  It 
is  intended  for  male  prisoners  only,  and  is  connected  by  a  bridge  with  the 
exterior  building,  which  contains  the  cells  for  boys  and  females,  as  well 
as  the  different  offices  of  the  prison  and  the  police  court. 

The  above-mentioned  bridge  is  called  "  The  Bridge  of  Sighs,"  and  it 
fully  deserves  this  name.  For  over  it  those  sentenced  to  death  pass  in 
their  last  walk  from  the  cells  to  the  place  of  execution,  which  is  in  the 
immediate  vicinity  of  this  bridge.  The  terrible  gallows,  however,  are 
not  there  permanently,  but  are  erected  for  every  execution. 

In  the  interior  of  the  prison,  in  the  court,  is  a  high  and  narrow  hall- 
way, on  which  three  rows  of  prison-cells  are  placed,  one  above  the  other. 
The  lowest  row,  as  the  safest,  is  used  for  prisoners  awaiting  their  execu- 
tion or  their  transportation  to  State  Prison.  The  cells  on  the  second 
floor  contain  those  charged  with  murder  or  other  similar  crimes,  and  is 
therefore  called  "  Murderers'  Row."  The  third  floor  serves  as  the  resi- 
dence of  swindlers,  forgers,  and  other  so-called  "genteel"  criminals. 
Iron  stairways  lead  to  the  upper  row,  along  which  there  are  iron  gal- 
leries. 

The  cells  are  small,  and  have,  towards  the  gangway,  an  iron  wire" 
door,  and  towards  the  court  a  small  window  protected  by  heavy  iron 
bars.  The  gangways  receive  their  light  from  a  window  in  the  roof,  and. 
in  the  night-time  are  lit  up  by  gas.  Two  keepers  are  on  guard  day  and 
night  in  each  gallery. 

Besides  the  usual  cells,  there  are  eleven  others  of  much  greater 
strength,  destined  for  those  condemned  to   death,  or  for  those  dangerous 


732  THE    TOMBS    AND    TIIE    OTHER    PRISONS. 

criminals  from  whom  an  attempt  at  escape  is  expected.  Six  cells,  pro- 
vided with  better  air  and  ventilation,  are  reserved  as  a  sort  of  hospital 
for  sick  prisoners. 

A  characteristic  feature  of  this  prison  is  that  six  well-furnished  cells 
in  the  exterior  building  are  reserved  for  the  use  of  such  prisoners  as  are 
able  and  willing  to  pay  for  them.  The  cells  for  the  female  prisoners  are 
in  general  not  so  gloomy,  and  contain  a  few  more  conveniences  than 
those  for  male  prisoners.  A  large  hall  on  the  ground-floor  of  the  build- 
ino\  in  the  court,  is  called  the  "  Bummers'  Hall."  In  this  hall  all  those 
are  put  who  are  arrested  for  minor  offenses,  as  drunkenness,  disorderly 
conduct,  etc.  The  company  to  be  found  there  is  generally  very  mixed. 
Among  low  drunkards  and  ragged  vagabonds  there  are  many  who  have 
never  thought  that  they  would  ever  be  found  among  such  associates. 
Respectable  and  wealthy  citizens,  who  have  passed  a  night  in  jolly  com- 
pany, and  have  imbibed  a  little  more  than  they  could  stand,  and  for 
whom  therefore  the  sidewalk  was  too  small ;  strangers  who  were  stop- 
ping at  the  best  hotels,  and  who  had  gone  out  for  an  evening  to  "  see  the 
elephant"  in  the  metropolis  of  America,  and  then  have  fallen  into  the 
hands  of  the  police — these  form,  particularly  on  Saturday  night,  a  prom- 
inent feature  of  the  "  Bummers'  Hall."  The  more  wretched  of  these 
bummers  are  employed  in  many  small  services,  as  scrubbing  and  sweep- 
ing the  halls,  etc. 

According  to  the  regulations,  the  day  in  prison  begins  at  seven  o'clock 
in  the  morning.  The  waiters  then  open  the  cells,  and  the  prisoners  come 
out  into  the  gangways.  A  number  of  bummers  then  bring  pails  of  wa- 
ter, brooms,  rags,  whitewash,  and  brushes  to  the  different  cells.  Poor 
prisoners  know  the  meaning  of  this  very  well.  They  immediately  go  to 
wrork,  sweep  and  scrub  the  floors,  and  whitewash  any  dirty  places  in  their 
cells.  Rich  prisoners,  however,  walk  about  in  the  gangways,  while  some 
bummer  does  the  work  for  them  for  a  consideration.  When  the  cleaning 
is  at  an  end,  brooms  and  water-pails  disappear,  and  the  bummers  bring 
the  breakfast  in  large  trays.  This  is  not  very  luxurious.  The  thin  bar- 
ley coffee,  with  condensed  milk,  and  large  pieces  of  generally  very  stale 
bread,  is  the  usual  breakfast  ration,  to  which  are  also  sometimes  added  a 
few  cuts  of  cold  meat,  and  two  or  three  fried  potatoes. 

When  breakfast  is  done,  another  more  pleasant  form  makes  its  appear- 
ance. This  is  the  newsboy,  who  does  a  good  business  among  the  priso- 
ners, although  he  charges  considerably  more  than  in  the  street.  The 
boy  does  the  prisoners  many  other  small  favors,  and  is  therefore  always 
welcome.  Those  who  have  money  to  buy  a  paper  now  retire  to  their 
cells  or  some  other  quiet  place,  and  enjoy  the  news. 

At  nine  o'clock  all  the  prisoners,  even  the  favoren  ones,  must  return  to 
their  cells,  as  then  the  women  come  round  to  scrub  the  gangways.  These 
are  the  counterparts  of  the  male  bummers,  who  have  been  arrested  for 


THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE.  733 

drunkenness,  fights,  and  similar  offenses.  In  general,  they  are  as  ugly 
as  they  are  depraved,  although  occasionally  a  pretty  face  may  be  seen 
among  them,  when  flirting  is  carried  on  from  behind  the  bars  with  as 
much  ardor  almost  as  in  the  parquet  of  one  of  the  fashionable  theatres  o( 
our  city. 

At  ten  o'clock  a  new  and  important  epoch  begins,  which  is  expected  by 
many  with  aching  hearts.  It  is  the  time  when  visitors  are  admitted  to 
the  Tombs.  For  many  visitors  the  prison  is  simply  a  menagerie,  and 
fhey  look  upon  the  prisoners  with  the  same  interest  as  they  would  look 
upon  wild  animals  in  their  dens.  For  others,  however,  the  visit  has  a 
far  more  important  meaning,  as  can  be  guessed  from  the  crying  and  weep' 
ing  which  is  caused  by  the  appearance  of  an  imprisoned  husband  or  father 
to  his  relatives.  At  two  o'clock  a  gong  is  sounded,  and  those  of  the  vis" 
itors  who  do  not  understand  these  sounds,  are  informed  by  the  keeper 
that  they  must  now  leave  the  prison. 

When  the  last  visitor  has  disappeared,  the  cells  are  again  opened,  and 
the  bummers  make  their  appearance  with  the  dinner  rations.  These  con- 
sist of  several  pieces  of  meat  in  a  fatty  and  red  liquid,  which  is  here 
called  vegetable  soup.  Nevertheless  the  poor  prisoners  are  compelled  by 
hunger  to  eat  this  fare.  Only  on  Fridays  the  stomach  revolts,  and  even 
hunger  gives  way  when  codfish  soup,  ordered  for  that  day  by  the  regula- 
tions, begins  to  announce  itself  by  its  smell. 

Rich  prisoners  are  exempt  from  this  fare.  For  them  the  Tombs  res* 
taurant  furnishes  good  meals  at  prices  ranging  from  815  to  $25,  while 
wine  and  other  luxuries  also  find  their  way  behind  the  bars  if  they  are 
paid  for. 

In  the  evening  no  lights  are  allowed  in  the  cells,  and  the  nights  must 
therefore  seem  to  the  prisoners  of  an  interminable  length.  But  Sunday 
is  the  saddest  day  in  the  week  for  the  poor  prisoners,  as  on  this  day  the 
monotony  is  not  relieved  by  any  visitors. 

But  we  are  very  much  mistaken  if  we  suppose  that  the  grim  shadow 
hovering  over  the  building  also  hangs  on  the  minds  of  the  prisoners.  Far 
from  it"!  There  are  times  in  the  Tombs  when  the  observer  would  not 
believe  himself  to  be  in  a  prison,  if  the  bars  and  cells  were  not  there  to 
remind  him  of  this  fact,  so  lively  are  its  inmates,  of  whom  a  large  num- 
ber have  a  chance  for  the  gallows,  while  others  are  sure  of  a  long  term 
of  years  in  the  State  Prison.  We  take  the  following  picture  of  the  life 
in  the  Tombs  from  the  description  of  a  newspaper  reporter,  written  in 
the  summer  of  1872  : 

"  There  is  Stokes,"  the  reporter  says  among  other  things,  "  arm-iD- 
arm  with  Dr.  Rosenwieg,  promenading  in  the  gallery,  laughing  loud  and 
joking,  as  if  the  gallows  or  State  Prison  were  not  waiting  fjpr  one  or  the 
other.  Sharkey  and  Scannell,  both  candidates  for  the  gallows,  lean  on 
the  railing  in  the  gallery,  and  from  their  conversation  do  not  seem  to  be 


734  THE   TOMBS    AND    THE    OTHER    PRISONS. 

troubled  in  the  least  by  sad  thoughts.  Scannell's  face  is  ugly,  and  is  now 
distorted  by  a  grin,  and  if  he  is  really  insane  as  his  lawyers  say,  it  must 
be  a  very  happy  insanity,  so  that  we  can  only  wonder  how  it  can  mani- 
fest itself  in  a  desire  for  murder.  Sharkey  also,  who  has  a  very  elegant 
appearance  in  his  fine  clothes  and  jewelry,  is  very  full  of  exuberance  and 
activity. 

"  There  comes  a  stately-looking  man,  with  Victor  Emmanuel  beard, 
who  is  on  crutches.  He  steps  up  to  the  two,  offers  them  cigars,  and  joins 
in  their  jokes  and  laughter.  This  is  the  great  lottery  dealer,  Simmons, 
awaiting  trial  for  murder — a  millionaire,  who  has  the  privilege  of  having 
one  of  his  clerks  to  wait  upon  him. 

"  Here  an  old  gentleman  climbs  up  the  stairs.  This  is  Dr.  Brown, 
charged  with  attempted  murder.  (He  has  died  since  then  in  Sing  Sing.) 
He  has  returned  from  the  court,  where  his  trial  has  just  been  brought  to 
an  end.  All  the  prisoners  of  the  gallery  surround  him,  and  assail  him 
with  questions. 

"  '  Well,  Doctor,  how  did  it  come  off?  Have  you  been  convicted,  or 
are  you  free  ?' 

"  *  They  have  declared  me  guilty/  he  answered  with  a  forced  laugh, 
as  if  the  whole  matter  were  very  comical. 
"  i  How  many  years  did  you  get?' 
"  '  I  cannot  say  as  yet.     The  sentence  is  postponed.' 
"  Saying  this,  he  crawled  up  the  stairs  to  the  gallery  above,  where  he 
falls  into  the  hands  of  another  group  of  questioners.     One  of  them,  an 
old  but  well-built  man,  with  a  grey  morning-gown  and  a  red  smoking-cap 
calls  out  to  him  in  a  joking  manner — 

"  *  Well,  Doctor,  this  time  you'll  get  twenty  years  sure  !' 
" '  I  hope  not,  General,'  Brown  answers  laughingly ;  c  but  a  snuff  oi 
tobacco  would  be  good  on  this  fright.' 

"  The  '  General '  pulls  out  his  snuff-box,  from  which  the  old  doctor 
fills  his  nose,  and  thanks  him. 

"  This  man  is  a  German  Jew,  who  is  widely  known  as  '  General 
Greenthal,'  and  is  a  well-known  guest  in  all  the  prisons  of  the  Republic. 
His  free-and-easy  manner  and  entire  deportment  also  show  that  he  is 
perfectly  at  home  here. 

"  Suddenly  loud  laughter  is  heard  from  the  other  end  of  the  gallery.  A 
group  of  prisoners  produce  a  parody  on  a  court,  and  a  boy  is  tried  for 
forgery,  although  it  has  been  proved  that  he  can  neither  read  nor  write. 
The  prisoner  who  plays  the  part  of  judge  sits  snoring  on  his  chair,  and 
everybody  is  trying  to  wake  him.  He  continues  to  snore  while  the  coun- 
sel for  the  defense  shows  that  his  client  cannot  read,  which  the  prosecu- 
ting officer  admits,  but  attempts  to  show  that  the  boy  can  write.  When 
the  judge  is  at  last  awakened,  he  cries  out,  i  Five  years  in  State  Prison,' 
and  falls  back  again  into  his  sleep. 


TIIF    DARK    BID!    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE.  784 

"  This  scene  of  pleasure  is  interrupted  by  a  bell.  The  prisoners  un- 
derstand this,  and  all,  even  the  snoring  judge,  crowd  to  the  railing  to 
look  anxiously  down  into  the  court  below.  The  signal  announces  the 
return  of  the  '  Black  Maria,'  the  wagon  which  conveys  the  prisoners  to 
and  from  the  jail,  particularly  to  the  court.  A  particularly  interesting 
L  '.al  has  been  before  the  court. 

"  Mart.  Allen,  a  young  burglar,  had  gone  to  receive  his  sentence  that 
morning,  and  everybody  is  waiting  impatiently  to  hear  what  it  is.  The 
door  of  the  wagon  opens,  and  a  half-dozen  prisoners  step  out,  bound  to- 
gether two  and  two  by  handcuffs.  Their  looks  show  that  Mart,  must 
have  fared  badly  that  day.  Mart,  himself  seems  to  be  completely  broken 
down,  while  his  older  brother  was  sobbing.  It  soon  appears  that  Mart,  i 
is  sentenced  to  ten  years'  imprisonment.  The  sentenced  man  leans 
against  the  wall  completely  prostrated,  and,  as  soon  as  he  is  unchained, 
he  drags  himself  wearily  to  one  of  the  cells  for  the  condemned,  and 
throws  himself  on  the  bed.  His  brother,  however,  rushes  upstairs,  and 
with  curses  relates  Mart.'s  sentence.  This  event  has  completely  damp- 
ened the  former  exuberant  spirits  among  the  prisoners.  Scarcely  a  loud 
word  is  heard,  and  one  prisoner  disappears  after  another." 

This  terrible  feeling  of  the  seriousness  of  their  position  is  seen  more 
than  ever  when  the  day  of  execution  of  a  prisoner  arrives.  At  such 
times  even  the  eyes  of  the  most  hardened  criminal  become  moist,  and  in 
spite  of  the  hundreds  of  prisoners,  the  Tombs  are  as  quiet  as  a  house  in 
which  a  dead  body  awaits  burial.  During  the  year  1873  three  prisoners 
were  in  the  Tombs  who  awaited  their  execution — Foster,  Nixon,  and 
Stokes.  It  can  be  easily  imagined  how  the  two  latter  felt  when  Foster 
took  his  last  walk  over  the  "Bridge  of  Sighs."  Even  Stokes,  who  had 
from  the  beginning  preserved  his  calmness,  showed  some  signs  of  emo- 
lion  when  Nixon's  day  also  arrived,  and  he  was  the  next  on  the  death- 
!ist. 

Having  thus  given  a  brief  sketch  of  our  city  prison,  and  of  the  life 
within  its  walls,  we  will  now  look  a  little  closer  at  its  dark  sides  as  a 
prison.  In  doing  so,  we  proceed  wTith  the  assumption  that  this  building 
is  rather  a  place  of  detention  for  persons  accused  of  various  crimes,  than 
a  penal  institution.  A  person  accused  of  a  crime  is  not  necessarily  a 
criminal.  He  must  be  proved  to  be  one,  and  this  is  not  done  until  the 
court  has  decided  upon  his  guilt.  The  liberal  views,  therefore,  which 
have  been  brought  forth  by  our  age  with  regard  to  prisons  in  general, 
would  be  particularly  in  place  in  relation  to  a  prison  of  this  kind.  Un- 
fortunately they  have  not  been  followed  here.  The  ground  on  which  the 
Tombs  stands  was  formerly  covered  by  a  pond,  and  the  prison  is  there- 
fore to  this  day  pervaded  by  damp  air.  This  evil  is  considerably  increased 
by  the  thick,  massive  walls  and  the  narrow  windows,  through  which  air 
and  light  find  it  very  difficult  to  intrude.     The  entire  building  is  so  damp 


736  THE  TOMBS  AND  THE  OTHER  PRISONS. 

in  fact,  that  even  in  summer  a  large  fire  is  kept  burning  in  the  hall  dur- 
ing the  night. 

The  building  in  itself  does  not  contain  those  conditions  of  safety  and 
health  which  our  present  age  has  learned  so  well  to  combine.  Ventila- 
tion, this  first  requirement  of  a  building  inhabited  by  many  people,  is 
wanting  sadly,  and  as,  instead  of  150  to  200  persons,  for  which  number 
the  building  was  originally  intended,  over  500  persons  are  generally 
crowded  into  it,  we  need  not  wonder  that  our  city  prison  has,  on  several 
occasions,  already  been  the  subject  of  severe  censure  by  the  grand  juries. 
This  want  of  ventilation  is  felt  as  soon  as  a  person  enters  the  hall  of  the 
prison.  It  is  still  worse  in  the  cells,  in  which  an  almost  overpowering 
smell  is  well  calculated  to  drive  back  every  one  not  accustomed  to  this 
prison  air.  The  cells  are  11  feet  high,  6  feet  deep  wide,  and  11  feet  long. 
Near  the  ceiling  they  have  a  window  20  inches  broad,  by  5  inches  high. 
This  window,  and  an  opening  in  the  floor  covered  by  wire-work,  which 
communicates  with  the  outer  air  by  means  of  a  tube,  are  the  only  means 
of  ventilation. 

On  very  cold  days  in  winter,  the  window  and  opening  in  the  floor  are 
closed  for  the  sake  of  greater  warmth.  If  we  furthermore  remember 
that  every  cell  contains  its  water-closet,  which  is  connected  with  the  sewer 
2n  the  lower  floor  by  means  of  pipes,  we  can  imagine  what  kind  of  air 
pervades  these  cells.  We  must  also  not  forget  that  in  one  of  these  cells, 
containing  726  cubic  feet  of  air,  very  frequently  as  many  as  four  prison- 
ers are  crowded  together.  Drunken  persons  are  treated  even  worse  than 
this.  They  are  packed  like  herrings  into  the  "  Bummers'  Hall,"  which 
contains  no  window  or  opening  whatever  except  the  door.  In  1854  the 
terrible  event  happened  that,  on  a  certain  morning,  fourteen  such  unfor- 
tunates were  found  dead  in  this  hall,  poisoned  by  the  foul  air  pervading 
it.  What  happened  so  rapidly  with  those  fourteen,  in  all  probability  hap- 
pens with  others  slowly  and  gradually.  Even  the  most  robust  health 
must  be  seriously  endangered  by  a  continuous  stay  in  one  of  these  nar- 
row cells. 

Insufficient  as  the  ventilation  is,  particularly  in  summer,  the  accommo- 
dations for  heating,  particularly  in  winter,  are  equally  poor.  The  heat- 
ing is  done  by  stoves  in  the  hall,  and  has  this  fault,  that,  in  the  neighbor- 
hood the  heat  is  almost  unhearable,  while  further  oflf  it  is  scarcely  felt  at 
all.  And  if  the  prison  is  to  be  heated,  it  requires  a  closing  of  the  venti- 
lating tubes  and  windows,  whereby  heat  is  gained  at  the  expense  of  the 
no  less  important  change  of  air. 

A  short  time  ago  a  medical  inspection  of  the  Tombs  took  place,  and, 
in  the  report,  all  these  sanitary  evils  were  mentioned.  This  report  ex- 
presses the  astonishment  of  the  inspectors  that,  under  such  unfavorable 
circumstances,  the  health  of  the  prisoners  could  be  so  good.  It  also 
states  that  the  influences  of  poisoned  air  are  not  of  such  a  kind  that  their 


nn     DARK    BIDE   01    si:w    FORK    Ul  78? 

consequences  are  seen  immediately.     But  they  introduce  poisonous  teedi 

into  the  constitution,  which  are  sure  to  bear  their  fruit,  even  if  not  till 
after  a  long  while.  Mauy  a  dangerous  disease,  which  slowly  but  surely 
brings  i!s  victim  to  the  grave,  can  be  the  result  of  even  the  shortest  stay 
in  such  cells  as  are  contained  in  the  Tombs. 

T*he  official  report  of  the  Tombs  warden  mentions  only  twenty-three 
deaths  during  the  year,  which  would  let  us  suppose  a  favorable  condition 
of  health  in  such  an  overcrowded  and  in  many  respects  poorly  furnished 
prison.  But  this  report  in  all  probability  conceals  a  good  deal,  and  we 
can  judge  as  little  by  it  of  the  health  of  the  prison,  as  by  the  statements 
of  prisoners  who  say  that  there  is  not  a  day  that  passes  but  sees  a  corpse 
carried  out  to  its  last  rest. 

But  the  evils  of  the  building  aud  overcrowding  are  not  the  only  dark 
sides  of  the  Tombs.  Those  confined  in  it  suffer  also  from  a  want  of 
exercise,  by  reason  of  foolish  regulations.  No  one  will  believe  that  four 
persons  can  find  much  room  to  promenade  in  a  cell  11  feet  long  by  C 
teet  wide,  containing  an  equal  number  of  bedsteads.  And  what  they 
cannot  find  in  their  cells  is  but  very  meagerly  accorded  to  them  outside. 
The  time  in  which  the  prisoners  are  allowed  to  walk  about  the  hall  and 
gangway  of  the  prison  very  seldom  exceeds  two  hours.  Only  a  few 
tavored  ones,  for  whom  this  privilege  is  very  expensive,  can  remain  out 
of  their  cells  a  little  longer.  The  prison  regulations  seem  to  have  for- 
gotteu  entirely  to  provide  for  motion  in  the  air — that  is,  in  the  prison 
yard-.  The  permission,  it  seems,  can  easily  be  obtained  on  the  certifi- 
cate of  a  physician.  Thus  it  is  that  these  unfortunate  prisoners  very 
frequently  can  catch  but  a  few  breaths  of  fresh  air  during  their  entire 
stay  in  the  Tombs — that  is,  in  some  cases  for  one  or  two  years. 

We  have  already  given  a  few  hints  as  to  the  fare  of  the  prisoners. 
Official  inspections,  which  are  in  no  public  institutions  "  surprise  par- 
ties,"' have  found  nothing  to  say  against  the  prisoners'  fare,  either  with 
regard  to  quality  or  quantity.  The  prisoners,  however,  generally  com- 
plain of  both.  Proceeding  from  the  supposition  that  defendants  are  not 
always  criminals,  no  objection  can  be  made  if  wealthy  persons  provide 
themselves  with  such  luxuries  in  their  prison  as  they  can  obtain  for  their 
money.  On  the  other  hand,  common  justice  demands,  for  the  same 
reason,  that  poor  prisoners  should  receive,  in  a  sufficient  quantity,  such 
food  as  would  not  need  hunger  to  make  it  palatable. 

It  is  a  serious  injustice,  however,  if  rich  prisoners  purchase  luxuries 
in  prison,  which  involve  privations  to  their  poorer  fellow  sufferers.  The 
favor  by  which  a  prisoner,  for  example,  can  secure  a  cell  exclusively  for 
himself,  belongs  to  this  class.  For  it  is  the  cause  that  other  cells  are 
again  overcrowded  ;  and,  while  three,  four,  or  even  live  prisoners  have 
barely  room  to  stretch  themselves  in  one  cell,  a  number  of  rich  prisoners 
take  it  all  the  more  easy  in  a  cell  apiece. 


738  THE    TOMBS    AND    THE    OTHKK    PRISTS. 

It  is  also  a  serious  injustice  that  mouej  cau  purchase  a  louger  stay  in 
the  prison-yard  than  the  customary  two  hours.  This  time  is  certaiuiy 
short  enough,  but,  as  a  favor  in  this  respect  does  not  include,  as  with  the 
food,  an  extra  expense,  it  should,  in  all  fairness,  be  extended  to  all  the 
prisoners  or  to  none  of  them. 

The  regulations  of  the  prison  seem  to  be  of  a  very  pliable  character. 
At  the  entrance  into  the  hall  the  sign  meets  our  eyes,  "  No  smoking 
allowed  here."  This  notice  appears  to  us  rather  strange,  when  directly 
under  it  we  s-ce  the  doorkeeper  sitting  with  a  cigar  in  his  mouth.  The 
prisoners  also  seem  to  know  nothing  of  it,  and  whoever  can  obtain  the 
luxury  of  a  pipe  or  cigar,  a  very  costly  one  in  prison,  tries  his  best  to 
"  improve"  the  air, 

Intoxicating  liquors  are  also  among  the  forbidden  fruits  of  the  prison. 
The  regulations  threaten  any  one  caught  smuggling  them  into  the  prem- 
ises, with  one  year's  imprisonment  and  a  fine  of  $250.  But  it  is  wrell 
known  that  rich  prisoners  are  supplied  with  the  finest  wrines,  and  even 
whiskey,  if  well  paid  for,  is  not  classed  by  prison  officials  among  intoxi- 
cating liquors.  Whoever  has  plenty  of  money  at  his  command  will, 
with  the  exception  of  his  loss  of  freedom,  feel  very  little  the  terrors  of 
prison  life,  But  money,  and  much  money  besides,  is  necessary  to  make 
this  life  endurable.  The  prisoner  cannot  obtain  a  cup  of  coffee  if  he  is 
not  able  to  pay  the  boy  who  goes  for  it.  Money  secures  to  the  prisoners 
every  attention,  while  without  it  the  most  absolute  wants  are  supplied,  if 
at  all,  when  it  is  too  late. 

With  the  exception  of  this  desire,  however,  to  make  as  much  money 
as  possible  out  of  the  prisoners,  the  treatment  of  the  latter  can  by  no 
means  be  called  a  hard  one,  while  the  prison  officials  are  rather  inclined 
to  give  the  prisoner  the  benefit  of  the  slightest  doubt  in  construing  the 
regulations,  rather  than  otherwise.  No  one  would  find  fault  with  this 
indulgence  if  it  did  not  occasionally  turn  into  inexcusable  negligence, 
which  might  easily  cause  some  terrible  misfortune. 

A  sad  case  of  this  kind  happened  in  1864,  when  a  drunken  man  in 
the  "  Bummers'  Hall"  began  a  quarrel  with  his  fellow  prisoners,  and  at 
last  attacked  them  with  an  iron  crow-bar,  killing  three  and  wounding 
several  others.  The  fellow  was  in  such  a  state  of  excitement  that  it 
was  found  necessary  to  shoot  him  to  prevent  further  mischief. 

The  question  which  arises  here  is,  Where  did  the  liquor  come  from 
which  caused  the  intoxication,  and  how  a  crow-bar  could  come  into  a 
prison  cell? 

In  August,  1875,  the  strange  case  happened  that  a  keeper  allowed  a 
prisoner  to  help  him  clean  his  revolver.  That  was  in  itself  bad  enough, 
but  it  was  also  the  cause  of  the  death  of  this  prisoner,  as  the  weapon, 
by  an  unfortunate  chance,  discharged  itself,  and  injured  him  so  seriously 
that  he  died  the  next  morning. 


THE    DARK    BIDE    01     NEW    STORK    I. [J  . '-V3 

Ii  is  do  more  than  right  that  visitors  be  allowed  to  call  upon  the  pris- 
oners. Bat  it  would  be  well  it  that  class  of  visitors  could  be  kept 
away,  who,  as  wc  said  before,  see  nothing  in  the  Tombs  but  a  mena- 
gerie of  human  beings,  and  who  visit  this  place  only  to  Batisfy  a  morbid 
curiosity.  Ave,  cells  of  well-known  murderers  arc,  literally  speaking, 
besieged  by  this  class  of  visitors,  chiefly  of  the  female  sex.  Stokes, 
who  was  greatly  troubled  by  these  gapers,  kept  the  inner  door  of  his  cell 
closed,  and  thus  disappointed  a  great  many  who  had  come  a  long  way 
to  see  him.  "  Isn't  this  too  bad,"  such  a  disappointed  woman  cried  out 
to  one  of  her  companions,  a  we  have  come  all  the  way  from  Newark  to 
jee  Stokes,  and  now  he  closes  his  door?" 

The  demi-monde  forms  a  large  part  of  the  female  visitors,  and  their 
actions  are  absolutely  shameful.  For  this  class  of  visitors  the  Tombs 
should  never  be  open. 

Recently  the  regulations  with  regard  to  visitors  to  the  Tombs  have 
been  made  much  more  severe.  But  unfortunately  this  was  done  in  the 
wrong  way.  For  while  the  crowds  of  curious  visitors  have  not  been  de- 
creased, the  relatives  of  prisoners  fiud  it  very  difficult  to  obtain  access  to 
them  if  they  do  not  have  influence. 

A  serious  charge  against  the  administration  of  the  Tombs  is  the  fact 
that  prisoners  can  be  kept  there  against  whom  there  is  no  charge  what- 
ever. At  the  time  of  the  former  police  judges  it  was  nothing  unusual 
for  them  to  abuse  their  powers  to  avenge  themselves  on  disagreeable  per- 
sons by  imprisonment.  They  seem  also  to  have  used  the  Tombs  for  this 
purpose.  This,  however,  could  not  have  been  possible  if  the  criminal 
negligence  of  the  Tombs  officials  had  not  aided  them. 

As  late  as  the  spring  of  1873  two  such  cases  became  known.  A  cer- 
tain Bernstein  had  been  arrested  in  September,  1872,  when  nothing  fur- 
ther became  known  of  him.  His  friends  put  his  case  into  the  hands  of  a 
lawyer,  who  traced  him  to  the  Tombs.  In  the  lists  of  this  prison,  how- 
ever, the  name  of  Bernstein  could  not  be  found.  '  The  lawyer  did  not 
cease  his  exertions,  however,  and  at  last  discovered  that  Bernstein  was 
actually  in  the  Tombs,  in  a  cell  on  an  upper  floor,  where  he  had,  in  the 
true  sense  of  the  word,  been  forgotten.  Upon  being  brought  into  court 
nothing  could  be  found  that  would  have  justified  his  arrest,  or  further 
detention,  and,  after  having  peen  confined  for  over  half  a  year,  he  was 
dismissed.  How  long  the  unfortunate  fellow  would  have  remained  for- 
gotten in  this  terrible  place  without  the  exertions  of  his  friends,  it  is  dif- 
ficult to  say. 

The  other  case  was  as  follows:  In  April,  1872.  a  man  by  the  name 
of  F.  Martin  shot  his  wife  in  a  lit  of  jealousy.  He  was  arrested  to 
await  the  consequences  of  her  wound,  and  was  placed  in  the  Tombs. 
But  his  name  could  neither  be  found  in  the  books  of  the  District  Attor- 
ney nor  in  the  list  of  prisoners  in  the  Tombs.     No   one  cared  about  the 


740  THE   TOMBS    AND   THE    OTHER    PRISONS. 

poor  fellow,  who  never  beard  that  his  wife  was  slowly  recovering.  He 
was  only  discovered  by  a  Sun  reporter,  who,  in  February,  1873,  visited 
the  Tombs,  and  called  attention  to  the  evils  existing  there,  and  who  also 
brought  Martin's  case  to  the  notice  of  the  public.  Without  this  fortu- 
nate chance  the  poor  fellow  would  have  waited  for  months  in  his  cell  for 
his  trial,  which  of  course  would  never  have  taken  place,  because  there 
was  no  indictment  against  him. 

The  prisoners  of  the  Tombs  give  very  little  cause  for  complaint  with 
regard  to  discipline.  They  are  generally  sensible  enough  to  see  that 
they  would  only  make  matters  worse  by  obstinacy.  Every  resistance  od 
the  part  of  a  prisoner  is  punished  by  confinement  in  a  dark  cell  on  bread 
and  water.  But  it  happens  very  seldom  indeed  that  this  measure  be- 
comes necessary. 

The  number  of  prisoners  contained  in  the  Tombs  since  its  erection  is 
a  very  considerable  one.  But,  as  the  complete  lists  do  not  reach  further 
back  than  1849,  the  exact  number  cannot  be  given.  From  1849  to  1872 
the  number  of  prisoners  amounted  to  more  than  700,000.  What  amount 
of  shame  and  misery  was  probably  collected  together  in  these  people, 
who  passed  a  part  of  their  existence  within  the  dreary  walls  of  this 
building ! 

During  the  past  live  years  the  number  of  prisoners  confined  in  the 
Tombs  amounted  on  an  average  to  40,000  per  annum,  and  in  1871,  ac- 
cording to  the  last  official  report,  there  were  51,466  persons  confined 
there,  of  whom  18,803  were  females. 

It  seems  rather  strange  that  the  number  of  executions  which  took 
place  in  the  Tombs  since  its  erection  has  not  been  more  than  twenty- 
four,  and  particularly  so  when  we  remember  that  during  1872  not  less 
than  sixty-seven  murders  occurred. 

The  same  evils  wTith  which  we  have  met  in  the  Tombs,  the  real  city 
prison,  are  also  felt  more  or  less  in  the  prisons  of  the  different  police 
districts.  The  worst  in  this  respect  is  the  prison  of  the  Second  district, 
the  so-called  Jefferson  Market  Police  Prison.  This  is  situated  on  the 
corner  of  Greenwich  avenue  and  Tenth  street,  and  is  an  old,  weather- 
beaten,  brick  building,  which  in  no  way  possesses  the  requirements  of  a 
prison.  The  thirty-one  cells,  without  windows,  are  small,  narrow,  dark, 
damp,  and  poorly  ventilated.  The  floor  consists  of  stones,  and  the  doors 
of  the  lower  cells  are  hardly  four  feet  high,  so  that  the  prisoners  are  al- 
most forced  to  creep  in  and  out.  Fortunately  those  who  have  received 
their  sentences  are  not  expected  to  pass  their  nights  in  these  dens,  as 
there  are  separate  sleeping  apartments  to  which  the  prisoners  are  brought 
at  four  o'clock  in  the  afternoon.  These  sleeping  apartments  contain  a 
long  row  of  smoothly-planed  hoards,  running  along  the  wall,  at  one  end 
of  which  an  inclined  board,  running  crossways,  represents  the  pillow. 
Coverings  are  luxuries  which  not  every  prisoner  can  enjoy,  aud   it  is  in* 


Tin:    DARK    side   OK   NEW   TOBX   Lir;:.  711 

deed  fortunate  that  only  those  prisoners  are  kept  here  whose  sentence  is 
not  for  a  longer  term  than  ten  days. 

As  the  hall  is  heated  by  stoves,  whose  heat,  although  it  is  felt  very 
mucl]  in  the  immediate  neighborhood,  cannot  be  noticed  at  all  at  a  little 
distance,  the  condition  of  the  prisoners  in  winter  is  an  exceedingly  mis- 
erable one.  In  the  winter  of  1871  and  '72  it  happened  that  a  man,  ar- 
rested for  drunkenness,  a  former  judge  from  Indiana,  was  fouud  frozen 
to  death  in  his  cell  the  following  morning. 

The  number  of  persons  confined  in  this  prison  amounts  on  an  average 
to  fifty  per  day,  of  whom  about  one-third  are  women.  The  best  cells,  if 
any  distinction  can  be  made  at  all,  are  reserved  for  these  female  prisoners. 
The  sleeping  apartments,  although  they  are  much  better  than  the  cells, 
still  have  one  serious  disadvantage.  The  prisoners  are  all  thrown  to- 
gether in  them,  the  youthful  victim  of  excusable  indiscretion  with  the 
old  guest  of  the  prison,  a  mixture  which  has  already  laid  the  seed  for 
crime  in  many  a  youthful  mind. 

In  spite  of  all  precautions  for  cleanliness  and  disinfection,  the  prison 
of  the  Second  district  is  the  worst  in  the  city,  and  should,  for  the  honor 
of  the  city,  be  torn  down  immediately.  In  1870  the  Legislature  appro- 
priated $150,000  for  a  new  prison  for  this  district,  and  the  work  was  be- 
gun with  commendable  energy.  Commissioners  were  appointed,  a  site 
for  the  building  was  selected,  and  the  whole  area  was  immediately  en- 
closed with  a  fence.  Then  there  was  a  pause  of  more  than  a  year,  when 
a  fresh  start  was  made,  and  a  part  of  the  foundation  walls  were  erected. 
This  exertion,  however,  seems  to  have  exhausted  the  appropriation,  for 
since  that  time  all  work  has  been  suspended,  and  the  unfinished  building 
and  surroundings  are  a  favorite  playing  ground  for  the  youth  of  that  part 
of  the  city. 

The  prison  of  the  Third  Police  District  is  in  Essex  street,  near  Grand. 
The  building  was  erected  in  1856,  but  in  its  plan  of  construction  is  not 
a  whit  better  than  the  much  older  prison  of  the  Jefferson  Market.  It 
contains  fifty-four  cells,  which  are  situated  back  to  back  on  three  floors, 
so  that  they  only  obtain  light  from  the  window  of  the  door  leading  into 
the  hall.  The  ventilation  is  facilitated  by  a  system  of  tubes,  and  is  ne- 
cessarily very  poor.  The  cells  are  very  low  and  narrow,  and,  although 
they  hardly  suffice  for  one  prisoner,  it  is  nothing  unusual  to  see  two  or 
three  in  each  cell.  The  heat  produced  by  the  stoves  is  as  indifferent  as 
in  the  Jefferson  Market  prison.  The  daily  average  of  persons  confined 
in  this  prison  is  forty. 

The  prison  of  the  Fourth  District  is  situated  in  Fifty-seventh  street, 
between  Lexiugton  and  Third  avenues.  It  was  built  eight  years  ago, 
and  its  cells,  thirty-six  in  number,  although  not  much  better,  are  still  not 
quite  as  forbidding  as  those  of  the  other  prisons.  They  are  covered 
with  boards,  pretty  well  ventilated,  at  least  at  a  time  when   the  cold  of 


742  THE    TOMBS    AND    THE    OTHER    PRISONS. 

"winter  does  not  make  it  necessary  to  close  the  small  window  at  the  back 
of  the  cells.  In  a  sanitary  view,  it  is  the  best  among  the  police  prisons 
of  New  York. 

The  prison  of  the  Fifth  District  is  at  present  in  Fourth  avenue,  be- 
tween One  Hundred  and  Twenty-eighth  and  One  Hundred  and  Twenty- 
ninth  streets.  It  is  situated  in  the  basement  of  the  Court-house,  and  its 
cells,  fourteen  in  number,  are  made  of  wood  and  covered  with  thick  tin* 
A  narrow  opening,  through  the  rear  wall  into  the  yard,  facilitates  the 
ventilation  without  giving  much  light.  When  these  openings  are  closed, 
as  is  usual  on  cold  days,  the  cells  are  of  course  very  poorly  ventilated, 
while  the  darkness  that  pervades  them,  even  in  broad  daylight,  is  almost 
impenetrable. 

The  principal  evil  of  this  prison  is  its  low  situation  in  the  basement. 
It  will  not,  however,  remain  much  longer  in  use,  as  the  court  and  prison 
are  soon  to  be  removed  to  the  market  in  One  Hundred  and  Twenty-fifth 
street,  between  Third  and  Fourth  avenues.  It  contains  on  an  average 
from  eight  to  ten  persons  per  day. 

In  all  these  prisons  the  greatest  care  is  exercised  with  regard  to  clean- 
liness. The  fault  that  is  to  be  found  with  them  lies  more  with  the  maD- 
ner  in  which  they  are  built,  or  in  the  temporary  overcrowding  of  the 
cells.  But,  as  the  prisoners  only  remain  in  them  at  most  ten  days,  the 
evils  are  not  felt  in  them  so  much  as  in  the  Tombs,  where  the  prisoners 
remain  for  an  indefinite  period.  But  a  stay  of  a  night  only  in  the  Jef- 
ferson Market  or  Essex  prisons  is  sufficient  to  implant  in  the  body  the 
seeds  of  disease,  while  common  justice  demands  that  prisons  should  be 
built  in  such  a  manner  as,  while  it  provides  for  the  security  of  those 
confined  in  them,  should  omit  nothing  that  would  endanger  the  health 
of  the  prisoners. 

We  now  turn  to  the  real  penal  institutions  of  the  city,  those  institu- 
tions to  which  those  persons  are  sent  who  have  been  sentenced  in  the 
different  police  courts.  They  are  situated  on  Black  well's  and  Randall's 
Islands,  in  the  East  River,  on  which  islands,  as  well  as  on  Ward's  Is- 
land, a  large  number  of  the  public  buildings  of  the  city  for  charities  and 
correction  are  situated. 

Blackwell's  Island,  with  an  area  of  one  hundred  and  twenty  acre3,  is 
the  most  southern  of  these  three  islands.  It  received  its  name  from  the 
Blackwell  family,  to  which  it  formerly  belonged,  and  from  which  the  city 
bought  it  for  $30,000  in  1828.  The  old  house  of  the  family,  over  a 
century  old,  can  still  be  seen  on  the  island,  and  serves  as  a  residence  for 
the  superintendent  of  the  Poor-house.  The  island  is  so  far  closed  to 
the  outside  world  that  no  one  can  visit  it  without  the  permission  of  the 
Commissioners  of  Charity,  and  the  steamer  of  this  board  only  is  per- 
mitted to  land  here. 

On  this  island,  which  is  supplied  wifh    Croton  water  by  means  of  a 


THK    DARK    BIDE   OF    ni  W    *ORB    LIFE.  743 

large  main  laid  through  the  East  River,  arc  the  Small-pox  Hospital,  the 
Charity  Hospital,  the  Almshouse,  the  Lunatic  Asylum,  the  Penitentiary, 

and  the  Workhouse.  However,  we  will  only  take  a  look  at  the  two  lat- 
ter institutions. 

The  Penitentiary  is  an  immense  building  of  hewn  stone,  four  stories 
high.  The  principal  building  is  65  feet  long  hy  75  feet  deep.  Bight 
and  left  two  wings  are  added,  each  200  feet  long  by  50  icet  deep.  In  its 
entire  construction  more  regard  lias  been  shown  for  security  than  for 
architectural  beauty.  It  contains  510  cells  for  males,  and  256  for  fe- 
males. This  number  no  longer  suffices  for  the  accommodation  of  the 
prisoners.  The  convict8  confined  in  this  institution  have  their  special 
clothes  of  striped  woolen  cloth. 

The  Workhouse  is  a  much  more  handsome  building,  and  one  of 
the  finest  on  the  island.  It  is  built  of  hewn  stone,  and  consists  of 
a  central  building  four  stories  high,  and  of  two  wings.  Its  length  is 
680  feet.  The  stone  of  which  it  is  built  was  taken  from  the  now  ex- 
hausted quarries  on  the  island.  In  the  central  building  are  the  kitchen 
and  the  storeroom,  the  apartments  for  the  officers  and  a  pretty  large 
chapel.  The  wings  consist  each  of  a  large  hall,  from  which  cells  open 
on  either  side  in  three  stories.  Along  these  cells  are  iron  galleries  con- 
nected by  steps.  The  number  of  cells  is  300,  or  150  in  each  wing. 
They  arc  separated  from  each  other  by  thick  brick  walls,  and  contain 
each  four  single  berths. 

In  the  workshops  adjoining  the  two  wings,  the  convicts  have  an  op- 
portunity of  following  their  several  trades,  if  they  have  any. 

These  convicts  are  rather  vagabonds,  drunkards,  etc.,  than  actual 
criminals,  although  many  dangerous  criminals,  who  more  properly  be- 
longed to  the  State  Prison,  have  found  their  way  there  by  the  common 
practice  of  the  police  judges  of  handing  such  prisoners  over  to  the  Com- 
missioners of  Charities  and  Corrections.  The  average  duration  of  a 
term  of  imprisonment  for  convicts  sent  to  the  Workhouse  is  generally 
not  more  than  ten  days,  but  it  may  also,  in  extreme  cases,  amount  to 
several  months. 

Not  only  guards  are  posted  along  the  banks  to  prevent  an  escape  from 
either  of  these  institutions,  but  four  boats  are  stationed  in  the  river  to 
prevent  suspicious-looking  boats  from  landing,  and  to  pursue  escaped 
convicts.  But  we  shall  see  further  on  of  how  little  use  all  these  precau- 
tions are. 

There  are  generally  from  five  hundred  to  six  hundred  prisoners  in  the 
Penitentiary,  whose  terms  vary  from  one  month  to  five  years.  Accord- 
ing to  the  last  official  report,  of  the  2,3G8  (1,968  males  and  400  fe- 
males) convicts  confined  during  the  year  1871,  there  were,  at  the  end  of 
the  year,  &G$  (493  males  and  73  females)  still  remaining  in  the  institu- 
tion.    The  large  majority  of  the  2,368  convicts  were  coufiued  for  a  less 


744  THE    TOMBS    AND    THE    OTHER    PRISONS. 

term  thau  six  months  (254  for  one  month,  466  for  six  months,  69  for 
one  year,  7  for  two,  7  for  three,  and  only  2  for  five  years).  Of  this 
number,  1,800  left  during  the  year,  1,757  on  account  of  the  expiration 
of  their  term,  2  were  pardoned,  3  were  tsansferred  to  other  institutions, 
10  died,  and  28  (among  these  one  female)  escaped.  Twelve  hundred 
convicts  were  natives  of  the  United  States,  500  of  u  Ould  Ireland,"  and 
300  from  Germany. 

The  cost  of  sustaining  the  prison  amounted,  during  the  year  ending 
December  31,  1871,  to  $85,621,  or  a  little  over  thirty-eight  cents  per  day 
for  every  convict. 

The  order  of  the  day  in  the  penitentiary  is  as  follows  :  At  six  o'clock 
in  the  morning  the  cells  are  opened.  The  prisoners  then  go  to  the  so- 
called  wash-room  to  cleanse  themselves.  After  that  they  go  to  break- 
fast, which  consists  of  a  cup  of  coffee  and  a  quarter  of  a  loaf  of  bread. 
After  breakfast,  which  occupies  about  fifteen  minutes,  the  convicts  are 
arranged  in  gangs,  and  at  seven  o'clock  go  to  work.  Tiie  men  are  put 
to  work  at  regulating  the  banks,  building  roads,  working  in  the  gardens, 
in  the  quarries,  or  in  the  different  workshops,  while  the  women  are  em- 
ployed at  cooking,  sewing,  washing,  etc.  Ten  minutes  alter  twelve  all 
work  ceases,  and  the  convicts  are  brought  back  to  the  dining-room  of 
the  prison.  Upon  entering  every  convict  receives,  in  summer  one-half, 
and  in  winter  one-third,  of  a  loaf  of  bread,  and  goes  to  the  place  as- 
signed to  him  at  one  of  the  tables,  each  one  of  which  contains  the  dinner 
for  five  men.  This  dinner  consists,  according  to  the  regulations,  five 
times  a  week,  of  one  quart  of  vegetable  soup,  and  one  pound  of  beef, 
and  twice  a  week  of  an  equal  quantity  of  bean  soup,  with  only  three- 
quarters  of  a  pound  of  meat.  Three-quarters  of  an  hour  is  allowed  for 
dinner,  when  work  is  resumed.  Work  ceases  at  a  quarter  to  seven  in 
summer,  and  at  five  or  six  o'clock  in  winter.  Supper  closes  the  day's 
work.  The  supper  consists  of  bread  and  tea,  to  which  Indian  meal  and 
molasses  are  added  three  times  a  week.  Immediately  after  supper  the 
convicts  are  locked  up  in  their  cells. 

Good  behavior  insures  to  the  prisoners  commutation,  and,  in  some 
cases,  even  pardon,  by  the  Governor.  A  pardon,  however,  occurs  in 
very  few  cases  only.  In  1871  it  was  only  awarded  to  two  convicts,  while 
during  the  same  year  forty-eight  male  and  ten  female  prisoners  had  their 
sentences  commuted. 

On  December  31,  1871,  there  were  1,638  (865  males  and  173  fe- 
males) convicts  on  the  lists  of  the  Workhouse,  of  whom  1,013  were 
transferred  to  other  institutions  for  work,  so  that  only  625  (388  males 
and  234  females)  convicts  were  actually  in  the  Workhouse  at  that  time. 
The  number  of  convicts  in  the  house  during  the  year  was  21,882  (of 
these  12,725  males).  Of  this  number  19,026  were  dismissed  at  the  end 
of  their  terms>  522   (of  theso    264  women)   had  escaped,  and   110  had 


rilK    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE.  745 

died.  \Viih  regard  to  the  age,  914  (of  these  51 3  women)  were  under 
twenty  years  of  age,  and  3,050  (of  these  2,155  women)  were  from 
twenty  to  twenty-five  years  of  age. 

The  regulations  of  the  Workhouse  are  similar  to  those  of  the  Peniten- 
tiary, and  the  discipline  is  very  strict.  Every  convict  must  work,  either 
in  the  Workhouse  itself  or  at  the  public  buildiug  to  which  he  may  be 
appointed.  Most  of  the  carpentering,  shoemakiug,  tailoring,  and  pann- 
ing of  the  public  institutions  of  charity  and  correction,  as  well  as  the 
sewing,  is  done  by  the  male  and  female  convicts. 

With  regard  to  the  administration  of  the  Penitentiary,  as  well  as  of 
the  Workhouse,  public  opinion  is  pretty  well  divided.  The  official  an- 
nual reports  of  course  represent  everything  in  the  most  easy  light.  It 
would,  in  fact,  be  excellent  if  the  convicts  were  treated  and  received 
everything  according  to  the  regulations.  This,  however,  it  is  commonly 
believed  is  not  the  case.  There  seems  to  be,  or  at  least  seemed  to  be 
until  very  receutly,  certain  abuses  existing  on  the  island  which,  in  spite 
of  all  attempts  of  the  officers  at  hushing  them  up,  found  their  way  into 
the  papers.  If  the  words  of  discharged  convicts  are  to  be  believed,  the 
fare,  although  sufficient  in  quantity,  is  still  so  miserable  with  regard  to 
quality,  that  hunger  only  could  make  it  palatable.  The  keepers,  many 
of  whom  are  said  to  be  former  convicts,  proceed  in  many  cases  in  an 
equally  brutal  and  arbitrary  manner,  while  the  officers  show  a  partiality 
ior  certain  prisoners,  which  is  an  injustice  to  their  companions.  While 
other  convicts  have  been  set  at  hard  work  in  the  quarries,  for  instance, 
such  favorites  have  been  allowed  to  loaf  around  the  offices  and  make 
some  money  out  of  the  visitors.  They  not  only  receive  presents  from 
them,  but  also  know  how  to  open  other  sources  of  gain. 

According  to  the  regulations,  everything  that  is  sent  to  prisoners  by 
relatives  or  friends  must  be  closely  examined  to  see  that  no  contraband 
articles  are  smuggled  in.  This  examination  is  generally  left  to  3uch  fa- 
vorite convicts  in  the  office.  They,  however,  are  very  well  acquainted 
with  all  tricks  of  smuggling,  and  if  they  allow  some  articles  to  pass 
through,  this  is  not  the  case  with  greenbacks,  which,  however  unsuspi- 
ciously they  may  have  been  concealed  in  some  seam  of  an  article  of 
clothing,  or  in  any  other  manner,  are  still  sure  to  be  found  by  these  ex- 
aminers, who  apply  them  to  their  own  use.  Thus  not  unfrequently  do 
five  and  ten  dollar  bills  come  into  their  hands. 

Some  years  ago  a  whipping-post  could  still  be  seen  near  the  Peniten- 
tiary, to  which  convicts  were  tied  and  whipped.  Loss  of  a  meal,  con- 
finement in  a  dark  cell  on  bread  and  water,  etc.,  are  penalties  for  the 
least  offense.  One  of  these  offenses  was  the  refusal  to  go  to  church. 
This  case  happened  frequently.  Until  recently  the  service  in  the  morn- 
ing was  conducted  by  a  Methodist,  and  in  the  evening  by  a  Protestant 
Episcopal  clergyman,  but  all  convicts,  of  whatever  religious   belief,  were 


746  THE    TOMBS    AND    THE    OTHER    PRISONS. 

forced  to  attend  the  services  in  the  mornings  as  well  as  in  the  evenings* 

Whether  the  statements  of  these  convicts  are  true  or  not,  we  cannot 
stop  to  discuss  here.  Whenever  reporters  of  independent  newspapers 
visited  the  island,  and  attempted  to  obtain  some  further  information  from 
the  officers  or  convicts  as  to  the  condition  of  things  there,  the  adminis- 
tration put  so  many  obstacles  in  their  way,  that  this  alone  seemed  to 
point  to  some  sore  spot  which  could  not  bear  scrutiny. 

The  many  attempts  at  escape  made  by  convicts,  of  whom  not  less 
than  thirteen  left  the  Penitentiary  in  one  day,  and  of  which  the  annual 
reports  of  the  Penitentiary  and  Workhouse  show  not  less  than  550  for 
the  year  1871,  plainly  prove  that  a  screw  must  be  loose  somewhere  on 
the  island. 

This  state  of  affairs,  therefore,  could  not  be  ignored  any  longer  even 
by  the  Commissioners  of  Charities  and  Corrections.  They  therefore 
appointed  an  investigating  committee,  which  in  a  short  time  made  its  re- 
port, which  unfortunately  hardly  spoke  at  all  of  the  causes  of  the  many 
attempts  at  escape,  and  did  not  go  very  much  into  details  as  to  the 
means  of  preventing  them.  The  result  was  that  the  number  of  keepers 
was  declared  insufficient  in  proportion  to  the  number  of  prisoners,  of 
whom  there  were  about  fifty  to  every  keeper,  and  that  it  was  recom- 
mended to  increase  the  number  of  keepers.  The  report  also  recom- 
mended a  stricter  supervision  of  visitors,  who  not  unfrequently  gave  to 
prisoners  advice  and  aid  to  escape. 

Two  new  vice-presidents  were  then  appointed,  with  a  salary  of  $1,200 
each  per  annum,  who  should  live  on  the  island,  and  also  two  more  keep- 
ers. This  then  was  a  change.  But  whether  it  was  a  change  for  the 
better  is  another  question.  It  is  not  how  many  keepers  there  are  to  su- 
perintend the  prisoners,  but  how  conscientiously  they  perform  their  duty, 
on  which  the  question  depends.  As  long  as  such  appointments  are 
simply  rewards  for  political  services,  and  every  negligence  of  the  ser- 
vice is  not  punished  unmercifully  writh  instant  dismissal,  the  addition  of 
new  officers  to  those  already  not  performing  their  duties,  will  be  of  no 
use  whatever,  neither  on  Blackwell's  Island,  or  anywhere  else — that  is 
certain. 

It  is  true  the  prisoners  on  Blackwell's  Island  are  either  vagabonds  or 
criminals,  but  still  they  are  human  beings,  and  should  be  bettered  by 
their  punishment,  and  be  made  useful  members  of  society.  Of  course 
no  prisoner  will  ever  reach  that  point  of  perfection,  that  he  would  not 
grasp  at  the  first  opportunity  for  escape,  and  attempts  at  escape  will 
therefore  occur  in  every  prison.  But  the  administration  of  a  prison 
should  never  be  so  brutal,  that  the  impossibility  of  bearing  their  condi- 
tion any  longer  would  force  prisoners  to  attempt  an  escape.  But  it  also 
should  not  be  so  blind  and  sleepy  that  prisoners  succeed  in  escaping  in 
such  large  numbers,  as  is  the  case  on  Blackwell's  Island. 


Ml      DARK    BIDE    OK    NF.W     fOBK    LIPE. 


74' 


A  womao  who  always  succeeded  id  getting  away  within  twu  of  thrw 
days  whenever  she  was  sent  to  the  island,  surprised  the  judge,  who  could 
uot  understand  it,  by  the  following  exclamation:  "Why,  that's  easy 
enough  !  All  it  costs  me  is  a  two-cent  postage-stamp.  As  soon  as  1 
arrive  ou  the  island,  I  write  to  New  York,  and  the  "boye"  come  in  a 
boat  and  take  me  oil!" 

Randall's  Island,  situated  north  of  Blackwell's  Island,  and  separated 
from  it  by  Ward's  Islaud,  derives  its  name  from  Jonathan  Randall,  to 
whom  it  formerly  belonged.  Here  are  the  House  of  Refuge,  the  Nur- 
sery, and  the  Infant  Hospital.  Of  these  three  the  House  of  Refuge  only 
comes  within  our  limits,  which  is  under  the  control  of  the  Society  for 
the  Reformation  of  Juvenile  Delinquents,  while  the  other  institutions 
belong  to  the  Department  of  the  Commissioners  of  Public  Charities  and 
Corrections.  The  House  of  Refuge  is  rather  a  private  charitable,  than 
a  public  penal  institution.  But  it  also  belongs  to  the  latter  class,  as  it 
receives  from  the  State  $40,000  annually,  and  the  police  judges  send  to 
it  all  those  criminals  who  are  not  yet  considered  responsible  on  account 
of  their  youth.  Those  children  also  whom  their  parents  find  unmanage- 
able are  not  unfrequently  sent  here. 

The  buildings  of  this  society  are  among  the  finest  of  our  public  insti- 
tutions. They  are  built  of  brick,  in  the  Italian  style  of  architecture, 
and  their  front  1,000  feet  long,  with  their  high  cupolas,  forms  one  of  the 
most  imposing  views  on  the  East  River.  A  description  of  the  extensive 
buildings  would  lead  us  too  far,  and  we  will  therefore  confine  ourselves 
to  calling  attention  to  that  which  wrill  give  an  idea  of  the  object,  and  the 
method  made  use  of  to  attain  this  object. 

There  are  on  an  average  700  boys  and  150  girls  continually  in  this 
bouse.  The  age  of  the  boys  is,  in  the  majority  of  cases,  between  twelve 
and  fourteen,  and  of  the  girls  between  seventeen  and  eighteen,  although 
there  are  occasionally  women  of  twenty  in  the  house. 

The  boys'  department  is  the  largest.  It  contains  two  divisions,  which 
are  separated  in  such  a  manner  that  the  inmates  of  one  have  no  inter- 
course with  the  inmates  of  the  other.  In  the  first  division  are  such  boys 
as  are  naturally  of  not  a  bad  disposition.  Such  as  are  ill-disposed  are 
placed  in  the  second  division.  But  a  boy  who  has  been  placed  in  the 
second  division  can  obtain  his  promotion  to  the  first  by  good  couduct_ 
Both  of  these  divisions  have  four  grades.  When  first  received,  the  boy 
enters  the  fourth  grade.  One  week  of  good  behavior  advances  him  to 
the  third,  and  if  he  behaves  well  there  for  one  month  he  is  promoted  to 
the  second.  Good  behavior  in  the  second  for  six  months  raises  him  to 
the  first  grade,  or  "Grade  of  Honor."  The  members  of  this  "Grade 
of  Honor  "  are  distinguished  from  the  others  by  a  badge  they  wear  on 
the  breast.  A  boy  of  the  first  division  who  has  attained  the  "  Grade  of 
Honor"  cau  enter  immediately  as   apprentice  into  any  business  he  may 


748  THE    TOMBS    AND    THE    OTHER    PRISONS. 

like,  outside  of  the  institution.  Boys  of  the  second  division,  however, 
only  obtain  this  privilege  after  they  have  been  in  the  first  grade, one 
whole  year  without  incurring  censure. 

The  house  has  a  large  chapel,  which  is  capable  of  holding  about  one 
thousand  persons.  School-rooms  are  also  not  wanting.  The  different 
workshops  are  a  gratifying  sight,  and  it  is  really  interesting  to  see  the 
boys  employed  in  the  manufacture  of  hoop-skirts,  rat-traps,  flower- 
baskets,  etc.,  of  wire. 

The  principal  work  of  the  larger  boys,  however,  is  boot  and  shoe 
making.  Two  thousand  five  hundred  pairs  of  boots  and  shoes  are  made 
per  day  by  about  six  hundred  boys.  All  these  works  are  conducted  by 
contractors,  who  furnish  the  material  for  work,  superintend  the  boys, 
and  who  have  men  there  to  instruct  them.  Every  boy  must  work  at 
some  trade,  and  has  a  certain  task  to  accomplish  each  day.  Whoever 
finishes  this  task  before  four  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  can  use  the  rest  of 
the  time  as  he  pleases. 

The  discipline  of  the  institution  is  in  general  very  prison-like.  Every 
boy  has  a  cell  in  which  he  is  locked  in  the  evening.  These  cells  are  sit- 
uated in  long  halls,  and  have  only  wire  doors,  in  the  first  place  for  better 
ventilation,  and  also  to  have  the  boys  always  under  the  eyes  of  the  offi- 
cers. At  six  o'clock  in  the  morning  the  cells  are  opened.  The  boys 
report  to  the  Superintendent,  and  after  being  mustered  they  go  into  the 
school-room,  where  there  is  half  an  hour's  service.  Then,  after  receiv- 
ing their  breakfast,  they  march  to  the  workshops,  where  they  begin  to 
work  at  eight  o'clock.  At  twelve  o'clock,  after  a  parade,  they  go  to 
dinner,  which  consists  of  soup,  meat,  and  a  small  loaf  of  bread.  After 
this  meal,  for  which  the  regulations  allow  one  hour,  the  boys  return  to 
work,  which  lasts  till  four  o'clock.  Those,  however,  who  get  through 
with  their  work  sooner,  can  use  the  balance  of  the  time  as  they  please. 
At  four  o'clock  the  boys  take  their  supper,  for  which  half  an  hour  is 
allowed.  After  that  there  is  a  short  school  exercise,  when  with  half  an 
hour's  services  the  day  is  closed. 

The  day  is  similarly  divided  for  the  girls  in  the  institution,  who,  how- 
ever, strange  to  say,  are  less  pliable  than  the  boys.  Their  work  con- 
sists chiefly  of  cooking,  washing,  and  sewing  for  themselves  and  the 
other  inmates  of  the  institution. 

The  length  of  time  which  boys  and  girls  stay  in  the  House  of  Refuge 
depends  entirely  on  the  question  whether  their  conduct  shows  an  improve- 
ment of  their  character.  If  this  is  the  case,  they  are  given  out  to  farm- 
ers or  business  men  to  serve  as  apprentices.  This  is  annually  done 
with  about  500  to  600  boys,  and  with  100  to  150  girls.  Such  boys  aud 
girls  given  out  as  apprentices  continue  to  remain  under  the  control  of 
the  institution  until  they  are  twenty-one  years  of  age,  and  if  they 
become  unruly  or  rebellious,  and  refuse  to  obey  those  with  whom  they 


TIIK    DABS    BID!    OF    M  w    FORK    LIFE.  748 

are  apprenticed,  or  in  any  way  show  symptoms  of  a  relapse,  they  are 
immediately  reclaimed  by  it. 

Thus  the  institution  appears  to  us,  if  we  judge  it  by  its  regulations. 
One  fault  of  these  regulations  is  that  no  time  is  set  apart  for  recreation, 
a  point  which,  in  all  reformatory  attempts,  and  particularly  with  the 
young,  should  never  be  lost  sight  of.  The  discipline  has  certainly  by  far 
too  much  of  the  severity  of  prison  discipline,  aud  is  therefore  well  litted 
to  call  forth  opposition  on  the  part  of  the  boys. 

The  religious  exercises  are  also  of  very  little  use,  if  they  are  imposed 
by  iorce,  and,  as  is  the  case  in  this  institution,  Jews  and  Catholics  only 
have  the  choice  between  corporeal  punishment  or  attending  the  Pro- 
testant worship. 

The  inmates  of  the  house  also  have  too  much  work  to  do,  so  that  even 
the  best  workmen  find  no  time  for  recreation.  The  change  from  work 
to  three  and  a  half  hours'  school,  after  an  intermission  of  half  an  hour 
for  supper,  is  certainly  not  a  very  pleasant  one,  even  if  something  more 
pleasant  be  in  view  than  being  locked  up  in  a  cell  by  themselves  for  the 
night. 

Such  an  order  of  things,  which  completely  ignores  the  nature  of 
youth,  is  apt  to  bring  forth  a  spirit  of  opposition  aud  dissatisfaction  on  the 
part  of  the  inmates  of  such  a  house.  The  system  resulted,  in  the  House 
of  Refuge,  in  very  sad  scenes  during  the  past  year.  Revolts  occurred, 
in  one  of  which  a  keeper  was  even  stabbed.  The  official  investigation 
following  this  sad  event  brought  forth  facts  which  throw  a  very  unfavor- 
able light  on  the  administration  of  the  institution.  Cruel  punishments 
without  any  reasonable  cause,  insufficient  and  poor  fare,  aye,  even  swind- 
ling the  poor  boys  out  of  their  small  wages  ;  keeping  good  workmen 
over  their  twenty-first  year,  only  because  the  contractors  found  it  in 
their  interest,  and  similar  charges  of  unjust  treatment,  were  made 
against  the  institution. 

But  let  the  matter  be  as  it  will,  the  fact  alone  that  such  things  can 
happen  in  such  an  institution,  shows  beyond  a  doubt  that  the  administra- 
tion is  not  equal  to  its  task.  This  task,  the  reform  of  youth,  is  purely 
humanitarian,  and  is  only  retarded  if  any  considerations  of  an  intolerant 
sectarian  spirit,  or  of  a  pecuniary  interest,  are  mixed  up  with  it.  By 
the  assistance  which  this  institution  receives  from  the  State,  it  becomes 
a  public  institution.  It  is  responsible  to  the  public  for  its  actions,  and  it 
is  only  to  be  hoped  that  the  public  opinion  aroused  by  the  events  of  last 
year  will  fore  the  heads  of  the  institution  into  the  true  path  of  reform. 
It  would  be  unjust,  however,  not  to  acknowledge  that  the  institution  has 
already  done  a  great  deal  of  good,  and  has  already  turned  many  children 
from  the  paths  of  crime.  But  this  only  &hows  what  the  institution 
would  be  able  to  do,  if  those  evils  were  done  away  with  which  only  hin- 
der it  in  its  work,  the  reform  of  children. 


750  THE    TOMBS    AND    THE    OTHER    PRISONS 

In  connection  with  our  prisons,  we  caunot  overlook  the  "  Houses  of 
Detention  of  Witnesses."  According  to  their  names,  they  are  not  pris- 
ons, although  in  reality  they  are  no  better.  For  the  law  requires  that  a 
witness  in  any  important  trial  must  give  bail  for  his  appearance  at  court. 
The  law  excuses  this  unjust  provision  by  saying  that  the  witness  is  neces- 
sary to  attain  the  ends  of  justice.  Nobody  denies  this,  and  even  demand- 
ing baii  would  not  be  so  bad  ;  but  that  the  law  goes  into  extremes,  and 
robs  the  witness,  who  is  poor  aud  without  friends,  of  his  liberty,  is  an 
act  of  the  greatest  barbarity,  which  nothing  can  justify.  The  law  by 
this  act  takes  upon  itself  to  send  a  man  to  prison  for  an  indefinite  period, 
for  the  simple  reason  that  he  is  poor  and  friendless.  It  robs  him  of  that 
privilege  guaranteed  by  the  Constitution,  personal  liberty,  and  thus  com- 
mits the  greatest  injustice  upon  an  innocent  person,  under  the  pretext  of 
securing  the  ends  of  justice.  Aye,  even  more  !  The  guilty  party  may 
move  about  as  he  pleases  under  bail,  while  the  witness,  whose  testimony 
is  to  condemn  him,  is  "  detained"  for  weeks  and  months. 

The  present  Houses  of  Detention,  the  one  in  Ludlow  street,  near 
Grand,  and  the  other  in  Mulberry  street,  between  Broome  and  Grand, 
are  for  witnesses  in  the  State  courts.  The  House  of  Detention  in  Lud- 
low street  is  also  used  for  witnesses  in  the  United  States  courts.  The 
Houses  of  Detention  do  not  look  much  like  prisons.  The  witnesses  de- 
tained are  supplied  with  the  most  necessary  articles  of  life.  They  are 
allowed  to  move  about  those  parts  of  the  house  assigned  to  them,  and  re- 
ceive their  meais  free,  which  are  just  sufficient  to  keep  them  from  starv- 
ing. If  they  have  any  money,  they  can  easily  rid  themselves  of  it  by 
sending  for  more  palatable  food. 

Their  situation,  however,  is  much  better  than  in  former  years,  when 
the  old  Ludlow  and  Eldridge  street  jails  served  as  houses  of  detention. 
But  even  to  the  present  day  it  must  be  regarded  as  a  great  calamity  if 
any  friendless  person  should  accidentally  be  a  witness  to  a  crime,  aud 
"justice"  should  find  it  necessary  to  detain  him  for  evidence.  But  what 
right  has  he  to  be  poor  and  friendless  ?  If  he  were  not  so,  he  could  find 
bail,  and  attend  to  his  business  just  as  well  as  the  criminal  for  whose 
conviction  his  testimony  is  needed.  It  is  just  as  bad  for  such  poor  fel- 
lows to  be  a  witness  of  a  crime,  or  in  any  way  be  able  to  aid  in  the  con- 
viction of  a  criminal,  as  to  commit  the  crime  themselves.  This  is  plainly 
seen,  if  we  look  over  the  lists  of  witnesses  who  were  detained  in  the 
Mulberry  street  house  during  the  year  ending  April  5,  1873. 

This  list  contains  282  names — 227  men  and  55  women.  A  residence 
of  thirty  or  forty  days  in  one  of  these  houses  is  nothing  unusual  on  this 
list.  Three  had  83  days,  one  had  89,  another  92,  two  98,  one  116,  ano- 
ther 119,  two  171,  and  oue  188  days,  as  the  penalty  for  not  being  able 
to  furnish  bail.  Three,  who  were  marked  with  SQ  days,  together  with 
seven  others,  were  in  the  house  at  the  date  of  the  report  (April  5,  1872). 


THE    DARK    BIDE    OF    NEW    YOKK    LIFE. 


',31 


These  Ly>:L'   persons  were  witnesses   in   all  kinds  of  crime,  from  mi 
down  to  petty  larceny. 

What  particularly  condemns  ibe  system  of  detaining  witn  -  that 

it  allows  more  criminals    to    escape    than    it   convicts.      A  newly-ai 

emigrant,  lor  example,  is  swindled  out  of  all  of  his  property.      He  ki 
the  rascal  who  has  done  it,  but  if  lie  wishes    to    proceed    against    him  in 
law  be  must  give  bail  for  his  appearance.      As  he  will   hardly  be   able   to 
do  that,  being  a  perfect  Btranger,  he  must  be  detained  as  a   witness  until 

the  trial  of  the  swindler  comes  on. 

And  thus  it  is  in  many  similar  cases.  The  fear  alone  of  being  de- 
tained as  witnesses  keep-  many  from  making  statements  which  would  be 
ot  the  greatest  importance  for  the  ends  of  justice.  The  detention  of 
witnesses  could  only  be  justified  in  cases  where  the  intention  of  defeating 
justice  by  absence  is  known  to  exist  ;  and  even  in  such  cases  the  punish- 
ment would  be  more  appropriate  after  the  deed  had  been  committed,  as 
in  no  other  cases  does  the  law  assume  to  punish  an  intended  crime.  The 
so-called  "  Houses  of  Detention  of  Witnesses"  are  therefore  the  worst 
kind  of  prisons,  because  only  innocent  persons  are  detained  within  their 
walls,  without  aiding  the  end  in  the  least  for  which  this-  injustice  is  the 
supposed  means. 

Our  prisons  are  in  every  respect  in  a  miserable  condition.  As  penal 
establishments  they  are  cruel,  because  they  ruin  the  health  of  the  prison- 
ers only  too  easily,  while  at  the  same  time  they  are  conducted  i:i  a  man- 
ner by  which  the  real  object  of  the  punishment,  the  reform  ot  the  prison- 
ers, is  seldom  attained.  On  the  contrary,  our  prisons  are  rather  the 
schools  of  crime,  where  the  apprentice,  brought  in  contact  with  the  old 
masters  in  crime,  receives  his  education. 

Very  much  is  said  nowadays  of  prison  reform,  and  the  reform  of  juve- 
nile criminals.  But  unfortunately  our  courts  of  justice  have  not  yet 
been  able  to  completely  emancipate  themselves  from  the  prejudices  of 
former  times.  They  profess,  even  at  the  present  day,  the  theory  of  in- 
timidation, which  can  be  plainly  seen  in  all  of  our  city  prison-.  They 
should  be  houses  of  reform,  from  which  the  prisoners  should  be  given 
back  to  society  as  useful  members.  In  our  prisons,  however,  just  the 
contrary  is  the  case.  Youthful  thoughtlessness,  a  momentary  passion, 
etc.,  can  make  persons  appear  as  criminals  before  the  law,  who  iu  reality 
are  anything  but  such.  It  they  are  then  mixed  together  in  prison  with 
hardened  criminals,  it  may  be  safely  assumed  that,  in  nine  cases  out  of 
ten,  they  will  in  a  short  time  be  just  as  bi'd  as  the  majority  of  their 
companions  in  prison. 

This  is  one  of  the  darkest  evil?  of  our  prison  system.  Through  them 
the  law,  so  to  say,  educates  its  criminals,  and,  in  the  true  sense  of  the 
word,  turns  its  prisons  into  high  schools  of  crime.  It  is  all  the  more  to 
be  regretted  that  these  evils  occur  chiefly  in  our  city  prisons*  as  it  is   just 


752 


MURDERS    AND    SUICIDES. 


in  them  that  the  large  majority  of  prisoners  belong  to  that  class  of  per- 
sons who  should  not  be  brought  together  with  the  criminals.  Many  have 
become  criminals  from  no  other  reason  than  that  they  were  treated  as 
criminals.  It  is  certainly  not  saying  too  much  to  assert  that  our  prisons, 
as  they  now  exist,  have  already  made  many  criminals,  but  have  reformed 
very  few.  The  latter  cannot  be  expected  until  our  prisons  themselves 
are  reformed  in  such  a  manner  that  they  are  brought  up  to  a  condition 
more  in  accordance  with  the  demands  of  justice  and  humanity,  than  is 
the  case  at  present. 


MURDERS  AND  SUICIDES. 

We  have  already  learnt,  in  the  chapters  on  our  prisons  and  courts, 
many  of  the  causes  which  tend  to  favor  the  increase  of  crime.  We 
have  furthermore  seen  that  the  most  serious  crime,  murder,  most  fre- 
quently, and  generally  most  easily,  escapes  the  deserved  punishment. 
This  is  the  case  to  such  a  degree  that  it  has  come  to  be  said  that  the 
murderer  is  in  less  danger  of  the  law  than  the  thief  or  burglar.  In 
view  of  all  this,  we  need  not  be  astonished  to  hear  that  the  number  of 
murders  committed  in  1872  was  sixty-seven. 

Bat  this  is  not  all  (  The  number  of  murders  would  be  largely  in- 
creased, if  the  history  of  all  those  became  known  whose  bodies  were 
found  in  the  waters  surrounding  the  city,  or  those  who  figure  as  lost  and 
missed  on  the  police  reports.  Dead  men  tell  no  tales,  and  the  coroner's 
jury  which  sits  on  the  corpse  found  floating  in  a  half  decomposed  state 
in  the  Hudson  or  East  River,  seldom  gives  any  other  verdict  than 
"  drowned."  But  how  this  drowning  took  place — whether  the  person 
accidentally  fell  into  the  river,  or  was  pushed  into  it  with  a  criminal 
intention — is  in  the  majority  of  cases  an  unfathomable  mystery.  Who 
can  furthermore  answer  the  question  of  what  has  been  the  fate  of  those 
who  are  put  down  in  the  police  reports  as  lost?  Many  may  have  disap- 
peared on  their  own  account  for  reasous  best  known  to  themselves,  as  on 
account  of  some  fraud,  or  for  some  other  crime  which  they  either  have 
committed  or  intend  to  commit,  and  probably  live  at  some  other  place 
under  an  assumed  name. 
•  Some  missed  persons  may  also  occur  on   the  list  of  drowned  persons,  , 


THE    DARK    BIDS    OF    NEW    YOUK      ,f[  i; 

when  their  features  and  bodies  have  become  so  disfigured  that  an  identi- 
fication is  impossible.  But  who  will  deny  that  a  large  number  of  these 
missed  persons  are  the  victims  of  murderers?  Their  bodies  may  have 
been  put  underground  in  some  remote  corner,  and  when,  in  later  year-, 
their  remains  are  dug  up,  the  finder  will  wonder  how  they  came  iu  such 
a  place. 

Those  eases,  and  their  number  is  also  not  inconsiderable,  must  not  be 
overlooked  here,  in  which  murder  was  not  committed,  for  the  simple 
reasou  that  the  bullet  or  the  knife  did  not  accomplish  its  mission.  All 
this  taken  together  shows  us  a  truly  appalling  picture  of  regardlessuess 
of  human  life  which  has  gained  ground  in  our  society,  and  which,  as  our 
experience  has  taught  us,  the  laws  are  impoteut  to  check.  This  impo- 
tency  of  the  laws  is  caused  by  the  mode  of  their  execution.  II  the 
courts  show  such  a  disregard  for  human  life  that,  of  a  hundred  murder- 
ers brought  before  them,  hardly  one  receives  his  merited  punishment, 
while  at  the  same  time  crimes  against  property  are  punished  much  more 
severely  than  crimes  against  life,  we  need  not  wonder  that  a  human  life 
is  valued  so  lightly  by  the  criminal  classes  of  our  population.  Theft, 
burglary,  and  highway  robbery  seldom  fail  to  give  the  crimiual  impris- 
onment for  a  number  of  years  and  even  for  life. 

Besides,  those  persons  are  considered  crimiual  who  do  not  produce 
sensation,  and  in  whom  the  public  therefore  takes  very  little  interest. 
A  murder,  however,  especially  if  the  particulars  are  of  a  disgusting 
character,  never  fails  to  gain  for  the  murderer  a  certain  notoriety. 
Prominent  lawyers  take  hold  of  such  cases  with  particular  fondness,  and 
consider  it  a  good  opportunity  to  show  their  legal  ability  by  obtaining  a 
verdict  for  the  defendant,  which  is  at  the  same  time  a  sa;ire  on  justice 
and  on  the  intelligence  of  the  jurors  who  rendered  it,  Wc  have  given 
examples  of  this  iu  former  chapters. 

From  Jauuary  1,  1870,  to  January  1,  187u,  not  less  than  one  hundred 
and  fifty  murders  were  commuted  in  the  city.  During  this  same  period, 
however,  only  three  executions  took  place,  while  seven  murderers  were 
sent  to  Siug  Siug  for  life.  But  death  or  imprisonment  for  life  are  the 
only  proper  penalties  for  murder.  What  was  doue  with  the  remaining 
one  huudred  aud  forty  murderer.-?  How  many  are  unknown  to  the  au- 
thorities to  the  present  day?  How  many  escaped  with  an  easier  sen- 
tence than  they  would  probably  have  received  for  picking  pockets?  How 
many  escaped  punishment  without  even  a  trial? 

Examples  of  this  latter  kind,  strange  as  it  may  seem,  are  not  scarce. 
John  Phillips,  in  18G9,  shot  Thomas  O'Kcefe.  He  was  arrested 
and  put  under  $2,000  bail.  Since  that,  lime  his  name  has  not  been 
heard  again  iu  court.  Iu  the  same  year  S  epheu  II.  Maloney  killed  a 
man  named  Edward  Cappens.  All  that  was  ever  heard  of  him  was  that 
he  bad  been   arretted.     Bui   he  was   never   tried.     A.  Johnson  stabbed 

48 


754  sriiftDEKS  and  si  ic.de.s. 

Isabella  Chase  with  iut  .it  to  kill,  J.  Ray  killed  John  Wagner,  Peter 
Johnson  stabbed  the  captain  of  a  vessel,  and  the  reporcs  of  the  papers 
was  all  that  was  ever  tTeard  of  these  murders  and  attempts  at  murder. 
AU  these  cases  date  from  the  year  18G9,  and  examples  from  other  years 
show  that  18G0  was  not.  an  exceptional  year. 

District-Attorney  Phelps  took  the  trouble,  in  the  fall  of  1872,  to  hunt, 
up  all  the  old  and  forgo: ten  criminal  cases  in  his  office.  It  was  found 
that  for  many  the  papers  had  been  lost,  and  that  therefore  nothing  could 
be  done  in  them.  Unfortunately  the  matter  ended  there  without  a  fur- 
ther investigation  as  to  the  causes  or  persons  who  had  brought  about  the 
disappearance  of  such  valuable  documents. 

If  we  then  look  at  those  cases  which  were  actually  punished,  we  find 
that  the  punishment  was  so  small  that  they  almost  seem  like  a  satire  on 
the  law  which  makes  the  intentional  killing  of  a  man  punishable  by 
death.  In  the  same  year,  1861),  from  which  we  have  taken  the  above- 
mentioned  cases,  we  also  find  the  following : 

Thomas  Edwards  shot  Thomas  Mitchell — sentence,  two  years  in  State 
Prison  ;  William  Nicholson  murdered  Pat.  McCormick — sentence,  three 
years  imprisonment  ;  Margaret  Walsh,  a  prostitute,  murdered  Police- 
man McChesney,  and  was  senienced  to  State  Prison  for  life.  She  re- 
ceived, however,  a  new  trial,  and  escaped  with  a  sentence  of  one  year 
and  a  half. 

Mitigating  circumstances  may  have  existed  in  some  of  these  cases, 
but,  according  to  our  present  ideas  of  justice,  the  object  of  the  punish- 
ment is  not  so  much  the  punishment  of  the  criminal  himself,  but  to  deter 
others  from  the  same  crime.  Iu  cases  of  murder,  no  punishment,  how 
ever  severe,  will  bring  the  murdered  man  back  to  life,  but  the  law  wishes 
it  to  serve  as  a  warning,  and  thus  afford  a  guarantee  for  the  security  to 
human  life. 

Punishments,  howaver,  like  those  mentioned  above,  are  not  calculated 
to  afford  any  guarantee  of  security  in  this  particular.  They  fulfill  the 
object  of  frightening  others  as  little  as  they  punish  the  criminal,  this  last 
object  being  the  only  justifiable  one  in  the  eyes  of  humanity.  Further- 
more, it  is  known  that  no  criminal  is  hung  before  he  is  caught.  Un- 
fortunately a  trail  cannot  always  be  fouud  which  will  lead  to  the  discov- 
ery of  a  murderer.  Since  the  year  1856,  81o  murders  have  been  com- 
mitted in  the  city,  and  of  these  180  have  remained  undiscovered  to  the 
present  day.  They  are  gloomy  secrets  which  have  in  vain  tried  the 
smartness  of  the  most  famous  detectives.  We  will  here  recall  to  the 
minds  of  our  readers  >ome  of  the  most  famous  and  mysterious  of  these 
murders  : 

In  No.  378  Broadway,  on  the  second  floor,  was  the  clothiug  store  of 
Samuel  Joyce.  The  porter  of  the  establishment,  Bartholomew  Burke, 
a  sober  and  punctual   man,  had  slept  in  the  place  for  years,  and  had 


THE    DARK    SIDE  YORK    LI1  ■•"> 

opened  the  store  punctually  every  mom  in 

one  of  the  clerks  ibund  the  door  still   locked   upon   h  1.     This 

beemed  rather  strange  to  him,  and  uj  ;  the  door-knob  once  more, 

he  th  saw  blood-marks  on  it.     II  ■  rushed  into  the  street  and  re- 

lated his  .  his  suspicions  to  a  policeman.     The  latter  followed 

him,  and,  as  there  was  no  Bigo  of  life  after  repeated  knockings,  the  door 
>rcibly  opened.  A  terrible  scene  presented  itself  to  those 
entering.  The  entire  floor  was  com  red  with  blood,  and  the  whole  ap- 
pearance of  the  room  showed  the  signs  of  a  terrible  struggle.  Burke, 
the  porter,  lay  near  the  window  opening  on  Broadway,  stiff'  and  dead, 
with  not  less  than  thirty-six  wounds  on  his  body.  Beside  him  there  lay 
a  large  pair  of  shears,  which,  to  all  appearances,  had  served  him  as  a 
weapon  of  defense,  while  near  the  door  there  was  a  short,  sharp  rapier, 
which  undoubtedly  had  been  the  instrument  of  murder  in  the  hands  of 
the  unknown  assassin.  Everything  in  the  room,  as  before  mentioned, 
indicated  that  there  had  been  a  terrible  affray,  which  must  have  lasted 
ten  minutes  at  bast. 

The  strangest  part  of  the  whole  affair  was  that,  in  spite  of  the  half- 
opened  window,  the  noise  of  the  fight  had  neither  been  heard  by  any  one 
on  Broadway,  which,  even  in  the  night,  is  at  no  time  entirely  deserted, 
nor  by  a  family  sleeping  on  the  next  floor  above.  The  only  clue  to  the 
murder,  therefore,  was  the  rapier,  and  all  the  more  hopes  were  set  on  it 
as  it  was  of  a  very  peculiar  shape.  It  was  furthermore  evident  that  the 
murderer  was  not  a  green  hand  at  this  kind  of  business,  for,  before  leav- 
ing, the  murderer  carefully  washed  his  hands  at  the  washstand  standing 
iu  the  corner,  and  then  left  the  store,  after  having  first  carefully  locked 
the  door. 

He  must  have  received  a  wound  in  the  hand,  as  could  be  seen  by  the 
blood-marks  on  the  door,  and  a  number  of  drops  of  blood  which  marked 
the  stairs.  At  the  foot  of  the  stairs  he  must  have  tied  up  his  hand,  for 
no  further  marks  of  blood  were  to  be  seen. 

A  circumstance  that  seemed  to  have  some  bearing  on  the  case  was  the 
evidence  of  a  gentleman  who  had  passed  a  man  about  midnight,  near  the 
place  of  murder,  whose  face  he  did  not  take  notice  of,  but  whose  right 
hand  was  tied  up. 

Ivobbcry  did  not  seem  to  have  been  the  object  for  this  crime,  for  no 
article  of  value  was  missing,  either  in  the  store  or  iu  the  trunk  of  the 
murdered  mau,  which  had  been  broken  open  and  to  all  appearances 
searched  through.  Burke  had  led  a  very  solitary  life,  and  had  very  few 
intimate  friends,  so  that  no  information  could  be  gained  from  these. 
Everything  preceding  the  murder  that  became  known  was  that  Burke 
had  been  drinking  with  an  unknown  mr.u  the  night  before  in  a  beer  sa- 
loon in  t'ie  basement  of  the  house,  and  had  then  gone  up  stairs  in  his 
company.    At  teu  o'clock  the  two  had  s; 111  been  secu  at  the  openwiudow, 


756 


MURDEUS    AND    SUICIDES. 


with  two  empty  beer-glasses  before  them.  Nothing  further  could  be 
ferreted  out. 

The  coroner's  inquest  lasted  three  days,  and  did  not  produce  anything 
calculated  to  throw  the  least  shadow  of  suspicion  on  any  of  Burke's 
friends,  or  by  which  any  personal  enemies  of  his  could  be  discovered, 
who  perhaps  might  have  committed  the  crime  from  motives  of  revenge 
or  hate.  The  inquest  was  as  fruitless  with  regard  to  the  causes  of  the 
murder  as  it  was  with  regard  to  the  person  of  the  murderer,  and  the  ver- 
dict of  the  jury  was  that  Burke  had  come  to  his  death  by  wounds  in- 
flicted by  some  unknown  person  or  persons.  The  continued  researches 
of  the  detectives  were  equally  fruitless,  and  the  murder  is  to-day  clothed 
in  as  much  mystery  as  it  was  seventeen  years  ago. 

The  murder  of  Dr.  William  Lautener,  on  January  10,  1854,  seems 
almost  still  more  strange.  This  gentleman  had  arrived,  on  the  morning 
of  this  day,  at  his  office,  No.  458  Broadway,  where  he  had  an  extensive 
practice  as  aurist.  He  seemed  to  be  in  a  happy  frame  of  mind,  and 
spoke  with  the  woman  who  took  care  of  the  room.  The  woman  left 
the  room  and  went  on  an  errand  to  the  east  side  of  the  city.  When  she 
left  it  was  half-past  nine  Upon  her  return,  about  an  hour  afterwards, 
she  went  to  see  whether  the  doctor  was  in  need  of  anything.  She  had 
hardly  opened  the  office-door,  however,  when  she  started  back  with 
a  cry  of  terror  which  alarmed  the  whole  household.  There  lay  the  doc- 
tor upon  the  floor,  face  downward,  the  rich  carpet  covered  with  blood. 
One  hand  still  grasped  the  paper  which  he  had  been  reading.  Death 
had  already  ensued  when  he  was  discovered.  He  had  been  shot  in  the 
back  of  the  head,  and  the  nature  of  the  wound,  together  with  the  fact 
that  no  pistol  was  found  in  the  room,  did  not  leave  a  doubt  that  a  murder 
bad  been  committed. 

But  who  was  the  murderer,  and  how  had  he  committed  the  devilish 
deed?  All  that  became  known  wras  that,  at  about  ten  o'clock,  several 
persons  had  seen  a  closely-veiled  lady  enter  the  office,  and  immediately 
leave  it  again.  A  gentleman  who  had  passed  the  building  at  the  same 
time  remembered  having  heard  an  explosion  like  a  pistol  shot.  All  this 
put  together  tended  to  point  to  the  unknown  veiled  lady  as  the  one  who 
committed  the  deed. 

Who  was  this  lady?  To  discover  this  was  the  immediate  task  of  the 
police  authorities.     Upon   further  researches   it  was  ascertained  that  a 

bitter  enmity  had  existed  between  the  doctor  and  a  family  named  W , 

living  in  the  neighborhood.  As  the  appearance  of  the  veiled  lady,  as 
described,  resembled  that  of  Mrs.  W ,  the  latter,  as  well  as  her  hus- 
band, were  arrested. 

The  suspicion,  however,  was  very  soon   dispelled,  when   Mrs.  W ■ 

proved,  by  a  number  of  respectable  citizens,  that,  at  the  time  of  the 
murder,  she  had  been  in  a  lawyer's  office  in  Wall  street.     The  prisoners 


in  I.    DARK    BIDK    <»i     m.W    lOIlX    I. UK.  >•>> 

were  immediately  discharged,  aud  the  authorities  did  not  succeed  in  dis- 
covering any  clues  for  further  researches.  Thus  this  case  stands  to-day, 
and  will  probably  remain  a  mystery  forever. 

These  were  cases  in  which  the  murderers  were  guided  by  other  mo* 
tives  than  that  of  robbery.  But  even  the  common  highwayman  not  un- 
frequeutly  succeeds  in  eluding  the  ever-watchtul  eyes  of  the  detectives. 
A  case  of  this  kind  was  the  murder  of  Charles  M.  Rogers,  in  No.  43 
East  Twelfth  street. 

It  was  on  the  last  day  of  the  year  lb'G8,  at  seven  o'clock  in  the  morn- 
ing, when  Mr.  Rogers  was  ensured  in  cleaning  the  snow  from  his  door- 
step.  He  had  been  out  about  ten  minutes  when  his  family  found  him 
lying  before  the  door  swimming  in  his  blood.  The  murder  would  have 
been  clothed  in  mystery  forever  if  the  dying  man  had  not  had  sufficient 
strength  to  make  a  few  short  statements.  While  Mr.  Rogers  was  clean- 
ing the  stoop,  two  men,  apparently  laborers,  came  along  the  opposite 
side  of  the  street.  They  stopped  when  they  arrived  opposite  the  house, 
when  one  of  them  took  off'  his  overcoat,  and,  throwing  it  to  his  com- 
panion, walked  up  to  Rogers.  His  companion  called  after  him,  "Don't 
do  it,  Jim!"  Jim,  however,  ran  up  the  steps,  snatched  Rogers'  watch 
and  pocketbook,  and  was  about  leaving  without  any  further  ado,  when 
Mr.  R.  caught  him  by  the  coat-collar.  The  thief  attempted  to  get  loose, 
when  half  his  coat  was  torn  off.  But  Mr.  R.  had  not  yet  lost  his  grip, 
when  the  robber  drew  a  long  knife  and  stabbed  him  in  the  breast.  When 
the  dying  man  was  found  the  murderer^was  nowhere  to  be  seen.  The 
struggle  must  have  been  a  very  short  one,  for  neither  in  the  house  nor  in 
the  neighborhood  had  the  least  sound  or  cry  for  help  been  heard.  The 
sight  of  the  dying  man  alone  gave  to  the  family  the  first  knowledge  of 
the  terrible  deed,  which  had  been  committed  in  broad  daylight  in  one  of 
our  principal  thoroughfares. 

Besides  those  mentioned  above,  the  dying  man  made  no  further  state- 
ments. These  statements,  aud  the  half  of  the  coat  of  the  murderer, 
were  the  only  clues  by  which  the  police  could  be  guided  in  their  search 
for  the  murderer.  In  this  coat  the  watch  and  wallet  were  found  for 
which  the  murder  had  been  committed,  and  besides  an  empty  euvelope 
with  the  address,  "  James  Logan,  New  York  Cytty." 

This  name,  together  with  the  fact  that  the  companion  of  the  murderer 
had  called  him  Jim,  led  the  police  to  suppose  that  the  murderer's  name 
was  James  Logan.  They  now  thought  they  would  have  easy  work,  and 
supposed  the  murderer  to  be  a  certain  James  Logan  who  a  short  time 
since  had  been  dismissed  from  the  Penitentiary.  An  active  search  was 
therefore  made  for  the  former  prison-bird,  when  the  latter,  to  everybody's 
astonishment,  delivered  himself  into  the  bauds  of  the  police,  and  gave 
such  satisfactory  evidence  as  to  his  whereabouts  on  that  fatal  morning, 
that  all  suspicious  against  him  fell  to  the  ground. 


758  MURDERS    AND    SUICIDES. 

The  murderer  of  the  imfortuuate  gentleman  has  not  been  discovered 
to  the  present  day,  a  fact  which  must  seem  doubly  strange  when  the 
impudence  and  boldness  with  which  he  committed  his  crime  is  taken  into 
account. 

The  murder  of  the  banker  Nathan,  in  his  house,  No.  12  West  Twenty- 
third  street,  on  the  night  of  July  29,  1870,  is  perhaps  a  still  more  strik- 
ing example  of  this  kind.  Benjamin  Nathan  was  a  prominent  Jewish 
banker,  whose  riches  were  counted  by  millions.  As  the  day  happened 
to  be  a  Jewish  holiday,  Mr.  Nathan  had  come  to  the  city  from  his  ele- 
gant country-seat  the  day  before.  Besides  him  there  were  in  the  house 
his  sons  Washington  and  Frederic,  the  housekeeper  Mrs.  Kelly,  and  her 
grown-up  son.  During  the  night  there  was  a  terrible  storm,  a  fitting 
accompaniment  to  the  horrible  tragedy  which  was  enacted  in  the  rooms 
of  the  old  millionaire.  Nobody  had  noticed  anything  unusual  during 
the  night.  But  when,  on  the  morning  of  the  29th,  one  of  the  sons  en- 
tered the  bedroom  of  his  father  to  wake  him,  he  found  him  so  mutilated 
by  many  terrible  wounds  as  to  be  almost  unrecognizable.  The  police, 
who  had  been  immediately  summoned,  began  their  examination  on  the 
spot.  4 

At  first  it  seemed  improbable  that  a  murder  should  have  been  com- 
mitted so  noiselessly  that  none  of  the  other  inmates  of  the  house  should 
have  been  awakened.  These  inmates  were  therefore,  first  of  all,  sub- 
jected to  a  very  rigid  examination,  but  without  strengthening  the  suspi- 
cions entertained  against  them.  %was  therefore  necessary  to  look  for 
other  traces.  The  unknown  murderer  had  left  nothing  that  could  be 
used  as  a  clue  against  him  but  a  so-called  "  dog,"  a  large  iron  bent  like 
a  hook,  such  as  shipbuilders  use.  This  was  all,  and  the  case,  after  the 
suspicions  against  the  inmates  of  the  house  had  been  dismissed,  was 
lairly  calculated  to  try  the  sharpness  of  even  the  smartest  detectives. 
Besides  framing  a  theory  of  the  manner  in  which  the  crime  had  been 
committed,  no  progress  whatever  was  made. 

According  to  this  theory,  the  murderer,  who  had  probably  only  in- 
tended to  steal,  had  entered  the  house  in  the  evening  and  hid  himself. 
Nothing  in  the  house  tended  to  indicate  a  forcible  opening  of  a  door  or 
window.  ,Once  in  the  house,  it  was  an  easy  thing  for  him  to  sneak  into 
the  bedroom  of  the  old  gentleman,  where  he  took  from  a  shirt  three  dia- 
mond studs,  and  from  the  pockets  a  valuable  gold  watch,  and  the  key  to 
the  safe  in  the  library.  This  library  was  connected  with  the  bedroom 
by  a  door.  As  the  thief  was  searching  the  safe,  he  probably  must  have 
made  some  noise  by  dropping  something,  as  was  suggested  by  finding  a 
box  with  valuable  papers  lying  on  the  floor.  This  noise  probably  awa- 
kened Mr.  Nathan,  and  caused  him  to  look  for  the  cause  of  it.  The 
lamp  in  the  bedroom  was  burning  brightly,  and  Mr.  Nathan  may  have 
arrived  at  the  open  door  of  the  library  at  the  same   time  the  thief  was 


UN     DARK    SIDE    01     :-•  A     I QBK    LI  f09 

about  1  j  leave  by  U.     The  thief  must  have  acted  quickly,  aud  befor< 

n,  who  was  Bhort-sighted,  Baw  who  was  before  him,  the  thief  be- 
came a  m  'V  striking  the  fatal  blows  upon  his  head  with  the  fatal 
l"  Be  kept  the,  "  dog  "  until  lie  had  safely  arrived  at  the  house 
door,  and  then  led  it  in  the  hall.  This  door  he  opened,  and  then  left 
the  scene  of  his  crimes  with  his  not  inconsiderable  booty,  unse:n  by  any 
eyes  than  those  which  were  now  forever  closed. 

The  whole  house,  from  the  attic  to  the  cellar,  and  the  sewers  to  a  con- 
siderable distance  from  the  house,  were  searched  for  the  stolen  articles. 
As  nothing  could  be  found  of  them,  the  attention  of  the  police  was  di- 
rected to  all  the  pawnbrokers'  shops,  jewelry  stores,  etc.,  in  the  city,  in 
order  that  they  might  be  on  hand  immediately  if  the  watch  or  the  dia- 
mond studs  should  make  their  appearance.  But  all  without  success. 
Large  rewards,  of  which  the  New  York  Stock  Exchange  alone  offered 
SI 0,000,  were  offered  for  the  discovery  of  the  murderer,  in  the  hopes 
that  some  of  his  accomplices  might  be  induced  to  betray  him.  But  even 
the  usual  power  of  money  was  without  a  result  in  this  case.  All  thieves 
known  in  the  city,  discharged  convicts,  aud  suspicious  characters  gener- 
ally, who  were  supposed  to  be  capable  of  such  a  deed,  were  forced  to 
give  an  accouut  of  their  whereabouts  on  that  night.  So  strictly  were 
these  persons  watched  that  they  left  the  city  in  crowds,  where  they  were 
unable  to  ply  their  trade. 

During  the  two  or  three  weeks  following  the  Nathan  murder,  a  secu- 
rity of  life  aud  property  was  felt  all  'hrough  the  city  as  never  before, 
which  plainly  showred  what  the  police  could  accomplish  if  they  only  felt 
inclined  to  do  their  duty.  The  "  dog,"  on  which  so  many  hopes  were 
set  in  the  beginning,  proved  to  be  pretty  worthless  as  a  clue.  After  it 
had  gone  the  rounds  of  all  the  shipbuilding  establishments,  without  be- 
ing recognized  anywhere,  it  was  found  to  be  used  in  so  many  other 
branches  of  business,  that  further  researches  based  on  it  had  a  wide  field 
before  them. 

The  interest  taken  in  this  mysterious  murder,  and  the  desire  to  unravel 
it,  were  not  confined  to  the  police.  The  public  took  a  great  part  in  it, 
and,  from  all  parts  of  the  Republic,  letters  arrived  with  kind  advices  and 
hints,  which  the  writers  thought  would  lead  to  the  discovery  of  the  mur- 
derer. The  ludicrous  was  also  not  wanting  in  this  otherwise  so  serious 
matter.  Clairvoyants  communicated  their  visions  to  the  police  "gratis," 
in  which  they  described  the  murder  and  the  persons  connected  with  it 
as  much  iu,  detail  as  if  they  had  been  eye-witnesses.  But  all  was  in 
vain. 

Jourdau,  one  of  the  keenest  detectives  in  America,  made  it  a  point  of 
honor  to  deliver  the  murderer  into  the  hands  of  justice.  The  failure  of 
all  his  attempts  in  this  direction  is  said  to  have  been  the  cause  of  his 
early  death  two  months  afterwards.     All  attempts  of  the  police  remained 


760  MURDERS    AND    SUICIDES. 

futile.  But,  in  the  spring  of  1873,  a  well-known  New  York  burglar 
named  Irving,  who  had  been  arrested  in  San  Francisco  for  some  crime,  de- 
clared that  he  would  give  the  details  connected  with  the  Nathan  murder 
if  he  were  promised  immunity  from  punishment.  But  upon  being 
brought  to  New  York  his  story,  like  those  of  many  others  before  him, 
proved  only  to  be  a  transparent  trick  by  which  he  hoped  to  escape  from 
justice. 

But  cases  in  which  a  murder  is  shrouded  in  mystery  are  comparatively 
few.  We  must  give  our  police  the  credit  of  doing  their  duty  much  bet- 
ter in  hunting  up  criminals,  than  the  courts  do  theirs  in  punishing  them. 
If  every  murderer  who  is  caught  were  sure  of  the  gallows,  the  crime  of 
murder  would  not  be  of  such  terrible  frequency  as  it  is  at  present.  But 
the  majority  of  murderers  do  not  think  it  worth  while  to  escape.  For 
such  an  escape  would  rob  murder  of  its  "  noble  "  aspect,  and  the  mur- 
derers are  sure  that,  by  lawyers'  tricks  and  other  means  at  their  com- 
mand, they  can  much  more  easily  cheat  the  gallows  of  its  dues  and  go 
free. 

Walworth  who  shot  his  father,  Stokes  who  waited  for  his  enemy  in 
one  of  our  most  crowded  hotels,  are  two  examples  of  this  kind  which 
are  yet  fresh  to  the  memory.  Only  a  short  time  ago  a  sixteen-year-old 
boy,  McMahon,  shot  his  eighteen-year-old  companion,  Scannon,  during  a 
quarrel  about  fifty  cents.  Many  will  perhaps  think  the  poor  boy  did  not 
know  what  he  was  doing.  But  when  the  police  captain  asked  the  young 
murderer  as  to  the  details  of  the  crime,  he  answered  coolly,  "  I  will  say 
nothing  in  the  matter  until  I  have  spoken  with  my  lawyer."  This  hope- 
ful representative  of  Young  America  therefore  knew  quite  well  what  he 
was  doing,  and  knew  equally  well  that  not  the  deed,  but  the  manner  in 
which  it  was  represented  in  court,  would  decide  his  fate.  The  young 
murderer  had  the  excusable  opinion  that  lawyers  could  do  anything  in 
court.  If  he  had  been  taught  that  in  exceptional  cases  only  did  a  mur- 
derer escape  the  gallows,  he  would  not  have  drawn  his  revolver  on  his 
companion  so  hastily. 

To  this  lameness  of  the  laws  is  added  a  sad  confounding  of  terms, 
which  seems  to  have  invaded  all  classes  of  society.  A  murder  not  com- 
mitted for  the  purpose  of  robbery  no  longer  seems  to  dishonor  the  perpe- 
trator. Where  personal  enmity,  jealousy,  etc.,  have  been  the  causes,  ihe 
murderer  has  the  sympathies  of  the  masses  on  his  side,  and  these  sympa- 
thies only  too  frequently  have  their  representatives  in  the  jury.  The 
idea  also  that  in  certain  cases,  such  as  matrimonial  infidelity,  murder  is 
not  only  allowed,  but  even  required  by  the  "  honor"  of  the  injured  party, 
has  done  much  to  swell  the  number  of  murderers.  Dozens  of  murder 
trials  have  proven  by  their  end  that  this  idea  is  even  sanctioned  by  the 
courts. 

It  is  true  tho  law  offers  for  such  offenses  very  little  or  no  redress.     A 


nil-,    dark   SEDK   <h    M-:\v   youk    LIFE.  7('»1 

broken  heart  or  a  riiiued  life  cannot  be  computed  in  dollars  and  cents, 
tor  which  reason  the  law  takes  very  little  notice  of  them,  and  leayefl 
these  criminals  to  their  consciences.  This  is  a  great  mistake  of  our  Leg- 
islature, which  however  it  would  be  extremely  diiRcult  to  do  away  with. 
But  from  the  fact  that  the  law  does  not  give  such  injured  persons  suffi- 
cient satisfaction,  it  by  no  means  makes  them  accuser,  judge,  and  execu- 
tioner. If  the  law  allowed  such  an  encroachment  upon  its  authority  i 
one  respect  only,  what  would  be  the  consequence?  The  principle  wou'.«. 
be  established  that  every  person  had  the  right  to  decide  whether  the  law 
gives  him  sufficient  satisfaction,  and,  if  he  is  of  the  opinion  that  it  does 
uot,  to  take  the  law  into  his  own  hands.  But  that  would  produce  the 
wildest  anarchy,  which  we  need  not  describe  here.  If  matrimonial  infi- 
delity, treachery  of  some  loved  one,  seduction,  etc.,  were  sufficient  rea- 
sons to  justify  attacking  the  guilty  persons  with  poison,  the  dagger,  or 
the  pistol,  what  should  hinder  any  one  from  openly  murdering  some  ob- 
jectionable person,  and  then  claimiug  immunity  from  punishmeut  on  ac- 
count of  some  real  or  pretended  injury  ? 

There  may,  in  this  respect,  be  cases  for  which  many  excuses  and  miti- 
gating circumstances  could  be  found  ;  for  example,  when  a  father  shoots 
the  seducer  of  his  daughter,  because  the  latter  refuses  to  give  the  only 
possible  satisfaction.  Regarded  from  a  moral  and  individual  standpoint, 
the  murdered  person  may  have  only  received  his  dues,  and  the  public  is 
only  too  easily  inclined  to  give  its  sympathies  to  the  murderer.  But  the 
law  judges  from  a  higher  than  a  merely  individual  standpoint.  To  pro- 
tect the  lives  of  all,  it  forbids  the  individual,  except  in  cases  of  self- 
defense,  to  take  the  life  of  any  person  for  any  reason  whatever.  It  has 
declared  an  intentional,  premeditated  killing  to  be  murder,  and,  in  the 
interest  of  all,  it  can  have  no  regard  for  the  motives  by  which  persons 
become  murderers. 

A  sad  case  of  this  kind  occurred  in  the  summer  of  1872.  A  certain 
K.  Bleakley  had  a  niece,  for  whom,  as  she  was  an  orphan,  he  acted  as 
guardian.  The  girl  went  astray,  and  at  last  gave  herself  up  to  a  life  of 
shame.  Bleakley,  who  loved  his  niece  dearly,  tried  remonstrances  and 
prayers  and  threats,  to  save  the  girl  from  the  life  of  shame  into  which 
she  seemed  to  be  falling.  She,  however,  remained  deaf  to  all  his  en- 
treaties, and  declared  that  she  would  do  as  she  pleased,  and  that  in  fu- 
ture he  should  keep  his  sermons  to  himself.  Bleakley,  almost  driven  to 
insanity  at  the  thought  of  his  niece's  dishonor,  determined  to  make  a 
last  attempt  to  save  her.  He  therefore  went  to  the  house  where  she 
stayed  and  again  tried  nis  whole  powers  of  persuasion.  But  in  vain. 
The  girl  found  so  much  pleasure  in  her  life  of  vice,  that  nothing  would 
induce  her  to  turn  back.  Then  Bleakley  drew  a  revolver  and  shot  her. 
Thus  he  had  saved  her  from  her  shame  in  the  manner  in  which,  in  his 
opinion,  was  the  only  possible  one.     But  the  courts  took  another  view  of 


7G2  BTOKDEBS    AND    SUICIDES. 

the  matter.     The  unfortunate  man  was  tried,  found  guilty,  and  sentenced 
to  twenty  years  in  the  State  Prison. 

Much  as  we  may  be  inclined  to  pity  the  man,  the  sentence  was  cer- 
tainly a  just  one,  and  only  becomes  hard  from  the  fact  that  other  mur- 
derers, who  were  led  by  much  less  excusable  motives,  have  escaped  en- 
tirely from  deserved  punishment,  or  at  most  with  merely  nominal  sen- 
tences. 

A  large  number  of  murders  are  committed  on  the  impulse  of  moment, 
in  consequence  of  a  quarrel,  or  of  drunkenness.  Such  murderers,  it  is 
true,  are  not  on  the  same  grade  as  the  highwaymen  who  commit  mur- 
der, but  they  are  therefore  no  less  dangerous  to  society.  To  the  victims 
it  does  not  make  much  difference  whether  they  were  killed  for  this  or 
that  reason.  Very  many  of  these  murders  would  not  have  been  com- 
mitted, and  great  misery  would  have  been  saved,  if  it  had  not  become  a 
kind  of  mania  to  carry  deadly  weapons.  Bowie  knives,  daggers,  and 
revolvers,  we  might  say,  are  among  the  toilet  articles  of  the  day,  and 
the  revolver  particularly  seems  to  have  become  as  indispensable  to  some 
as  a  watch. 

It  has  been  attempted  to  justify  the  carrying  of  weapons  by  the  exist- 
ing insecurity  of  life  and  property.  This  attempt,  however,  is  probably 
successful  in  a  few  cases  only,  while  in  general  the  carrying  of  weapons 
has  undoubtedly  caused  more  murders  than  it  has  prevented.  The  cases 
in  which  a  person  attacked  by  highwaymen  has  put  them  to  flight  by  his 
revolver,  are  so  rare  that  they  are  hardly  worth  mentioning.  Dozens  of 
persons,  however,  have  been  killed  because  persons  quarrelling  with 
them  have  made  use  of  weapons  simply  because  they  had  them  with, 
them.  It  is  unnecessary  to  say  how  quickly  a  knife  or  revolver  is  drawr 
by  a  person  under  the  influence  of  liquor.  Many  again  believe  that  they 
can  visit  places  with  the  revolver  in  their  pocket,  from  which  they  had 
better  stayed  away  in  the  interest  of  their  character  and  their  safety. 
They  thus  bring  themselves  into  a  position  to  be  forced  to  use  their 
weapons  against  others,  or  to  have  those  of  others  used  against  them- 
selves. Looked  at  from  this  point  of  view,  it  is  only  to  be  regretted  that 
the  laws  against  carrying  concealed  weapons  are  not  much  better  than  a 
dead  letter.  They  should  even  be  much  more  strict.  The  carrying  of 
weapons  by  such  persons  as  have  already  gained  a  notoriety  as  thieves, 
burglars,  etc.,  should  alone  suffice  to  send  them  for  years  to  prison.  The 
present  laws  affect  these  rascals  so  little  that  it  seems  as  if  honest  people 
only  had  been  forbidden  to  carry  weapons. 

Thus  we  see  that  the  faults  of  our  legislation  are  not  without  blame 
in  the  frequeucy  of  crimes  against  life  in  our  city.  This  goes  so  far  that 
the  death  penalty  exerts  a  demoralizing  influence  on  rude  characters. 
For  it  is  nothing  but  a  legalized  murder.  The  spirit  of  our  time  pro- 
tests against  it  with  justice,  and  it  could  be  abolished  without  any  danger 


li:.  LK    LIFE. 

w 
to  Bociety.      1  is   m     v        l  of  our  I'uiou  it   has   already  been 

with  suits. 

Ltfc   penalty  is  one 
reasons  that  it  is  so  difficult  to  convict  a  person  o! 

many  hive  escaped  with  light  or  no  punishment  at  all,  who  would  have 
been»  convicted  of  murder  if  the  aversion  against  the  death  penalty  had 
not  had  some  influence  on  the  jurors.  Without  the  death  penalty,  mur- 
der would  undoubtedly  be  punished  more  frequently  and  rapidly,  and  in  a 
more  suitable  manner,  than  it  is  at  present.  Its  abolition  would  cer- 
tainly have  to  be  preceded  by  a  limitation  ot  the  pardoning  power  and  a 
better  administration  of  the  prisons.  Fjr  until  recently  it  seemed  to  be 
the  rule  to  let  favorite  murderers  loose  on  society  by  means  of  the  clem- 
ency of  the  Executive,  as  soon  as  the  attention  of  the  publie  was  with- 
drawn from  them,  while  the  lack  of  watchfulness  of  the  prison  officials 
offered  very  little  security  for  the  safekeeping  of  prisoners.  The  prison 
should  be  as  inexorable  as  the  grave.  If  this  were  the  ease,  the  gallows 
could  be  put  aside  without  the  least  hesitation.  The  number  of  murders 
committed  every  year  would  be  sure  to  decrease,  if  the  legalized  murder 
— the  execution — were  abolished. 

Murder  has  a  no  less  terrible  companion,  suicide,  which  turns  the  mur- 
derous weapon  against  one's  own  life.  If  we  view  the  statistics  of  sui- 
eides,  we  are  forced  to  incline  to  the  belief  that  the  regardlessness  of 
one's  own  life  is  much  greater  in  our  city  than  that  of  the  lives  of  others. 
For  the  sixty-seven  murders  committed  in  the  year  1872.  there  were  more 
than  twice  as  many  suicides.  Among  these  50  were  Germans,  36  Amer- 
icans, 19  Irishmen,  while  the  other  nationalities  are  represented  on  the 
list  by  single  cases.  Nine  were  under  20  years  of  age,  36  bet  wetl- 
and 30  years,  40  between  30  and  40  years,  29  between  40  and  50  years,. 
20  between  50  and  60  ye^rs,  and  6  between  60  and  70  years. 

"We  see  from  these  figures  that  at  and  below  twenty  years,  when  life  is 
just  opening,  very  few  think  of  suicide.  Otherwise  it  is  in  the  spau 
from  twenty  to  forty  years,  when  life's  storms  have  already  done  much 
to  destroy  the  blossoms  of  hope,  which  promised  to  become  such  tine 
fruit.  The  pleasant  dreams  of  youth  are  past,  and  the  serious  reality, 
comes  with  its  demands  on  life.  The  inclination  for  suicide  increases 
gradually  during  this  time,  and  the  number  of  those  weak  persons  who, 
in  the  full  strength  of  life,  had  nothing  better  to  do  than  to  kill  them- 
selves, was  in  1872  not  less  than  76. 

At  forty  years  the  inclination  for  suicide  again  begins  to  decrease.  At 
that  time  man  has  begun  to  take  life  as  it  is.  He  has  attained  a  certain 
end,  even  if  it  is  not  the  one  he  strove  for.  Only  exceptionally  hard 
strokes  of  fortune,  long  sickness,  etc.,  seem  to  be  able  to  rob  him  of  all 
love  of  life,  so  that  he  is  willing  to  destroy  it.  The  number  of  suicides 
in  the  above  list,  therefore,  sunk  from  29  between  40  and  50  years,  to  20 


764  MURDERS    AND    SUICIDES. 

between  50  and  60  years.  Thos^  6  between  60  and  70  years,  who  were 
not  able  to  await  their  natural  end,  belong  to  the  same  class  of  pyscho- 
logical  riddle  as  those  9  who  sought  death  at  the  very  opening  of  their 
lives. 

With  regard  to  the  means  usel  by  the  suicides  to  end  their  lives,  we 
see  that  poison  seems  to  have  been  the  most  popular  in  the  year  1872, 
not  less  than  50  suicides  making  use  of  it.  Of  the  poisons,  Paris  green 
with  25  cases  was  the  favorite,  being  followed  by  the  narcotics  with  18 
cases,  while  prussic  acid  and  arsenic  were  used  by  others.  After  the 
poisons,  powder  and  ball  came  next  with  34  cases  ;  22  chose  the  rope, 
16  the  knife,  with- which  they  either  cut  their  throats  or  stabbed  them- 
selves in  the  breast,  while  13 — a  comparatively  small  number — sought 
death  by  drowning." 

This  latter  number  is  certainly  much  too  small.  It  only  contains  those 
of  whom  it  is  known  that  they  sought  death  in  the  water  of  their  own 
free  will.  But  the  219  persons  must  not  be  forgotten  who  were  recorded 
in  the  police  lists  as  "  found  drowned."  Many  of  these  were  undoubt- 
edly the  victims  of  criminals,  or  fell  into  tho  water  by  some  accident ; 
but  by  farthe  larger  number  are  probably  suicides,  who  by  a  leap  into 
the  water  accomplished  their  criminal  object. 

In  order  to  recognize  the  suicidal  mania  in  its  fullest  extent,  we  must 
not  forget  here  the  hundreds  of  attempts  at  suicide.  How  many  cases 
are  annually  reported  by  the  papers  in  which  suicide  was  attempted,  but 
the  persons  were  pulled  out  of  the  water  in  time,  or  in  which  the  skill  of 
a  physician  saved  them  from  the  effects  of  poison  or  the  ball.  How 
many  other  such  cases  may  have  occurred  which  never  came  to  the  no- 
tice of  the  public? 

Thus  one  year  can  serve  as  a  fair  sample  of  all  others.  If  there  is  a 
change  noticeable  at  all,  it  is  in  the  wrong  direction,  for  it  seems  as  if 
the  suicides  were  on  the  increase.  The  reason  of  this  increase  is  rather 
in  the  unnatural  relations  of  our  social  life,  than  in  the  inclinations  or 
casualties  happening  to  individual  persons.  For  it  would  be  a  great 
error  to  suppose  that  even  a  majority  of  suicides  had  been  caused  by 
really  great  misfortunes,  or  extreme  poverty. 

The  principal  causes  of  suicide  are  betrayed  love,  the  death  of  some 
loved  one,  misfortune  in  business,  quarrels  at  home,  want,  fear  of  public 
exposure,  incurable  diseases,  etc.  The  latter,  which  has  at  least  a 
shadow  of  excuse  in  its  favor,  is  probably  the  most  rare  case,  as  such 
patients  generaUy  cling  to  life  with  a  greater  tenacity,  the  less  desirable 
this  life  may  seem.  The  fear  of  exposure  and  shame  are,  at  least  among 
the  higher  classes,  a  very  exceptionable  reason  for  suicide.  It  is  a  no- 
ticeable fact  that  none  of  the  Tammany  Ring  swindlers  have  committed 
suicide,  and  our  cashiers  and  treasurers  caught  stealing  hundreds  of 
thousands  of  dollars,  bear  thoir  dishonor,  if  they  recognize  it  at  all,  like 


TIIK    DA1U    BIDK    OF    N'KW     YOliK    LIFE. 


7G6 


philosophers,  Hie  President  of  the  Brooklyn  Trust  Company,  who 
sought  his  death  in  the  ocean  at  Coney  Island,  is  the  only  example  in 
which  a  delinquent  officer  did  not  have  the  courage  to  survive  his  repu- 
tation. 

We  do  not  by  any  moans  wish  to  be  understood  as  if  we  considered 
suicide  a  reparation  for  any  dishonorable  deed.  But  in  such  cases  it  in- 
dicates the  presence  of  at  least  a  little  sense  of  honor,  although  it  mani- 
fests itself  in  the  wrong  direction.  It  would  be  much  more  mauly  and 
honorable  to  take  the  coasequenccs  of  a  wrong  action  upon  himself,  and, 
by  the  future  life,  atone  as  much  as  possible  for  the  misstep,  than  not 
only  to  let  the  innocent  family  bear  the  consequences  alone,  but  also  add 
to  their  shame  and  grief  by  a  cowardly  suicide.  Unfortunately  this  view 
of  the  matter  is  not  the  reason  that  suicides  among  our  defaulters  are  so 
scarce.  They  wisely  keep  alive,  not  to  restore  their  plunder,  but,  when 
the  storm  has  subsided  aud  the  public  becomes  forgetful,  to  be  able  to 
live  off  the  fruits  of  their  crime. 

Scarce  as  suicides  for  fear  of  shame  arc  among  the  higher  classes  of 
society,  it  often  happens  that  persous  in  the  humble  walks  of  life  quickly 
take  to  suicide  when  they  are  caught  in  an  act  which  threatens  to  dis- 
grace them.  A  recent  example  of  this  was  the  seducer  of  the  unfortu- 
nate Alice  Bowlesby,  who  shot  himself  when  he  found  his  name  brought 
in  connection  with  the  Iiozenwieg  trial. 

Misfortune  in  business  and  want  have  already  driven  many  to  commit 
suicide,  and  not  a  year  passes  which  does  not  contribute  examples  of  this 
kind.  The  most  frequent  motive  of  suicide  has  its  root  in  the  inner  life 
of  man.  Betrayed  love,  misfortunes  at  home,  the  death  of  some  loved 
one,  only  too  frequently  produce  such  a  state  of  mind  that  every  interest 
in  life  is  lost.  The  majority  of  suicides  can  be  easily  traced  back  tc 
this  source. 

But  there  are  also  suicides,  and  they  are  not  few  in  number,  which  are 
with  difficulty  traced  back  to  one  of  the  above-memioned  causes.  The 
suicides  possessed  everything  that  could  make  life  appear  desirable,  aud 
had  nothing  to  mourn  for  and  nothing  to  fear.  Iff  such  case3  it  was  a 
satiety  with  the  frivolous  pleasures  of  t.iis  world,  which  can  never  be  a 
satisfactory  object  of  lile.  Life  ueeds  a  more  stable  end,  and  nothing 
destroys  the  love  of  it  more  than  a  constant  grasping  alter  pleasures, 
which  end  iu  their  enjoyment,  without  satisfying  either  the  mind  or 
heart.  This  emptiness  of  the  mind  is  a  leading  feature  of  our  fashiona- 
ble circles,  aud  the  not  unfrequeut  suicides  among  them  probably  arise 
from  the  same. 

It  is  a  uoticeable  fact  that  a  large  number  of  prostitutes  annually  end 
their  lives  by  suicide.  Aud  if  it  could  be  excused  anywhere  it  would  be 
with  these  unfortunate  creatures,  who  upon  awaking  to  a  sense  of  their 
condition,  and  losing  faith  in  the  world  and  in  themselves,  full  of  despair 


766  lost   and    .v     -:::>    PERSONS, 

leap  into  the  water  or  poisoa  themselves,  as  the  shortest- way  out  of  their 
earthly  troubles.  With  very  few  exceptions,  suicide  is  such  an  unnatural 
deed  that  we  are  almost  forced  to  suppose  that  it  is  caused  by  temporary 
insanity.  This  is  a  point  upon  which  much  could  be  said  pro  and  con. 
The  insanity  theory  is  much  more  applicable  to  suicides  "than  to  mur- 
derers. For  it  is  well  known  that  certain  diseases  incline  a  person  to 
suicide,  and  even  an  hereditary  disposition  to  suicide  in  some  families 
cannot  be  denied. 

But  even  admitting  all  that  has  been  said,  it  cannot  be  denied  but  that 
education  and  mode  of  life  contribute  much  to  produce  that  state  of  mind 
which  ends' in  suicide.  In  this  respect  the  suicide  cannot  be  regarded  as 
morally  irresponsible  for  his  deed,  even  if  he  withdraws  himself  from 
legal  responsibility  by  it.  Morality  and  law  both  declare  suicide  to  be  a 
crime,  and,  while  the  ancients  regarded  it  as  a  sort  of  heroic  deed,  our 
more  refined  modern  view  stamps  it  as  an  act  of  cowardice.  Unfortu- 
nately our  social  organization  is  such  that  it  requires  for  thousands  much 
more  courage  to  live  than  it  does  to  exchange  this  life  for  the  life  to 
come.  As  long  as  our  social  conditions  in  this  respect  are  not  reformed, 
and  do  not  assume  a  more  natural  state,  all  reasons  of  philosophy,  mo- 
rality, and  religion  will  not  be  able  to  decrease  the  annual  number  of 
our  suicides. 


LOST  AND  MISSED  PERSONS. 

Perhaps  every  one  has  at  some  time  read  in  the  papers  of  persons  who 
had  left  their  residences  or  stores  for  a  short  walk,  and  who  had  never 
returned,  and  of  whom  nothing  was  ever  again  heard.  They  "were 
u  lost,"  and  their  fate  continued  to  remain  a  source  of  anxiety  to  their 
friends,  as  well  as  to  the  public  in  general.  The  police  put  such  "lost" 
persons  on  their  list  of  "  missed''  persons,  a  list  which  averages  over  700 
names  annually.  This  is  a  terribly  large  number,  which,  however,  ap- 
pears much  larger  than  it  actually  is.  For  these  700  include  all  that  are 
reported  to  the  police  during  the  year,  whether  they  make  their  appear 
ance  again  or  not.  Fortunately  the  latter  case  happens  more  frequently 
than  the  former. 

In   the  Police   Headquarters,  in   Mulberry   street,  there  is  an  office, 


Ti;.  SIDE    OF    NEW    rOBK    LIFE.  7G7 

who;  "  i  by  the  name  over  its  door,  "  Bureau  fur 

the  H  sons."     [f  anybo  ly  La  misa  -<\  by  his  frii  d  Is  for 

Buch  a  length  of  lime   i  to  arise   od   his   account,  the 

fad  is  report  id  to  thid  bureau.     A  clerk  enters  into  a  book  a  correct  de- 

rson,  as  well  as  the  nrhen  he  has  b  jeo  mi 

together  with  other  facts  which  may  aid  in  his  recovery,  and  the  police 
take  the  matter  in  hand.  The  description  is  first  compared  with  all 
those  received  from  the  %*  Morgue,"  that  part  of  the  Headquarters  in 
which  ner&ons  found  dead  in  the  city  are  placed  for  identification.  A 
look  iuto  the  Morgue  reports  frequently  enables  the  officers  to  recognize 
some  of  the  missed  persons,  and  the  mystery  has  its  equally  sad  and 
rapid  termination. 

If  this  is  not  the  case,  all  facts  which  might  aid  in  the  discovery  arc 
printed  aud  sent  to  all  the  police  stations  in  the  city.  It  very  frequently 
happens  that  persons  who  were  reported  to  the  police  as  "  missed,"  soon 
make  their  appearauce  again  in  a  maimer  in  which  is  anything  but  tra- 
gical or  romantic.  In  such  cases  very  few  care  to  report  the  fact  to  the 
police,  and  the  person  remains  on  the  list  of  missed  persons,  although  he 
has  long  since  got  over  the  effects  of  the  spree  which  caused  him  to  be 
iuvisible  to  his  friends  for  a  day  or  two. 

On  the  other  hand,  cases  are  not  wanting  in  which  lost  persons  have 
unexpectedly  made  their  appearance  again  after  a  short  time,  and  tried 
to  explain  their  absence  by  some  romantic  story,  while  in  reality  they 
had  committed  some  foolish  or  even  criminal  act,  from  the  consequences 
of  which  they  had  intended  to  escape  by  a  protracted  absence,  and  after 
their  return  tried  to  place  their  absence  in  the  best  possible'  light.  A 
strange  case  of  this  kind  happened  in  Brooklyn  during  the  year  1872, 
where  the  disappearance  of  two  girls  of  eleven  and  thirteen  years  re- 
spectively, created  much  anxiety.  After  three  days  they  returned  to 
their  homes,  and  told  the  following  story  in  explanation  of  their  short 
absence  : 

They  said  they  had  been  seized  in  the  streets,  and  forcibly  placed  iu  a 
wagon,  which  had  taken  them  to  New  York.  There  they  had  been 
taken  into  a  house,  where  indecent  proposals  had  been  made  to  them, 
which  however  they  had  stoutly  resisted.  They  had  then  been  tied  to- 
gether and  left  alone  in  the  house,  from  which  they  had  at  last  succeeded 
in  escaping. 

This  story,  however,  showed  the  lie  too  plainly  on  its  face  to  be  be- 
lieved. A  short  examination  sufficed  to  bring  out  the  truth.  The  eldest 
girl  w^as  possessed  of  a  great  desire  to  become  an  actress,  and  succeeded 
also  in  gaining  her  eleven-year-old  friend  for  this  project.  The  girls 
therefore  decided  to  leave  the  prosaic  houses  of  their  parents,  and  to  turn 
to  the  stage,  where  they  would  have  nothing  to  do  but  to  fly  about  in  sil- 
ver and  golden  dresses,  and  receive  bouquets   and  wreaths.     This  young 


768  LOST    AND    MISSED    PERSONS. 

art  enthusiast  had  also  the  means  at  her  command  to  execute  her  plans. 
Sbe  had  a  friend  in  New  York,  who  was  an  apprentice  in  some  shop 
during  the  day,  and  in  the  evening  occupied  the  influential  position  of 
supernumerary  in  Wallack's  Theatre.  This  friend  had  promised  her  to 
exert  his  whole  influence  to  procure  for  her  a  position  in  this  theatre. 
Thereupon  the  romantic  flight  to  New  York  had  been  undertaken,  as 
both  the  girls  feared,  aud  not  without  reason,  that  their  parents  would 
never  allow  them  to  bring  into  execution  this  wild  plan. 

But  in  New  York  a  sad  disappointment  awaited  them.  The  influence 
of  their  friend  did  not  reach  any  further  than  to  gain  for  them  the  privi- 
lege of  spending  a  few  days  around  the  theatre,  and  after  three  days 
nothing  remained  for  them  but  to  return  home.  But  once  there  punish- 
ment awaited  them,  and  so  this  little  abduction  story  was  invented. 

What  was  done  by  these  two  young  children  is  not  unfrequently  done 
by  older  girls,  only  in  these  cases  the  stories  are  a  little  more  plausible. 
Thus  in  the  summer  of  1872  a  young  and  pretty  factory  girl  had  disap- 
peared. After  a  short  time  she  returned  again.  But  where  had  she 
been?     About  this  she  told  the  following  story  : 

When  she  was  on  her  way  to  the  factory,  a  carriage  drove  rapidly  up, 
and,  before  she  was  aware  of  it,  she  was  lifted  into  it  by  strong  arms. 
A  cloth  around  her  mouth  had  prevented  her  from  crying  out,  and  they 
rapidly  drove  out  of  the  city  until  the  carriage  stopped  in  front  of  a 
brown  house.  Then  she  had  been  kindly  received  by  a  lady,  with  a  five- 
year-old  child.  She  was  given  nice  new  dresses,  and  she  was  ill-treated 
by  nobody ;  yet  she  made  use  of  the  second  night  to  escape. 

This  story  is  not  at  all  improbable,  but  it  was  rather  strange  that  the 
police  knew  of  no  brown  house  in  that  neighborhood,  nor  of  a  lady  with 
a  five-year-old  child  who  in  the  least  answered  the  description  given  by 
the  girl.  The  police,  therefore,  had  its  own  opinion  in  this  case,  and  be- 
lieved that  there  was  not  much  in  this  story.  In  most  cases,  in  fact,  the 
police  are  rather  inclined  to  explain  cases  of  absence  in  the  most  unro- 
maatic  and  matter-of-fact  way  possible,  and  to  begin  their  researches  on 
ihat  basis. 

If  any  business  man  has  disappeared,  the  first  thing  the  police  look 
after  is  whether  somebody's  money  or  wife  is  missing.  In  many  cases 
the  supposition  is  found  to  be  correct.  Girls  who  have  disappeared  they 
took  for  in  houses  of  prostitution,  in  spite  of  all  the  protestations  of  pa- 
rents, and  in  nine  cases  out  of  ten  the  girl  is  found  in  one  of  these  dens 
as  a  voluntary  inmate. 

A  prominent  example  of  this  kind  is  found  in  the  chapter  on  prostitu- 
tion. The  police  in  making  their  researches  act  upon  some  preconceived 
theory,  which  has  taught  them  to  consider  this  method  the  safest  one. 
That  which  suggests  itself  first  to  the  friends  of  the  missed  persons — 
murder  or  some  other  terrible  crime — the  police  think  of  last. 


TIIK     DAKK     B1D1    Of    NKW     YORK     UFK. 


'69 


Several  years  ago  a  lady  disappeared  from  Staten  Island.  All  efforts 
to  discover  her  were  in  vain.  Her  frieuds  at  last  were  forced  to  believe 
that  she  had  fallen  a  victim  to  some  terrible  crime.  Thus  two  months 
passed,  wheu  suddenly  a  letter  arrived  from  her  from  Italy,  which  ex- 
plained her  disappearance  in  the  most  natural  manner.  She  loved  a 
young  Italian,  and,  fearing  the  objections  of  her  parents,  she  had  secretly 
embarked  with  him  for  his  native  country.  This  love  affair  had  not 
been  suspected  even  by  the  lady's  most  intimate  friends,  and  no  one  had 
supposed  it  possible  that  matters  would  take  such  a  turu. 

Different  from  this  was  the  fate  of  a  gentleman,  who  was  known  as  an 
ardent  temperance  apostle.  One  fine  day  he  disappeared.  Nobody 
could  explain  his  disappearance,  and  terrible  rumors  of  murder  were 
whispered  about.  Everybody  but  the  police  believed  these  rumors.  The 
reputation  of  the  man  did  not  prevent  them  from  searching  for  him  in 
all  the  suspicious  establishments,  from  the  most  aristocratic  brothel  down 
to  the  lowest  dance-house.  And  at  last  he  was  found  !  He  had  caused 
himself  to  disappear  that  he  might  go  on  a  spree  in  an  obscure  gin-mill, 
where  he  was  sure  that  no  one  would  recognize  in  him  the  great  temper- 
ance lecturer.  This  spree  lasted  a  full  week,  curing  which  time  every 
trace  of  him  seemed  to  have  been  lost.  Even  the  police  would  probably 
not  have  found  him  if  he  had  not  used  up  all  his  money,  wheu  the  pro- 
prietor of  the  gin-mill  had  put  him  out  of  doors  in  a  beastly  state  of  in- 
toxication. There  he  remained  until  he  was  picked  up  by  an  officer,  and 
was  brought  to  the  station-house,  where,  to  everybody's  astonishment,  he 
was  recognized  as  the  celebrated  temperance  apostle. 

After  such  and  similar  experiences,  we  need  not  wonder  that  the 
police  do  not  hasten  to  look  upon  the  disappearance  of  persons  in  a  tra- 
gic or  romantic  light.  Many  persons  of  a  previously  untarnished  repu- 
tation had  already  disappeared,  and,  according  to  prevailing  ideas,  had 
been  supposed  to  have  been  murdered.  After  some  time,  however,  it 
was  found  that  these  persoifc  had  committed  some  fraud,  and,  fearing 
their  discovery,  had  taken  to  their  heels. 

In  November,  1872,  such  a  case  caused  not  a  little  excitement  in  the 
city.  A  merchant  from  Louisville,  who  was  stopping  at  the  Broadway 
House,  had  left  that  place  one  afternoon  on  the  pretence  of  going  away 
on  business.  He  did  not  return,  and  all  that  was  heard  of  him  after 
that  was  that  he  had  been  seen  on  Canal  and  Mercer  streets,  in  the  com- 
pany of  two  other  gentleman.  No  other  trace  of  him  could  be  fouud, 
and,  as  usual,  the  public  spoke  of  some  terrible  murder  as  the  cause  of 
the  disappearance.  The  fact  that  he  had  collected,  shortly  before  his 
disappearance,  $5,000  for  some  Louisville  house,  only  gave  some  further 
color  to  these  reports,  as  it  was  supposed  that  it  had  come  to  the  ears  of 
some  scoundrels,  who  had  murdered  and  robbed  him.  But  further  in- 
vestigations brought  out  some  facts  which  completelv  upset  this  murder 

49 


770  LOST   AND    MISSED    PERSONS. 

theory.  He  had  been  considered  wealthy,  as,  according  to  his-  state- 
ments, he  had  deposited  a  casket,  with  valuable  papers,  to  the  amouut 
of  $25,000,  in  a  Louisville  bank.  In  the  supposition  that  some  papers 
could  be  found  in  this  box  which  would  furnish  some  clues  for  further 
investigations,  it  was  opened.  Instead  of  important  documents,  obliga- 
tions, and  other  valuables,  the  box  contained  nothing  but  useless  paper. 
This  discovery,  taken  together  with  the  fact  of  his  disappearance  imme- 
diately after  the  collection  of  moneys  not  belonging  to  him,  put  a  stop  to 
all  the  talk  in  the  papers  about  murder.  Similar  reasons  might  be  found 
for  the  disappearance  of  many  others  who  cannot  be  found,  and  a  large 
number  of  "  missed "  persons  in  our  city  had  better  therefore  be  put 
among  the  defaulters. 

The  case  is  also  possible  that  somebody  may  be  kept  from  home  by 
sudden  sickness,  without  being  able  to  communicate  with  his  friends. 
Thus  in  August,  1872,  a  woman  was  sunstruck  and  taken  into  a  house 
where  she  was  cared  for.  Her  friends  thought  all  the  time  that  she  had 
been  the  victim  of  some  crime. 

But  unfortunately  not  all  missed  persons  are  found  again.  Many  are 
only  found  as  corpses ;  others,  and  these  are  the  saddest  cases  for  their 
friends,  are  not  found  at  all.  It  very  often  happens  also  that  a  corpse  is 
found,  but  in  a  condition  that  makes  its  identification  impossible.  This 
not  unfrequently  happens  in  midsummer,  when  strangers  are  liable  to  be 
sunstruck.  The  features  of  those  who  have  died  of  this  disease  are  dis- 
torted and  discolored  in  such  a  manner  that  the  best  friends  of  the  victim 
would  not  recognize  him  again.  If  the  dead  man,  therefore,  cannot  be 
recognized  by  his  clothing,  or  some  other  article  on  his  person,  an  iden- 
tification is  all  the  more  out  of  the  question  as  rapid  decay  necessitates  a 
quick  burial.  It  is  equally  difficult  to  recognize  a  corpse  which  has  been 
for  some  time  in  the  water.  < 

In  strange  contrast  to  those  in  which  no  identification  is  poSsibley  are 
those  in  which  the  corpse  is  recognized  evefc  in  the  smallest  details,  atfd 
the  dead  person  soon  makes  his  appearance  again. 

Only  in  June,  1873,  the  corpse  of  a  young  man  waS  found  in  the  East 
River,  who  to  all  appearances  had  committed  suicide.  A  carpet-bag 
containing  four  flat-irons  was  fastened  to  his  left  wrist  The  face  of  the 
corpse  was  disfigured  as  if  by  blows  with  a  dull  instrument,  and  a  pistol 
wound  was  seen  on  his  temple.  The  corpse  was  completely  dressed.  Af- 
ter examination  the  coroner  declared  it  to  be  a  case  of  suicide,  and  said, 
in  confirmation  of  this  supposition,  that  the  dead  man  had  tied  the 
carpet-bag  to  his  hand  and  had  stepped  into  the  water,  shot  himself,  and, 
having  dropped  beneath  the  surface,  was  drowned. 

The  corpse  was  brought  to  the  Morgue,  and  a  number  of  women 
whose  husbands  had  disappeared,  visited  the  body.  Three  of  them  were 
pretty  sure  that  it  was  the  body  of  their  husband.     A  Mr.  Diehl,  of 


THE    DARK    SIDK    OP    NEW    YORK    LIKE.  771 

Williamsburgh,  thought  it  to  be  the  body  of  his  brother,  Charles  Diehl, 
•who  had  not  been  heard  from  since  October,  1872.  He  identified  the 
body  by  several  marks  ;  for  example,  a  scar  on  the  upper  lip,  a  wound 
on  lhe  leg,  and  a  scar  which  was  the  result  of  a  surgical  operation.  Af- 
ter the  mother-in-law  of  Charles  Diehl,  as  well  as  a  friend  of  the  family, 
had  also  recognized  the  corpse  by  the  same  marks,  as  well  as  by  its  gen- 
eral appearauce,  the  coroner  certified  that  the  body  was  that  of  Charles 
Diehl,  of  Williamsburgh.  The  friends  took  charge  of  the  body,  which 
was  temporarily  placed  in  the  vaults  in  the  Cypress  Hill  Cemetery.  As 
the  corpse  had  been  identified  as  that  of  Charles  Diehl,  the  next  thing  to 
determine  was,  where  the  latter  had  been  shortly  before  his  death.  Upon 
inquiry  it  was  found  that  his  family  had  last  heard  from  him  in  a  letter 
from  Key  West,  dated  October  18,  1872,  where  he  had  been  on  board 
the  revenue-cutter  Northerner. 

A  letter  was  therefore  written  to  the  Treasury  Department,  the  answer 
from  which,  dated  June  26,  stated  that  he  was  still  on  board  the  North- 
erner in  the  last  days  of  May.  Thereupon  further  inquiries  were  insti- 
tuted in  Key  West,  the  result  of  which  was  that  a  letter  from  Charles 
Diehl  himself  arrived,  stating  that  he  was  alive  and  well,  and  had  neither 
committed  or  contemplated  suicide.  It  was  now  pretty  clear  that  the 
body  was  not  that  of  Charles  Diehl,  but  whose  it  was  has  never  been  as- 
certained. 

A  still  stranger  case,  in  which  an  innocent  man  was  nearly  hung  by 
false  identification,  occurred  in  1851.  The  case  only  concerns  our  city 
in  so  far  as  the  suspected  murderer  had  been  arrested  here.  The  case 
was  as  follows  : 

In  Seakonk,  a  town  on  the  coast  of  Rhode  Island,  a  Captain  John 
Buckson,  owner  of  a  fine  sloop,  had  lived  for  many  years.  He  traded 
in  his  sloop  between  Providence  and  Norfolk,  Virginia.  He  was  fifty 
years  old,  well  off,  and  was  known  as  a  good-hearted  old  man,  loved  by 
all  who  knew  him.  He  was  at  peace  wiih  all  the  world,  excepting  his 
wife  Nancy.  She  was  young,  nervous,  and  irritable,  and,  in  spite  of 
her  many  good  qualities,  she  was  little  fitted  for  him,  and  the  quiet  sea- 
man very  frequently  served  as  a  kind  of  conductor  for  her  nervous  at- 
tacks, which  generally  manifested  themselves  in  unjust  reproaches.  On 
such  occasions  he  generally  bore  his  part  with  quiet  resignation,  yet  the 
state  of  affairs  in  the  family  was  pretty  well  known  among  the  neigh- 
bors. 

One  evening  in  July,  1851,  Nancy's  tongue  was  heard  still  louder  than 
usual.  This  caused  one  of  the  neighbors,  who  happened  to  be  passing 
by,  to  look  in.  What  he  saw  there  plainly  showed  that  Captain  John 
had  for  once  lost  his  equanimity;  for,  as  he  stood  before  his  wife,  he 
was  the  picture  of  a  man  barely  restraining  his  rage.  The  accidental 
witness  of  this  scene  did  not  hear  what  Buckson  said,  but,  judging  from 


772  LOST    AND    MISSED    PERSONS. 

his  features,  it  must  necessarily  have  been  something  very  serious  and 
severe.  His  hands  also,  which  were  nervously  twitching  a  whip-rope , 
plainly  showed  his  great  excitement.  This  scene,  although  it  did  not 
remain  a  secret,  caused  no  wonder  in  the  town.  No  one  thought  of  any- 
thing wrong  when  the  house  of  Buckson  remained  closed  the  following 
morning.  All  thought  that  the  captain  had  gone  to  Providence,  and  his 
wife  as  usual  to  some  of  her  friends  in  the  neighborhood. 

Back  of  the  town  there  was  a  beautiful  forest,  with  small  plots  of 
open  ground  here  and  there.  In  these  plots  the  children  of  the  town 
were  wont  to  gather  blackberries.  One  day  a  party  of  children  had 
ventured  further  than  usual  into  the  woods,  and  were  about  to  retrace 
their  steps,  when  a  little  dog  which  they  had  with  them  suddenly  stopped, 
and,  with  much  barking  and  howling,  began  to  tear  up  the  ground.  The 
children  tried  in  vain  to  get  the  dog  away,  but  he  would  always  run 
back  to  that  spot.  When  the  children,  whose  curiosity  was  now  fully 
aroused,  came  to  look  at  the  spot  more  closely,  they  saw,  to  their  horror, 
a  human  hand  and  a  pale  face  protruding  from  the  ground.  With  a  cry 
of  terror  they  threw  down  their  baskets  and  ran  home.  There  they 
created  the  greatest  excitement  by  relating  their  story. 

After  considerable  discussion  as  to  what  should  be  done  in  the  matter* 
all  the  men  in  the  town,  headed  by  the  squire  with  a  lantern,  went  out 
to  the  scene  of  the  horrible  discovery.  Some  of  the  more  courageous 
children  served  as  guides.  The  howling  of  the  dog  could  be  heard 
through  the  stillness  of  the  night  long  before  the  spot  was  reached,  and 
served  to  guide  them  there.  At  last  they  arrived.  The  squire  knelt 
down,  wiped  the  damp  earth  from  the  face  of  the  corpse,  and  allowed 
the  full  flare  of  his  lantern  to  fall  upon  it. 

"  It  is  Nancy  Buckson  !"  he  cried  out,  starting  back  with  a  cry  of 
horror ;  and  very  little  more  and  his  words  would  have  caused  a  general 
stampede  among  his  companions. 

But  they  soon  rallied,  and,  removing  a  few  shovelsfull  of  earth,  ex- 
posed the  corpse.  All  now  looked  at  it,  and  all  were  of  the  opinion  that 
it  could  be  no  one  but  Nancy  Buckson.  A  blue,  swollen  mark  was  seen 
around  her  neck,  which  plainly  showed  that  she  had  died  by  strangula- 
tion. Another  strange  circumstance  was  that  the  body  was  covered  with 
chloride  of  lime,  which  could  have  had  no  other  object  than  to  hasten 
decay,  and  thus  destroy  every  vestige  of  the  crime. 

Now  the  above-mentioned  quarrel  suddenly  assumed  a  very  serious 
meaning,  and  it  seemed  clear  to  everyone  that  the  whip-cord  had  become 
a  murderous  weapon  in  the  hands  of  the  enraged  captain.  The  body 
was  placed  on  a  litter  made  of  branches  of  trees,  and  was  carried  to  the 
village.  Upon  its  arrival,  the  female  portion  of  the  community  also 
crowded  around  it,  and  not  only  recognized  it  as  Nancy  herself,  but  also 
identified  her  earrings.     When  furthermore  a  cord  was  found  in  Buck- 


TUK    DA  UK     «U1>K    OF    NEW    YORK    LIKK. 


77.) 


son's  house,  and  a  large  quantity  of  chloride  of  lime  in  the  cellar,  there 
was  probably  not  a  single  person  in  all  of  Seakonk  who  doubted  Captain 
John's  guilt. 

A  requisition  for  his  arrest  was  obtained,  and  an  officer  sent  with  it  to 
New  York,  where  it  was  thought  that  Captain  John  might  have  just 
arrived.  Upon  the  arrival  of  the  officer  in  the  city,  he  found  that  the 
sloop  had  arrived  before  him,  and  the  police,  to  whom  he  had  applied, 
immediately  proceeded  to  arrest  the  captain.  The  latter  was  sitting  in- 
dolently on  board  his  sloop,  and  hardly  took  any  notice  of  Police-Captaiu 
Leonard,  who  had  been  entrusted  with  this  work.  Only  when  the  latter 
declared  that  he  had  come  to  arrest  him,  he  said  in  a  tone  expressing 
more  wonder  than  fear  : 

"Arrest !     For  what?" 

The  answer  to  this  question  was  short  and  to  the  point :  "  For  the 
murder  of  your  wife." 

"  What !  Murder  of  my  wife  !  Squire,  that  can't  be  ;  my  wife  isn't 
dead !" 

"  Yes,  she  is — strangled  with  a  cord." 

Upon  this  Buckson  arose,  and,  looking  the  officer  steadily  in  the  face, 
said,  in  a  slow  and  solemn  tone  : 

"  Squire,  if  Nancy's  dead,  I  don't  know  it.  I  quarrelled  with  her  the 
night  I  left,  and  gave  her  a  piece  of  my  mind  ;  but  God  is  my  witness 
that  I  didn't  put  a  hand  on  her !" 

After  these  words,  he  quietly  went  with  the  officer  to  the  police  head- 
quarters. From  there  he  was  taken  to  Seakonk.  Upon  arriving  there 
&  bitter  feeling  was  manifested  against  the  prisoner  on  the  part  of  his 
townspeople.  An  excited  mob  followed  him  on  his  way  to  prison  with 
threats  and  insults,  and  seemed  inclined  to  tear  him  to  pieces.  Buckson 
bore  all  this  quietly.  But  this  calmness  was,  in  the  eyes  of  the  mob, 
only  a  sign  of  his  total  depravity,  and  all  said  that  they  had  never  seen 
.such  a  hardened  criminal. 

The  grand  jury,  which  considered  his  case  in  due  time,  indicted  him 
for  the  murder  of  Nancy  Buckson.  When  told  of  this  he  only  said : 
"  God's  will  be  done  !" 

His  perfect  resignation  had  in  the  meantime  had  some  effect  on  the 
jailor's  heart,  and  he  asked  him  whether  he  did  not  wish  to  engage  coun- 
sel to  defend  him  at  his  coming  trial. 

This  first  sign  of  sympathy  caused  Buckson*  s  face  to  brighten  up  a 
little,  but  he  simply  answered  :  "  I  thank  you,  my  friend  ;  but  I  don't 
need  a  lawyer.  God  knows  I  am  innocent  of  this  crime,  and  He  will 
prove  it  in  His  own  good  time." 

The  day  of  trial  was  rapidly  approaching,  when  the  village  was  again 
surprised  by  some  news  which  filled  the  inhabitants  with  terror.  One 
morning  when  the  mail-coach  arrived,  a  figure  stepped  out   of  it  which 


774  LOST    AND    MISSED    PERSONS. 

the  people  standing  around  took  to  be  the  ghost  of  the  murdered  Nancy ~ 
This  figure  went  up  the  street  which  led  to  the  former  place  of  abode  of 
the  Bucksons,  and  on  its  way  nodded  to  several  persons,  and  even  tried 
to  pat  a  child  on  the  head.  But  her  words  were  not  returned,  and  the 
child  ran  off  crying.  It  was  a  persistent  ghost,  for  it  walked  on  until  it 
reached  the  gate  of  the  Buckson  property,  which  had  in  the  meantime 
been  nailed  up.  And  when  the  figure,  which  until  now  had  been  mute,, 
found  that  the  pigs  were  rooting  up  the  garden,  it  also  found  its  tongue? 
and  burst  out  with — 

u  That  John  Buckson  will  be  the  death  of  me  !  Just  see  how  he  lets 
these  pesky  pigs  root  up  things  !" 

It  was  Nancy  Buckson  herself.  A  more  convincing  proof  of  Captain 
John's  innocence  could  not  be  demanded,  and  he  was  immediately  dis- 
charged. But  how  was  this  mystery  explained,  in  consequence  of  which 
Buckson  was  to  have  been  tried,  and  for  which  he  probably  would  have 
been  hung? 

On  the  evening  when  he  had  the  quarrel  with  his  wife,  he  left  the 
house  to  go  in  his  sloop  to  Providence,  while  his  wife,  angry  at  his  first 
cross  words,  also  left  the  house  on  the  same  night,  and  had  gone  on 
foot  to  the  next  station,  and  thence  had  went  by  railroad  to  some  of  her 
relatives  in  Maine.  Her  absence  was  not  noticed  until  the  corpse  was 
found  in  the  woods,  and  which  was  recognized  by  all  her  friends  as  her 
own  ;  while  she  heard  nothing  in  Maine  of  the  murder,  nor  of  the  terri- 
ble position  in  which  her  husband  had  been  placed  by  her  absence,  and 
the  discovery  of  that  corpse. 

But  who  was  the  murdered  woman,  whose  body  had  been  mistaken 
for  that  of  Nancy  Buckson?  The  cord  with  which  she  had  been 
strangled  was  the  same  which  Captain  John  had  had  in  his  hand  on  the 
night  of  the  quarrel  with  his  wife  ;  the  clothes  which  the  woman  had  on 
were  those  of  Mrs.  Buckson ;  the  chloride  of  lime  was  out  of  Buckson's 
cellar — and  yet  the  murdered  woman  was  not  Mrs.  Buckson,  who  was 
alive  and  well.     Who  then  was  the  murdered  woman  ? 

This  mystery  has  never  been  solved.  Only  suppositions  can  be  made 
with  regard  to  it.  Everything  in  the  house  seemed  to  prove  that,  on  the 
night  of  the  murder,  some  thieves  had  entered  the  house,  and,  having 
found  it  empty,  plundered  it  at  their  leisure.  Some  female  clothing,  af- 
terwards found  in  an  old  well,  made  it  probable  that  there  was  a  woman 
among  the  thieves.  This  one  had  probably  improved  the  opportunity  to 
supply  herself  from  Mrs.  Buckson's  wardrobe,  and  to  make  use  of  Mrs. 
Buckson's  jewelry.  They  may  have  then  quarrelled  over  the  spoils,  and 
the  woman  was  put  out  of  the  way.  But  who  this  woman  was,  and 
who  were  her  companions  on  that  fatal  night,  has  never  beea  discovered 
to  this  day. 

The  following  case  is  still  stranger : 


THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE.  775 

v 

On  a  beautiful  spring  morning  in  the  year  18G1,  a  barrel  of  tar  which 
had  lain  on  one  of  the  Jersey  City  docks  was  found  missing,  and  the 
watchman,  who  had  the  care  of  the  goods  stowed  away  there,  supposed 
that  it  had  been  stolen  by  river  thieves.  The  day  before,  a  certain  Ada 
Ricard,  a  woman  of  questionable  morals,  but  of  great  beauty,  who  led 
an  unsteady  life,  and  stopped  in  a  New  York  hotel,  had  left  it  without 
saying  where  she  was  going,  or  even  that  she  was  going  away  at  all. 
A  few  days  after  these  two  simultaneous  events,  the  same  watchman  was 
standing  on  the  end  of  the  dock  during  low  tide,  and  was  looking  on  the 
Hudson,  when  his  attention  was  caught  by  a  human  foot,  which  protru- 
ded above  the  water.  As  the  corpses  of  drowned  persons  never  float  in 
this  manner,  this  seemed  doubly  strange  to  him.  He  went  for  help,  and 
then  the  body  was  pulled  out  of  the  water.  But  it  seemed  very  heavy, 
and,  being  hauled  on  shore,  it  was  found  that  the  missing  barrel  of  tar 
was  fastened  to  the  waist ;  its  mouth  was  gagged  ; — and  both  these  facts 
were  positive  proof  that  this  was  a  case  of  murder.  When  the 
corpse  was  inspected  on  the  dock,  it  was  found  that,  although  it  must 
have  been  in  the  water  for  some  time,  it  was  still  very  well  preserved. 
It  was  the  body  of  a  woman  only  covered  by  a  fine  linen  shirt, 
and  with  only  one  stocking,  which,  although  it  exactly  fitted  the  very 
largely  developed  leg,  was  still  two  sizes  too  large  for  the  foot.  The  fea- 
tures and  whole  body  were  very  beautiful.  On  one  leg  there  was  a  scar 
from  an  old  wound,  but  otherwise  there  was  not  a  trace  of  a  crime  to  be 
seen. 

After  the  coroner's  inquest,  the  body  was  buried,  the  head  having  first 
been  severed  from  it.  The  head  was  placed  in  alcohol,  and  preserved  in 
the  office  of  the  city  physician,  in  the  hopes  that  the  identity  of  the  dead 
woman  might  thus  be  ascertained  at  some  future  time,  and  that  her  mur- 
derer might  receive  his  merited  punishment. 

Both  the  New  York  and  New  Jersey  police  took  great  interest  in  this 
case,  but  it  remained  completely  in  the  dark,  for  it  seemed  as  if  no  one 
had  ever  seen  this  woman.  Nothing  remained,  therefore,  for  them  but 
to  wait  for  something  to  turn  up. 

At  last  chance  brought  about  the  identification.  A  gentleman  who 
accidentally  saw  the  head,  immediately  declared  it  to  be  that  of  a  certain 
Ada  Ricard,  with  whom  he  had  been  intimately  acquainted  for  over  two 
years.  The  detectives  took  hold  of  the  matter,  and  ascertained  that  the 
disappearance  of  Ada  Ricard  and  the  barrel  of  tar  were  simultane- 
ous events.  It  w^s  furthermore  found  that  since  that  time  Ada 
Ricard  had  not  been  seen  in  New  York,  while  all  researches  of  the  police 
for  this  woman  in  other  cities  were  also  failures.  So  the  only  clues  in 
the  research  were  a  woman  bad  disappeared,  and  a  dead  body  had  heeu 
found,  and  it  was  to  be  hoped  that  the  matter  would  soon  be  brought  to 
an  end  now.     The  next  step  to  be  taken  now  was  to  establish  the  iden- 


776  LOST    AND    MISSED    PERSONS. 

tity  of  (he  dead  body  by  the  persons  who  had  known  her  well,  and  the 
detectives  at  last  succeeded  in  discovering  the  supposed  husband  of  the 
dead  woman,  a  certain  Charles  Ricard.  He  had  not  lived  with  her  for 
some  time,  and  had  neither  seen  nor  heard  anything  of  her  for  several 
months  ;  but  his  recollection  of  her  person  was  still  perfect,  and  he  gave 
a  minute  description  of  her  whole  body.  He  remembered  that  she  had 
insisted  upon  weariDg  a  very  heavy  pair  of  earrings  until  one  ear  had 
been  slit  completely,  and  the  other  partially  so,  and  that  therefore  new 
holes  had  to  be  pierced  in  both  ears,  and  that  too  very  high  up.  He  had 
always  regretted  that  her  very  fine  set  of  teeth  had  been  marred  by  the 
loss  of  a  tooth  on  the  left  side,  and  described  how  she  had  come  by  a 
wound  on  her  left  leg,  of  which  the  scar  could  still  be  seen  ;  and  he  also 
described  the  exact  position  of  the  wound.  He  spoke  with  considerable 
pride  of  the  extraordinary  development  of  her  limb,  and  that  she  had  to 
wear  stockings  too  large  for  her  feet.  He  gave  a  general  description  of 
her  person  with  regard  to  hair,  features,  height,  and  weight.  All  these 
statements  were  considered  especially  valuable,  because  they  were  so 
very  minute. 

The  statements  he  had  givon  were  carefully  compared  with  those  noted 
down  at  the  coroners  inquest,  and  they  were  found  to  correspond  exactly 
with  the  exception  of  the  one  about  the  tooth,  for  in  the  head  of  the 
woman  there  were  two  teeth  missing,  one  on  each  side  of  the  mouth. 
But  as  this  may  have  been  caused  by  a  struggle,  the  physician  examined 
the  head,  and  found  the  tooth  still  hanging  to  the  gum,  and,  having 
pushed  the  tooth  back  into  its  place,  the  head  of  Ada  Ricard  was  per- 
fect there  before  them,  as  described  by  her  husband.  When  he  had 
given  the  description  of  his  wife,  he  had  had  no  idea  that  her  dead  body 
had  been  found,  nor  even  that  she  was  no  longer  among  the  living.  He 
was  taken  to  Jersey  City,  and  there  suddenly  confronted  with  the  head. 
He  sunk  into  a  chair  as  if  struck  by  palsy. 

The  detectives  also  succeeded  in  producing  other  persons  who  had 
known  Ada  Ricard  ;  among  them  her  hair-dresser,  who  had  waited  upon 
her  for  several  months  previous  to  her  disappearance,  and  he,  as  well  as 
others,  confirmed  the  statement  that  it  was  the  head  of  Ada  Ricard. 
Thus  the  identity  of  the  murdered  woman  seemed  to  be  established  be- 
yond a  doubt. 

The  next  thing  was  to  clear  up  the  mystery  of  her  death.  The  detec- 
tives collected  every  fact  they  could  obtain  of  the  life  of  Ada  Ricard, 
to  glean  from  it  some  clue  that  would  lead  to  the  detection  of  her  mur- 
derder,  when  they  were  suddenly  baffled  again.  Ada  Ricard  arrived 
alive  and  well  at  a  New  York  hotel. 

The  explanation  was  very  simple.  When  she  had  left  the  hotel  on 
that  memorable  day,  she  had  suddenly  taken  a  fancy  to  go  to  New  Or- 
leans.    But  on  her  arrival  she  found  the  city  occupied  by  Gen.   Sutler's 


THE    DAKK    91 DB    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE.  777 

troops,  and  had  therefore  returned.  The  head  of  the  dead  woman  now 
became  a  still  greater  mystery.  The  astonished  detectives  looked  at  it 
in  wouder,  and  6ent  descriptions  of  it  throughout  the  entire  length  and 
breadth  of  the  United  States. 

It  was  at  last  seen  by  a  Mrs.  Callahan,  who  lived  in  Boston,  and  who 
was  searching  for  her  fallen  daughter.  The  identification  was  as  specific 
as  before,  and  the  authorities,  glad  to  get  rid  of  the  matter,  gave  her 
permission  to  bury  the  body  in  Boston.  But  before  all  the  arrange- 
ments had  been  made  to  transport  the  body,  Mrs.  Callahan  received  a 
letter  from  her  daughter  in  Bellevue  Hospital ;  and  thus  the  head  was 
again  surrounded  by  deep  mystery. 

And  this  mystery  has  remained  unsolved  to  the  present  day.  The 
body  found  showed  that  a  murder  had  been  committed  upon  an  extremely 
beautiful  woman  in  the  bloom  of  youth,  and  belonging  to  the  better 
classes.  That  is  all  that  is  known.  Her  name,  her  station,  and  her  his- 
tory will  in  all  probability  remain  shrouded  in  mystery  forever. 

In  the  chapter  on  prostitution  we  have  given  several  cases  in  which 
innocent  girls  have  been  dragged  to  houses  of  prostitution.  These  cases 
very  frequently  furnish  the  means  of  solving  these  riddles.  For  houses 
who  do  not  hesitate  to  commit  such  an  act  of  kidnapping,  would  also 
unhesitatingly  employ  murder  if  necessary.  Such  eveuts  do  not  belong 
to  romance,  although  they  sound  very  much  like  it. 

In  the  year  1871,  the  New  York  Tribune,  a  pnper  not  addicted  to 
sensationalism,  published  the  following  : 

Miss  N.,  the  seventeen-year-old  daughter  of  a  highly  respectable  fa- 
mily, had  been  out  on  a  visit,  on  the  night  of  the  2d  of  August,  to  some 
friends  in  Lexington  avenue.  While  returning  home,  two  well-dressed 
ladies  stepped  up  to  her  and  asked  her  for  the  address  of  a  family  in  the 
.neighborhood.  While  speaking  to  these  women,  she  felt  a  cloth  put 
to  her  face,  the  sweet  scent  of  which  immediately  stupefied  her.  When 
she  recovered  her  senses,  she  fouud  herself  in  an  elegantly  fitted  up 
room,  the  doors  and  windows  of  which  were  tightly  closed.  All  cries  of 
the  poor  girl  were  in  vain,  and  her  excitement  soon  rose  to  such  a  pitch 
that  her  strength  gave  out  and  she  fainted  away.  Awaking  from  her 
swoon,  she  found  herself  in  bed  with  one  of  these  ladies. 

All  questions  as  to  how  she  had  come  there,  and  all  her  demands  to 
be  released,  were  in  vain.  The  unknown  seemed  only  to  try  and  quiet 
her  with  the  assurance  that  no  harm  would  come  to  her  if  she  kept  still. 
The  girl  passed  the  night  in  a  terrible  state  of  fear.  In  the  morning  a 
negress  entered  the  room,  and  brought  her  some  breakfast.  The  con- 
duct of  this  negress  showed  that  she  felt  pity  for  the  poor  girl.  Miss  N. 
therefore  tried  to  persuade  her  to  help  her  to  escape  from  the  house. 
She  succeeded  in  this  very  easily,  as  the  colored  woman  promised  to  get 
.her  out  of  the  house  at  the  first  opportunity. 


778  O.OST    AND    MISSED    PERSONS. 

Having  been  calmed  down  a  little  by  this  assurance,  she  began  to  look 
about  a  little.  The  discovery  she  made  during  this  search  tended  to  fill 
her  anew  with  terror  and  alarm.  In  a  drawer  she  found  the  following 
letter,'  all  crumpled  up  : 

"  Mrs.  R :  I  have  paid  you  the  $4,000  ;  when  will  you  bring  me 

the  blondine  ?     Do  not  think  that  I  will  te  cheated  by  you ! 

(Signed)  "  Sixty-second  Street." 

She  had  hardly  time  to  collect  herself  when  the  unknown  lady  again 
entered  the  room.  She  was  very  friendly,  and  in  a  kind  tone  reproached 
the  girl  for  feeling  any  fear,  and  thus  destroying  her  beauty.  She  also 
asked  her  to  dress  herself,  as  she  was  to  receive  the  company  of  a  gen- 
tleman that  evening,  who  would  feel  overjoyed  to  contribute  to  her  hap- 
piness. 

The  unfortunate  girl  did  her  utmost  to  deceive  the  woman.  She  suc- 
ceeded in  this,  and  in  consequence  was  allowed  greater  freedom  than  she 
had  enjoyed  until  then.  This,  together  with  the  assistance  of  the  ne- 
gress,  enabled  her  to  get  into  the  street,  where  she  ran  about  wildly. 
She  at  last  met  a  policeman,  who  told  her  where  she  was,  after  which 
she  soon  reached  her  parents'  home. 

The  "missed"  girl  had  in  this  case  been  found  again  by  her  parents. 
But  what  if  chance  had  not  come  to  her  assistance,  and  she  had  given  her- 
self up  to  a  life  of  shame  ?  A  sick  bed  probably  would  have  been  her 
fate,  from  which  she  would  never  again  have  arisen.  In  that  event  it 
is  probable  that  her  name  would  probably  have  figured  on  the  list  of 
"  Lost  and  Missed  Persons." 

Such  cases  in  which  women  and  girls  are  brought  to  dens  of  infamy 
are  by  no  means  among  the  exceptions.  The  business  of  procuresses  is 
a  very  paying  one  in  our  city,  and  women  engaged  in  it  do  not  even  hes- 
itate to  use  force.  The  authorities  find  it  extremely  difficult  to  hunt  up 
such  women  as  go  into  houses  of  prostitution  of  their  own  free  will. 
This  becomes  still  more  difficult  when  the  proprietress  of  one  of  these 
houses  has  a  reason  for  keeping  the  presence  of  one  of  its  inmates  a  se- 
cret. But,  in  spite  of  all  this,  such  abductions  are  of  very  rare  occur- 
rence, even  in  the  face  of  the  readiness  of  many  to  assume  a  story  of 
the  kind  when  a  young  and  handsome  woman  has  disappeared. 

Nothing  has  given  our  city  a  worse  reputation  than  the  annual  disap- 
pearance of  a  large  number  of  persons.  Particularly  during  the  year 
1872  the  number  of  missed  persons  assumed  such  an  alarming  height, 
that  it  produced  a  much  greater  feeling  of  insecurity  than  the  frequency 
of  murders.  The  police  were  of  course  held  responsible  for  these  dis- 
appearanc  es,  and  were  forced  to  hear  strong  censure  passed  on  them  on 
this  account.  But,  judging  from  what  has  gone  before,  and  not  suppos- 
ing the  police  to  be  endowed  with  omnipotence,  we  see  that  it  is  an  im- 
possibility to  prevent  the  disappearance  of  persons  altogether,  or  to  dis- 


THE    DAUK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE.  779 

t 

cover  the  fate  of  every  person  who  has  disappeared.  But  the  police  are 
by  do  means  entirely  free  from  blame.  They  could  do  much  to  decrease 
the  number  of  these  terrible  occurrences,  by  exercising  a  sharper  control 
over  gambling  dens,  houses  of  prostitution,  and  other  similar  establish- 
ments, than  they  have  done  up  to  the  present  time.  For  it  is  undeniable 
that  ihe  number  of  those  unfortunates  who  are  annually  murdered,  com- 
mit suicide,  or  hide  their  shame  in  distant  countries,  must  be  put  down 
to  the  credit  of  these  and  similar  establishments.  The  more  strictly 
these  institutions  are  controlled,  the  smaller  will  their  number  become, 
and  also  the  number  of  those  who  excite  the  city  by  their  strange  and. 
sudden  disappearance. 


THE  MORGUE. 

Nowhere  are  people  more  strange  to  ea^h  other  than  in  the  busy  life- 
of  a  great  city.  Every  one  thinks  and  acts  for  himself  alone,  or  for  his 
immediate  relatives.  With  the  exception  of  these  and  a  number  of 
friends,  even  one  who  has  grown  gray  in  the  city  is  no  less  a  stranger 
to  hundreds  of  thousands  of  his  fellow-citizens,  than  if  he  had  just  landed 
in  Castle  Garden.  This  is  a  feature  of  all  large  cities,  and  it  is  literally 
true,  that  nowhere  is  loneliness  felt  more  than  in  the  busy  life  of  a  great 
metropolis.  Any  one,  even  if  he  be  extremely  popular  in  his  surround- 
ings, if  he  goes  beyond  these,  he  will  find  himself  as  much  a  stranger  as 
if  he  had  gone  to  the  Antipodes.  He  may  go  the  whole  length  of  the 
city,  from  the  Battery  to  Westchester  County,  and  among  all  the  thous- 
ands whom  he  meets  hardly  one  will  accidentally  recognize  him,  while  he 
also  will  recognize  but  few. 

In  so  far  every  one  of  us  is  a  stranger  in  a  city  like  New  York,  out- 
side of  his  immediate  surroundings,  and  supposing  that  a  man  accident- 
ally lost  his  life,  the  question,  "Who  is  the  man?"  will  very  rarely  be 
answered  upon  the  first  inquiry.  Such  cases  of  sudden  death  in  the 
streets  are  not  of  unfrequent  occurrence.  In  former  cases  the  body  of 
the  "  Unknown  "  was  simply  brought  to  the  nearest  station-house  or  hos- 
pital, and  there  an  investigation  was  made  whether  anything  on  his  per- 
sou  would  throw  some  light  on  his  name  or  residence.  If  this  was  not 
the  case,  he  was  kept  until  somebody  was  reported  as  "  missed,"  andthenv 


780  THB    MORGUE. 

it  was  easily  seen  from  the  description  whether  the  unknown  corpse  was 
the  person  sought  or  not.  If  no  one  was  found  who  recognized  the 
corpse,  it  was  buried  in  Potter's  Field,  on  Hart's  Island. 

Thus  it  was  in  the  year  1866.  In  this  year  it  was  resolved  to  remove 
the  defects  in  connection  with  the  identification  of  corpses,  by  entrusting 
it  to  a  separate  department,  to  be  subordinate  to  the  Commissioners  of 
Charities  and  Corrections.  A  similar  institution  in  Paris,  which  had 
gained  a  sad  reputation  under  the  name  of  "  The  Morgue,"  served  as  a 
model.  Not  only  the  system,  but  also  the  name,  was  adopted,  and  it 
took  its  place  among  our  public  institutions  under  the  name  of  "  The 
Morgue." 

The  Morgue  is  situated  in  Bellevue  Hospital,  that  large  public  institu- 
tion on  Avenue  B,  between  26th  and  28th  streets.  Its  building,  erected 
in  1866,  lies  back  of  Bellevue  Hospital,  towards  East  River,  and  fronts 
on  Twenty-sixth  street.  In  its  construction  the  too  common  mistake 
was  made  of  only  making  provision  for  the  present,  and  the  consequence 
was  that  rooms  were  obtained  which  soon  proved  entirely  inadequate. 
In  this  respect  our  Morgue  has  only  the  name  of  its  Parisian  model. 
It  is  a  low  and  gloomy-looking  brick  building,  in  which  the  first  thing 
that  attracts  our  attention  is  the  apartment  known  as  "  Exhibition  Hall," 
where  the  bodies  of  the  unknown  dead  are  kopt. 

This  hall,  however,  is  nothing  but  a  room  on  the  ground  floor,  about 
twenty  feet  square.  The  air  in  it  is  damp  and  mouldy,  and  filled  with 
the  smell  of  corpses.  Through  the  middle  of  the  room  there  is  a  long 
glass  window,  similar  to  a  large  show  window  of  a  business  house.  This 
glass  wall  separates  life  from  death,  the  latter  exhibiting  itself  behind  it. 
In  the  space  partitioned  oft'  by  this  glass  wall,  sparsely  lighted  by  three 
windows,  there  are  five  tables  with  marble  slabs,  which  are  inclined  in 
such  a  manner  that  the  head  of  a  body  resting  on  one  of  them,  is  higher 
than  the  feet.  Over  every  body  there  is  a  hydrant  and  a  gas-jet.  The 
object  of  the  hydrant  is  to  let  ice-cold  water  fall  on  the  bodies  in  sum- 
mer, to  delay  decomposition  as  long  as  possible.  On  cloudy  days,  and 
in  the  evening,  the  gas-jets  throw  a  bright  light  on  the  bodies,  which  are 
turned  towards  the  wall,  and  are  covered,  with  the  exception  of  the 
head,  with  black  oil-cloth.  Along  the  wall,  at  the  upper  end  of  the 
tables,  there  is  a  row  of  iron  hooks,  on  which  clothes  and  other  objects 
found  on  persons  are  kept  for  identification. 

The  public  is  only  admitted  to  the  space  before  the  glass  window.  In 
it  are  photographs  of  all  bodies  which  have  not  yet  been  identified,  truly 
eloquent  pictures  of  death  in  its  most  horrible  form.  But,  in  spite  of 
their  repulsive  appearance,  they  are  of  great  value  for  future  identifica- 
tion, as  they  preserve  the  true  appearance  of  the  bodies  long  after  decay 
has  set  in.  It  is  therefore  to  be  regretted  that  the  administration  saw 
itself  forced  to  give  up  the  the  photographing  of  unidentified  bodies  for 


t 
THE    DARK    SIDE    OP    NEW    YORK    LIFK.  781 

considerations  of  a  pecuniary  character,  and  that  this  clue  to   identity  is 
for  the  time  being  lost. 

This  is  the  condition  of  the  place  to  which  all  persons  arc  brought 
who  have  come  to  their  death  in  the  streets  by  some  accident,  or  who 
have  been  fished  out  of  the  waters,  and  whose  name  and  residence  are 
unknown  to  the  police,  or  who  are  not  recognized  by  those  who  may 
casually  see  the  body. 

Immediately  upon  the  arrival  of  such  a  corpse  at  the  Morgue,  the 
city  coroner  is  notified  of  the  fact,  and  he  then  proceeds  to  hold  an  inquesU 
If  there  are  any  signs  of  a  crime  having  been  committed,  or  any  suspi- 
cious circumstances  connected  with  the  discovery  of  the  body,  the  police 
are  notified,  who  then  continue  the  investigation  of  the  cause  of  death* 
In  every  case,  however,  a  minute  description  of  the  persons,  the  circum- 
stances of  their  death,  and  how  they  were  found,  are  sent,  in  the  daily 
report  of  the  warden  of  the  Morgue,  to  the  "  Bureau  for  the  Recovery 
of  Lost  Persons,"  at  the  police  headquarters.  If  the  bodies  are  not  al- 
ready in  such  a  state  of  decomposition  that  an  identification  is  impossi- 
ble, they  remain  in  the  Morgue  for  three  days.  If,  duriug  this  time,  no 
oue  is  found  who  recognizes  and  reclaims  them,  they  are  buried  at  tke 
public  expense  in  a  special  part  of  the  city  cemetery,  on  Hart's  Island,, 
which  is  intended  exclusively  for  unknown  corpses.  This  burial  is  of 
course  very  plain,  but  great  care  is  taken  that,  even  after  interment,  the 
body  shall  not  be  lost  to  its  friends.  A  minute  description  of  the  person,, 
the  clothing,  and  all  articles  found  on  the  body,  is  kept  in  a  book  in 
Belle vue  Hospital.  Every  corpse  is  denoted  by  a  number  in  this  book. 
The  grave  and  coffin  are  then  also  marked  with  this  number.  This  book 
is  always  open  for  inspection  in  the  office  of  the  hospital,  for  those  who 
wish  to  ascertain  the  fate  of  some  relative  or  friend.  This  happens  in 
many  cases,  and  even  when  a  body  has  been  buried  for  a  long  time.  This 
is  particularly  the  case  if  the  dead  person  was  a  stranger  in  the  city,  and 
his  family  or  friends,  who  live  at  a  distance,  have  not  heard  from  him 
for  a  long  time. 

The  case  of  Alice  Bowlesby,  the  victim  of  Rozenwieg,  however,  is  a 
proof  that  even  persons  living  near  the  city  may  be  in  ignorance  for  a 
long  time  of  some  misfortune  that  has  befallen  one  of  their  friends.  All 
the  papers  at  the  time  were  full  of  the  details  of  the  horrible  affair,  and 
yet  the  relatives  of  the  unfortunate  young  woman  were  all  the  time  sup- 
posing that  she  was  stopping  with  some  friends.  It  was  only  by  acci- 
dent that  her  remains  were  identified,  and  that  too  a  long  time  after  she 
would  have  been  buried,  had  hers  been  an  ordinary  case,  unattended  with 
public  excitement. 

Those  persons,  then,  who  miss  their  friends  when  it  is  too  late,  may 
have  some  clue  to  their  fate  in  the  books  of  the  Morgue.  If  one  of  the 
descriptions  answers  to  the  person,  the  body  is  placed  at  their  disposal. 


782  THE    MORGUE. 

But  this  is  not  done  without  formalities.  And,  it  may  be  supposed,  it 
does  not  suffice  that  anybody  recognize  a  corpse  as  that  of  some  partic- 
ular person,  to  receive  a  certificate  of  his  death.  If  this  were  the  case, 
a  wide  field  would  be  opened  to  swindling  in  life  insurance  and  legacy 
matters.  As  we  have  seen  in  the  preceding  chapter,  chance  very  fre- 
quently plays  tricks  in  this  respect,  by  which  a  false  identification  will 
happen  in  spite  of  the  best  intentions.  How  much  more,  then,  would 
this  be  the  case  if  swindlers  were  enabled  to  use  the  unknown  dead  of 
our  city  for  their  criminal  purposes.  Very  few  of  the  bodies  exposed  in 
the  Morgue  would  then  remain  without  being  identified.  Any  swindler 
who  had  insured  his  life  for  a  high  amount,  would  claim  a  body  which 
could  pass  for  his  own.  He  would  always  find  friends  to  identify  the 
body  for  good  pay,  to  help  to  gain  possession  of  the  money,  under  a 
strange  name. 

Whether  such  swindles  do  not  occur  in  spite  of  all  preventives,  it  is 
difficult  to  tell.  They  are  certainly  possible,  and  it  would  be  giving  our 
swindlers  credit  for  very  little  enterprise  to  suppose  that  it  had  not  al- 
ready been  attempted. 

We  may  suppose  that  one-half  of  the  bodies  are  identified  in  the 
Morgue.  The  identification  of  persons  already  buried  is  also  not  unfre- 
quent.  The  research  of  those  looking  for  friends  is  soon  directed  to  the 
Morgue,  and  the  graves  on  Hart's  Island.  The  person  looked  for  is 
then  very  frequently  found  in  one  of  these  graves,  and  the  friends  hasten 
to  transfer  the  body  to  their  own  cemetery.  This  is  the  case  with  a 
large  number  every  year,  although  the  majority  of  those  buried  remain 
there  until  the  mystery  surrounding  them  disappears  with  their  graves. 
From  the  opening  of  the  Morgue  in  1866,  until  November  25,  1873, 
1,173  corpses  were  exposed  in  tne  Exhibition  Hall.  The  average  num- 
ber sent  there  during  the  year  probably  amounts  to  130  or  140.  With 
rogard  to  the  causes  of  death,  over  one-half  were  drowned.  It  is  cer- 
tainly difficult  to  say  whether  this  was  the  result  of  accident,  murder,  or 
suicide.  Injuries,  such  as  broken  heads,  guoshot  wounds,  etc.,  are  com- 
paratively very  few. 

The  year  1872  is  a  sad  exception  to  this  rule.  For,  while  in  the 
other  years  the  average  number  found  with  injuries  on  their  bodies  was 
between  3  and  10,  in  this  year  it  was  as  high  as  31.  This  was  caused 
by  the  Orange  riot  in  July  of  that  year,  whea>the  militia  fired  upon  the 
mob.  This,  however,  was  a  fatal  year  in  other  respects  also,  as  the 
Westfield  disaster,  on  July  31st,  sent  no  less  than  sixty-four  victims  to 
the  Morgue. 

Then  it  was  especially  that  the  narrowness  of  the  space  in  the  Morgue 
was  felt,  as  it  was  hardly  able  to  hold  the  dead,  much  less  the  living  who 
-came  there  to  look  lor  their  friends. 

Of  the  other  unknown  causes,  those  in  which  death  resulted  frombeins: 


THE    DARK    9IDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIYK.  783 

run  over,  from  heart  di3ea9e,  and  from  sunstroke,  must  be  particularly 
mentioned,  of  which  latter  there  were  eleven  cases  in  1872,  and  ten  in 
1871.  The  proportion  of  the  male  to  the  female  bodies  is  about  7  to  1. 
Children  are  very  seldom  found  in  the  Morgue,  and  their  average  num- 
ber does  not  exceed  two  or  three  per  year. 

Below  we  give  a  tabular  view  of  the  above,  comprising  the  time  from 
January  1,  1869,  to  November  25,  1873  : 
Year.     Bodies.     Men.      Women.     Identified.     Not  Idenfied.     Drowned. 


18G9 

149 

134 

15 

70 

79 

99 

1870 

174 

149 

25 

89 

85 

107 

1871 

214 

180 

34 

127 

87 

108 

1872 

185 

1G2 

13 

81 

104 

112 

1873 

123 

109 

14 

52 

71 

74 

Total,  845         734         111  419  426  500 

Murder  and  suicide  play  a  very  subordinate  part  in  the  causes  of 
death  enumerated  in  the  reports  of  the  Morgue.  During  the  five  years 
above-mentioned,  there  were  only  11  bodies  of  suicides,  and  not  one  of 
a  murdered  person. 

The  cause  of  this  is  chiefly  to  be  sought  in  the  difficulty  attending  the 
investigation  as  to  how  the  bodies  came  into  the  water,  or  came  to  their 
wounds.  But  it  cannot  be  denied  that  in  many  cases  the  coroner  pro- 
ceeds too  hastily,  and  ends  the  matter  with  a  verdict  of  "  Found 
drowned,"  where  a  little  care  would  easily  show  traces  of  foul  play. 
Thi9  carelessness  on  the  part  of  our  coroners  is  also  the  cause  that  our 
water-froDts  have  such  an  unsafe  reputation.  The  criminals  need  only 
bring  their  victims  there,  and  they  have  an  easy  prey.  They  rob  them, 
throw  them  into  the  water,  and  the  next  morning  the  coroner  renders  his 
verdict  of  "  Found  drowned."  The  body  goes  to  the  Morgue  for  identi- 
fication, and  there  the  matter  ends. 

With  regard  to  the  administration  of  the  Morgue,  it  has  always  been 
of  such  a  character  that  no  such  reports  as  circulate  about  its  sister  in- 
stitution in  Philadelphia,  have  ever  been  brought  against  this  one.  It 
we  have  therefore  classed  it  among  our  dark  sides,  this  has  only  been 
done  because  so  much  in  it  reminds  one  of  crime  and  misfortune,  which, 
in  their  various  forms,  we  have  shown  to  our  readers. 

There,  for  instance,  lies  a  young  man.  He  was  found  in  the  water  ; 
but  the  numerous  wounds  on  his  head  show  that  he  came  to  his  end  by 
murderous  hands.  His  features  are  so  defaced  by  wounds  and  uecay, 
that  his  own  mother  would  not  be  able  to  identify  him.  His  clothes 
also,  which  have  become  torn  and  soiled,  can  hardly  serve  as  clues. 
"Who  he  i3,  and  whence  he  came,  are  mysteries  which  will  probably 
never  be  solved.  A  loving  mother  or  wife  perhaps  anxiously  awaits  his 
return  in  some  distant  town,  and  does  not  in  the  least  suppose  his  body  is 


784  THE    MORGUE. 

rotting  away  in  a  nameless  grave.  He  went  to  New  York,  and  did  not 
return.  That  is  all  she  knows  of  him.  If  she  could  raise  the  veil  that 
covers  his  absence,  she  would  see  the  mourned  one  in  happy  company, 
whence  he  allows  himself  to  be  brought  to  a  gambling  den  in  a  state  of  in- 
toxication. There  he  is  drugged,  and  is  brought  home  by  some  unprin- 
cipled rascals.  But  to  what  a  home !  They  bring  him  to  the  East 
River ;  a  few  terrible  blows  on  the  head,  a  moaning  cry,  a  splash,  and 
all  is  over  with  the  poor  fellow.  A  week  afterwards  his  half-decomposed 
body  is  brought  to  the  Morgue. 

On  another  table  is  the  body  of  a  woman.  She  also  was  taken  from 
the  river.  Her  features  are  beautiful,  but  they  wear  the  stamp  of  vice. 
At  one  time  perhaps  she  was  the  pride  of  her  parents,  and  life  seemed 
only  to  have  happiness  in  store  for  her.  But  temptation  came  and  led 
her  away  from  the  path  of  duty,  and  she  entered  upon  a  life  of  shame. 
She  sank  lower  and  lower,  until  at  last  she  was  seized  by  desperation, 
and  by  a  leap  into  the  water  ended  her  life  and  her  shame  b3neath  its 
calm  surface. 

There  again  we  see  the  shrivelled  body  of  an  old  man.  He  looks  as 
if  he  were  sleeping  calmly.  He  was  found  dead  in  an  empty  building 
lot.  Debility,  in  consequence  of  hunger  and  exposure,  had  put  an  end 
to  his  life,  which  must  have  been  a  burden  to  him  already.  Poor  and 
friendless  1  That  is  the  reason  why  he  is  not  missed  in  this  large  city.. 
He  is  forgotten  in  an  unknown  grave. 

This  body  here,  bloated,  and  with  veins  so  swollen  that  they  almost 
resemble  stripes,  is  easily  recognized  as  that  of  a  confirmed  drunkard* 
He  was  found  where  he  had  iallen  in  a  beastly  state  of  intoxication. 
Had  it  not  been  for  the  bottle,  he  would  probably  have  lived  honored  and 
respected  by  all  who  knew  him,  instead  of  lying  on  the  marble  slab,, 
missed  by  nobody. 

In  this  and  similar  manners  the  observer  will  always  find  some  link  to 
connect  the  dead  in  the  Morgue  with  one  of  the  dark  sides  of  New 
York.  Not  unfrequently  heartrending  scenes  occur  in  the  Morgue,  when 
some  one,  looking  for  a  relative  or  friend,  finds  him  on  one  of  the  marble 
slabs.  This  was  particularly  the  case  when  the  victims  of  the  Orange 
riots,  on  the  12th,  and  of  the  Westfield  explosion,  on  the  30th,  of  July, 
1871,  brought  thousands  of  anxious  people  there. 

On  the  30th  of  July  not  less  than  sixty-four  bodies,  scalded  and  burned 
in  the  most  terrible  manner,  lay  on  the  marble  slabs.  Within  and  with- 
out a  large  crowd  of  persons  were  trying  to  obtain  a  view  of  the  dead. 
From  time  to  time  a  heartrending  cry  or  moan  could  be  heard,  when  one 
of  the  victims  was  recognized  by  a  relative  or  friend.  Women  fainted 
when  their  turn  came  to  enter  the  fatal  hall,  where  their  worst  fears  were 
perhaps  to  be  realized.  Many  others,  overpowered  by  grief,  had  to  be 
carried   out.     Before   that   day   New  York   hardly   knew   that   it  had  a 


THK    IiAKK    BIDK    OK    NKW     TORI    LIFB. 


785 


Morgue.  Bat  the  events  of  the  12th  and  30th  of  July  drew  to  this 
building  over  seventy  thousand  persons. 

Except  on  such  unusual  occasions,  or  when,  as  in  the  case  of  Alice 
Bowlesby,  some  terrible  crime  is  at  the  bottom  of  the  affair,  the  Morgue 
is  very  quiet.  The  plashing  of  the  water  on  the  bodies  forms  a  kind  of 
monotonous  music,  which  is  hardly  interrupted  by  the  whispers  of  a  few 
loungers  who  are  never  wanting  there. 

It  is  to  be  hoped  that  such  events  as  the  Westfield  explosion  and  the 
Orange  riot  will  never  occur  again,  and  interrupt  the  quiet  of  the  Morgue 
in  such  a  tragic  manner.  The  Morgue  is  a  necessity  arising  from  the 
dark  sides  of  our  city.  The  more  these  dark  sides  are  caused  to  disap- 
pear, the  less  will  the  Morgue  intrude  itself  upon  the  attention  of  the 
public.  It  can  certainly  never  he  dispensed  with  entirely  in  a  city  like 
New  York,  but  it  is  a  sad  sign  that  one  hundred  and  fifty  u  missed  " 
persons,  dead  and  disfigured,  can  be  found  in  no  other  place  than  the 
Morgue. 


LIST  OF  SWINDLING  FIRMS. 

In  the  article  on  Swindling,  we  have  given  a  list  of  the  u  sawdust 
swindlers,"  which  contains  two  hundred  and  sixty-one  names  of  such 
firms,  and  we  promised,  at  that  time,  that  at  the  end  of  the  work  we 
would  give  a  complete  list  of  all  the  other  swindling  firms.  This  we 
now  present  to  our  readers. 

It  contains  in  all  648  names,  of  whom  466  are  in  New  York,  while 
182  send  their  circulars  and  advertisements  from  other  cities  aud  States, 
and  comprises  swindlers  of  the  various  classes,  as  we  have  described 
them  in  the  chapter  devoted  to  them.  It  is  to  be  remarked  that  almost 
all  these  names  are  false,  as  the  swindlers  take  good  care  not  to  endanger 
themselves  by  giving  their  real  names. 

Upon  looking  through  the  list,  we  see  in  it  a  large  number  of  well- 
sounding  names,  and  these  are  most  eagerly  chosen  by  swindlers,  as  they 
give  an  appearance  of  respectability  to  their  fraudulent  enterprises.  We 
have  endeavored  to  make  the  list  as  complete  as  possible,  but  do  not  in- 
tend by  any  means  to  guarantee  it  to  be  entirely  so,  as  new  swindling 
firms  make  their  appearance  almost  every  day.     The   object  we  had  in 

50 


786  LIST    OF    SWINDLING    FIRMS. 

view,  in  giving  the  list  in  the  chapter  on  Swindlers,  aud  the  one  below, 
is  not  to  satisfy  an  idle  curiosity,  but  to  benefit  our  readers.  And  this 
object  will  be  attained  if  they  consult  this  list  whenever  they  receive  let- 
ters or  circulars  from  strangers,  just  as  we  used  to  look  into  "  Bank-Note 
Reporters  "  before  accepting  an  unknown  bank-note.  Then,  if  the  name 
looked  for  is  not  found,  let  it  be  by  no  means  forgotten  that  new  swind- 
ling firms  are  making, their  appearance,  and  that  a  suspicion  against  all 
offers  that  promise  large  gains  for  very  little  money,  is  the  safest  protec- 
tion against  fraud. 

We  hope  that  what  we  havo  said  in  this  work  on  swindlers  will  open 
the  eyes  of  many  unsuspecting  persons,  save  them  from  losses,  and  con- 
siderably increase  the  difficulties  with  which  the  swindlers  meet  in  prose- 
cuting their  work. 

We  would  request  those  of  our  readers  who  may  receive  names  of 
other  swindlers  than  those  mentioned  in  our  two  lists,  to  send  them  to 
us.  By  so  doing  they  will  greatly  oblige  us,  and  also  serve  the  com- 
munity. 

J.  W.  Adams,  R.  Adams,  Buffalo,  Adams  &  Co.  ;  S.  Y.  Adams  & 
Co. ;  Prof.  Agazoui  &  Co.,  Ashland,  Mass.  ;  Alexis  Perfume  Company  ; 
E.  C.  Allen  &  Co.,  Augusta,  Maine  ;  F.  Allen,  alias  Book  Agency,  alias 
Prof.  Allen,  alias  Price  &  Co.,  East  Fairfield,  Ohio  ;  R.  F.  Allen,  Vic 
toria,  Texas  ;  T.  G.  Allison,  W.  E.  Almey,  C.  W.  Alter,  alias  D.  B. 
White,  alias  C.  M.  Payne ;  American  Coast  Wrecking  Union ;  Amer- 
ican Dispatch  Company ;  American  Dispatch  Express ;  American 
Prize  Association  ;  American  Publishing  Company,  Rutland,  Vermont ; 
American  Tea,  Coffee,  and  Spice  Company  ;  American  and  Transat- 
lantic Receiving  and  Forwarding  Company  ;  B.  A.  Amos  &  Co. ;  J.  H. 
Anderson  &  Co.,  Salem,  Mass. ;  E.  Andrews,  Albany,  New  York;  F. 
E.  Andrews,  L.  Andrews,  Marion  County,  Ohio ;  R.  D.  Anson,  Anson, 
Carey  &  Co. ;  Apex  Sewing  Machine  Company ;  J.  D.  Armond,  Bu- 
chanan, Michigan ;  Arrandale  &  Co. ;  O.  Arogon  &  Co. ;  Asylum  for 
Sick  aud  Wounded  Soldiers ;  Athol  Medical  Bureau  of  Massachusetts, 
Boston  ;  J.  F.  Ayres,  Boston  ;  R.  Ayres,  Boston. 

J.  P.  Baker  &  Co.,  alias  H.  Cotter  &  Co.,  alias  Bell  &  Son,  alias 
King  &  Co.,  alias  Owen  Brothers,  alias  J.  Fisher  &  Co.,  alias  Williams 
&  Co. ;  M.  Baker ;  Merchants*  and  Bankers'  Association  ;  Banning, 
Beatson  &  Co. ;  Barber,  Walter  &  Co.  ;  Barclay  &  Co.,  alias  H.  Bar- 
clay &  Co. ;  J.  Barker  &  Co. ;  James  P.  Barker  &  Co.,  alias  B.  B. 
Walker  &  Co. ;  P.  Barker,  Albany,  New  York ;  C.  P.  Barkis ;  H.  S. 
Barnard,  alias  K.  P.  Douglass,  alias  George  Savory,  alias,  L.  F.  Har- 
ness, alias  S,  M.  Kelley,  alias  N.  L.  Werner,  alias  F.  H.  Park,  alias  L. 
P,  Benchley,  alias  H.  J.  Keene,  alias  Charles  W.  Young,  alias  K.  G. 
Pott,  alias  H.  W.  Elston,  alias  E.  S.  Hale,  alias  L.  F.  Stark,  alias  Eib. 
Putnam,  alias  C.  E.  Sturtevant,  alias  T.  P.  Walters,  alias  G.  S.  Derney, 


TH1  DARK  BID!  OK  NSW  YORK  I. IKK.  7H7 

alias  B.  S.  Crowe  ;  Edward  Barnes  ;  Barkley  &  Co.  ;  Barnes,  Warer  & 
Co  ;  T.  J.  Barton,  alias  T.  J.  Barton  &  Co.,  alias  Barton  &  Co.  ;  Batey 
&  Co.,  alias  Th.  Pierce ;  B.  B.  Manufacturing  Company,  Republic, 
Ohio  ;  George  W.  Beach,  alias  D.  M.  Palmer,  alias  J.  P.  Sargent ;  A. 
D.  Beatty,  J.  D.  Beck,  Beck  &  Howe,  Philadelphia  ;  C.  C.  Bell,  St. 
Louis ;  J.  Bell,  Bell  &  Son,  alias  King  &  Co,  alias  Owen  Brothers,  alias 
Williams  &  Co.  ;  G.  C.  Bennett,  alias  Bennett  &  Co.,  Wadsworth,  Ohio, 
Kansas  City,  Missouri,  Sharon  Centre,  Ohio  ;  C.  E.  Benson  &  Co.,  J. 
A.  Benson,  S.  D.  Benson  ;  Bertine  &  Co. ;  J.  Birch  &  Co.,  Williams- 
burgh  ;  A.  P.  Russell,  Philadelphia ;  J.  M.  Blake  &  Co.  ;  C.  Blaker  & 
Co.  ;  E.  A.  Blanchard,  alias  E.  A.  Blanchard  &  Co.  ;  L.  A.  Boley, 
Hamilton,  Ohio  ;  C.  Boughton,  St.  Joseph,  Missouri ;  Thomas  Boult  & 
Co. ;  J.  F.  Boyd,  B.  C.  Bradford,  L.  S.  Bradford,  Bradford,  Van  Delp 
&  Co.  ;  Thomas  Bret ;  A.  Bridges  ;  Bright,  Prentice  &  Co.  ;  M.  F. 
Brittell  &  Co. ;  Broadway  Safe  Deposit  Company ;  E.  M.  Brooks  & 
Co.  ;  Brooks  Sewing  Machine  Company  ;  E.  M.  Brown,  alias  J.  B. 
Thomas ;  L.  A.  Brown,  R.  Brown,  alias  E.  Pardee  ;  Brown  &  Fay, 
Chicago;  R.  A.  Browning;  S.  Bryan,  alias  Clinton  Medical  and  Surgi- 
cal Institute,  New  York — the  same  in  Philadelphia,  alias  Dr.  John  Har- 
vey, alias  Dr.  Bell,  alias  Prof.  Draper,  alias  Lucille  Delraar,  alias  Edgar 
Tremaine,  alias  Mart  Dutton  &  Co.,  alias  Marc.  L.  Bryan,  alias  W.  T. 
Mason  &  Co. ;  J.  L.  Budd ;  A.  Buck  &  Co.,  Washington,  D.  C. ;  E. 
Burnett,  Albany,  N.  Y. ;  G.  Burroughs,  Albany,  N.  Y.  ;  T.  F.  Burt, 
J.  S.  Butler,  Byron  &  Co. 

Carey  &  Co.,  J.  Carter  &  Co.,  Cary  &  Co.,  Carey,  Bonner  &  Co., 
Philadelphia  ;  Rev.  Dr.  Chambers,  Williamsburgh  ;  Thomas  F.  Chap- 
man, Chapman  &  Co.,  G.  B  Chappell  &  Co.,  M.  W.  Cheney,  Ashland, 
Mass. ;  Chichester  &  Co.,  W.  H.  Chichester,  J.  Clark,  Clark  &  Co., 
Newark,  New  Jersey ;  Clark,  Webster  &  Co.,  C.  H.  Clement,  alias 
Clement  &  Co.  ;  D.  M.  Clinton,  A.  Cohen,  A.  C.  Cole  &  Co.,  D.  W. 
Coles,  H.  H.  Colfax,  G.  H.  Collins  &  Co.,  Omaha ;  S.  W.  Cohen,  A. 
C.  Cole  &  Co.,  E.  Connors  &  Co.,  Continental  Tea  Company,  E.  Con- 
way &  Co.,  W.  Cook,  George  A.  Cooke  &  Co.,  William  Cooper  &  Co., 
Cordon  &  Co.,  Cory  &  Co.,  Cosmopolitan  Benevolent  Society  of  Cali- 
fornia, Cosmopolitan  Benevolent  Society  of  Nevada,  Cosmopolitan  Art 
Association,  Crispino  &  Co.,  Boslon  ;  G.  Crofford,  Burr  Oak,  Michigan  ; 
A.  P.  Crowell,  West  Yarmouth,  Mass.  ;  J.  M.  Cruze  &  Sons. 

W.  H.  Dailey  &  Co.,  A.  H.  Dalton,  G.  W.  Daton,  Williamsburgh  ; 
S.  Davis  &  Co.,  J.  S.  Davis  &  Co.,  Ithaca;  L.  Davison,  Elsie,  Michi- 
gan ;  L.  V.  De  Forest  &  Co.,  De  Lamere  &  Co.,  De  Lay  &  Co.,  Deley 
&  Co.,  J.  W.  Delliker  &  Co.,  C.  Delsen,  M.  Depan,  alias  M.  Depan 
&  Co.,  Hoboken,  New  Jersey  ;  George  Derrick,  Devlin,  Hopkins  &  Co., 
N.  B.  Dewitt,  Dewry  &  Co.,  Diamoud  Gift  Lottery,  Washington,  D.  C.  ; 
E.  F.  Dickinson,  Simeon  Dinncford,  Dobb3,  Gilsey  &  Co.,  W.  E.  Doty, 


788  LIST    OF    SWINDLING    FIRMS. 

Douglass  &  Company,  Druids'  Legacy,  Dunbar  &  Reed,  J.  H.  Duncan*. 
D.  Dunne,  alias  G.  C.  Peck;  Duplex  Family  Sewing  Machine  Com- 
pany, Dupins,  Raymond  &  Co,  Brooklyn,  New  York  ;  Durvin,  Elliot 
&  Co.     ' 

Eagle  Watch  Company,  J.  Q.  Edson,  N.  R.  Edwards,  Ejerton  Bros., 
Flectro  Maguetie  Comb  Company,  Garrettsville,  Ohio  ;  G.  T.  Eliasi, 
alias  G.  T.  Harris  ;  E.  H.  Elias,  W.  M.  Elias,  M.  Ellenwood,  R.  S. 
Ellerton,  Williamsburgn,  N.  Y.  ;  H.  E.  Ellis,  J.  N.  Ellis,  Biddeford, 
Maine  ;  Dr.  Elliot,  W.  J.  Elliot  &  Co.,  F.  A.  Ells,  alias  F.  A.  Ells  & 
Co.,  Charlotte,  Michigan  ;  Charles  Elmer  &  Co.,  Williamsburgn,  N.  Y.  ; 
O.  Elmore  &  Co.,  Elmore,  Oliver  &  Co.,  G.  S.  Elvoee,  Greenpoint,  N, 
Y.  ;  C.  Emerson,  Emigrant  Protection  Society,  Empire  Tea  Company, 
Chicago  ;  Empire  Watch  Company,  D.  W.  Engle,  Enterprise  Publishing 
Company,  Erie  Sewing  Machine  Company,  Eureka  Novelty  Company, 
Parkville,  N.  Y.  ;  G.  M.  Evaus,  Miss  Jennie  Everett. 

Family  Gem  Sewing  Machine  Company,  Prof.  J.  C.  Faraday,  Farm- 
ers* Union  Market  Organization,  St.  Louis  ;  Felch  &  Co.,  D.  A.  Fenton, 
W.  J.  Ferguson,  Wm.  J.  Ferguson,  F.  Fielding,  First  Grand  Gift  En- 
terprise of  the  State  of  Nevada,  Fisher  &  Co.,  alias  J.  Fisher  &  Co.  ; 
Fletcher  Brothers,  S.  Fletcher,  alias  S.  Fletcher  &  Co. ;  E,  Foster  & 
Co.,  Owasso,  Michigan  ;  H.  B.  Foster,  alias  Foster  &  Co. ;  R.  H.  Fos- 
ter &  Co.,  Williamsburgn  ;  M.  B.  Forbes,  J.  B.  Forrest,  B.  Fox  &  Co., 
Frank,  Mass  &  Co.,  Franklin  Benefit  Association,  Chicago  ;  Franklin 
Sewing  Machine  Company,  Dr.  Freeman,  J.  Fuller,  Jr.,  Fuller  &  Co., 
Chicago  ;  Fuller  &  Raymond,  J.  T.  Furniss. 

Gamage  &  Co.,  T.  U.  Gangham  &  Co.,  B.  F.  Gardiner  &  Co.,  Port- 
land,  Maine  ;  S.  Gardner  &  Co.,  Garland  &  Co.,  Brooklyn,  N.  Y, ;  G» 
A.  Gaskell,  Manchester,  N.  H. ;  R.  S.  Godfrey,  W.  Godfrey  &  Co., 
Gold  Pen  Company,  Gordon  &  Co.,  R.  Graham,  Williamsburgh  ;  Grand 
Gift  and  Musical  Enterprise,  Keene,  N.  H. ;  Grand  National  Gift  En- 
terprise, Grand  Opera  Company,  Grand  Opera  House  Company,  M. 
Grandin,  Danville,  N.  Y. ;  J.  D.  Granger,  N.  H.  Graves,  Sam.  Graves, 
Brooklyn  ;  Thomas  B.  Gray,  Great  American  Watch  Company,  Great 
Geneva  Watch  Company,  H.  L.  Grover  &  Co.,  G.  Gunshyne,  Williams- 
burg, J.  P.  Gurney,  alias  J.  P.  Strange,  alias  A.  Chipman,  alias  Dr.  W. 
S.  Cody,  alias  M.  A.  Doane. 

H.  D.  Hakim,  Hallett,  Moore  &  Co.,  F.  W.  Hamilton,  John  F.  Ham- 
ilton, alias  W.  J.  Ferguson,  alias  A.  H.  Holland,  alias  Thomas  W. 
Price,  alias  W.  B.  Logan  ;  Hamilton  &  Co.,  J.  J.  Hammond,  Holiday's 
Cove,  Virginia  ;  W.  Hammond,  D.  W.  Hammond  &  Co.,  Brooklyn,  N„ 
Y.  ;  Hammond  Medical  Association,  Yaphauk,  N.  Y.  ;  Harper,  Wilson 
&  Co.,  E.  Harris,  Harris  &  Co..  alias  G.  W.  Harris  &  Co.,  alias  J.  H. 
Harris  &  Co. ;  Ch.  Harrison,  G.  W.  Harrison,  W.  B.  Hartman,  Harvey 
&  Co.,  Prof.  Harvey,  Garrettsville  ;  Hayward  &  Co.,  C.  E.   Havens  & 


TI1K    DARK    SI1>E    OK    NEW    YOKK    LIKK. 


89 


Co.,  Kazan  &  Moore,  Amir.  Heath  &  Co.,  W.  E.  Heath,  Henry  &  Co., 
G.  A.  Herrick,  Springfield,  Vermont;  J.  Hickling  &  Co.,  II.  Hicki 
Co.,  James  Hippie,  alias  B.  S.  Care/,  alias  F.  Benton  ;  Hitchcock  & 
Co.,G.  Y.  Hoffman,  P.  Hoffman  &  Co.,  Washington,  D.  C.  ;  M.  Hagao, 
&  H.  Holland,  Holliday,  Lewis  &  Co.,  Joseph  A.  Holt,  alias  James  A. 
Holt,  alias  Holt  &  Co.  ;  R.  H.  Iloman,  Astoria;  Homer,  Flint  &  Co., 
J.  Hood,  Jr.,  Wilmington,  Delaware  ;  alias  A.  Wainwright,  in  New  York 
and  Trenton  ;  P.  D.  Hopkins  &  Co.,  Garrettsvillc,  Ohio  ;  Robert  Hop- 
kins &  Co.,  W.  II.  Horner,  Baxter  Springs,  Kansas ;  E.  G.  Hortou, 
Danville,  N.  J.,  alias  California  Manufacturing  Jewelry  Association  ; 
J.  W.  Horton,  B.  W.  Howara,  Williamsburgh,  New  York  ;  Howard 
Association  of  Philadelphia  ;  Howard  &  Co.,  William  E.  Howard  & 
Co.,  Hay  &  Co.,  Hubbard  &  Todd,  W.  F.  Hubbell  &  Co.,  J.  B.  Hudson 
&  Co.,  Charles  Harable,  S.  Hunt,  Hunt,  Anthony  &  Co.,  Huntington  & 
Bro.,  J.  Hutchins  &  Co. 

G.  W.  Jackson,  Jackson,  Moore  &  Co.,  A.  N.  Jameson,  J.  T.  In- 
man,  J.  E.  Johnson,  Johnson,  Morris  &  Co.,  C.  M.  Jones,  Wilmingtou, 
Del.  ;  James  Jones,  J.  Jones,  West  Yarmouth,  Mass.  ;  P.  H.  Jones  & 
Co.,  N.  Judson  &  Co.,  alias  F.  Drake  &  Co. 

Kelley  &  Co.,  Kent,  Maxwell  &  Co.,  Kentucky  Whiskey  Company, 
King  &  Co.,  alius  J.  King  &  Co.  ;  J.  K.  Kingsley,  Kingston  Gold  Watch 
Company,  Kohl  &  Co.,  H.  Koonz,  E.  B.  Kune. 

Ladies'  Health  Association,  Lafayette  &  Co.,  J.  W.  Laidlaw,  Wil- 
liamsburgh ;  Lakata  Tobacco  Company,  Garrettsvillc,  Ohio  ;  C.  Lam- 
bert, Unionville,  South  Carolina ;  S.  B.  Lambert,  Grcenpoint,  New 
York  ;  G.  W.  Lancaster,  Louisville,  Kentucky  ;  S.  M.  Landis,  Philadel- 
phia ;  J.  II.  Lansley,  Rutland,  Vermont;  Eward  Lawrence,  J.  Lawson, 
Jr.,  A.  C.  Lee,  Jon.  R.  Lee,  alias  II.  Madden,  alias  G.  Sommers,  alias 
E.  F.  Dickinson,  alias  J.  B.  Forest ;  Legal  City  Hospital  Lottery,  Lin- 
coln, Nebraska  ;  Prof.  Leon  (Mesmeric  Essence),  Lester  ;  R.  II.  Lewis, 
E.  G.  Lindsay,  Holston,  Virginia ;  Linten  &  Son,  Buchanan,  Michigan  ; 
Conrad  Long,  Loan  Brokers'  Union,  J.  E.  Charlotte,  Lockwood,  Michi- 
gan ;  J.  E.  Loomis  &  Co.,  Warren,  New  Jersey  ;  Lu'.z  &  Co.»  George 
W.  Lucas,  alias  W.  M.  Jacobs,  alias  F.  A.  Newton  ;  S.  T.  V.  Ludlow, 
alias  J.  Spencer  ;  R.  S.  Lyford,  Jersey  City,  N.  J.  ;  Lyford  &  Co.,  alias 
J.  Lyford,  Omaha,  Nebraska. 

Macey  &  Co.,  II.  Madden,  Magnetic  Curling-Comb  Company,  Gar- 
rettsvillc, Ohio  ;  Magnolia,  Iowa,  Gift  Enterprise,  C.  Mackav  &  Co., 
Philadelphia;  W.  II.  Malcolm,  C.  A.  Mallis  &  Co.,  Manhattan  Hos- 
pital, Mackay,  Puff  &  Co.,  New  York  and  Philadelphia ;  Manhattan 
Medical  Company,  O.  J.  Mackin  &  Co.,  Manufacturers'  Association, 
Manufacturing  Jewelers'  Association,  J.  Marcus,  Mariani  j  J.  E.  Ma- 
rion &  Co.,  J.  B.  Marlett,  Saugerties,  New  York  ;  Masley  &  Co.>  Goo. 
D.  Marshall,  alias  W.  O.  Page,  alias  Col.  M.    A.    Eunover,  alias  II.  L. 


790  LIST    OF    SWINDLING    FIRMS. 

Felio,  alias  A.  Wainwright ;  O.  F.  Martin,  Hoboken,  New  Jersey  ;  P. 
Martin  &  Co.,  D.  A.  Mason,  A.  S.  Mason,  William  T.  Mason  &  Co  , 
Mason  Publishing  Association,  Mason,  Michigan  ;  Masonic  Gift  Enter- 
prise, Omaha,  Nebraska  ;  P.  Mayborn  &  Co.,  Jersey  City  ;  N.  Mayfair, 
Brooklyn,  New  York  ;  F.  B.  Maynard,  McNally  &  Co.,  New  York  ;  A. 
Menager,  alias  George  E.  Ward,  alias  Samuel  Parker  &  Co.,  alias  Wal- 
ter Lane,  alias  Dr.  Appleton,  alias  J.  Ward  Emerson  ;  Mercantile  Prize 
Association,  Merea  Life  Prize  Association,  Meredith,  Halstead  &  Co., 
Merchants'  and  Manufacturers'  Co-operative  Distribution,  Merchants' 
and  Manufacturers'  United  Stock  Company,  J.  Mesler,  W.  B.  Messier, 
Metropolitan  Cash  Prize  Company,  Metropolitan  Gift  Company,  Metro- 
politan Jewelry  Association,  Metropolitan  Prize  Company,  H.  M.  Metz- 
ger,  Hanover,  Pa. ;  Mitchelin  &  Co.,  Michigan  Art  Association,  Michi- 
gan Medical  Agency,  Marshall,  Michigan  ;  W.  D.  Miller  &  Co.,  Phila- 
delphia ;  Miller,  Strong  &  Co.,  Milton  Gold  Jewelry,  Miners'  Hospital 
Lottery,  Shenandoah,  Penna.  ;  Mock  Turtle  Oil  Stock  Company,  Monro, 
Atkins  &  Co.,  B.  F.  Moody,  H.  T.  Moore,  E.  E.  Morgan,  H.  Morgan, 
Thomas  Morgan,  alias  William  Hardy  &  Co.,  alias  Bates  &  Co.,  alias 
Thomas  Morgan  &  Co.  ;  Morgan  Brothers,  Morgan  &  Co.,  Morgan, 
Wade  &  Co.,  E.  Morrell,  J.  E.  Morrell,  William  Morris,  A.  D.  Morri- 
son, alias  A.  D.  Morrison  &  Co.  ;  J.  E.  Morse,  alias  J.  E.  Morse  & 
Co.  ;  E.  M.  Mott,  Mount  Florence  Gift  Company,  Charles  Murrat,  Wil- 
]iamsburgh,  N.  Y.  ;  Murphey  &  Co. ;  Mutual  Benefit  Association, 
Quincy,  Indiana ;  Mutual  Joint  Stock  and  Gift  Association,  Milford 
New  Hampshire. 

National  Exchange  Company t  National  Gift  Company,  National  Gift 
Enterprise,  Hamilton,  Ohio  ;  National  Photograph  Company,  Detroit, 
Michigan  ;  B.  S.  Seal,  Sharon,  Penna  ;  William  T.  Neal,  Neai  &  Char- 
tier,  Nelson  &  Co.,  Harlem,  Missouri ;  L.  C.  Nelson,  Medina,  Illinois  ; 
Dr.  Nelson,  alias  R.  C  Nelson,  alias  A.  H.  Nelson  ;  G.  W.  Nelson,  St. 
Louis,  Mo. ;  New  England  Carpet  Company,  Boston  ;  New  York  Cash 
Prize  Company,  New  York  Gift  Company,  New  York  Loan  Brokers* 
Union,  New  York  Medical  University,  Niles,  Todd  &  Co.,  Norman, 
Adderson  &  Co.,  A.  B.  Norton,  alias  J.  Winchell,  alias  N.  A.  Personia, 
alias  J.  Allen  ;  H.  A.  Norton  &  Sons,  Saco,  Maine  ;  Wm.  H.  Norton, 
Novelty  Publishing  Company,  Albany,  New  York  ;  J.  M.  North,  Park, 
man,  Ohio. 

W.  A.  O'Brian  &  Co.,  Charlotte,  Michigan  ;  J.  B.  Ogden,  Orphans' 
Institute,  W.  &  A.  Osgood,  P.  B.  Ottarson,  Owen,  Bros. 

E.  Page  &  Co.,  Packard  &  Co.,  Cincinnati,  Ohio  ;  J.  S.  Pardee  & 
Co.,  alias  S.  P.  Pardee  &  Co.,  Binghamton,  New  York ;  G.  W.  Parish, 
San  Francisco,  California ;  Parisian  Watch  Company,  Chas.  K.  Park  & 
Co.,  George  Parker,  alias  S.  S.  Plint,  alias  J.  T.  Wildman,  alias  Dr. 
Thomas   Walkins,  alias   G.  W.   Bates,  alias  E.   D.   Robinson,  alias  E. 


THE    DARK    SIDE    OF    NEW    YORK    LIFE.  701 

Carter,  Thomas  Parker,  S.  E.  Parks  &  Co.,  Parkiuson  &  Co.,  Pashall 
House  Lottery,  J.  M.  Pattce,  Omaha;  J.  Peudergast  &  Co.,  S.  Perkey, 
Charlotte,  Michigan  ;  C.  Perry,  J.  B.  Peters  &  Son,  L.  A.  Peters,  Pet 
Sewing  Maebiae  Company,  J.  Phass,  alias  AV.  G.  Barrows  ;  Phillips  & 
Co.,  F.  AV.  Pierce,  Pallock  &  Co.,  J.  A.  Pomeroy,  Porter  &  Co.,  Mart. 
Potter,  P.  P.  Compaq,  Pawtueket,  R.  I.  ;  C.  J.  Price,  C.  T.  Price,  T. 
AV.  Price,  Price  &  Co.,  East  Fairfield,  Ohio. 

A.  Quervelo. 

F.  II.  Randall,  Read  &  Co.,  J.  II.  Reeves,  alias  Reeves  &  Co.  ;  Reed, 
M»vo  &  Co.,  Wm.  Reich,  alias  W.  U.  Reichert ;  B.  II.  Rob,  Parkman 
and  Garrettsville,  Ohio,  alias  Prof.  Robb,  alias  Prof.  Byrom,  alias 
Prof.  Harvey,  alias  Robb,  Byron  &  Co.,  alias  Robb,  Hopkins  &  Co., 
alias  American  Ilair-Curliug  Company,  alias  P.  D.  Hopkins  &  Co.  ;  A. 
Roberts,  J.  L.  Robertson  &  Co.,  Diamond  Lottery  ;  A.  Robinson  &  Co., 
Jackson,  Michigan  ;  E.  T.  Rogers,  alias  II.  J.  AVortu  ;  B.  Rogers,  S. 
Rollins,  Wheeling,  Va.  ;  C.  Rosbora,  Albany,  N.  Y.  ;  L.  P.  Rose,  alias 
AVarner  Ely  ;  J.  Rood,  G.  Bast  &  Co.,  Lapier,  Michigan  ;  Rowley  & 
Son,  J.  8.  Roxamore,  II.  M.  Rnggles  &  Co. 

Sage  &  Co.,  alias  AY.  Sage  &  Co.  ;  Sailors'  and  Soldiers'  Home, 
Sampson  &  Co.,  Sanborn  &  Co.,  Sandy  Run  Petroleum  Company,  T.  H. 
Sause,  J.  \V.  Scott,  AVm.  Scott,  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.  ;  Scott  &  Co.,  alias 
W.  L.  Scott  &  Co.  ;  AW  Scott  and  Paul,  G.  A.  Seacord  &  Co.,  Garretts- 
ville, Ohio  ;  F.  S.  Seadan  &  Co.,  AA^illiamsburg,  N.  Y.  ;  Secret  Order 
of  Money-Finders,  Sharon,  Penna.,  (B.  L.  Neal,  High  Priest)  ;  Seeley 
Bros.  &  Co.,  Greenville,  Michigan  :  G.  S.  Seymour,  T.  Seymour  &  Co., 
C.  A.  Shaffer,  C.  Sheldon  &  Co.,  Iloboken,  N.  J.  ;  J.  B.  Sherman,  C. 
F.  Sherwood,  Providence,  R.  I.,  and  Batavia,  N.  Y.,  and  Huron,  N. 
Y. ;  Simmons  &  Co.,  L.  D.  Sine,  Cincinnati,  Ohio  ;  Sloan  &  Graves, 
J.  H.  Smith,  Pittsburg,  Penna.  ;  J.  AV.  Smith  &  Co.,  G.  Somnurs,  J. 
Sortman,  Hamilton,  Ohio  ;  South  Carolina  Land  and  Immigration  As- 
sociation Lottery,  Spaulding,  Claurence  &  Co.,  Ceresco,  Michigan  ;  J. 
T.  Spencer  &  Co.,  Philadelphia  ;  R.  J.  Sprang,  alias  AVm.  Layton,  alias 
E.  M.  AVentz  ;  B.  Stanwood  &  Co.,  Portland,  Me.  ;  D.  S.  Staples  & 
Co.,  Allen,  Mich.  ;  Star  Sewing  Machine  Company,  B.  G.  Staulfer, 
Campbellstown,  Pa.  ;  J.  AV.  Stephens,  Newark,  N.  J.  ;  Stevens  &  Co., 
John  H.  Stevenson,  E.  Stewart,  J.  Stewart,  AVest  Chester,  Pa.  ;  J.  T. 
Stewart,  Stewart,  Graham  &  Co.,  Stewart,  Hall  &  Co.,  Stewart,  Morris 
&  Co.,  Stinson  &  Co.,  J.  P.  Strang,  alias  J.  D.  AValston  ;  II.  M.  Sut- 
ton, John  Swallow,  Swan  &  Co.,  B.  Sweet  &  Co.,  Marshall,  Michigan  ; 
Symonds  &  Co. 

Tabor  &  Co.,  A.  R.  Taylor  &  Co.,  Cincinnati  and  St.  Louis  ;  C.  A. 
Taylor  &  Co.,  C.  L.  Taylor,  Brooklyn  ;  E.  F.  Taylor,  G.  A.  Taylor,  J. 
AV.  Taylor,  Taylor  &  Jarvis,  J.  D.  Terhune  &  Co.,  Philadelphia  ;  J.  R. 
Thomas,    Albany,   N.    Y.  ;  L.    K.    Thomas,   Garrettsville,    O.  ;    C.  B. 


792  LIST   OF    SWINDLING    FIRMS. 

Thompson,  Bridgewater,  Conn. ;  S.  S.  Thompson,  Thompson,  Ray- 
mond &  Co.,  Bridgewater,  Conn. ;  Th.  D.  Thorp,  E.  F.  Tilton,  Alo. 
Todd,  C.  E.  Todd  &  Co.,  B.  C  Travers,  Tropical  Nurseries,  Albany, 
N.  Y.  ;  E.  Thornton,  Hoboken,  N.  J. ;  Trow  &  Co. ;  W.  C.  Truax 
Pan  Handle,  Va. ;  J.  H.  Tuttle,  Bevons  and  Flatbrookville,  N.  J. 

Union  Brotherhood,  Union  Jewelers'  Society,  Union  Watch  Company, 
U.  S.  Directory  Company,  U.  S.  Prize  Association,  U.  S.  Tontine  Asso- 
ciation. 

Van  Holm,  Boston ;  B.  Vernon,  Victoria  Manufacturing  Company, 
Vineent,  Willis  &  Co.,  Williamsburgh. 

Wm.  Wade,  M.  Wagner  &  Co.,  Marshall,  Mich. ;  G.  W.  Wakefield, 
alias  G.  W.  Wakefield  &  Co.  ;  Ch.  M.  Wakeman,  Jersey  City,  alias 
Mutual  Protective  Union  ;  B.  B.  Walker,  alias  B.  B.  Walker  &  Co. ; 
Thos.  A.  Walker,  J.  C.  Walter,  Rob.  S.  Ward,  J.  M.  Ward  &  Co.,  J. 
W.  Ward  &  Co.,  Ward,  Nash  &  Co.,  Jas.  Warlow,  alias  Thos.  Jackson, 
alias  E.  C.  Catlin,  alias  C.  T.  Benger,  alias  S.  W.  Westervelt,  alias  K. 
M.  Walters,  alias  J.  S.  Lewis,  alias  Edwin  Virgil,  alias  A.  Debenham  ; 
W.  W.  Warner,  S.  Jackson,  Mich. ;  Washington  Library  Company, 
Philadelphia ;  Washington  Sewing  Machine  Company,  Boston  ;  J.  T. 
Waters,  Waters  &  Co.,  Watch  Distribution  on  the  Berlin  Plan,  H.  L. 
Watson,  Watson,  Grafte  &  Co.,  G.  Webber  &  Co.,  Marion,  Ohio  ;  G. 
A.  Wells,  Bridgeport,  Conn. ;  Sam.  Wells,  Brooklyn,  N.  Y. ;  Wells  & 
Co.,  Chicago ;  Wickes  &  Taylor,  Wilcox  &  Co.,  W.  A.  Wilder,  W.  P. 
Wiikins,  C.  A.  Williams,  alias  C.  D.  Williams,  alias  Williams  &  Co., 
alias  J.  F.  Williams  &  Co.,  T.  Williams,  C.  D.  Williams  &  Co., 
Williams  &  Co.,  Cincinnati ;  Thomas  F.  Williamson,  S.  B.  Willis  & 
Co.,  E.  M.  Wilson,  Knob  Noster,  Mo. ;  Rev.  A.  Wilson,  Williams- 
burgh ;  Miss  Wilson,  Brooklyn  ;  J.  Wilson,  L.  Wilson,  Springfield,  Vt.  ; 
Wilson  &  Co.,  W.  A.  Wilton,  Winslow  &  Co.,  J.  De  Wolfe,  F.  T. 
Wood,  Vernon,  N.  J. ;  J.  S.  Woodruff,  Brooklyn,  N.  Y. ;  E.  Wright  & 
Co.,  Wright  Bros.  &  Co.,  J.  Wright  &  Co.,  in  New  York  and  Philadel- 
phia. 

C.  Yardley,  Pittsburgh,  Pa. ;  J.  Young,  Philadelphia ;  Young  d© 
Morse,  alias  J.  T.  Palmer. 


T11K    DAlUt    3IDB    OK    NSW    YO&K    LIFE.  793 


CONCLUSION. 

We  have  now  described  the  most  prominent  "  Dark  Sides  of  New 
York  Life."  They  are  very  many,  but  unfortunately  there  are  more. 
Those  not  mentioned  in  this  book  can  be  easily  traced  back  to  some  one 
of  those  described  here.  We  close  this  our  work  with  the  consciousness 
of  having  materially  promoted  the  good  object  for  which  it  was  written. 
The  impartial  reader  will  give  us  credit,  that  we  have  made  him  ac- 
quainted with  the  vice  and  crime  of  our  city  in  a  manner  which  ought 
to  teach  him  to  avoid  it,  and  which  should  serve  him  as  a  safeguard 
against  many  hidden  cliffs  which  would  otherwise  have  proven  false  to 
his  inexperience. 

Easy  as  it  would  have  been  to  assume  the  common  sensational  tone, 
to  give  some  spicy  food  to  frivolous  minds,  by  interspersing  sensational 
items  here  and  there,  we  have  remained  true  to  the  higher  aim  we  set. 
The  "  Dark  Sides  of  JNew  York,"  as  we  have  given  them,  are,  as  we 
have  said  in  the  beginning,  by  no  means  sensational  literature,  but  an 
instructive  picture  composed  of  plain,  bare  facts,  showing  the  reverse 
sides  of  our  social  life.  An  old  but  true  saying  tells  us  that  "  Know- 
ledge is  power/'  and  nowhere  is  it  more  true  than  with  regard  to  evils 
which  lurk  under  the  surface  of  the  society  of  a  great  metropolis,  and 
which  threaten  the  inexperienced  at  every  step.  If  he  would  avoid 
these  dangers,  as  well  as  those  arising  from  them,  he  must  become  well 
acquainted  with  them. 

The  time  has  long  passed  when  inexperience  was  considered  a  safe- 
guard of  virtue,  and  it  was  thought  that  the  knowledge  alone  of  the  ex- 
istence of  vice  and  its  temptations  sufficed  to  corrupt  a  pure  mind.  This 
almost  sounds  as  if  we  were  to  say  that  he  is  the  best  seaman,  who  puts 
out  to  sea  without  any  knowledge  of  cliffs,  currents,  etc.  Our  age  has 
learned  to  think  differently.  It  tries  to  educate  the  mind  for  the  world 
as  it  is,  and  not  for  the  world  as  it  ought  to  be.  Only  too  frequently 
T.oes  vice  go  about  under  the  mask  of  virtue,  and  temptation  spread  its 
snares  just  where  they  are  least  expected.  It  by  no  means  suffices  to 
will  the  good,  but  we  must  also  learn  to  distinguish  it  from  evil.  Temp- 
tation is  most  dangerous  for  the  inexperienced,  who  do  not  know  its  true 
nature,  hidden  under  a.  glittering  mask. 

This  is  in  general  the  undisputed  truth,  but  nowhere  more  so  than  in 
the  society  of  the  metropolis  of  America.  Examples  of  how  ignorance 
of  the  temptations  of  vice  and  crime  have  already  destroyed  many  a  pro- 


794  CONCLUSION. 

mising  career,  we  have  given  sufficiently  in  the  course  of  this  work* 
They  alone  would  justify  a  work  like  the  present,  if  a  justification  were 
at  all  needed.  One  evil  was  not  to  be  avoided,  however.  This  was  that 
t  should  make  the  impression  on  the  thoughtless  reader  that  New  York 
was  a  modern  Sodom,  and  therefore  fully  deserves  the  fate  of  its  biblical 
predecessor.  A  book  whose  object  it  is  to  describe  the  dark  sides  of 
New  York,  has  certainly  very  little  opportunity  to  describe  its  bright 
sides  also.  But  because  the  sua  has  spots,  is  certainly  no  reason  to  sup- 
pose that  the  astronomer  who  writes  on  the  sun-spots  desires  to  deny  the 
existence  of  light  in  the  sun.  Thus  it  is  also  in  our  case.  The  "  Dark 
Sides  of  New  York"  are  all  the  blacker,  the  brighter  its  bright  sides 
oppose  them.  The  brighter  the  light,  the  blanker  is  always  the  shadow. 
A  light  without  a  shadow  has  not  yet  become  known.  The  true  aim  of 
of  this  book  has  been  accomplished  by  giving  a  description  of  the  dark 
sides,  but  we  feel  compelled  to  show  to  the  reader  some  of  the  bright 
sides  before  we  part  with  him.  The  immense  enterprise  which  makes 
itself  felt  in  the  most  distant  regions  of  the  globe,  the  almost  unparal- 
leled activity  of  trade,  which  makes  our  city  the  pulsating  heart  of  the 
New  World  ;  the  richly-endowed  institutions  of  Art  and  Science,  which 
are  open  to  the  poor  and  humble,  as  well  as  the  rich  and  proud ;  the 
well-ordered  system  of  public  schools,  which  no  other  city  of  the  United 
States,  that  of  Boston  perhaps  excepted,  has  attained  to  such  a  degree 
of  perfection, — where  is  the  man  who  would  dare  to  ignore  these  bright 
sides,  simply  because  there  are  dark  ones  beside  them  ? 

New  York  full  well  knows  its  weak  spots,  and  knows  that  it  covers  a 
great  amount  of  ein  and  vice  and  wretchedness.  But  nowhere  else  is 
so  much  done  as  in  our  city  to  remove  these  festering  evils.  "Help 
yourself,"  it  is  true,  is  the  motto  everywhere  in  the  struggle  for  life ; 
but,  nevertheless,  the  idea  of  Joving  your  neighbor,  is  nowhere  so  little 
an  empty  form  as  in  the  great  city  of  New  York. 

Under  the  cold  covering  of  egotism,  there  is  a  warm  under-current 
of  pity  for  the  misery  and  misfortunes  of  others.  The  proof  of  this  is 
found  in  our  numerous  and  well-endowed  charitable  institutions,  which 
in  no  other  city  in  Europe  or  America  have  their  equal,  either  in  their 
number  or  in  the  extent  of  their  activity  and  usefulness.  Nowhere  in 
the  world  do  the  real  poor  find  help  so  easily  and  so  effectually  as  here 
in  the  metropolis  of  the  New  World.  Nowhere  does  charity  and  benev- 
olence take  so  much  pains  to  seek  out  the  sick  and  unfortunate,  to  lead 
the  vicious  and  unfortunate  back  to  the  path  of  virtue,  and  to  place  the 
abandoned  youth  under  proper  care,  than  here  with  us  in  New  York. 
In  this  respect,  therefore,  very  much  is  done  to  gradually  brighten 
the  dark  sides  described  by  us  in  these  chapters,  and  to  cause  them  to 
disappear  in  time. 

We  therefore  do  not  know  a  more  fitting  conclusion  to  our   book  than 


TUK    BRIGHTER   OF   TUB  795 

by  an  enumeration  of  the  long  list  of  our   charitable   institution':,  which 
must  undoubtedly  be  considered  as 

THE  BRIGHTEST  OF  THE  BRIGHT  SIDES  OF  NEW  YORK, 

although  their  beneficial  influence   is  exerted  quietly  and  without  much 
show. 


THE  BRIGHTEST  OF  THE  BRIGHT  SIDES 
OF  NEW  YORK. 

We  give  the  private  institutions  the  preference,  and  begin  with  the 
hospitals  and  lying-in  asylums.  We  will  enumerate  the  institutions  in 
their  different  groups,  in  the  order  in  which  they  began  their  benefiicial 
career. 

The  "New  York  Eye  and  Ear  Infirmary,"  on  the  corner  of  Second 
avenue  and  Thirteenth  street,  wr.s  founded  in  1820,  and  began  very 
modestly  in  a  retired  house — No.  45  Chatham  street — and  its  present 
magnificent  building,  furnished  with  all  conveniences,  and  which  was 
built  in  1856,  is  a  speaking  picture  of  its  growth.  The  number  of  pa- 
tients treated  in  it  during  the  year  1872  amounted  to  10,127,  of  whom 
more  than  one-half  were  treated  free  of  charge.  The  number  of  opera- 
tions performed  during  the  same  year  amounted  to  1,490.  Since  its 
foundation  it  has  received  nearly  107,000  patients.  The  hospital  serves 
at  the  same  time  as  a  college  for  the  study  of  the  diseases  of  the  eyes 
and  ears. 

The  "Asylum  for  Lying-in  Women,"  in  No.  85  Marion  street,  is  the 
oldest  institution  of  the  kind  in  the  city,  as  it  was  founded  in  1823.  It 
is  governed  by  a  board  of  directors  composed  entirely  of  ladies.  Differ- 
ences of  religion,  nationality,  or  race  are  not  taken  into  account  with  the 
applicants.  The  only  condition  imposed  is  that  the  applicant  must  show 
her  certificate  of  marriage.  Besides  receiving  women  who  are  awaiting- 
their  confinement,  the  hospital  also  supplies  nurses  for  poor  women  at 
their  homes.  The  number  of  women  thus  nursed  since  1823  was  13,021, 
while  in  1872  it  was  229. 

The  "  Seamen's  R2treat,"  a  hospital  for  sailors,  situated  on  Staten 
Island,  between  Staplelon  and  Vanderbilt  Landings,  was  opened  in  1831. 
The  fuDd  from  which  it  is  supported   is  raised   by  various   means.     The: 


790  BRIGHT    SIDES    OF    NKW     YOUR. 

principal  part  is  raised  by  taxing  every  sailor  who  leaves  the  port  one 
dollar.  This  hospital  is  now  enabled  not  only  to  receive  a  sailor  free  of 
charge,  but  also  differs  in  this  respect  from  other  institutions  in  that  it 
offers  a  permanent  home  to  sailors  suffering  from  incurable  diseases,  and 
thus  becomes  a  true  home  to  these  unfortunates.  Recently  this  truly 
charitable  institution  has  suffered  considerable  damage  from  the  fact  that 
Vanderbilt  forbid  the  seamen  employed  on  his  vessels  to  pay  this  tax, 
and  that  his  example  has  been  followed  by  others.  The  large  hospital, 
consisting  of  a  central  building  with  two  wings,  has  during  its  existence 
received  and  cared  for  60,850  sailors.  The  number  of  those  received 
during  1872  amounted  to  1,660.  Although  it  was  originally  intended 
only  for  sailors  of  the  commercial  navy,  the  United  States  Government 
has  for  some  time  past  also  sent  its  sick  sailors  there,  for  which  it  pays 
a  weekly  board  of  six  dollars  per  head. 

"  St.  Vincent's  Hospital,"  on  the  corner  of  Eleventh  street  and  Sev- 
enth avenue,  was  founded  in  the  year  1849,  and  began  its  beneficial  ca. 
reer  in  a  small  house  in  Thirteenth  street.  It  is  governed  by  the  Sisters 
of  Mercy,  and,  although  a  Catholic  institution,  it  is  open  to  all  patients 
without  distinction  of  sect.  The  number  of  patients  treated  in  it  since 
its  foundation  is  16,849.  In  the  course  of  the  year  1872,  1,028  patients 
were  received,  of  whom  780,  or  more  than  one-half,  were  treated  free  of 
charge.  The  regular  price  of  admission  is  six  dollars  per  week  for  male 
patients,  and  five  dollars  for  females.  A  branch  of  this  hospital,  for 
those  patients  who  wish  separate  rooms,  is  situated  at  No.  166  Twelfth 
street. 

The  "  New  York  Opthalmic  Hospital,"  situated  on  the  corner  of 
Twenty-third  street  and  Third  avenue,  was  founded  in  1852,  and,  al- 
though in  name  only  a  hospital  for  diseases  of  the  eye,  it  also  receives 
patients  afflicted  with  diseases  of  the  ear  and  larynx.  During  the  year 
1872  not  less  than  2,323  such  patients  were  received,  and  the  majority 
treated  free  of  charge.  The  institution  serves  at  the  same  time  as  a 
medical  school  for  diseases  of  the  eye,  the  ear,  and  the  larynx.  The 
building  in  which  it  is  located  at  present,  and  which  was  erected  some- 
thing over  a  year  ago,  is  one  of  the  finest  architectural  ornaments  of 
Third  avenue.  The  erection  of  this  building  was  made  possible  by  the 
donation  of  $100,000,  which  it  received  from  a  lady,  Mrs.  Emma  Keep, 
several  years  ago. 

The  "  Nursery  and  Childs'  Hospital,  on  the  corner  of  Fifty-first  street 
and  Lexington  avenue,  is  a  combination  of  a  children's  hospital,  a  lying- 
in  asylum,  and  a  foundling  asylum.  It  was  founded  in  1854,  and  is  gov- 
erned by  a  board  of  director*  composed  entirely  of  ladies.  Its  original 
object  was  to  furnish  a  home  for  the  children  of  poor  mothers  or  nurses, 
who  were  kept  away  from  home  much  of  the  time  by  daily  occupations. 
Since  1857,  however,  women  have  been  received  who  are  awaiting  their 


TBI    BRIGHTEST    OF   TIIK  7i>7 

confinement.  Women  who  pay  for  their  board,  can  leave  the  hospital 
after  their  confinement.  Those,  however,  who  are  received  free  of 
charge,  must  engage  themselves  for  three  months  to  nurse  and  care  for 
another  child  beside  their  own.  Such  women  can  remain  in  the  house 
free  of  charge  until  their  children  are  weaned.  A  branch  of  this  insti- 
tution is  situated  on  Staten  Island,  as  a  summer  residence  for  weakly 
mothers  and  children.  During  the  year  1872  there  were  received,  iu 
both  branches  ot  the  institution,  279  infants  and  children  under  four 
years  of  age,  and  251  pregnant  women,  while  208  children  were  born 
there.  Unmarried  mothers  were  received  a9  well  as  married  ones,  as 
one  of  the  chief  objects  of  the  institution  is  to  prevent  child-murder  and 
the  exposure  of  children  as  much  as  possible.  During  the  war,  and  un- 
til 1867,  the  hospital  served  as  a  home  for  wounded  soldiers.  At  its 
foundation  the  institution  was  situated  in  St.  Mark's  Place.  The  present 
magnificent  building  was  erected  in  18G1. 

The  "New  York  Infirmary  for  Women  and  Children"  is  situated  at 
No.  128  Second  avenue.  This  hospital  was  originally  a  female  dispen- 
sary, which  was  opened,  in  1853,  in  a  rented  room,  near  Tompkins' 
Square,  and  was  kept  there  until  the  founders  were  enabled,  in  1862,  to 
purchase  the  commodious  building  in  which  it  is  situated  at  present.  It 
is  especially  characterized  by  the  fact  that,  not  only  was  its  organization 
principally  brought  about  by  female  physicians,  but  also  that  the  entire 
management  of  the  hospital,  as  well  as  the  treatment  of  patients,  is  iu 
the  hands  of  ladies. 

The  institution  serves  at  the  same  time  as  a  school  for  female  physi- 
cians and  nurses.  Poor  patients  are  treated  free  of  charge,  while  the 
)*egular  price  is  four  dollars  per  week.  The  number  of  beds  is  fourteen. 
A  dispensary  is  also  connected  with  the  hospital,  where  patients  not  only 
lire  treated  tree  of  charge,  but  also  receive  their  medicines  gratis.  Poor 
patients  are  also  treated  free  of  charge  at  their  homes,  in  such  cases  in 
which  their  removal  to  the  hospital  would  not  be  advisable.  The  num- 
ber of  patients  treated  since  1863  is  60,000.  The  number  of  patients 
treated  in  1872,  in  the  hospital,  the  dispensary,  or  at  their  homes,  was 
5,170. 

The  "  Women's  Hospital  of  the  State  of  New  York  "  began  its  bene- 
ficial activity  in  a  small  house  in  Madison  avenue,  where  it  received  iu 
its  first  year  61  patients.  During  the  year  1872  the  number  of  patients 
received  was  1,174.  The  hospital  is  governed  by  a  board  of  lady  di- 
rectors, and  only  receives  such  patients  as  suffer  from  so-called  female 
diseases.  The  regular  prices  of  admission  vary  from  six  to  fifteen  dol- 
lars per  week,  yet  poor  persons  are  received,  without  distinction  of  race 
or  color,  and  every  county  in  the  State  is  entitled  to  a  free  bed  in  this 
hospital.  Of  the  large  building  laid  out  in  a  grand  style,  only  one  pa- 
vilion   has    been  finished  until  now,    which    contains    sixty-eight    beds. 


798  BRIGHT    SIDES    OF    NEW    YORK. 

Large  collections  have  already  been  made  for  the  erection  of  the  9econd 
pavilion.  When  this  is  finished,  it  will  be  able  to  provide  for  four  hun- 
dred ,patients. 

The  "  Mount  Sinai  Hospital,"  also  called  the  "  Jewish  Hospital,"  was 
founded  in  1828,  in  Twenty-eighth  street,  in  a  building  which  held  about 
sixty  patients.  The  fact,  however,  that  in  time  it  was  surrounded  by 
factories,  breweries,  distilleries,  etc.,  made  it  necessary  to  remove  the 
hospital.  A  new  building  was  soon  erected,  and  the  present  Mount  Si- 
nai Hospital,  opened  in  June,  1872,  is  one  of  the  largest  and  finest  hos- 
pitals in  the  New  World.  The  number  of  patients  treated  in  it  during 
the  year  1872  was  1,429.  A  lying-in  asylum  is  also  connected  with  the 
hospital,  in  which  seven  births  occurred  during  the  past  year.  Although 
it  is  in  reality  a  Jewish  hospital,  patients  are  received  in  it  without  any 
distinction  of  religion,  and,  in  case  of  absolute  poverty,  free  of  charge. 
The  palace-like  building  of  this  hospital  is  situated  on  Sixty-sixth  street, 
between  Third  and  Lexington  avenues,  and  cost  over  $350,000. 

"  St.  Luke's  Hospital,"  also  one  of  our  largest  buildings  of  this  kind, 
is  situated  on  Fifty-fourth  street,  between  Fifth  and  Sixth  avenues,  and 
is  280  feet  long,  and  three  stories  high.  It  was  founded  in  1859,  and 
its  seal,  with  the  motto,  "  Corpore  Sanare,  Animam  Salvare,"  (To  heal 
the  body,  to  save  the  soul),  shows  that  it  rests  on  a  more  religious  basis. 
Although  conducted  by  Protestant  Episcopalians,  it  receives  patients  of 
all  denominations.  The  nurses  are  "  Sisters  of  the  Holy  Communion." 
The  rates  of  admission,  for  those  persons  who  are  able  to  pay,  are  seven 
dollars  per  week  for  adults,  and  four  dollars  for  children.  Poor  persons, 
however,  are  received  free  of  charge.  The  number  of  those  received  in 
the  hospital  every  year  is  over  1,000,  of  whom  about  one-half  are  cured 
free  of  charge. 

The  "Hospital  for  the  Ruptured  and  Crippled,"  on  the  corner  of 
Forty-second  street  and  Lexington  avenue,  was  founded,  in  1864,  by  the 
•4  Society  for  the  Aid  of  the  Ruptured  and  Crippled."  The  object  of 
this  society  was  indicated  by  its  name,  to  bring  within  the  reach  of  even 
the  poorest,  trusses,  crutches,  and  similar  apparatus.  Afterwards  it  also 
undertook  to  cure  persons  afflicted  with  such  diseases,  and  obtained  par- 
ticularly gratifying  results  with  children.  It  soon  gained  a  high  reputa- 
tation,  and  its  present  magnificent  hospital,  which  it  built  in  1870,  in 
the  place  of  its  former  humble  place  of  abode  in  No.  97  Second  avenue, 
is  a  lasting  monument  of  its  success.  Children  received  for  treatment 
not  only  receive  medical  attendance,  but  also  instruction.  Since  its 
foundation,  21,814,  and  during  the  year  1872  over  4,000,  patients  were 
received.  Eighty-one  per  cent,  were  discharged  either  completely  cured 
or  considerably  improved. 

The  "  German  Hospital  and  Dispensary,"  on  Fourth,  avenue,  between 
•Seventy-sixth   and   Seventy-seventh  streets,  was   incorporated   iu    186 1» 


TI1R    KltlOHTKST    OP    TIIK 


70!) 


but  the  erection  of  the  building  was  not  begun  until  September  3,  1866, 
and  one  pavilion  was  completed  on  October  28,  1868.  The  number  of 
beds  in  the  six  divisions  and  the  five  privato  rooms  is  eighty,  of  which 
thirty-five  are  free  beds.  This  pavilion  has  been  in  use  since  September 
13,  1869.  According  to  its  last  annual  report,  the  hospital  treated,  in 
all,  during  the  year  1872,  769  patients.  Although  a  German  hospital 
to  all  intents  andd  purposes,  it  receives  patients  of  any  nationality.  With 
regard  to  its  administration  and  its  medical  attendance,  the  German  hos- 
pital could  serve  as  a  model  for  any  other  in  the  land.  After  its  com- 
pletion, it  will  be  one  of  the  largest  and  most  beneficial  institutions  of 
the  kind  in  the  world. 

The  "  German  Dispensary,"  established  in  1852,  and  considerably  en- 
larged in  1873,  when  it  was  removed  to  No.  65  Eighth  street,  is  under 
the  same  administration  as  the  above  hospital.  The  number  of  persons 
who  applied  for  medical  attendance  at  this  dispensary  during  the  year 
1872  was  12,076. 

The  "Hospital  of  St.  Francis"  was  opened,  in  1865,  by  the  Catholic 
order  of  "  Sisters  of  St.  Francis,"  in  Fifty-eighth  street,  between  Ave- 
nues A  and  B,  and  was  incorporated  in  1866.  It  is  in  every  respect  a 
hospital  lor  the  poor,  into  which  any  one  is  admitted,  and  may  pay  much, 
little,  or  nothing  at  all,  according  to  his  circumstances.  The  hos- 
pital, which  can  contain  about  two  hundred  patients,  derives  its  income 
by  aid  from  the  Legislature  and  collections  in  the  city,  for  which  purpose 
two  Sisters  are  continually  on  the  way  from  house  to  house.  The  num- 
ber of  patients  received  annually  amounts  to  about  seven  or  eight  hun- 
dred. 

The  "  Roosevelt  Hospital,"  so-called  from  its  founder,  James  H.  Roose- 
velt, a  gentleman  who  left  a  part  of  his  immense  fortune  for  the  erection 
of  a  hospital. — This  hospital,  which  was  begun  in  1868,  is  situated  on 
the  square  between  Fifty-eighth  and  Fifty-ninth  streets  and  Ninth  and 
Tenth  avenues.  The  part  now  in  use  was  finished  in  1871.  Since  this 
time  about  1,800  patients  have  been  admiited  into  it.  When  it  is  com- 
pletely finished,  according  to  the  original  plan,  the  Roosevelt  Hospital 
will  be  one  of  the  best  in  the  New  World. 

The  "  New  York  Opthalmic  and  Aural  Institute,"  in  No.  46  East 
Twelfth  street,  was  founded  in  1869.  It  is  an  excellent  institution,  con- 
ducted on  a  strictly  scientific  plan,  which  has  treated  since  its  existence 
already  over  12,039  patients.  In  connection  with  the  hospital  there  is  a 
medical  school  for  diseases  of  the  eye  and  ear,  and  a  dispensary.  The 
number  of  patients  treated  during  the  course  of  the  year  1872  was 
4,251,  of  whom  3,903  were  in  the  dispensary,  and  348  in  the  hospital. 
Of  these  all  the  dispensary  and  56  of  the  hospital  patients  were  treated 
free  of  charge,  while  only  6  hospital  patients  paid  the  entire  fee,  and  32 
on]y  a  part  of  it. 


800  BRIGHT      SIDES    OF    NEW    YORK. 

The  "  New  York  Medical  College  and  Hospital  for  Women :"  Of 
this  the  Women's  Hospital  only  interests  us,  which  was  opened,  in  1864, 
in.  connection  with  the  college  existing  since  1863.  It  is  situated  on  the 
corner' of  Second  avenue  and  Twelfth  street,  and  the  hospital,  as  well  as 
the  college,  being  the  creation  of  female  physicians.  Since  its  founda- 
tion over  500  patients,  exclusively  women  and  children,  and  mostly  free 
of  charge,  have  been  received  there. 

The  "  Hahneman  Hospital,"  founded  in  1869,  was,  up  to  May,  1873, 
in  Nos.  307  and  309  East  Fifty-fifth  street.  Since  the  first  of  May  the 
reception  of  patients  has  been  discontinued,  and  will  only  be  begun 
again  when  the  newly  projected  hospital  building  will  be  finished.  This 
building  will  occupy  twelve  lots  ou  Fourth  avenue,  between  Sixty-seventh 
and  Sixty-eighth  streets,  and,  judging  from  the  plans,  will  be  one  of  the 
finest  buildings  in  the  country.  As  the  name  of  the  hospital  indicates, 
it  is  devoted  to  homoeopathy. 

A  branch  of  this   establishment  is  the   "  Northeastern  Homoeopathic 
Medical  and  Surgical  Dispensary,"  founded  in  1868,  and  situated  on  the 
corner  of  Fifty-eighth  street  and  Second  avenue.     Since  its  existence  it- 
has  treated  12,000  patients  and  made  8,000  visits.     Medical  attendance,, 
as  well  as  medicines,  are  giveu  free  to  the  poor. 

The  "Manhattan  Eye  and  Ear  Infirmary,"  in  No.  233  East  Thirty- 
fourth  street,  was  opened  in  1869,  for  the  treatment  of  diseases  of  the 
eye,  ear,  and  larynx.  The  institution  serves  at  the  same  time  as  a  med- 
ical school  in  the  branches  named.  Since  its  opening  it  has  treated 
6,069  patients,  and  performed  1,274  operations.  The  number  of  patients 
treated  during  the  year  1872  was  508. 

44  St.  Mary's  Hospital  for  Children"  is  situated  at  present  in  No.  206 
West  Fortieth  street.  Its  present  locality  has,  however,  been  found  too 
small,  and  plans  have  been  laid  to  enlarge  it  considerably.  It  is  the 
only  hospital  which  receives  children  exclusively.  It  has  only  fourteen 
beds,  in  which  it  treated,  during  the  year  1872,  in  all  forty-nine  children, 
all  free  of  charge. 

w  The  Strangers'  Hospital,"  on  the  corner  of  Avenue  D  and  Tenth 
street,  the  creation  of  John  D.  Keyser,  a  rich  New  Yorker,  was  opened 
iu  January,  1871.  It  is  not  only  intended  for  strangers,  as  might  be 
inferred  from  its  name,  but  is  open  to  worthy  persons  without  regard  to 
whether  they  are  rich  or  poor.  This  institution,  containing  in  all  108 
beds,  has  been  suspended  since  September,  1873 — we  hope,  however, 
only  temporarily. 

The  "  Presbyterian  Hospital,"  also  called  "  Lenox  Hospital,"  is  a  cre- 
ation of  the  New  York  Presbyterians,  inspired  to  this  work  by  James 
Lenox,  who  contributed  over  half  a  million  in  money  and  real  estate. 
It  is  situated  between  Seventieth  and  Seventy-first  streets,  and  between 
Fourth  and   Madison   avenue,  and  the  central   building  was  opened  on 


THE    BRIGHTEST    OF   THE  801 

October  10,  1872.  When  finished  it  will  have  room  for  three  hundred 
patients.  Since  its  opening  it  has  received  over  four  hundred  patients, 
mostly  free  of  charge. 

The  "New  York  Hospital,"  the  oldesi  of  our  hospitals  (founded  in 
1771),  which  until  recently  was  situated  on  Broadway,  between  Duane 
and  Worth  streets,  has  been  suspended  since  February,  1870,  after  hav- 
ing relieved  over  150,000  patients.  The  cause  of  the  suspension  was 
that  the  State  .Legislature  had  refused  to  pay  the  annual  aid  of  $22,500 
since  18G6. 

As  a  branch  of  it  the  "  Bloomingdale  Asylum  for  the  iDsane  "  is  still 
in  operation.  Although  the  present  site  of  the  institution,  on  the  Har- 
lem Heights,  on  One-Hundred-and-Seventeenth  street,  between  Tenth 
and  Eleventh  avenues,  was  a  satisfactory  one,  in  every  respect,  at  the 
time  of  its  foundation  in  1821,  the  constant  growth  of  our  city  has  made 
a  change  desirable.  The  administration  has  therefore  purchased  three 
hundred  acres  of  land  in  White  Plains,  Westchester  County,  and  not 
only  intends  to  bring  the  lunatic  asylum  there,  but  also  to  revive  the 
New  York  Hospital. 

We  have  already  given,  on  a  former  occasion,  details  of  this  the  lar- 
gest lunatic  asylum  in  the  United  States.  Strictly  speaking,  it  is  not  a 
true  charitable  institution,  as  poor  persons  are  admitted  on  rare  occasions 
only  free  of  charge. 

The  institutions  for  the  deaf;  dumb,  and  blind,  although  not  to  be  re- 
garded as  hospitals,  must  still  be  classed  among  them.  Of  these  the  fol- 
lowing have  been  erected  by  private  charity  : 

14  The  New  York  Institution  for  the  Deaf  and  Dumb,"  situated  on 
Oue-Hundred-and-Sixty-second  street,  on  the  so-called  "Washington 
Heights."  It  is  built  in  a  truly  palatial  style,  and  the  grounds  belong- 
ing to  it  have  an  area  of  thirty-seven  acres.  The  institution  was  opened, 
in  1817,  in  a  private  house,  with  only  four  scholars.  In  1829  it  was 
moved  to  the  building  now  used  by  Columbia  College,  where  it  remained 
until,  in  1856,  its  present  magnificent  building  was  erected  as  a  speaking 
picture  of  its  development.  As  now  existing,  the  institution  can  take 
charge  of  over  600  pupils,  while  the  annual  average  for  the  past  years 
has  been  from  500  to  550.  The  annual  report  for  1871  mentioned  534, 
and  that  for  1872,  509  pupils  (294  boys  and  215  girls).  The  institution 
is  not  intended  as  a  home  for  deaf-mutes,  but  only  as  a  school  in  which 
such  unfortunates  receive  such  instruction  as  will  enable  them  to  become, 
in  spite  of  their  natural  defects,  useful  members  of  society.  Pupils  are 
received  in  general  only  from  twelve  to  twenty-five  years  of  age,  and 
their  period  of  instruction  continues  for  eight  years.  Among  the  twenty 
teachers,  not  less  than  twelve  have  been  educated  as  deaf-mutes  by  the 
institution  itself.  Although  brought  to  life  and  conducted  for  a  long 
time  by  private  means,  it  is  now  under  the  protection   of  the   State,  so 

5] 


802  BRIGHT    SIDES    OF    NEW    YORK. 

that  it  might  with  equal  justice  be  termed  a  State  institution.  Beside* 
the  regular  instruction,  the  boys  are  taught  the  various  trades,  and  the 
girls  sewing  and  housework.  The  regular  charges  are  $300  per  annum, 
but  poor  persons  are  received  upon  the  production  of  proofs  of  their 
inability  to  pay  this  sum,  at  the  expense  of  the  State  or  the  county. 
Of  the  entire  509  pupil's,  only  fourteen  are  paid  for  by  parents  or  other 
friends ;  all  the  rest  are  received  as  poor — that  is,  free  of  charge. 

A  similar  but  much  younger  institution  is  the  "  Institution  for  the  Im- 
proved Instruction  of  Deaf  Mutes,"  in  No.  642  Seventh  avenue,  which 
was  founded  in  1871,  and  had,  in  January,  1873,  according  to  the  last 
annual  report,  sixty-seven  pupils  (30  boy3  and  37  girls),  under  seven 
teachers.  It  differs  from  the  above-mentioned  institution  in  its  method 
of  instruction.  While  in  the  former  the  pupils  are  instructed  in 
the  language  of  the  signs  of  the  fingers,  the  latter  has  adopted  the  more 
recent  but  also  much  more  difficult  system,  not  only  to  understand  the 
common  language  from  the  motion  of  the  lips,  but  also  to  make  them- 
selves understood  by  others  by  articulated  tones.  It  therefore  actually 
teaches  the  dumb  to  speak  ;  but  instead  of  regulating  the  sounds  by  his 
power  of  hearing,  the  mute  regulates  them  by  the  motion  of  the  larynx, 
tongue,  and  lips.  This  institution  is  the  first  one  which  has  introduced 
the  new  system  on  this  continent.  Like  the  above-mentioned  institution, 
it  receives  aid  from  the  State,  and  will  probably  change  its  present  insuf- 
ficient accommodations  for  a  more  convenient  building  in  a  new  location, 
as  for  this  purpose  it  has  already  received  building  lots  in  Lexington 
avenue,  betweeu  Sixty-seventh  and  Sixty-eighth  streets. 

The  "  New  York  Hospital  for  the  Blind,"  on  Ninth  avenue,  between 
Thirty-third  and  Thirty-fourth  streets,  was  incorporated  in  1831,  and  in 
1832  opened  a  small  place  in  No.  47  Mercer  street.  Its  present  large 
and  commodious  building  was  erected  in  1839,  and  considerably  enlarged 
and  renovated  in  1872.  The  last  annual  report  shows  that  there  were 
in  all,  at  the  end  of  the  year  1872,  166  pupils,  who  are  instructed  by 
sixteen  teachers,  not  only  in  reading,  writing,  arithmetic,  and  the  differ- 
ent handiworks,  but  also  in  music  and  singing.  It  is  richly  furnished 
with  materials  for  the  instruction  of  the  blind,  and  is  regarded  as  one  of 
the  best  institutions  of  the  kind  in  the  world.  As  in  the  institution  for 
the  deaf-mutes,  poor  persons  are  also  received  here  at  the  State's  expense. 
It  13  by  no  means  intended  to  serve  as  a  home  for  blind  people,  and  only  re- 
ceives children  and  young  people  to  educate  them. 

Next  to  these  institutions  are  those  whose  object  it  is  to  offer  a  home 
to  such  persons  who  have  become  unable  to  support  themselves  through 
old  age,  disease,  accidents,  and  other  causes.  In  this  class  we  must 
place  the  following : 

The  "Association  for  the  Relief  of  Respectable  Aged  and  Indigent 
.Females." — This  institution  was  founded,  in  1813,  by  a  number  of  New 


THE    BRIGHTEST    OF   THE  803 

York  ladies.  For  many  years  the  members  of  tke  Association  performed 
their  charitable  work,  by  looking  up  the  poor  and  indigent  women  of  the 
city  and  supplying  them  with  the  necessaries  of  life.  In  1838  the  Asso- 
ciation built  its  "  Home  for  Respectable  Aged  and  Indigent  Females," 
on  the  site  where  it  is  still  standing  at  present,  in  No.  329  East  Twen- 
tieth street.  It  added,  in  1845,  a  hospital,  or  department  for  the  sick. 
From  eighty  to  one  hundred  women  are  cared  for  on  an  average  during 
the  year.  According  to  the  regulations,  applicants  must  belong  to  some 
one  of  the  various  denominations  of  the  Protestant  Church,  be  over 
sixty  years  of  age,  and  be  able  to  pay  fifty  dollars  as  an  entrance  fee. 
The  society  has  already  purchased  building  lots  on  Seventy-eighth  street 
and  Fourth  avenue,  where  they  are  about  to  erect  a  new  and  grand 
building. 

The  "  Sailors'  Snug  Harbor,"  at  Castleton,  Long  Island,  is  the  home 
for  sailors,  and  is  one  of  the  finest  in  the  world.  The  founder  of  it  was 
Captain  R.  R.  Randall,  an  old  seaman,  who  in  1801  left  his  entire  pro- 
perty, consisting  of  real  estate  in  the  Eleventh  and  Fifteenth  wards  of 
New  York  city,  for  this  purpose.  But  only  in  1830,  after  protracted  law- 
suits against  relatives  of  the  testator,  could  the  noble  work  be  brought 
under  headway.  One  hundred  and  fifty-one  acres  were  then  bought  on 
Staten  Island,  and  in  1833  the  still  existing  palatial  building  was  erected, 
consisting  of  a  central  building  three  stories  high  and  one  hundred  feet 
long,  and  two  equally  long  wings  connected  with  the  main  building  by 
large  halls.  Round  about  the  institution  there  is  a  park  containing 
twenty-three  acres,  and  fenced  in  by  a  high  iron  railing.  The  institution 
consists  of  the  real  home  and  the  hospital,  the  latter  having  accommo- 
dations for  seventy-five  patients.  The  number  of  patients  who  find  a 
a  home  here  for  the  rest  of  their  lives,  not  unfrequently  extending  over 
one  hundred  years,  is  about  four  hundred  per  year.  The  conditions  of 
reception  are  :  Service  on  American  vessels  for  at  least  five  years,  pov- 
erty, and  unfitness  for  further  service  on  account  of  old  age,  sickness,  or 
being  crippled.  The  pensioners  enjoy  the  greatest  liberties  both  within 
and  without  the  institution,  and  mostly  employ  themselves  with  the  man- 
ufacturing of  mats,  baskets,  and  other  useful  as  well  as  fancy  articles, 
which  they  sell  in  large  numbers,  using  the  money  thus  obtained  in  the 
purchase  of  personal  comforts.  There  are  special  rooms  for  such  work, 
situated  in  the  basement,  and  furnished  with  everything  necessary  for 
this  kind  of  manufacture,  while  a  library  of  over  one  thousaud  volumes, 
and  a  reading-room  supplied  with  the  daily  papers  and  magazines,  offers 
ample  chance  for  literary  improvement.  Captain  Randall's  property, 
originally  valued  at  $30,000,  is  now  worth  over  $2,000,000,  and  this 
increase  in  value  has  made  his  noble  work  one  of  the  richest  charitable 
institutions  in  the  country. 

"The   Colored   Home,"    on  First  avenue,  bstween   Sixty-fourth  and 


804  BRIGHT    SIDES    OF   NEW    YORK. 

Sixty-fifth  streets,  was  founded  by  a  number  of  noble  white  women,  who 
in  1839  formed  themselves  into  a  "  Society  for  the  Relief  of  Worthy 
Aged  Colored  Persons/'  and  opened  a  house  on  the  North  River,  known 
as  Woodsi'e,  as  the  first  home  for  their  colored  proteges.  In  1843  they 
moved  to  the  corner  of  Fortieth  street  and  Fourth  avenue,  and  in  1849 
to  their  present  magnificent  house.  The  Home,  as  it  now  exists,  is  a 
combination  of  a  home,  a  hospital,  and  a  children's  home.  In  the  Home 
uot  only  poor  and  aged  colored  persons  are  received,  but  it  also  offers  a 
home  to  such  as  are  forced  by  circumstanced  to  make  use  of  public 
charity  for  a  time.  In  accordance  with  an  arrangement  made,  the  Com- 
missioners of  Public  Charities  also  turn  over  poor  colored  persons  to  the 
Colored  Home,  instead  of  sending  them  to  the  Poor-house.  The  hos- 
pital consists  of  the  real  hospital  and  the  lying-in  asylum.  The  Chil- 
dren's Home  takes  charge  of  such  children,  over  three  years  of  age,  as 
are  not  received  in  the  Colored  Orphan  Asylum.  The  number  of  these 
children  amounts  on  an  average  to  twenty  a  year.  In  the  course  of  the 
year  1872,  889  persons  were  received  in  the  institution,  of  whom  597 
came  into  the  hospital  department,  and  292  into  the  poor  department. 
Of  these  there  were,  on  December  31,  1872,  246  remaining  in  the  house, 
(164  in  the  sick  and  82  in  the  poor  department).  Although  intended 
only  for  the  poor  negroes  of  the  city  of  New  York,  colored  persons  from 
other  parts  of  the  State  are  also  received  upon  the  payment  of  $1.65  for 
the  poor,  and  $1.85  for  the  hospital  department,  if  there  is  sufficient 
room  to  receive  them. 

The  "  Home  for  Aged  and  Infirm  members  of  the  Methodist  Episco- 
pal Church  in  the  City  of  New  York,"  is  under  the  direction  of  the 
"  Ladies'  Union  Aid  Society  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,"  and 
was  opened,  in  1850,  in  a  small  house  in  No.  16  Horatio  street.  Its 
present  fine  building  in  Forty-second  street,  near  Eighth  avenue,  which 
was  built  in  1856,  is  four  stories  high,  and  occupies  four  building  lots. 
The  noble  object  of  the  institution  is  clearly  indicated  by  its  name.  The 
last  annual  report  shows  the  presence,  at  the  close  of  the  year  1872,  of 
85  pensioners,  mostly  females,  in  the  institution.  In  connection  with 
this  institution,  it  is  interesting  to  remark  that,  in  1854,  two  of  its  in- 
mates died,  the  one  at  100  years,  and  the  other  at  the  still  more  advanced 
age  of  117  years. 

"  St.  Luke's  Home  for  Indigent  Christian  Females,"  is  a  fine  Gothic 
building  on  the  corner  of  Eighty-ninth  street  and  Madison  avenue.  It 
was  begun,  in  1851,  as  a  home  for  indigent  aged  women  of  St.  Luke's 
parish,  who  were  furnished  with  free  lodgings  in  rented  rooms.  In  1867 
its  sphere  of  action  was  enlarged  by  being  placed  under  the  protection 
of  all  the  Protestant  Episcopal  churches  of  the  city  of  New  York,  and 
that  the  house  No.  481  Hudson  street  was  rented  for  the  purposes  of 
the  Home.     There  it  remained  until,  in   1871,  the  present  building,  in- 


TI1K    HKMIUTKST    OK    TIIK 


805 


tended  for  seventy-four  women,  was  finished.  The  conditions  for  ad- 
mission to  the  institution  are,  good  character,  poverty,  old  age,  the  mem- 
bership of  a  Protestant  Episcopal  Church,  and  the  payment  of  one  hun- 
dred dollars. 

The  former  home  in  Hudson  street  was  changed,  in  the  spring  o* 
1873,  into  a  "  Home  for  Old  Men  and  Old  Couples."  The  name  clearly 
indicates  the  character  of  the  institution. 

The  "Home  for  Incurables,"  founded  in  1865,  is  in  West  Farms, 
Westchester  County  (at  present  the  Twenty-fourth  ward  of  the  city  of 
New  York).  The  name  of  the  institution  clearly  indicates  its  object. 
The  number  of  patients  does  not  exceed  thirty  or  forty,  owing  to  the 
want  of  accommodations.  Poor  persons  are  received  free  of  charge, 
while  those  inmates  who  are  able  to  pay  are  charged  six  dollars  per 
week. 

Similar  to  this  is  "The  House  of  rest  for  Consumptives,"  which  was 
opened,  in  1869,  in  Tremont,  Westchester  County,  and  which  has  re- 
ceived, since  its  existence,  over  one  hundred  persons,  without  distinction 
of  creed,  and,  in  cases  of  poverty,  has  treated  the  inmates  without 
charge. 

"The  Samaritan  Home  for  the  Aged"  was  originally  only  a  home  for 
poor  old  women  belonging  to  any  Protestant  church,  and  was  opeued,  in 
1866,  in  No.  175  West  Thirty-seventh  street.  In  1868  the  directors 
also  established  a  home  for  old  men,  in  No.  259  West  Thirty-seventh 
street,  and  united  these  two  institutions  in  May,  1869,  in  its  present 
building  on  the  corner  of  Ninth  avenue  and  Fourteenth  street.  The 
number  of  inmates  in  the  year  1872  was  forty-four  (2  0  men  and  24 
women).  The  conditions  of  admission  are:  Protestant  religion,  an  age 
of  over  sixty-five  years,  and  the  payment  of  two  hundred  and  fifty 
dollars. 

The  "  Presbyterian  Home  for  Aged  Women "  is  situated  in  a  fine 
building  in  Seventy-third  street,  between  Lexington  and  Fourth  avenues. 
It  only  receives  poor  old  women  of  the  Presbyterian  and  Dutch  Re- 
formed Churches,  and  the  inmates  must  pay  three  dollars  per  week  for 
board.  This  Home  was  opened  by  some  Presbyterian  ladies,  in  1866,  in 
No.  45  Grove  street.  At  the  end  of  April,  1873,  it  had  forty-three  in- 
mates. 

The  "  Home  for  the  Blind,"  in  No.  219  West  Fourteenth  street,  is  the 
first  attempt  at  the  establishment  of  such  an  institution  in  our  city.  It 
is  the  work  of  the  "  Society  for  the  Aid  of  the  Poor  Blind  of  New  York 
and  Vicinity,"  and  has  been  in  operation  since  the  year  1869.  The  ob- 
ject of  this  institution,  is  to  offer  a  home  to  poor  and  friendless  blind 
persons  of  both  sexes  when  they  are  old  and  infirm,  or  to  give  them  an 
opportunity  to  earn  a  little  towards  their  maintenance.  The  institution 
is  governed,  like  several    others  we    have   mentioned,  by  a  board  of  di- 


806  BRIGHT    SIDES    OF    NEW    TORE. 

rectors  consisting  entirely   of  ladies,  and  for  the  present  only  receives 
blind  persons  of  extreme  old  age. 

The  "  Roman  Catholic  Home  for  the  Aged  Poor,"  in  No.  447 
West  Thirty-second  street,  was  founded  by  the  Sisters  of  Charity,  in 
1870,  and  furnishes  a  home  for  about  ninety  poor  and  aged  persons  for 
the  rest  of  their  lives,  without  distinction  of  sex  or  religion.  The  insti- 
tution is  supported  mainly  by  contributions  which  the  Sisters  continually 
solicit  and  collect  in  the  city.  At  present  the  Home,  which  consists  of 
th*ree  rented  buildings,  is  capable  of  accommodating  one  hundred  and 
ten  persons. 

The  " Baptist  Home  for  Aged  and  Infirm  Persons"  was  opened,  in 
1870,  in  No.  41  Grove  street,  from  where  it  has  just  moved  into  its  new 
building  on  Lexington  avenue,  between  Sixty-seventh  and  Sixty-eighth 
streets.  In  Grove  street  there  were  from  twenty  to  twenty-five  benefi- 
ciaries of  both  sexes.  Only  poor  old  members  of  the  Baptist  Church 
are  received,  and  applicants  are  charged  an  entrance  fee  of  one  hundred 
dollars.  It  is  governed  by  a  board  of  directors  consisting  of  lady  mem- 
bers of  the  Baptist  Church. 

The  "  Home  for  Aged  Hebrews  was  opened,  in  1870,  in  No.  215 
"West  Seventeenth  street.  Up  to  the  present  it  is  not  much  more  than  a 
home  for  poor  and  aged  Hebrew  women,  and  has  room  for  about  thirty- 
five  beneficiaries.  The  Ladies'  Aid  Society,  who  have  charge  of  the 
young  institution,  also  do  a  great  deal  of  good  by  giving  to  poor  Hebrew  * 
and  also  Christian  women  sewing  to  do,  and,  after  selling  the  work  and 
deducting  all  actual  expenses,  pay  them  the  remainder,  with  the  excep- 
tion of  a  small  part,  which  goes  to  the  society.  According  to  the  last 
annual  report,  there  were  six  men  and  twenty-four  women  in  this  insti- 
tution. 

"  Chapin's  Home  for  the  Aged  and  Infirm,"  is  an  institution  which 
was  opened,  in  1873,  in  Sixty-seventh  street,  between  Lexington  and 
Third  avenues,  for  aged  and  infirm  members  of  the  Universalist  Church, 
of  which  Dr.  Chapin,  after  whom  the  institution  is  named,  is  one  of  the 
most  influential  ministers. 

Our  city  is  no  less  rich  in  institutions  whose  object  is  the  care  of  or- 
phans.    The  following  belong  to  this  class  : 

The  "  New  York  Orphan  Asylum,  the  oldest  and  richest  orphan  asy- 
lum in  the  United.  States,  was  founded,  in  1806,  by  a  society  known  as 
the  "  Society  for  the  Relief  Widows  with  Small  Children."  It  opened 
its  first  orphan  asylum  in  1807,  in  Raisin  street,  with  about  twenty  chil- 
dren. In  the  same  year  the  society  was  enabled  to  buy  four  lots  in 
Greenwich  street,  and  to  erect  an  orphan  asylum  with  accommodations 
for  about  two  hundred  children.  The  ravages  of  the  cholera  iu  1834 
induced  the  society  to  look  about  in  the  country  for  a  more  fitting  and 
safe  location.     In  1846  the  present  building,  on  Broadway,  between  Scv- 


BRIGHT    SIDES    OF    NEW    YORK.  807 

eulv-third  and  Seventy-fourth  streets,  was  erected.  The  purchase  of 
the  property  connected  with  the  Home  laid  the  foundation  for  its  wealth, 
a<  the  nine  acres  which  were  then  bought  for  $18,000,  are  worth  at  pres- 
ent   over  SI, 000, 000,  three   and   a  half  acres   of  which  were    sold  for 

',000.      Children  once  received,  are  not  discharged  before  the  end  of 

ar,  and  no  child  is  permitted  to  leave  the  institution  who  does  not 
possess  a  knowledge  of  reading,  writing  and  arithmetic.  There  are 
lrom  170  to  190  orphans  in  the  institution  every  year.  It  differs  from 
other  institutions  in  this  respect,  as  it  receives  orphaned  infants. 

The  "Roman  Catholic  Orphan  Asylum"  was  founded,  in  1817,  by 
the  "  Roman  Catholic  Benevolent  Society,"  and  was  originally  situated 
on  the  corner  of  Prince  and  Mott  streets.  This  part  of  the  city  was  at 
that  time  far  beyond  its  built-up  limits,  and  the  original  institution  was 
only  a  collection  of  shanties.  In  1825  the  still  existing  four-story  brick 
house  was  erected,  with  accommodations  for  two  hundred  and  fifty  chil- 
dren.    But  even  this  structure  soon  proved  itself  to   be   insufficient.     In 

i  the  institution  received  from  the  city  the  block  bounded  by  Fifth 
and  Madison  avenues  and  Fifty-first  and  Fifty-second  streets,  as  a  site 
for  a  new  asylum.  On  this  ground  the  department  for  boys,  fronting  on 
Fifth  avenue,  was  built  in  1851,  and  that  for  girls,  fronting  on  Madison 
avenue,  in  18G8.  The  latter  is  not  as  yet  quite  finished.  When  com- 
pleted, the  two  departments  together  will  be  able  to  accommodate  thous- 
ands of  orphans,  and  compare  favorably  both  with  regard  to  the  large- 
ness and  beauty  of  the  building,  as  well  as  to  its  arrangement,  with  any 
similar  institution  in  the  world.  It  is  governed  by  the  Sisters  of  Mercy. 
"When  the  education  of  the  children  is  finished,  they  are  apprenticed  to 
some  trade,  or  given  out  to  farmers  or  private  persons.  Such  as  arc 
endowed  with  peculiar  talents,  are  in  some  cases  educated  at  the  expense 
of  the  institution.  The  house  in  Prince  street  is  still  a  part  of  the  asy- 
lum. It  serves  as  a  home  for  about  two  hundred  of  the  larger  orphan 
girls,  who  are  there  occupied  with  sewing,  washing,  and  other  work 
for  the  institution.     This,  the  largest  orphan  asylum   on  the  continent. 

lea  receiving  numerous  legacies  and  gifts,  is  chiefly  sustained  by  col- 
lections taken  upon  Christmas  and  Easter  in  all  the  Catholic  churches  in 
our  city,  and  which  frequently  amount  to  over  fifty  thousand  dollars. 
Orphans  are  received  in  it  without  regard  to  religion  or  nationality. 
Children  whose  father  or  mother  is  still  living,  are  only  received  when 
their  surviving  parent  engages  to  pay  a  certain  sum  for  their  mainte- 
nance. 

The  "  Colored  Orphan  Asylum"  was  founded,  in  1837,  by  a  society 
of  New  York  ladies.  The  plan  of  its  founders  was  severely  attacked  at 
that  time,  when  the  prejudice  against  the  negro  was  still  at  its  height, 
and  no  property-owner  could  be  found  who  would  rent  a  building  for  such 
a  purpose.      At  last  the   society  succeeded   in  buying  a   small   shanty  in 


808  THE    BRIGHTEST    OP   THE 

Twelfth  street,  where  it  placed  the  colored  children  under  its  protection. 
The  house  was  from  the  beginning  much  too  small  for  the  purpose  of 
the  institution,  and  it  cost  a  great  amount  of  trouble  to  get  the  city  au- 
to grant  a  building  site  for  the  society,  which  they  did  in  1842.  Here 
the  society  erected  its  new  building,  and  it  remained  there  until  the 
breaking  out  of  the  momorable  riots  of  July,  1863,  when  the  mob  set 
fire  to  the  building  and  completely  destroyed  it.  The  children,  233  in 
number,  were  at  first  received  in  a  neighboring  police  station,  and  after- 
wards were  brought  to  the  Poor-house,  on  Blackwell's  Island.  There 
they  remained  until  October,  1863,  when  they  were  removed  to  a  build- 
ing on  Washington  Heights.  In  1868  the  large  and  magnificent  build- 
ing was  finished  which  the  society  had  built  in  One-hundred-and-Forty- 
third  street,  near  Tenth  avenue.  In  December,  1872,  the  date  of  the 
last  annual  report,  the  asylum  contained  240  children  (160  boys  and  86 
girls),  from  two  to  twelve  years  of  age.  All  orphans  are  received  free 
of  charge.  Half-orphans,  however,  only  on  the  payment  of  seventy-five 
cents  per  week.  Applicants  for  admission  must  be  within  the  ages  of 
two  and  ten  years.  They  remain  in  the  institution  until  their  twelfth 
year,  when  they  are  generally  given  out  to  work  on  farms.  Since  its 
foundation,  and  up  to  December,  1872,  over  1,850  children  have  been 
received  in  the  asylum. 

"  Leake  and  "Watts'  Orphan  House."  This  orphan  asylum,  which  bears 
the  name  of  its  original  founders,  was  built  in  1843.  It  is  an  imposing 
granite  building,  and  is  situated  in  the  midst  of  some  beautiful,  park-like 
grounds,  between  Ninth  and  Tenth  avenues  and  One-hundred-and-Tenth 
end  Oue-hundred-and-Thirteenth  streets.  It  is  one  of  the  richest  and 
best  managed  orphan  asylums,  and  only  receives  such  children  as  have 
lost  both  father  and  mother,  and  without  any  regard  to  religion.  The 
number  of  orphans  received  into  it  since  its  foundation  amounts  to  over 
one  thousand.  John  Leak,  the  original  founder,  was  a  rich  citizen  of 
New  York,  who  died  in  1827,  childless,  and  without  any  relatives  what- 
ever. To  perpetuate  his  name,  he  declared  the  son  of  one  of  his  friends, 
Robert  Watts,  as  his  heir,  if  he  and  his  descendants  would  add  the  name 
of  Leake  to  their  own.  Unfortunately  the  will  had  no  real  signature, 
and,  in  a  suit  which  followed,  and  which  was  not  decided  until  1829, 
the  real  estate  was  awarded  to  the  city,  and  the  personal  property  to  Mr. 
Watts.  The  personal  property  amounted  to  $400,000,  and  Mr.  Watts 
declared  himself  willing  to  conform  to  the  conditions  of  the  will.  The 
legacy  was  therefore  delivered  over  to  him.  But  shortly  afterwards  he 
was  stricken  down  by  death,  and  the  property  went  to  his  father.  The 
latter,  being  wealthy  himself,  decided  to  bring  into  execution  a  favorite 
idea  of  Leake's,  and,  by  building  the  above-mentioned  orphan  asylum 
erect  a  monument  to  the  memory  of  Leake  and  his  son,  which  should  be 
more  enduring  than  brass  or  stone.     He  died  in   1836,  at  the  age  of 


BRIGHT    SIDES    OF    NEW   YORK.  809 

eighty-six,  and  as,  according  to  his  directions,  the  asylum  should  only 
be  built  with  the  interest,  and  the  capital  remain  intact,  he  himself  did 
not  see  it  finished. 

The  "  Orphan  Home  and  Asylum  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church," 
in  Forty-ninth  street,  between  Lexington  and  Fourth  avenues,  was  built 
in  1851,  and  is  a  large  and  beautiful  building  in  the  Gothic  style  of  ar- 
chitecture, capable  of  holding  over  one  hundred  and  fifty  children.  It 
receives  orphans,  as  well  as  half-orphans,  between  the  ages  of  three  and 
eight  years,  upon  the  payment  of  seventy-five  cents  per  week.  Only 
such  orphans  are  received  free  of  charge  who  are  left  entirely  under  the 
control  of  the  institution.  Boys  are  then  kept  until  their  twelfth,  and 
girls  until  their  fourteenth  year,  when  they  are  given  out  to  work.  But, 
even  after  leaving  the  asylum,  the  children  are  not  lost  sight  of,  and  it 
reserves  the  right  of  reclaiming  them  if  they  should  not  prosper  with 
those  with  whom  they  are  placed.  The  asylum  is  under  the  direction  of 
a  society  of  ladies  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church,  and  numbered, 
in  December,  1872,  the  date  of  the  last  annual  report,  137  inmates,  of 
whom  forty-three  were  received  in  the  course  of  the  year. 

The  "  St.  Joseph's  Society,"  founded  by  a  German  Catholic  Society, 
is  a  beautiful,  commodious  building,  on  the  corner  of  Eighty-ninth  street 
and  Avenue  A,  and  was  erected  in  1859.  It  is  intended  for  the  recep- 
tion of  German  children  who  are  either  orphaned  or  otherwise  helpless 
and  destitute.  Besides  being  the  children  of  German  parents,  they  must 
also  belong  to  the  Roman  Catholic  Church.  The  children  received  in  it 
are  thoroughly  educated,  which  enables  them  to  make  their  way  in  the 
world.  According  to  the  last  annual  report  for  January  1,  1873,  there 
were  195  children  in  the  institution,  of  whom  seventy-six  were  re- 
ceived during  the  course  of  the  year.  The  applications  during  the 
same  time  amounted  to  almost  five  hundred,  while  the  house  cannot  pos- 
sibly contain  more  than  two  hundred  at  a  time.  The  majority  of  the 
children  are  received  free  of  charge. 

The  "Orphan  Asylum  of  St.  Vincent  de  Paula"  was  first  opened  in 
a  rented  house  on  Twenty-sixth  street,  where  it  remained  until  its  ad- 
ministration was  enabled  to  buy  some  real  estate  on  Thirty-ninth  street, 
near  Seventh  avenue,  and  to  build  its  beautiful  new  building  there.  Only 
one-half  of  this  is  finished  up  to  the  present  time.  According  to  the 
last  annual  report,  dated  December  31,  1872,  it  contained  26  boys  and 
80  girls,  of  whom  25  boys  and  43  girls  had  been  received  during  the 
year.  When  completed  the  building  will  be  able  to  contain  350  chil- 
dren. Orphans  are  received  without  distinction  of  nationality  or  religion. 
They  must,  however,  not  be  under  four  years  of  age.  Boys  are  given 
out  to  work  io  their  eleventh  or  twelfth  year  ;  but  girls  can  remain  in 
the  institution  until  their  sixteenth  year,  and  they  are  all  taught  some 
useful   trade   or   occupation.     The    institution  is  in  the  hands   of  the 


810  THE    BRIGHTEST    OF   THE 

"  Sisters  of  St.  Vincent,"  a  Catholic  order  introduced  into  this   country 
from  France. 

The  "  Union  Home  and  School  for  Children  of  our  Volunteer  Soldier!? 
and  Sailors/'  was  founded  in  1861,  at  the  commencement  of  the  Rebel- 
lion, by  a  society  of  patriotic  ladies.  The  name  clearly  indicates  the 
noble  object  of  the  institution.  Since  1866  the  institution  has  occupied 
its  beautiful  building  on  the  corner  of  One-hundred-and-Fifty-first  street 
and  the  Western  Boulevard.  The  last  annual  report,  dated  February  1, 
1873,  gives  the  number  of  inmatos  at  203  (131  boys  and  72  girls),  of 
whom  132  were  over  ten,  60  between  five  and  ten,  and  11  under  five 
years  of  age. 

The  "  Hebrew  Orphan  Asylum"  is  the  noblest  creation  of  the  "He- 
brew Benevolent  and  Orphan  Asylum  Society  of  New  York."  It  is  sit- 
uated in  a  beautiful  building,  erected  for  this  purpose,  finished  in  the  fall 
of  1863,  and  located  on  the  corner  of  Third  avenue  and  Seventy-seventh 
street.  According  to  the  last  annual  report,  dated  April,  1873,  it  had 
183  inmates  (133  boys  and  50  girls).  The  age  of  these  children  range 
from  five  to  seventeen  years.  Besides  the  public  schools,  which  are 
largely  attended  by  the  children  of  the  institution,  there  is  a  school  in 
the  building  itself,  in  which  the  children  are  taught  in  five  classes,  He- 
brew and  other  branches  of  knowledge.  An  industrial  school  teaches 
the  children  shoemaking,  type-setting,  etc.,  and,  when  they  have  learned 
their  trade,  obtains  for  them  situations.  The  "Ladies'  Sewing  Society" 
is  a  society  composed  of  Hebrew  Ladies,  whose  object  it  is  to  do  the 
sewing  for  the  asylum. 

"The  Sheltering  Arm3"  was  first  opened  in  1864,  on  the  corner  of 
Broadway  and  One-hundredth  street,  but  was  removed,  in  1870,  to  more 
extensive  accommodations  in  Manhattanville.  It  receives  all  those  chil- 
dren who  are  not  received  in  other  orphan  asylums,  as  blind,  crippled, 
and  similarly  afflicted  children.  It  also  receives  such  children  whose 
parents  do  not  wish  to  separate  themselves  permanently  from  them,  but 
who  wish  to  reserve  the  right  to  reclaim  them  at  any  time.  Such  chil- 
dren it  receives  at  any  age  below  fourteen  years,  cares  for  them,  and  only 
discharges  them  after  they  have  learned  some  practical  business,  which, 
will  help  them  along  in  the  world.  At  the  end  of  the  year  1872,  the 
institution  had  135  children,  of  whom  ten  were  afflicted  with  some  in- 
curable disease.  The  institution  is  in  the  hands  of  the  Protestant  Epis- 
copal Church. 

The  "  New  York  Infant  Asylum "  was  founded  in  1865,  in  No.  29 
Clinton  Place.  Its  object  is  to  receive  and  educate  foundlings  and  chil- 
dren in  general  not  over  two  years  of  age,  and  to  keep  unmarried 
mothers  from  the  temptation  of  abandoning  or  murdering  their  children, 
by  offering  them  a  place  of  refuge  during  the  time  of  their  confinement. 
In  this  respect  the  institution  faithfully  does  its  duty.     In  July,  1873,  it 


BRIGHT    SIDES    OF    NEW    YORK.  811 

moved  from  its  old  quarters  in  Clinton  Place  to  its  new,  large  and  com- 
modious building  on  Sixty-first  street  and  Tenth  avenue,  keeping  its 
house  in  Clinton  Flace  as  a  place  for  the  reception  of  their  cnarges. 
Since  1872  it  has  had  a  branch  establishment  in  the  country,  at  Flushing, 
Long  Island,  designed  for  the  better  comfort  and  care  of  its  weak  and 
sickly  inmates.  According  to  its  last  annual  report,  dated  January  1, 
1873,  there  were  107  children  in  the  asylum. 

The  "  Shepherd's  Fold,"  in  Eighty-sixth  street,  between  First  and 
Second  avenues,  is  an  institution  which  receives  children  up  to  fifteen 
years  of  age,  whether  they  are  orphans  or  only  abandoned  by  their 
heartless  parents.  It  receives,  however,  mostly  such  children  as  are  re- 
fused admission  into  other  orphan  asylums.  The  children  must  be  given 
unconditionally  into  the  care  of  the  asylum,  but  to  relieve  poor  families 
children  are  sometimes  received  for  a  short  period,  in  which  cases  four 
dollars  per  month  must  be  paid  for  such  inmates.  The  institution  is  in 
the  hands  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church,  and  has  from  sixty  to 
seventy  children.  It  was  founded  in  1868,  and  was  situated  first  in  Thirty- 
eighth  street,  and  then,  uutil  April,  1870,  in  Second  avenue,  between 
Fifty-first  and  Fifty-second  streets. 

The  "  New  York  Foundling  Asylum  "  we  have  described  in  another 
place.  We  would  only  add  here  that  its  removal  to  its  new  and  magni- 
ficent building  between  Lexington  and  Third  avenues,  and  Fifty-eighth 
and  Fifty-ninth  streets,  took  place  in  September,  1873. 

The  charitable  efforts  in  our^city  are  particularly  active  in  the  reform 
of  the  abandoned  children  swarming  in  our  streets,  and  from  whom  the 
ranks  of  our  professional  criminals  continually  recruit  themselves. 
While  our  courts  quietly  permit  the  evil  i;o  grow,  and  content  themselves 
with  sending  the  criminal  to  the  scaffold  or  prison,  numerous  charitable 
societies  have  been  organized  to  prevent  new  recruits  for  these  ranks 
from  growing  up,  by  bestowing  a  loving  care  upon  those  children  who, 
without  any  fault  of  their  own,  generally  grow  up,  in  thu  city,  to  a  life 
of  crime  and  vice. 

Among  these  societies  we  place  in  the  first  rank  the  "  Children's  Aid 
Society,"  which  began  its  beneficial  career  in  February,  1853.  Charles 
Lorin^  Brace,  the  present  secretary  of  the  society,  must  be  regarded  as 
the  founder  of  this  institution.  He  began  this  charitable  work  under 
not  very  favorable  circumstances,  in  a  small  office  on  the  corner  of  Amity 
street  and  Broadway.  But  his  success  shows  what  great  results  can 
be  attained  with  small  means,  if  they  are  seconded  by  an  earnest 
will  and  by  consistent  efforts.  The  first  annual  report,  published  by 
the  society  in  1854,  shows  that  it  provided  about  two  hundred  boys  and 
girls  with  suitable  homes  in  the  country,  and  that;  an  industrial  school 
for  <z;irls  had  been  opened,  which  was  attended  by  about  one  hundred 
pupils.     The  total  expenses  of  the  first  year  were  $4,191.     If  we  look 


812  THE    BRIGHTEST    OF     THE 

at  the  report  of  the  society  for  the  year  ending  November,  1872,  we  will 
find  the  following  figures,  which  need  no  further   commentary :  The  in- 
dustrial schools  belonging  to  the  society  have  increased  to  twenty-one 
day  and  fifteen  night  schools ;  in  five  lodging-houses   (four  for  boys  and 
one  for  girls),  about  12,000  homeless  children  have  received  shelter  for 
a  longer  or  shorter  term,  while  3,642  children  were  provided  with  per- 
manent homes  in  other  States.     The  expenses  of  the  society  during  this 
year  amounted  to  more  than  $150,000.     It  is  impossible  to  give,  in  the 
small  space  allotted  to  us,  a  complete  picture  of  the  beneficial  activity  of 
this  society.     Every  industrial  school,  every  lodging-house,  is  a  charita- 
ble institution  complete  in  itself,  in  which  disinterested  philanthropy  is 
continually  at  work  to  improve  and  ennoble  the  youthful  minds  spoiled 
by  bad  examples,  by  means  of  persuasion"  and  kindness.     In  the  indus- 
trial schools  the  girls  are  not  only  instructed  in  the  elementary  branches 
of  knowledge,  sewing,  etc.,  but  are  occasionally  supplied  with   clothing, 
and  in  sixteen  even  with  dinner.     The  evening  schools  are  open   to  all 
those  children  who  are  at  work  during  the  day  in  factories,  shops,  etc. 
The  importance  of  these  schools  can  be  seen  from  the  fact  that,  of  the 
9,503  children  who  visit  them,  1,984  are  the  offspring  of  drunkards, 
who  do  not  care  what  becomes  of  them,  and  2,527  were   children  who 
regularly  occupied  their  time  with  begging  on  the  streets.     These  chil- 
dren were  supplied  during  the  year  with  5,412  articles  of  clothing,  and 
1,063  pairs  of  shoes  ;  461  children  were  supplied  with  steady  work,  and 
819  were  sent  to  the  public  schools.     The*  schools  cost,  during  the  year 
1872,  not  less  than  $60,939.' 

Of  the  lodging-houses,  the  oldest  and  best  known  is  the  "  Newsboys' 
Lodging  House."  It  was  opened  in  1855,  in  the  attic  of  the  Sun  Build- 
ing, and  was  used  by  about  twenty  newsboys.  To-day  it  has  its  own 
large  building  at  No.  49  Park  Place,  with  room  for  about  250  boys, 
where  about  9,000  boys  received  lodging  during  the  year  1872.  An 
evening  school  and  a  savings  bank  are  connected  with  the  lodging-house, 
in  which  latter  1,029  boys  deposited,  during  the  course  of  the  year, 
$2,644.  This  lodging-house  is  intended  for  newsboys  and  bootblacks, 
who  must  pay  six  cents  for  a  night's  lodging  and  an  equal  amount  for  a 
supper.  This  is  done  less  to  cover  the  expenses  than  to  give  the  boys  a 
feeling  of  independence,  and  not  to  induce  them  to  rely  too  much  upon 
public  charity.  Small  as  this  sum  is,  however,  it  has  covered  almost 
one-fourth  the  annual  expenses  of  this  lodging-house. 

Besides  this  there  are  three  other  lodging-houses  for  homeless  boys  in 
the  city,  in  No.  709  East  Eleventh  street,  in  No.  211  West  Eighteenth 
street,  and  in  327  Rivington  street,  which  in  1872  gave  shelter  to  about 
11,000  boys. 

There  is  a  lodging-house  for  girls  in  No.  27  St.  Mark's  Place,  which 
in  1872  was  used  by  1,535  girls.     Of  these,  1,417  learned  to  operate  on 


IIRIGIIT    SIDES    OF    NEW    YORK. 


813 


Male. 

Female 

1,147 

1,342 

1,250 

915 

1,140 

671 

the  sewing-machine,  375  were  supplied  with  work,  and  87  were  sent  to 
their  friends.  About  250,000  meals  were  given  at  the  various  lodging- 
houses,  of  which  about  8,500  were  paid  for.  Evening  schools  are  con- 
nected with  all  the  lodging-houses,  as  well  as  rooms  for  gymnastic  exer- 
cises and  for  bathing.  The  daily  use  of  the  latter  is  made  obligatory  in 
all  lodging-houses. 

But  the  society  does  not  content  itself  with  this.  Every  year  it  se- 
lects from  its  proteges  the  best  ones,  in  a  moral  and  intellectual  senser 
and  withdraws  them  from  the  further  danger  of  a  contact  with  city  life 
by  providing  them  with  a  home  on  some  western  farm.  In  1872  the 
number  of  these  youthful  immigrants  amounted  to  3,462  (2,097  boys 
'and  1,365  girls),  and,  since  the  existence  of  the  society,  28,677.  Al-j 
most  all  these  were  brought  up  to  be  useful  members  of  society  by  the 
Children's  Aid  Society,  while  otherwise  they  would  probably  have  been 
swallowed  up  by  vice  and  crime,  or  would  have  helped  to  fill  our  prisons. 
The  beueficial  activity  of  this  society  can  also  be  seen  from  our  prison- 
lists.  The  number  of  men  and  women  arrested  in  our  city  as  vagabonds 
during  various  years,  was  as  follows : 

Year,  Male.  Female.  Year. 

1859  2,822  5,778  1864 

1860  2,708  5,880  1865 
1862  1,203  2,243  1870 
The  decrease  of  this  class   of  offenses  in  our  police-lists  can  only  be 

explained  by  the  annually-increasing  number  of  asylums  which  were 
opened  to  the  friendless  youth  of  our  city  by  the  Children's  Aid  Society. 
For  our  street  Arabs  have  always  furnished  a  large  percentage  of  our 
vagabonds,  and  it  is  this  class  from  which  the  large  majority  of  all  crim- 
inals, from  the  pickpocket  to  the  highwayman,  burglar,  and  murderer, 
develop  themselves. 

We  have  thus  sufficiently  described  the  character  and  the  influence  of 
the  Children's  Aid  Society  on  the  friendless  youth  of  our  city.  It  is  en- 
tirely free  from  all  sectarian  spirit.  Its  noble  object  is  to  prevent  crime 
by  assisting  the  friendless  children  of  our  city  in  a  manner  which  most 
readily  appeals  to  their  sympathetic  mind.  It  saves  thousands  annually, 
and  makes  them  useful  members  of  society  at  a  cost  which  would  not 
have  sufficed  to  try  and  execute  a  few  dozen  criminals  in  our  courts  of 
justice. 

The  following  institutions  and  societies  follow  the  same  ends,  although 
in  a  more  limited  measure  : 

The  "City  Mission  Society"  is  a  Protestant  Episcopal  society,  whose 
object  is  in  general  of  a  more  religious  character,  but  which  also  has  an 
industrial  school  for  poor  and  friendless  children,  and  a  house  of  refuge 
— the  St.  Barnabas  House — in  which  sixteen  children,  mostly  orphans, 
wsre  supplied  with  a  home  during  the  year  1872.     This  society,  as  well 


814  THE    BRIGHTEST    OF   THE 

as  the  Children's  Aid  Society,  have  Christmas  trees  and  pic-nics  and 
excursions  every  summer  for  the  children.  It  has  been  in  existence  for 
almost  twenty-three  years,  and  has  its  headquarters  in  the  above-men- 
tioned Barnabas  House. 

The  "  New  York  House  and  School  of  Industry "  has  existed  since 
1851,  in  No.  120  West  Sixteenth  street.  Although  its  object  is  of  a 
general  charitable  charitable  character,  it  turns  its  chief  attention  to  the 
young.  It  gives  out  sewing  to  poor  women  and  girls,  either  in  or  out  of 
the  House,  at  far  better  wages  than  are  generally  paid  in  factories.  It 
takes  charge  of  small  children  during  the  day,  whose  mothers  work  out 
of  the  house,  and  has,  besides,  a  common  school,  and  a  sewing  school 
fbr  girls  of  the  poorest  class  of  our  population.  During  the  year  1872 
it  has  paid  to  350  women,  $5,754  for  work  done  of  various  kinds,  and 
has  given  instruction  to  175  children  in  the  school,  and  to  125  girls, 
from  six  to  sixteen  years,  in  the  sewing  school. 

The  "Wilson  Industrial  School  for  girls"  is  the  oldest  industrial 
school  in  our  city,  and  bears  the  name  of  its  founder,  Mrs.  Wilson.  It 
began  its  career  in  1853,  in  a  small  rented  room  in  Avenue  D,  near 
Eighth  street,  whence  it  moved,  in  1855  to  its  present  three-story  build- 
ing in  St.  Mark's  Place.  It  only  receives  such  children  as  are  too  poor 
too  dirty,  or  for  any  other  reason,  are  not  able  to  attend  the  publi'. 
schools.  Besides  the  branches  taught  in  other  schools,  it  also  teache* 
singing,  sewing,  etc.  In  connection  with  the  school  there  is  a  lodging 
house  for  homeless  girls,  in  which  such  unfortunates  receive  a  meai 
besides  the  sleeping  accommodations  for  the  night.  It  is  conducted  b; 
ladies. 

The  "  Howard  Mission  and  House  for  Little  Wanderers  "  was  founder 
in  1861.     It  is  situated  at  present  in  a  three-story  building  in  No.  41 
New  Bowery,  in  the  most  populous  and  therefore  richest  ward  in  vio 
and  misery.     During  the  year  ending  May  1,  1873,  the  Mission  receive' 
in  its  school   925  children,  had  39   of  them  adopted,  gave  98,166  fre 
meals,  1,004   articles  of  clothing,  748  pairs  of  shoes,  6,451  loaves  o 
bread,  etc.,  to  the  poor.     The  members. of  this  association,  as  well  as  ol 
the  Wilson,  are  obliged  to  visit  the   haunts  of  misery  and   crime,  and  ti 
try  and  bring  the  children  there  under  the  influence   of  their  institutions. 
Poor  children  are  received  either  permanently  or  temporarily  in  the  Mis- 
sion, or  only  come  there  to  be  fed  or  clothed. 

The  "  Five  Points  House  of  Industry,"  in  No.  155  Worth  street,  was 
founded  in  1850,  for  the  purpose  of  giving  employment  to  prostitutes 
who  wished  to  abandon  their  life  of  shame,  until  they  could  find  employ- 
ment elsewhere.  At  present  its  chief  work  consists  in  receiving  and 
caring  for  abandoned  children,  but  also  continues  not  only  to  give  em- 
ployment to  repentant  prostitutes,  but  assists  any  poor  people  who  may 
apply  to  it,  as  far  as  lays  in  its  power,  by  supplying  them  with  food  and 


BRIGHT    SIDES    OP    NEW    YORK.  815 

work.  Iu  the  House  there  is  a  school  and  a  hospital.  The  House  pos- 
sesses a  farm  of  sixty-four  acres  in  Eastchester,  iu  which  a  part  of  the 
women  and  children  are  cared  for. 

The  large  boarding-house  for  working  women,  opened  in  1869,  in 
Elizabeth  street,  was  a  branch  of  the  House  of  Industry.  But  it  was 
closed  again  in  1872. 

Since  the  existence  of  the  House  of  Industry,  it  has  given  instruction 
to  about  25,000  children,  of  whom  about  one-half  were  fed,  clothed,  and 
cared  for  in  the  House  itself.  During  the  year  1872  it  received  1,765 
persons  (588  children  and  1,177  women),  of  wrhom  230  remained  on 
January  1,  1873.     The  number  of  meals  distributed  were  342,824. 

"  St.  John's  Guild  "  is  an  association  of  members  of  Trinity  parish, 
the  object  of  which  is  to  relieve  the  poor  and  suffering  of  the  Fifth  and 
Eighth  wards.  Every  member  has  a  block  of  tenement-houses  in  these 
wards,  and  is  obliged  to  inform  himself  of  the  condition  of  its  inmates 
by  frequent  visits,  and  to  report  the  same  to  the  society.  Very  much 
has  been  done  in  this  respect,  particularly  for  children.  According  to 
the  last  annual  report,  the  society  had  assisted,  from  October,  1872,  to 
October,  1873,  over  600  families  with  medical  attendance,  medicines, 
food,  fuel,  clothing,  etc.,  and  has  clothed  2,207  children,  and  enabled 
them  to  attend  school.  The  intelligence  office  of  the  society  has  sup- 
plied 215  applicants  with  work.  In  its  sewing  department  60  poor  girls 
were  instructed  in  sewing,  while  in  its  children's  hall  137  little  ones  were 
taken  care  of  during  those  days'  in  which  their  mothers  were  attsnding  to 
their  daily  occupations. 

The  u  Society  for  the  Relief  of  Poor  Sick  Children  "  has  only  been 
founded  a  short  time,  and  has  its  headquarters  in  St.  Johu's  Chapel,  in 
Varick  street.  This  society,  for  its  purposes,  has  divided  up  the  city 
into  districts,  each  of  which  has  its  own  superintendent.  It  is  the  duty 
of  this  superintendent  to  visit  or  send  a  member  to  the  dwellings  of  the 
poor  in  his  district,  and  particularly  to  relieve  the  condition  of  sick  children 
In  the  summer  of  1873  the  society  arranged  excursions  on  the  river  for 
hundreds  of  sickly  children  and  their  mothers. 

Next  to  these  institutions  and  societies  are  those  whose  object  it  is  to 
reform  such  youthful  criminals  as  have  already  come  in  contact  with  the 
courts,  but  who  are  too  young  to  be  held  legally  responsible.  These  iu- 
stitutious  also  receive  such  children  as  are  unmanageable  in  the  hands  of 
their  parents.      Our  city  has  three  such  institutions,  vis; 

The  "House  of  Refuge"  was  founded  in  1824  by  the  "Association 
for  the  Reform  of  Youthful  Criminals,"  on  Randall's  Island.  We  have 
already  spoken  of  this  institution  in  a  former  chapter. 

The  "New  York  Juvenile  Asylum"  was  founded  in  1852.  It  was  at 
first  situated  in  No.  109  Banks  street,  but  in  1853  changed  these  insuf- 
ficient quarters  for  larger  ones  on  Fifty-filth  street,  near  the  East  River. 


816  THE    BRIGHTEST    OF   THE 

Its  present  building,  consisthig  of  a  five-story  central  building  and  two» 
four-story  wings,  together  with  a  number  of  smaller  buildings,  was 
built  in  1856,  in  a  splendid  situation  at  Washington  Heights,  at  the  foot 
of  One-hundred-and-Seventy-sixth  street.  The  grounds  belonging  to  the 
institution  have  an  extent  of  over  twenty  acres.  The  children  belonging 
to  it  have  either  been  sent  there  by  the  authorities,  as  youthful  criminals, 
vagabonds,  etc.,  or  by  their  parents  for  being  unmanageable.  The  dis- 
cipline is  similar  to  that  in  the  House  of  Refuge.  In  general  the  chil- 
dren do  not  remain  over  six  months  in  the  institution,  when  they  are 
either  returned  to  their  parents,  apprenticed  to  some  trade,  or  sent  out  to 
the  West  and  placed  with  farmers.  In  No.  61  West  Thirteenth  street 
the  institution  has  a  reception-house,  in  which  new  arrivals  remain  for  a 
few  weeks,  until  by  means  of  bathing,  fresh  clothing,  etc.,  they  have 
been  put  in  a  fit  condition  to  be  sent  to  the  asylum.  In  the  course  of  the 
year  1872  there  were  1,153  children  in  the  asylum  and  in  the  house  of 
reception  (875  boys  and  178  girls),  of  whom  546  had  been  received 
during  the  year.  Four  hundred  and  twenty-seven  were  returned  to  their 
parents  or  friends,  90  were  sent  to  the  west,  12  apprenticed  to  various 
trades,  and  6  transfered  to  other  institutions.  On  January  1, 1873,  there 
remained  therefore  in  all  617  children  (530  boys  and  87  girls)  ;  53  in 
the  asylum  and  94  in  the  house  of  reception.  Buring  the  year  1872  thi> 
authorities  sent  to  this  institution  41  children  for  various  offenses,  21-L 
at  the  request  of  their  parents,  and  six  at  their  own  request.  Two  hun- 
dred and  eighty-one  were  received  from  home,  and  four  from  other  insti  - 
tutions. 

The  above  asylum  has  a  house  of  reception  at  Bloomington,  Illinois, 
where  the  children  who  are  sent  to  the  west  remain  until  the  agents  of 
the  institution  succeed  in  finding  a  place  for  them  with  some  farmer.  It 
is  the  duty  of  the  Bloomington  Agency  to  look  after  such  children,  and 
to  see  that  they  are  well  treated. 

The  "New  York  Catholic  Protectory"  is  an  institution  similar  to  the 
former,  and  was  founded  in  1862.  It  was  originally  situated  in  York- 
ville,  in  a  rented  room,  but  in  1866  moved  to  West  Farms,  Westchester 
county,  where  it  has  erected  a  magnificent  building.  According  to  its 
charter,  a  judge,  when  convicting  a  Catholic  delinquent  under  fourteen 
years  of  age,  must  send  him  or  her  to  the  Catholic  Protectory,  when  re- 
quested to  do  so  by  the  parents,  guardian,  or  the  nearest  relative  of  the 
child.  Unmanageable  children  are  also  sent  by  their  parents  to  this  in- 
stitution as  a  last  resort.  The  Protectory  consists  of  two  immense 
buildings  standing  near  to  each  other,  one  for  boys,  and  the  other  for 
girls.  The  latter  was  burned  on  July  25,  1872,  and  the  girls  have  been 
removed  to  a  temporary  building  awaiting  the  completion  of  a  new  edi- 
fice for  their  reception.  In  the  course  of  the  year  1872,  2,414  children 
(1,796  boys  and  618  girls)   were  sent  to  the  institution,  almost  exclu- 


BRIGHX    SIDES    OP    NEW    TORE. 


817 


sively  by  the  courts,  of  whom  there  were,  at  the  close  of  September, 
1872,  still  remaining  1,259  boys  and  329  girls.  The  Boys'  Department 
is  governed  by  the  semi-religious  order  of  the  "  Christian  Brothers,"  and 
the  Girls'  Department  by  the  "  Sisters  of  Charity."  Everything  is  care- 
fully avoided  that  would  give  the  institution  the  appearance  of  a  prison. 
.No  definite  time  is  stated  during  which  the  children  are  retained  at  the 
Protectory.  Those  who  are  not  discharged  at  the  instance  of  their  pa- 
rents or  of  the  authorities,  remain  there  until  the  institution  sees  fit  to 
place  them  out  at  service.  Besides  receiving  a  complete  school  educa- 
tion, the  children  are  also  taught  singing,  and  a  number  of  trades,  such 
as  shoemaking,  tailoring,  type-setting,  etc.,  etc.  Over  one  thousand 
acres  of  good  farm-land  offer  good  opportunities  to  the  children  to  learn 
farming. 

Similar  to  these  institutions  are  the  following  houses  of  refuge  for 
penitent  prostitutes : 

The  "  New  York  Magdalen  Asylum,"  on  the  corner  of  Fifth  avenue 
and  Eighty-eighth  street.  This  institution  we  have  already  described  in 
a  former  chapter. 

The  "House  of  Mercy"  was  founded  in  1851,  and  was  conducted 
only  on  a  small  scale  in  rented  houses,  or  in  buildings  placed  at  the  dis- 
posal of  the  society.  The  present  building,  near  the  Hudson  River,  be- 
tween Eighty-fitth  and  Eighty-sixth  streets,  was  erected  in  1859,  and 
considerably  enlarged  in  1869,  while  the  building  at  No.  304  Mulberry 
street  still  serves  as  a  house  of  reception.  The  House  is  governed  by  a 
Protestant  Episcopal  female  order,  the  so-called  "  Sisterhood  of  Saint 
Mary."  The  persons  received  are  mostly  youthful  victims  of  prostitu- 
tion, their  ages  ranging  from  twelve  to  twenty  years.  They  are  not 
forced  to  remain  at  the  House.  Many  remain  only  a  few  weeks  or 
months,  when  they  are  sent  to  their  families  or  friends  ;  others  remain 
for  a  long  time,  frequently  as  long  as  two  years,  when  they  are  brought 
into  respetable  families  by  the  Sisters.  The  House  is  able  to  receive 
one  hundred  women. 

The  "House  of  the  Good  Shepherd,"  also  a  house  of  refuge  for  pros- 
titutes, was  founded  in  1857,  by  a  female  Catholic  order,  introduced  from 
France  (the  "Order  of  Our  Lady  of  Charity  of  the  Good  Shepherd"), 
in  Fourteenth  street.  In  1861  a  convent  was  built  on  the  East  River,  at 
the  ioot  of  Ninetieth  street,  and  the  asylum  was  united  with  it,  but  in 
1864  the  present  large  building  was  erected,  which,  although  only  two- 
thirds  of  it  is  finished,  will  hold  about  eight  hundred  inmates.  The  ave- 
rage number  in  it  at  present  may  be  estimated  at  from  six  to  seven  iiun. 
dred,  while  the  total  number  received  in  it  since  its  existence 
is  over  three  thousand.  Many  of  these  never  returned  to  the  outer 
world,  but  entered  the  convent  as  nuns. 

The  "Home  for  Friendless  Women"   is  the  creation  of  a   number  of 

52 


818  THE    BRIGHTEST    OF    THE 

ladies,  who  in  1865  opened  a  house  of  refuge  for  penitent  prostitutes,  in 
No.  22  West  Houston  street.  In  1869  this  house  proved  inadequate, 
and  the  society  moved  into  the  building  No.  86  West  Fourth  street.  It 
can  accommodate  about  thirty  women,  and  since  its'  foundation  up  to 
January,  1873,  has  offered  a  home  to  626  "  Magdalens.  As  soon  as 
the  women  are  thoroughly  reformed,  the  society  provides  them  with  sit- 
situations. 

"  The  Midnight  Mission,"  which  is  situated  in  No.  26  Greenwich 
street.  We  have  already  given  a  description  of  this  institution  in  a  for- 
mer chapter. 

The  "  Water  Street  Home  for  Women,"  in  No.  273  Water  street,  is  a 
similar  house  of  refuge,  which  was  opened  in  1860,  in  the  worst,  most 
criminal,  and  most  miserable  part  of  the  city.  Up  to  that  time  it  was  a 
rum-hole  of  ill-repute,  in  which  dog  and  rat-fights  used  to  bring  together 
the  lowest  class  of  our  population.  It  was  remodelled  in  conformity 
with  its  object,  and,  since  its  opening,  the  applications  of  the  unfortu- 
nate inmates  of  the  neighboring  dens  of  vice  and  crime  have  always 
been  more  numerous  than  the  accommodations  of  Home  would  afford 
room  for.  Free  concerts  are  occasionally  given,  the  object  of  which  is 
is  to  attract  the  women  in  the  neighboring  dens,  and  draw  them  away 
from  their  evil  surroundings. 

Among  the  private  societies  that  have  undertaken  to  relieve  the  suffer- 
ings of  the  poor,  our  city  can  point  with  pride  to  the  following : 

The  "Association  for  Improving  the  condition  of  the  Poor"  was 
founded  in  1844,  and  is  the  oldest  society  of  the  kind  in  the  city.  It  ex- 
tends its  beneficial  influence  from  its  headquarters  in  the  Bible  House, 
all  over  the  city.  Its  rules  are  briefly  as  follows  :  Every  one  asking  for 
aid  is  regarded  as  worthy  of  it,  until  the  contrary  has  been  proven  by  an 
examination.  Aid  is  only  given  after  examination  by  visit  and  inquiry. 
Aid  is  only  given  by  the  visitor  of  the  section  in  which  the  applicant 
lives.  Only  necessary  articles  are  given  as  aid,  and  of  these  only  as 
much  as  are  necessary.  In  all  cases  only  such  articles  are  given  as  are 
most  needed,  and  only  of  these  in  smaller  quantities  than  could  be  ob- 
tained by  labor.  Aid  will  be  given  at  the  right  moment,  and  will  not 
be  continued  when  the  most  urgent  necessity  is  past.  Persons  asking 
for  aid  must  pledge  themselves  to  abstain  from  intoxicating  liquors,  and? 
if  they  have  children,  to  send  them  to  the  public  schools — or,  if  these 
children  are  old  enough,  to  send  them  out  to  work.  Newly-arrived  emi- 
grants, or  persons  who  are  unable  to  work  on  account  of  old  age  or  of 
disease,  receive  no  aid  from  the  society,  but  turned  over  to  the  Com- 
missioners of  Charities  or  the  Commissioners  of  Emigration.  If  it  is 
seen  that  an  applicant  relies  more  upon  the  charities  of  others  than  upon 
his  own  exertions,  he  no  longer  receives  any  aid. 

From  these  statements  we  can  easily  recognize  the  fundamental  ideas 


BR1GI1T    SIDES    OF    NEW    YORK.  819 

of  the  society.  We  see  that  it  is  the  laboring  class,  when  it  is  tempora- 
rily involved  in  trouble,  that  this  society  directs  its  chief  attention  to,  and 
that  it  is  ready  to  help  all  those  that  are  ready  to  help  themselves.  It 
has  divided  the  city  up  into  twenty-three  districts,  and  subdivided  these 
again  into  371  sections.  Every  district  is  under  a  committee  of  five, 
and  every  section  has  a  visitor  residing  within  it.  These  sections  are  so 
small  that  it  is  possible  for  those  having  charge  of  them  to  visit  in  person 
all  the  applicants  reporting  to  them.  By  this  means  the  visitor  is  ena- 
bled to  see  whether  the  applicant  is  really  worthy  to  receive  aid  from  the 
society  or  not.  In  the  former  case  it  is  given  immediately.  Loafers, 
professional  beggars,  and  bummers,  however,  who  only  too  frequently 
abuse  charity  to  the  detriment  of  true  poverty,  are  not  encouraged  by 
the  society. 

The  extent  of  the  activity  of  this  society  is  best  shown  by  the  follow- 
ing table  : 

From  Oct.  1,  1872,  to  Oct.  1,  1873.     Since  Oct.  1,  1844. 
Number  of  families  aided,  5,292  202,355 

Number  of  individuals  aided,        19,737  833,032 

Number  of  visits,  26,158  880,464 

Expenses,  $50,180  $1,361,640 

The  society  has  always  made  it  an  object  to  better  the  general  condL 
tion  of  the  poor.  To  their  efforts  are  chiefly  owing  the  free  baths.  And 
they  called  to  life  the  "  Society  for  the  Aid  of  the  Ruptured  and  Crip 
pled,  the  "Association  for  Improving  the  Condition  of  Youthful  Crimi- 
nals," and  indirectly  also  the  "  Children's  Aid  Society,"  the  Dewitt  and 
and  Western  Dispensary,  and  also  influenced  the  Legislature  and  author- 
ities to  decrease  the  causes  of  pauperism,  as  far  as  this  is  possible,  by 
laws  and  their  conscientious  execution.  It  has  obtained  most  gratifying 
results  in  this  respect,  without  depending  on  any  sectarian  spirit,  or  re- 
ceiving any  other  aid  than  the  voluntary  contributions  of  the  philanthro- 
pists of  our  city. 

The  society  has  at  present  over  three  thousand  members.  It  also  has 
on  its  list  the  names  of  the  richest  and  most  influential  citizens  of  New 
York. 

In  this  connection  we  also  have  the   Dispensaries  ;  a  number  of  them 
are  in  connection  with  hospitals.     These  we  have  mentioned  before,  and 
therefore  will  only  give  a  short  enumeration  of  the  dispensaries  existing  , 
by  themselves  : 

The  "New  York  Dispensary"  was  opened  in  1791,  in  a  rented  room 
in  Tryon  street.  Its  present  building,  on  the  corner  of  Centre  and 
White  streets,  it  acquired  in  1829.     It  has  treated  over  1,500,000  paiients. 

The  "Northern  Dispensary,"  which  is  situated  on  the  corner  of  Chris- 
topher street  and  Waverley  Place,  was  opened  in  1827.  It  has  treated 
nearly  1,000,000  patients. 


820  THE    BRIGHTEST    OF   THE 

The  "  Eastern  Dispensary,"  in  the  Essex  Market  Court  House,  dates 
from  the  year  1834.  The  number  of  patients  treated  in  it  amounts  to  a 
little  over  &00,000. 

The  "Deniilt  Dispensary/'  on  the  corner  of  Second  avenue  and 
Twenty-third  street,  was  opened  in  1851,  since  which  time  it  has  re- 
ceived over  500,000  patients. 

The  "  Northwestern  Dispensary,"  on  the  corner  of  Ninth  avenue  and 
Thirty-sixth  street,  has  existed  since  1852,  when  it  began  its  career  in 
No.  511  Eighth  avenue.  Its  present  large  building,  which  has  been  fin- 
ished but  a  short  time  ago,  is  an  architectural  ornament  to  that  part  of 
the  city  in  which  it  is  situated.  The  number  of  patients  treated  by  this 
dispensary  is  almost  400,000. 

The  "  Northeastern  Dispensary,"  founded  in  1862,  in  No.  222  East 
Fifty-ninth  street,  has  treated  over  200,000  patients. 

Besides  those  mentioned  above,  there  are  also  the  "  Central  Dispen- 
sary," No.  934  Eighth  avenue ;  the  "  Eclectic  Dispensary,"  No.  22a 
East  Twenty-sixth  street ;  and  dispensary  for  the  treatment  of  cancer,. 
No.  468  Sixth  avenue ;  for  the  treatment  of  skin  diseases,  No.  101 
East  Thirtieth  street ;  and  for  treatment  of  diseases  of  lungs  and  breast? 
No.  234  Fifth  street. 

The  general  influence  of  these  dispensaries  on  the  poorer  classes  of  our 
population  cannot  be  estimated  too  highly. 

The  "American  Female  Guardian  Society  and  Home  for  the  Friend- 
less," is  a  society  conducted  by  ladies,  whose  noble  object  is  to  give  a 
home  to  young  and  respectable  women,  who  are  friendless  and  houseless, 
until  they  have  been  provided  with  suitable  situations,  and  to  do  every- 
thing in  general  to  withdraw  unprotected  girls  from  the  temptations 
which  surround  them,  and  to  save  those  that  have  fallen  victims  to  these 
temptations. 

It  was  founded  in  1835,  and  began  its  beneficial  career  in  the  old 
Tract  House,  in  Nassau  street,  and  afterwards  in  the  church  on  the  cor- 
ner of  Nassau  and  Beekman  streets,  which  has  long  since  disappeared. 
Its  present  magnificent  building,  the  "Asylum  for  the  Friendless,"  which 
was  erected  in  1848,  is  situated  at  No.  32  East  Thirtieth  street.  In  con- 
nection with  this  is  the  "  Home  Chapel,"  in  No.  29  East  Twenty-ninth 
street,  which  contains,  besides  a  chapel,  school,  and  sleeping  rooms,  a 
reading  room,  etc.,  for  children  and  women. 

This  noble  institution  also  sustains  various  industrial  schools  for  or- 
phaned and  abandoned  girls  throughout  the  city.  The  largest  one  of 
these  schools,  at  the  corner  of  Forty-ninth  street  and  Ninth  avenue,  is 
visited  by  about  four  hundred  children.  The  society  also  receives  infants 
for  adoption,  or  for  a  certain  time  only,  as  may  be  the  case.  It  has  pro- 
vided a  home  for  181  during  the  past  year,  and  has  returned  200  to  their 
parents  and  friends.     The  number  of  children  admitted  since   its  found- 


BRIGHT    SIDES    OK    NEW    YOKK.  821 

AtioQ  is  18,957.  Besides  their  activity  in  the  asylum,  the  members  of 
this  society  also  look  up  poor  people  to  bring  them  aid. 

The  society  belongs  to  no  particular  church,  and  helps  poor  people 
without  regard  to  religion  or  nationality. 

The  "  Society  for  the  Employment  and  Relief  of  Poor  Women,"  is  a 
society  consisting  of  ladies  belonging  to  the  Unitarian  Church,  which 
was  founded  in  1843,  and  whose  object  it  is  to  supply  poor  women  and 
girls  with  sewing  of  all  kinds,  which  it  receives  from  private  persons, 
or  which  it  offers  for  sale  in  its  store,  No.  143  East  Thirteenth  street* 
when  the  profits,  after  deducting  a  small  part,  is  given  to  the  women- 
During  the  yer.r  1872,  3,372  articles  of  clothing  were  manufactured  in 
this  way  by  the  society.  The  office  where  applicants  must  apply  for 
work  is  at  No.  239  Fourth  avenue. 

The  "Women's  Aid  Society  and  Home  for  Training  Young  Girls," 
was  founded  in  1867.  Its  object  is  to  protect  poor  and  friendless  young 
girls,  and,  if  necessary,  to  offer  them  a  temporary  home,  and  there  to  fit 
them  for  life.  Its  asylum  is  on  the  corner  of  Seventh  avenue  and  Thir- 
teenth street.  During  the  year  1872  it  has  received  in  all  173  poor 
girls.  Of  these  seventeen  remained  in  the  institution  on  January  1, 
1873,  123  were  suppUed  with  situations,  six  were  sent  to  hospitals,  eight 
returned  to  their  friends,  five  left  of  their  own  free  will,  six  were  sent  away 
on  account  of  disobedience,  and  eight  were  sent  to  various  other  institu- 
tions. 

"The  Five  Points  Mission"  is  a  creation  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal 
**  Ladies'  Home  Missionary  Society,"  which  began  its  activity  in  the  city 
in  1848.  The  large  mission  house,  built  in  1853,  on  the  place  of  the 
"Old  Brewery,"  the  favorite  resort  of  thieves,  murderers,  and  the  low- 
est class  of  prostitutes,  is  a  living  picture  of  its  success.  During  the 
year  ending  with  May,  1873,  not  less  than  1,020  children  of  the  neigh- 
borhood were  instructed  in  the  English  branches,  and  119  girls  in  sew- 
ing, etc.,  in  the  mission  house.  The  children  were  mostly  clothed  in  the 
Mission,  and  received  one  meal  per  day.  Seventeen  poor  families  had 
received  free  lodging  in  the  Mission,  and,  as  long  as  it  was  necessary, 
free  meals.  It  has  furthermore  obtained  employment  during  the  year 
for  73  adults  and  41  children,  and  has  distributed  G,26G  articles  of  cloth- 
ing, and  77,000  rations  of  food.  The  free  reading-room  in  the  Mission 
House,  richly  stocked  with  books  and  papers,  was  visited  every  evening 
in  the  course  of  the  year  on  an  average  by  sixty  to  eighty  persons.  It 
has,  since  its  existence,  saved  many  thousands  of  children  and  adults, 
who  otherwise  would  have  gone  to  the  State  Prison,  or  a  few  probably 
to  the  gallows. 

"  The  Institution  of  Mercy,"  in  No.  33  Houston  street,  is  under  the 
direction  of  the  Catholic  order  of  the  "  Sisters  of  Mercy."  It  was 
founded  in  1851,  and  receives  respectable  persons  of  any  age  in  its  home, 


822  THE    BRIGHTEST    OF    THE 

aod  keeps  them  until  work  is  found  for  them  elsewhere.  Since  its  exist- 
ence it  has  received  into  its  home  12,000  girls,  and  has  supplied  over 
20,000  with  situations.  There  are  continually  from  seventy  to  eighty 
persons  in  the  institution  at  a  time.  In  1869  the  Sisters  erected  a  build- 
ing on  the  block  between  Fourth  and  Madison  avenues,  and  Eighty-first 
and  Eighty-second  streets*,  as  an  industrial  school  for  poor  children,  It 
is  intended  to  hold  five  hundred  children,  and  children  are  received,  with- 
out any  distinction  of  religion  or  nationality,  under  twelve  years  of  age, 
and  children  of  volunteers  under  this  age  are  received  free  of  charge. 
These  Sisters  also  prepare  those  sentenced  to  death,  if  they  are  Catholics, 
for  their  execution. 

Differing  from  the  former  institutions  and  associations,  but  of  a  bene- 
ficial influence  on  the  condition  of  the  working  classes,  is  the 

"  Working  Women's  Protective  Union."  This  society  gives  no  real 
aid  to  the  poor,  but  makes  it  its  object  to  offer  all  that  protection,  free  of 
charge,  to  working  women  which  is  necessary  to  save  them  from  unjust 
oppression  or  defraudation  on  the  part  of  unscrupulous  employers.  It 
sees  that  the  working  woman  receives  the  full  wages  due  her  toil,  and  is 
therefore  not  placed  in  a  position  to  seek  aid.  The  Union  has  been  in 
existence  since  1864,  and  has  done  exceedingly  much  to  gradually  im. 
prove  the  condition  of  the. working  women,  which  threatened  to  become 
a  perfect  slavery.  Up  to  February  1,  1873,  it  has  collected  the  wages  of 
2,267  working  women,  and  has  obtained  employment  for  25,671  others. 
It  has  furthermore  made  an  arrangement  with  the  largest  sewing  ma- 
chine factories,  according  to  which  working  women  can  obtain  the  ma- 
chines at  wholesale  prices.  Among  its  directors  are  some  of  the  most 
influential  and  best  known  names  in  the  city. 

In  this  connection  we  must  not  overlook  the  attempts  which  are  made 
to  supply  working  women  with  better  and  cheaper  'odgings  than  can  be 
had  in  the  cheap  boarding-houses. 

In  this  respect  we  must  notice — 

"  The  Young  Women's  Home,"  which  was  founded  in  1860,  by  the 
"+  Ladies'  Christian  Union  of  the  City  of  New  York."  It  is  situated  in 
Nos.  27  and  28  Washington  Square,  and  is  intended  for  the  reception  of 
ninety  boarders,  who  are  charged  five  to  six  dollars  per  week. 

"  The  Female  Christian  House,"  in  No.  314  East  Fifteenth  street,  was 
also  founded  by  a  society  ot  ladies,  in  1863.  The  price  is  three-and-a- 
half  to  five  dollars  per  week,  and  there  is  room  for  ninety  boarders. 

The  "Hotel  for  Working  Women,"  which  was  built  by  the  well- 
known  merchant,  A.  T.  Stewart,  on  Fourth  avenue,  between  Thirty- 
second  and  Thirty-third  streets,  in  a  truly  palatial  style,  and  at  an  ex- 
pense of  §1,000,000,  was  intended  to  have  been  an  immense  hotel  for 
working  women,  in  which  the  charges  for  board  and  lodging  should  be 
so  low  as  just  to  cover  the  expenses.     But  the  building  has  been  stand- 


BRIGHT    SIDES    OF    NEW    YORK.  823 

ing  so  long  in  an  unfinished  state,  that  the  reports  that  Mr.  Stewart  in- 
tended to  use  it  for  something  else,  seems  to  be  not  without  all  founda 
tion. 

Private  societies  whose  object  it  is  to  protect  emigrants,  and  especially 
their  particular  countrymeD,  are  also  not  wanting  in  our  city.  In  this 
respect  most  of  the  foreign  nationalities  represented  in  the  United  States 
have  their  own  societies. 

The  "German  Society  of  the  City  of  New  York"  was  founded  in 
1784,  and  pays  particular  attention  to  the  welfare  of  the  German  emi- 
grants. Its  president  is  an  ex-officio  member  of  the  State  Board  of  the 
Commissioners  of  Emigration.  It  pays  particular  attention  that  their 
countrymen  receive  all  the  benefits  to  which  they  are  entitled  within  five 
years  after  landing  here.  It  also  sends  money  to  and  from  Germany, 
procures  passages  to  and.  from  Europe,  and  tickets  on  all  the  lines  of 
steamboats  and  railroads,  and  changes  money,  collects  legacies,  etc.  It 
has  also  greatly  diminished  the  swindling  of  emigrants  by  energetically 
pushing  the  prosecution  of  "  runners."  Thus  in  1872  it  succeeded  in 
sending  the  celebrated  emigrant-swindler,  Charles  Moore,  to  the  State 
Prison  for  five  years.  The  society  has  appointed  two  physicians  in  the 
city  to  treat  poor  sick  persons,  who  made,  during  the  year  1872,  1,545 
visits  free  of  charge,  and  had  1,571  recipes  made  at  the  expense  of  the 
society.  Pecuniary  assistance  was  given  during  the  same  year  to  4,9G6 
persons,  amounting  to  $8,815.     Its  office  is  in  No.  13  Broadway. 

"  St.  George's  Society,"  founded  in  178G,  is  a  society  which  assists 
and  protects  English  emigrants  and  poor  Englishmen  in  our  city  in  gen- 
eral. During  the  year  1873  it  has  given  regular  monthly  aid  to  over 
eighty  poor  widows,  while  it  has  assisted  over  1,200  poor  sick  English- 
men.    As  a  branch  of  this  society  we  must  regard 

"  St.  Andrew  Society,"  which  .follows  the  same  ends  with  regard  to 
Scotchmen.  This  society  gave,  during  the  year  1872,  assistance  to  744 
persons,  to  the  amount  of  83,702,  and  has  sent  twenty-one  persons  back 
to  Scotland  upon  their  own  request. 

The  offices  of  the  above  two  societies  are  in  No.  133  Nassau  street. 

"  Socitte  Francaise  de  Bienfaisance  "  is  a  society  iutended  to  protect 
and  assist  newly-arrived  Frenchmen,  as  well  as  such  as  have  resided 
here  for  some  time.  During  the  year  1872  it  has  given  to  the  French 
poor  S3, 856  in  money,  14,800  loaves  of  bread,  331?  tons  of  coal,  and 
S150  in  medicines. 

The  "Irish  Emigrant  Society"  was  incorporated  in  1833,  and  is  for 
the  Irish  emigrants  what  the  German  Society  is  for  the  German  emi- 
grants. The  president  is  an  ex-officio  member  of  the  State  Board  of 
Emigration.  Its  office  is  in  No.  51  Chambers  street.  The  money  ex. 
pended  for  aid  amounted,  during  the  past  few  years,  on  an  average  to 
about  S10,000.     In  1850  the  society  opened  an   l%  Emigrant  Industrial 


824  THE    BRIGHTEST    OF    THE 

Savings  Bank,"  whose  books  show  the  names  of  about  25,000  depasitors, 
with  deposits  to  the  amount  of  more  than  $11,000,000. 

"  Soeiete  Generale  Suisse  de  Secours  Mutuel  et  de  Bienfaisauce 
(General  Swiss  Aid  and  Mutual  Benefit  Society),  clearly  indicates  its 
object  by  its  name.  During  the  year  ending  April,  1873,  it  has  paid  the 
rent  for  sixty  poor  families,  and  has  given  orders  for  232  night  lodgings, 
465  meals,  etc. 

The  "  German  Mission  House  for  Emigrants,  Sailors,  and  Travelers," 
in  No.  426  and  428  Pearl  street,  is  the  creation  of  the  German  Mission 
House  Society,  which  was  organized  in  1866.  Mr.  John  H.  Ockers- 
hausen,  its  present  president,  presented  it  with  $20,000,  which,  in  con- 
nection with  several  other  smaller  donations,  enabled  the  society  to  buy 
the  Mission  House  and  to  open  it  in  1867. 

The  object  of  the  Mission  House  is  to  offer  to  German  emigrants, 
sailors,  and  travelers  board  and  lodging  during  their  stay  in  the-  city.  It 
is  strictly  conducted  on  the  temperance  principle,  and  no  intoxicating 
liquors  are  permitted  within  its  walls.  The  charges  for  board  are  only 
intended  to  cover  the  expenses,  and  any  surplus  is  used  for  charitable 
purposes.  Since  its  foundation  it  has  received  over  15,000  persons,  and 
it  has  an  authorized  agent  in  Castle  Garden  to  receive  emigrants  and  to 
bring  them  to  the  Mission  House.  All  the  officers  and  trustees  of  the 
Association  perform  their  duties  gratis. 

"The  Sisters  of  the  Stranger*'  is  a  society  of  ladies  which  was 
founded  in  1869,  for  the  purpose  of  assisting  strangers  in  our  city.  It 
assists  them  by  supplying  them  with  food,  clothing,  work,  medical  attend- 
ance, etc.  It  also  has  three  sewing  machines,  which  it  lends  for  a  cer- 
tain time  to  poor  emigrant  women  and  others.  During  the  year  1872  it 
has  assisted  446  persons  and  families  at  an  expense  of  $2,112  ;  over  500 
persons  were  supplied  with  second-hand  clothing,  and  about  200  with 
work.     Its  office  is  in  No.  4  Winthrop  Place  (Greene  street). 

The  "  German  Emigrant  House  "  of  the  Lutheran  Emigrant  House 
Mission  in  New  York,  in  No.  16  State  street,  has  been  described  in  a 
former  chapter.  We  will  only  add  here  that  it  was  opened  on  October 
31,  1873,  and  has  received  since  that  time  175  emigrants. 

The  following  associations  watch  over  the  welfare  of  those  who  must 
serve  their  time  in  prisons,  and  those  who  have  returned  from  prison  : 

The  "Prison  Association  of  New  York"  was  founded  in  1845.  Its 
objects  are  to  reform  the  prisons,  to  secure  to  poor  prisoners  legal  aid 
and  an  impartial  trial,  or  in  cases  in  which  they  have  been  already  sen- 
tenced to  procure  for  them  a  new  trial,  and  the  executive  clemency,  if 
there  is  any  just  cause  for  it.  The  society  has  been  authorized  to  make 
any  investigation,  in  the  courts  or  in  the  prisons,  that  it  may  deem  neces- 
sary. According  to  the  annual  report,  for  1872-3,  3,958  visits  were 
made,  and  476   indictments  were  examined.     Of  these   124  were  with- 


WRIGHT    SIDES    OF    NEW    YORK.  825 

drawn  at  the  instauce  of  the  society,  and  101  prisoners  were  immedi- 
ately discharged,  or  recommended  to  the  clemency  of  the  judge.  One 
hundred  and  sixteen  persons  who  had  been  discharged  from  prison  were 
aided  with  clothing,  food,  etc.,  until  they  were  able  to  help  themselves 
-along.  Over  700  received  emplopment,  while  others  were  supplied  with 
tools  ;  112  were  given  the  means  to  return  to  their  friends,  The  central 
office  of  this  Association,  extending  over  the  entire  State,  is  in  No.  19 
Centre  street.     As  a  branch  of  this  Association,  we  must  regard  the 

u  Women's  Prison  Association,  which  separated  from  the  former  in 
1867.  Its  sphere  of  action  is  the  same  as  the  preceding  one,  except  that 
it  extends  to  female  prisoners.  It  has  also  in  No.  213  Tenth  avenue  an 
asylum,  the  "  Isaac  T.  Hopper's  Home,"  in  which  friendless  women, 
after  their  discharge  from  prison,  find  a  home  until  they  are  supplied 
with  respectable  situations. 

During  the  year  1871,  405  such  unfortunates  were  admitted  into  the 
asylum  for  a  longer  or  a  shorter  term.  Of  these,  247  were  supplied 
with  situations,  fifteen  were  sent  to  hospitals,  forty-five  remained  in  the 
asylum  at  the  close  of  the  year,  while  the  rest  left  it  to  look  out  for 
themselves. 

Among  the  private  charitable  institutions,  the  following  must  not  be 
overlooked  : 

"  The  American  Seamen's  Friends'  Society,"  organized  in  1828,  has 
Uept  a  "Sailors'  Home"  in  180  Cherry  street,  since  1842,  in  which 
itailors  can  find  good  and  cheap  board,  and  are  protected  from  the  various 
i  langers  which  surround  them  in  the  city.  During  the  year  ending  May, 
1872,  2,828  sailors  were  received  here,  while  the  number  received  since 
its  foundation  is  82,806. 

The  Life-Saving  Benevolent  Association  "  was  incorporated  in  1859. 
j.ts  object  is  to  decrease  the  loss  of  life  at  the  wrecking  of  vessels  along 
uur  coast. 

Of  the  following  societies  we  received  the  reports  too  late  to  place 
vhem  in  their  respective  classes  : 

The  "  New  York  Female  Assistant  Society  for  the  Relief  and  Re- 
ligious Instruction  of  the  Sick  Poor,"  in  No.  34  West  Twenty-fourth 
street,  has  been  in  operation  since  1817.  Its  board  of  officers,  consisting 
principally  of  ladies,  is  a  visiting  committee,  Avhose  business  it  is  to  visit 
poor  sick  persons,  and  to  satisfy  themselves  of  their  worthiness  to  receive 
charity.  Medical  assistance,  medicines,  food,  clothing,  fuel,  etc.,  but 
not  money,  are  given  in  aid.     A  branch  of  this  society  is  the 

"  Dorcas  Society,"  a  sewing  society  of  ladies,  whose  object  it  is  to 
make  the  clothing  needed  by  the  Ladies'  Aid  Society.  The  number  of 
articles  of  clothing  manufactured  annually  by  this  society  amounts  on  an 
average  to  three  or  four  thousand. 

The  "Bethany  Institute  Women's  Christian  Work,"  founded  in   1871, 


826  THE   BRIGHTEST    OF   THE 

has  for  its  object  the  practical  education  of  female  missionaries.  The 
institute  also  embraces  within  the  scope  of  its  missionary  work  the  visit- 
ation of  the  poor,  and  has  already  brought  to  light  many  poor  sick  per- 
sons from  dens  of  poverty  and  filth.  It  is  situated  at  No.  69  Second 
avenue,  and  has  room  for  twenty-five  pupils. 

The  "  Free  Dormitory  for  Women,"  a  quite  young  creation  of  a  fra- 
ternity in  connection  with  the  Church  of  the  Strangers,  who  keep  their 
newly-opened  rooms  in  No.  24  Amity  street,  as  a  free  dormitory  for 
women.  From  July  to  December  5,  1873,  this  dormitory  has  given 
lodgings  to  432  poor  women  and  girls. 

The  "  Children's  Fold,"  No.  437  Fifty-eighth  street,  was  opened  in 
1868,  by  a  society  of  ladies,  to  offer  a  home  to  friendless  children  be- 
tween the  ages  of  one  and  twelve.  The  institution  keeps  the  children 
until  it  is  able  to  have  them  adopted  by  some  respectable  family,  or  to- 
put  them  to  work.  Since  1868  over  two  hundred  children,  four-fifths  of 
them  orphaned,  have  been  received. 

The  "  Helping  Hand,"  No.  316  Water  street,  was  opened  in  October, 
1872.     It  is  a  missionary  house,  which,  however,  assists  poor  and  re  ■ 
spectable  men,  who  apply  to  it,  with  food  and  other  necessaries  of  life 
In  this  manner  it  has  already  offered  a  helping  hand  to  over  one  thous  • 
and  unfortunates. 

The  number  of  our  charitable  institutions  is  by  no  means  to  be  regarded 
as  closed  with  this  long  list.  Many  are  wanting  whose  silent  labors  ar'j 
confined  to  closer  quarters,  and  a  number  of  others  did  not  have  this 
kindness  to  answer  our  request  for  their  constitutions,  annual  report?, 
etc.  The  openings  thus  caused  were  all  the  more  difficult  to  fill,  as, 
very  strange  to  say,  none  of  our  large  public  libraries,  with  their  large 
stores  of  information,  think  it  necessary  to  accord  a  place  in  the  annual 
reports  of  the  benevolent  societies. 

Let  us  now  look  at  the  public  charitable  institutions  of  our  city.  The;r 
are  all,  with  the  exception  of  those  relating  to  emigrants,  Under  the  con- 
rol  of  the  Commissioners  of  Charities  and  Corrections.  There  are 
three  of  these  Commissioners,  who  are  appointed  by  the  Mayor  for  the 
term  of  six  years.  Their  office  is  on  the  corner  of  Eleventh  street  and 
Third  avenue.  With  these  commissioners  a  system  of  charity  was  es- 
tablished reaching  all  the  various  forms  of  poverty  and  misery,  and  which 
is  not  equalled  by  any  other  city  in  the  world,  either  in  the  extent  of  the 
means  at  its  command,  or  in  the  thoroughness  of  the  work  done. 

Almost  all  of  these  institutions  are  situated  on  the  four  islands  in  the 
East  River — Black  well's  Island,  Ward's  Island,  Randall's  Island,  and 
Hart's  Island.  Very  few  of  them  are  located  in  the  city  proper.  These 
are — 

The  "Bellevne  Hospital,"  in  Avenue  B,  between  Twenty-sixth  and 
Twenty-eighth  streets,  erected  in   1826,  and  considerably  enlarged  from 


BRIGHT    SIDES    OP    NEW    YORK.  827 

time  to  time.  It  is  one  of  the  largest  hospitals  in  the  world,  and  contains 
thirty-live  wards,  which  are  capable  of  accomodating  twelve  hundred 
patients.  In  connection  with  the  hospital  there  are  a  medical  school  and 
a  museum  for  the  study  of  pathological  anatomy.  In  18G6  the  building 
known  as  the  Morgue  was  added  to  it.  According  to  the  last  annual 
report,  dated  January  1,  1872,  7,514  patients  had  been  treated  during 
the  past  year.  The  number  of  births  amounted  to  37G.  In  18GG  a 
u  Bureau  for  the  Medical  and  Surgical  Treatment  of  Out-door  Poor," 
was  created  in  connection  with  the  hospital,  aud  its  physicians  were  con- 
sulted during  the  year  1871  by  about  63,000  persons.  There  are  two 
reception  hospitals  for  the  temporary  reception  and  care  of  persons  who 
have  been  taken  suddenly  ill  in  the  streets.  One  is  in  City  Hall  Park? 
and  the  other,  since  December  1,  1871,  has  been  situated  in  Ninety-ninth 
street,  near  the  Boulevard.  The  number  of  persons  received  in  them 
from  May,  1871,  to  May,  1872,  was  over  two  thousand.  Free  dispen- 
saries are  connected  with  both  these  hospitals. 

The  M  Bureau  for  the  Relief  of  the  Out-door  Poor  "  is  in  the  office  of 
the  Commissioners.  ,  Over  five  thousand  five  hundred  families  were  as- 
sisted by  it  with  nearly  843,000.  The  treatment  of  poor  sick  persons 
also  comes  within  the  duties  of  the  bureau.  For  this  purpose  the  city  is 
divided  up  into  thirteen  districts,  each  one  of  which  has  a  separate  phy- 
sician. These  thirteen  physicians,  during  the  year  1871,  made  about 
9,500  Visits. 

The  "  Free  Labor  and  Intelligence  Bureau,"  Nos.  8  and  10  Clinton 
Place,  on  the  corner  of  Mercer  street,  is  one  of  the  most  beneficial  and 
most  useful  creations  of  the  Commissioners  of  Charity.  It  is  managed 
in  a  truly  excellent  manner,  and  employers,  as  well  as  persons  looking 
for  work,  can  apply  there.  It  requires  satisfactory  references  from  both. 
The  contract  is  made  in  the  office,  aud  strict  attention  is  paid  that  its 
provisions  are  kept  by  both  parties.  Whoever  breaks  the  agreement,  his 
name  is  placed  in  the  "  Black  Book,"  of  which  one  is  open  for  the  in- 
spection of  employers,  and  another  for  employees.  For  persons  entered 
in  this  book,  the  bureau  is  closed  accordiug  to  the  gravity  of  their  offense, 
either  for  one  year  or  forever.  The  bureau  also  undertakes  to  collect 
wages  fraudulently  held  back.  The  fo'lowing  figures,  which  show  the 
number  of  persons  who  obtained  situations,  are  the  best  measure  for  the 
activity  of  the  bureau  : 

1870— males  3,778,  females  22,739  ;   1871— males  2,446,  females  23,- 
:    1672— males  3,751,  females  26,158;   1873    (till  October)— male* 
1,509,  females  14,158. 

That  is,  since  1870,  the  large  number  of  98,41G — while  the  number 
of  applicants  must  of  course  have  been  much  larger.  It  is  hardly  neces- 
sary to  mention  that  this  great  beneficial  institution  accepts  no  pay  for 
its  services. 


828  THE    BRIGHTEST    OK    THE 

Of  the  various  institutions  on  Blackwell's  Island,  the  following  are  of 
interest  to  us  : 

The  "  Charity  Hospital,"  built  in  place  of  the  Island  Hospital,  which 
was  burned  down  in  the  same  year.  It  is  354  feet  long,  and  has  So2 
beds,  in  twenty-nine  wards.  The  number  of  patients  received  in  it  dur- 
ing 1871  was  5,999.  Not  far  from  this  hospital,  at  the  southern  end  of 
the  island,  is  the 

"  Small-pox  Hospital,"  a  three-story  building,  104  teet  long  by  44  feet 
deep,  which  is  able  to  receive  one  hundred  patients,  and  was  built  in 
1854.  During  the  year  1871  it  has  received  2,498  persons  afflicted  with 
the  small-pox.  On  the  east  side  of  the  island,  between  the  Charity  and 
Small-pox  Hospitals,  is  the 

"  Fever  Hospital,"  for  the  reception  of  persons  afflicted  with  ship  fe- 
ver, typnoid,  etc.  It  consists  of  two  long  wooden  pavilions,  each  100 
feet  long,  one  for  male  and  the  other  for  female  patients.  In  1871,  252 
patients  were  treated  in  it. 

The  "  Alms-house,"  situated  about  in  the  middle  of  the  Island,  was 
built  in  1847.  It  consists  of  two  separate  three-sto*ry  buildings,  the  one 
containing  the  male  and  the  other  the  female  poor.  Each  building  wil.' 
hold  about  six  hundred  persons,  and  both  are  almost  always  full.  In 
1871,  3,716  poor  received  board  and  lodging  there  for  a  longer  or  shorter 
period.  The  majority  were  over  fifty  years  of  age,  and  three  women 
even  over  one  hundred  years  old.  On  the  grounds  of  the  Almshouse 
there  is  also  the 

"Hospital  for  Incurables,"  in  which,  in  1871,  187  patients  received 
medical  assistance. 

The  "New  York  City  Lunatic  Asylum"  was  built  during  the  years 
1835  to  1848.  The  principal  building,  consisting  of  an  octagonal  cen- 
tral building  and  two  extensive  wings,  will  hold  about  two  hundred  pa- 
tients. Separated  from  this  building  are  two  smaller  ones — the  one,  the 
so-called  "  Lodge,"  and  the  other,  the  "  Retreat,"  for  quiet  patients.  The 
former  can  hold  100,  and  the  latter  140  patients.  During  1871  the 
number  of  patients  received  was  2,023.  On  the  grounds  of  the  lunatic 
asylum  there  is  also  the 

"Epileptic  and  Paralytic  Hospital,''  which  consists  of  two  wooden 
pavilions,  each  of  which  contains  sixty-five  beds.  In  1871  the  hospital 
received  297  patients,  suffering  mostly  from  incurable  forms  of  these  ter- 
rible diseases.     It  will  hold  in  all  two  hundred  patients. 

There  are  situated  on  Ward's  Island,  under  the  control  of  the  Com- 
missioners of  Charity — 

The  "  New  York  Inebriate  Asylum,"  which  attempts  to  treat  habitual 
drunkenness  as  a  disease,  and  to  cure  persons  afflicted  with  it  medically 
of  their  terrible  vice.  It  was  built  in  1866,  is  three  stories  high,  and 
■will  hold   four   hundred   patients.      In    1871    the   number   of  patients 


BRIGHT   SIDES    OF    NEW    YORK.  829 

amounted  to  1,718,  of  whom  233  were  paying  patients — 1,097  men  and 
621  women.  The  eastern  wing  is  as  yet  too  extensive  for  its  purpose,, 
and  forms  the 

"Soldiers'  Retreat,"  in  which  855  invalidswere  received  during  1871. 
The  conditions  of  admission  are  :  Honorable  discharge  from  the  United 
States  service,  and  inability  to  earn  a  livelihood  in  consequence  of 
wounds  or  disease  received  in  the  service. 

Of  the  institutions  on  Randall's  Island,  the  following  belong  to  the 
Commissioners  of  Charities : 

"  The  New  York  Nurseries,"  which  is  only  the  Children's  Department 
of  the  Poor-house  on  Blackwell's  Island.  It  is  divided  into  three  sepa- 
rate departments,  of  which  the  "  Nursery  "  is  intended  for  healthy  chil- 
dren, while  the  second  serves  as  an  "Infant  Hospital,"  and  the  third  as 
the  "  Idiot  Asylum  and  School."  Six  large  three-story  buildings  are  in- 
tended to  receive  the  healthy  children,  each  of  which  is  under  the  special 
supervision  of  a  matron.  The  number  of  children  there  taken  care  of 
during  1871  was  1,002,  ranging  from  three  to  ten  years  of  age.  They 
all  belong  to  that  class,  who  are  found  helpless  in  the  streets  by  the  po- 
lice, or  whose  parents  declare  themselves  incapable  of  sustaining  them. 
Parents  cannot,  however,  leave  their  children  in  the  Nursery  over  three 
months.  After  this  time  they  must  either  pay  board  for  them,  or  re- 
nounce all  claims  on  them. 

The  "  Infant  Hospital,"  intended  for  the  reception  of  babies  and  chil- 
(  ren  under  three  years  of  age.  In  former  years  the  children  were  sim- 
ply sent  to  the  Alms-house,  and  there  given  into  the  care  of  the  women 
there.  Since  1869,  however,  the  new  Infant  Hospital  has  been  finished 
so  far  that,  in  eighteen  large  wards,  there  is  room  for  219  children  and 
1  53  nurses.  During  the  year  1871 'there  were  1,098  children  in  the  hos- 
pital, of  whom  579  came  with  their  mothers,  and  516  were  brought 
I  here  alone. 

The  "  Idiot  Asylum  and  School,"  a  three-story  building,  was  erected 
U  1868.  According  to  the  annual  report  of  1871,  it  had  115  children 
in  charge. 

Of  the  "  House  of  Refuge,"  under  the  control  of  the  "Association  for 
the  Reform  of  Juvenile  Criminals,"  we  have  already  given  a  description 
on  a  former  page. 

The  institutions  of  the  Commissioners  of  Charity  on  Hart's  Island 
are  : 

"  The  Industrial  School,"  which  was  opened  in  1868,  and  is  intended 
as  a  reform  school  for  boys  between  the  ages  of  ten  and  twenty-one 
years.  During  the  year  1871  the  police  sent  there  818  such  boys, 
who  are  forced  to  attend  school,  and  to  employ  their  time  usefully.  As 
a  branch  of  this  institution  we  must  regard  the 

School-ship  "  Mercury."     This  is  a   sailing-vessel  of  1*200   tons  bur 


-830  THE    BRIGHTEST    OF   THE 

then,  which,  was  bought,  in  1869,  by  the  Commissioners,  for  the  purpose 
of  putting  to  good  use  the  restless  activity  and  roving  disposition  of 
many  Of  the  boys.  Lads  who  fancy  a  sailor's  life — and  they  are  not  few 
— are  received  on  board  of  this  ship,  and  there  practically  made  familiar 
with  the  duties  of  seamen.  There  are  continually  from  two  to  three 
hundred  such  boys  on  board  of  this  vessel,  on  which  the  discipline  of  a 
man-of-war  prevails.  Tae  scholars  are  dressed  in  sailor  suits,  and  under- 
take, every  year,  long  trips,  in  which  they  become  practically  acquainted 
with  the  life  of  a  sailor.  The  majority,  upon  their  discharge,  enter  the 
Navy,  and  are  generally  among  the  best  sailors.  When  not  at  sea,  the 
school-ship  is  generally  at  anchor  near  Hart's  Island. 

As  it  must  also  be  regarded  as  a  charitable  work  to  bury  the  dead,  the 
so-called 

"  Potter's  Field,"  on  Hart's  Island,  must  not  be  overlooked  here,  as 
persons  that  have  died  poor  and  friendless  are  buried  there.  The  field 
consists  of  two  parts,  designed  the  one  to  receive  Catholics,  the  other 
Protestants.  The  number  of  persons  who  were  buried  there  in  1871,  ac- 
cording to  the  annual  report,  was  3,502.  Thirteen  corpses  were  removec' 
at  the  instance  of  friends  to  other  cemeteries. 

The  following  institutions  are  under  the  control  of  the  Commissioners 
of  Emigration  of  the  State  of  New  York : 

"  Castle  Garden,"  since  1855  the  landing-place  of  all  emigrants  arriv 
ing  at  this  port,  situated  at  the  south  end  of  the  city.  We  have  alreadj 
spoken  of  this  institution  on  a  former  occasion,  and  it  only  remains  fo 
us  now  to  enumerate  the  institutions  on  Ward's  Island  under  the  controi 
of  the  Board  of  Emigration. 

The  "  Verplanck  State  Hospital,"  ttje  hospital  for  emigrants,  an  im 
mense  building,  consists  of  a  corridor  450  feet  long,  from  which  fiv< 
wings  emanate,  150  feet  long  and  25  feet  wide.  It  was  built  in  1853, 
and  is  intended  for  such  sick  emigrants  as  are  not  afflicted  with  contagi- 
ous diseases.  The  house  has  room  for  350  patients,  and  8,676  patients 
were  treated  during  the  year  1872. 

"  The  Nursery,"  a  three-story  building,  serves  as  a  house  for  children 
whose  emigrant  parents  have  either  died  or  are  too  poor  to  care  for  them 
any  longer. 

"  The  Refuge,"  as  its  name  indicates,  an  asylum  for  poor  emigrants, 
is  a  three-story  building,  which  offers  a  home  to  about  450  persons) 
^mostly  children  and  women. 

"  The  New  Barracks,"  a  three-story  brick  house,  is  an  addition  to  the 
Refuge,  intended  chiefly  for  the  reception  of  male  emigrants.  It  is  160 
feet  long  by  44  feet  deep,  a^d  has  room  for  about  450  persons. 

"  The  Lunatic  Asylum,"  for  emigrauts,  was,  until  1873,  a  building 
capable  of  accommodating  125  patients.  But  it  had  for  some  time 
already  proven  inefficient  in  every  respect,  and  the  Commissioners  there- 


BRIGHT    SIDES    OF    NEW    TORE..  831 

fore  thought  it  necessary  to  obtain  a  new  building,  which  was  opened  in 
June,  1873.  The  number  of  patients  treated  in  the  old  institution  dur- 
ing the  year  1872  was  347. 

Besides  these  buildings  there  is  also  a  Dispensary,  with  a  division  for 
the  reception  of  persons  afflicted  with  chronic  diseases  ;  furthermore,  a 
ward  for  surgical  operations,  one  for  male  and  one  for  female  patients,  a 
dining-room  with  accommodations  for  1,200  persons,  the  boys'  barracks 
with  room  for  eighty  boys,  and  other  less  extensive  buildings  on  its 
grounds  containing;  120  acres. 

The  number  of  emigrants  received  in  the  various  institutions  of  the 
Commissioners  during  the  year  1871  was  15,818,  of  whom  2,134  still  re- 
mained there  at  the  end  of  the  year.  There  were  378  children  born  in 
the  different  institutions. 

The  following  summary,  from  its  creation  up  to  December  31,  1872, 
may  aid  us  in  estimating  the  usefulness  of  the  Board  of  Emigration  : 
Total  number  of  emigrants  arrived  in  New  York  harbor, 
from    May  5,    1847,  to  December   31,  1872,  that  have 
paid  the  commutation  fee,  -----       5,033,392 

s  umber  of  those  that  received  any  aid  from  emigrant  fund 

within  five  years  after  their  arrival,  -  -  -  -  1,465,579 
\  umber  of  those  that  were  cared  for  in  the  institutions  on 

Ward's  Island, 398,403 

>  umber  of  those  that  received  temporary  aid  in  New  York 

city,  such  as  board,  lodging,  or  money,  -  449,275 

dumber  of  those  that  were  sent  to  their  place  of  destina- 
tion, or  were  sent  back  to  Europe  at  their  own  request,  53,083 
dumber   of   those  that  received   employment  through  the 
Castle  Garden  Intelligence  office,          -                                         349,930 
X umber  of  those  that  were  aided  by  the  Board  in  the  State, 

but  outside  of  the  city  of  New  York,      -  214,042 

So  much  for  our  institutions  of  charity.  We  let  them  speak  for  them- 
selves. Even  the  most  embittered  misanthrope  cannot  close  his  eyes 
against  their  beneficial  activity,  while  the  strict  moralist  will  judge  our 
social  conditions  less  harshly,  when  the  old  proverb  is  called  to  his  mind 
by  the  above  monuments  of  practical  philanthropy,  that 

"CHARITY  COVERS  A  MULTITUDE  OF  SINS!" 


I  IsT  ID  IE  X. 


Page. 

Introduction,  3 

Pauperism,  7 

Street  Children,  20 

New  York  Police,  34 

;New  York  Detectives,  38 

United  States  Detectives,  51 

Private  Detectives,  59 

The  Thieves,  71 
Fences,  or  Receivers  of  Stolen 

Property,  158 

The  Rogues'  Gallery,  162 

Street  Robbers  and  Garroters,  164 

Swindlers,  167 
Gambling   Houses   and   their 

Victims,  282 

Prostitution  and  its  Victims,  321 

Concert  Saloons,  371 

Dance  Houses,  386 

Pic  Nics,  397 

Forgers  and  Counterfeiters,  403 

Check  and  Note  Forgers,  437 

The  Adulteration  of  Food,  444 

The  Abortionists,  448 

The  Quack  Doctors,  468 

Lotteries  and  Policy,  490 

The  Lunatic  Asylums,  509 

Fortune  Tellers,  529 

Mediums,  536 

Pawnbrokers,  547 

Emigrant  Swindlers,  558 


Page. 

Intelligence  Offices,  574 

Tenement  Houses,  581 

Adventurers  and  Cheats,  59& 
The  Theatres    of   the    Lower 

Class,  603 
Bar-rooms  and  their  Frequent- 
ers, 606> 
Loafers  and  Rowdies,  614 
Prize  Fighters,  620- 
Dog  and  Cock  Fights,  625 
Matrimonial  Offices,  630 
Black  Mail,  641 
Private  Post-Offices,  649 
Obscene  Literature,  652 . 
Professional  Street  Beggars,  659 
Foundlings,  668 
Incendiaries,  680 
The  Tammany  Ring,  688- 
Personals  and  Newspaper  Ad- 
vertisements, 694 
The  Police  Courts,  705 
The  Criminal  Courts,  712 
The  Lawyers,  723 
The  Tombs  and  the  Other  Pris- 
ons, 730 
Murders  and  Suicides,  752 
Lost  and  Missed  Persons,  766 
The  Morgue,  779 
List  of  Swindling  Firms,  785 
Conclusion,  793 


